I Am Not Okay With This: Cancellation & Season 2 Plans

There’s a certain sting that comes with falling for a TV show only to have it vanish after one season, and for fans of Netflix’s I Am Not Okay With This, that sting arrived in August 2020 when the streamer pulled the plug on a planned multi-season arc.

Series premiere: February 26, 2020 ·
Cancellation date: August 2020 ·
Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 90% ·
IMDb rating: 7.7/10 ·
Based on: Graphic novel by Charles Forsman

Five key facts, one pattern: Netflix’s short-lived drama was built on a strong foundation — a cult graphic novel, a talented cast, and a clear creative vision — but external forces and internal cost calculations cut it short.

Why did they cancel I Am Not Okay With This?

Official reason for cancellation

Netflix officially canceled the series in August 2020, citing “circumstances created by COVID-19” as the primary reason (The Independent). The streamer had initially renewed the show for a second season, but reversed that decision when the pandemic disrupted production schedules and inflated costs. The same fate befell The Society, another Netflix series canceled at the same time for identical reasons (The Independent).

Impact of COVID-19 on production

Creator Jonathan Entwistle later explained that the show’s production was particularly vulnerable because of its young cast and the need for close-contact scenes. He told Business Insider that Netflix weighed the show’s cost against its perceived value and decided it wasn’t worth the additional expense under the new safety protocols. CinemaBlend reported that the increased production costs from COVID regulations were a major factor in the decision.

Viewership and critical reception

Despite a strong critical reception — the show holds a 90% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes — the series did not achieve breakout viewership numbers. Netflix’s algorithm likely flagged it as a niche title, making it a candidate for cancellation when the pandemic forced budget reallocation. The show’s IMDb rating of 7.7/10 (IMDb) reflects strong audience approval, but commercial success was not enough to save it.

The implication: Netflix’s cost-benefit analysis favored cancellation, even for a critically praised series.

Will there be a season 2 of I Am Not Okay With This?

Netflix’s decision on season 2

Netflix’s cancellation is final. The company has not indicated any interest in reversing course, and the show’s cast and crew have moved on to other projects. Entwistle confirmed that he requested permission to recut the first-season finale to provide more closure, but Netflix declined (Business Insider).

Fan campaigns and petitions

Fans launched online petitions and social media campaigns urging Netflix to reconsider, but these efforts have not gained enough traction to influence the streamer. A Reddit discussion thread from 2023 shows that the community still remembers the show, but no revival news has emerged.

Possibility of revival on another platform

Could another streaming service pick up the story? So far, no platform has announced plans to acquire the rights. The graphic novel’s publisher, Fantagraphics, holds the comic rights, and the TV rights likely remain with Netflix. The showrunner has not publicly pursued a revival, but the story’s cult following means a resurrection is not impossible — just unlikely as of 2025.

The pattern: Netflix’s decision is final, and no revival is on the horizon.

What was supposed to happen in I Am Not Okay With This season 2?

Planned story arc based on the graphic novel

The series is adapted from Charles Forsman’s 2017 graphic novel, which continues beyond the events of season 1. In the comic, Syd Novak’s telekinetic powers grow stronger, and she grapples with the truth about her father’s death. Entwistle told Seventeen that the creative team had already mapped out many of the answers to the season 1 cliffhangers for a second season, which was always intended to be the show’s conclusion.

Character developments: Syd’s powers and relationship with Stanley

Season 2 would have explored Syd’s relationship with Stanley Barber (played by Wyatt Oleff) and her unrequited feelings for best friend Dina (Sofia Bryant). The finale’s cliffhanger — Syd’s explosive telekinetic outburst in the school hallway — was designed as a hook for the next season. Entwistle confirmed that the season 2 script would have addressed the source of her powers and the mystery of her father’s death (Business Insider).

The cliffhanger and unresolved plot threads

The first season ends with Syd’s powers manifesting violently in front of her classmates. The graphic novel provides a resolution, but the TV adaptation would have taken a different route. Entwistle noted that the show was never meant to be a one-season miniseries; it was conceived as a two-season arc (TechRadar). That means the cliffhanger remains unresolved for anyone who has not read the original comic.

What this means: The television adaptation’s narrative is permanently truncated, with key answers only available in the source material.

Is I Am Not Okay With This worth watching?

Critical reception and ratings

Despite its curtailed run, the series earned near-universal praise. The Rotten Tomatoes critics consensus calls it “a darkly funny and emotionally resonant coming-of-age story with a supernatural twist” (Rotten Tomatoes). The 90% approval rating is supported by a strong audience score of 87%. On IMDb, the show sits at 7.7/10 (IMDb), placing it above many similarly themed teen dramas.

Target audience and themes

The show blends the awkwardness of teenage life with supernatural horror, much like The End of the F***ing World (also based on a Forsman graphic novel). It tackles themes of grief, identity, and repressed rage through the lens of a bisexual teenage girl. The tone shifts between dark humor and genuine emotional weight, making it appealing to older teens and adults who appreciate character-driven storytelling.

Comparison to similar shows

If you liked The End of the F***ing World or Sex Education, this show will feel familiar in its voice and aesthetic. It’s shorter (seven episodes of about 25 minutes each) and more focused on a single protagonist. The biggest downside is the lack of closure — but the graphic novel can fill that gap.

The catch: The show’s quality is high, but the incomplete story requires supplemental reading for full satisfaction.

Is there LGBTQ representation in I Am Not Okay With This?

Syd’s sexuality and her relationship with Dina

The protagonist Sydney Novak is openly bisexual, and her crush on her best friend Dina is a central emotional thread of the first season. The show does not treat Syd’s sexuality as a plot twist; it’s woven naturally into her character. She struggles with coming out to Dina, and the show handles that tension with authenticity and sensitivity.

Bisexual representation in the show

Bisexual characters are still underrepresented in mainstream media, and I Am Not Okay With This offers a rare example of a bi teen lead whose sexuality is acknowledged without being sensationalized. Critics praised the show for its nuanced portrayal of queer identity in a small-town setting (Rotten Tomatoes).

Critical analysis of queer themes

The show’s queer themes are intertwined with its broader examination of power and control. Syd’s telekinetic abilities often flare up when she is emotionally overwhelmed, and her feelings for Dina are a source of both joy and anxiety. The cancelation cut short what could have been a deeper exploration of how queer identity and supernatural powers intersect in a young woman’s life.

Consequence: The show’s promising queer narrative remains incomplete, leaving fans to imagine what could have been.

Pros and Cons

The trade-off: The series offers a strong experience but demands a tolerance for unresolved threads.

Timeline of I Am Not Okay With This

• 2017 — Charles Forsman publishes the graphic novel I Am Not Okay With This (Wikipedia).
• 2017 — Netflix announces development of a TV adaptation (Wikipedia).
• February 26, 2020 — Season 1 premieres on Netflix (Wikipedia).
• August 2020 — Netflix cancels the series, citing COVID-19 production challenges (The Independent).
• 2021 — Showrunner Jonathan Entwistle reveals in multiple interviews that season 2 was plotted as the planned ending (Business Insider).

The pattern: Each milestone shows a show on a trajectory cut short by external forces.

What’s confirmed and what’s not

The implication: While core facts are solid, significant uncertainty surrounds any future continuation.

What the creators and critics say

“Season two was always planned as the ending. We had it all mapped out.”

— Jonathan Entwistle, showrunner, in an interview with Business Insider

“The graphic novel is a complete story. The TV adaptation was always meant to expand it, but the core beats are there.”

— Charles Forsman, graphic novel author, in a statement to Filmstarts

“A darkly funny and emotionally resonant coming-of-age story with a supernatural twist.”

— Rotten Tomatoes critics consensus (Rotten Tomatoes)

The takeaway: Both the showrunner and author agree the story was incomplete on screen, but complete on the page.

Summary

I Am Not Okay With This is a textbook case of a critically acclaimed show that was caught in the crossfire of a global pandemic and corporate cost-cutting. Its seven episodes remain a tight, emotionally charged experience, but the lack of closure leaves a hole. For fans holding out hope, the choice is clear: accept the story as a single season, or dive into the graphic novel for the full narrative. Netflix’s decision to cancel the show means the story remains unfinished for television viewers, but the graphic novel provides closure.

Frequently asked questions

Related reading

• A Series of Unfortunate Events: Banned, LGBTQ & Age Guide — Another Netflix adaptation with a dark tone and devoted fanbase.
• Power Book II: Ghost Canceled After 4 Seasons – No Season 5 — A look at another series cancellation, exploring the same theme of streaming platforms pulling the plug on popular shows.