Fans of Prime Video’s recent thriller series have received disappointing news. The streaming service has canceled both Butterfly, starring Daniel Dae Kim, and Countdown, led by Jensen Ackles, after just one season. The decision leaves viewers with unresolved cliffhangers and ends the stories of both shows prematurely.
The Announcement and Fan Reaction
The cancellation was reported in October 2025, affecting two of the platform’s newer action shows that had debuted just months earlier. Both series were produced by Amazon MGM Studios and, despite some promising signs, will not be returning for a second season.
Fans of the shows quickly expressed their disappointment on social media, with many upset about the cliffhanger endings that will now never be resolved. One viewer of Countdown commented, “I’m distraught to know #countdown got canceled, and this is the reason I don’t get invested in shows anymore.” Another fan of Butterfly lamented, “So Butterfly ended in a cliffhanger & then cancelled? See this is why I rarely watch new things.”
Jensen Ackles also shared his thoughts on the cancellation in a video posted to his Instagram. He said, “Well, as some of you may have seen already, Countdown did not get picked up for another season. Amazon’s gonna let it go, and it’s a bummer. I had such an amazing time making that show.” He thanked the show’s creator, Derek Haas, and Amazon executive Vernon Sanders for their support, noting that sometimes such decisions are “out of your hands.”
A Look at the Canceled Show ‘Countdown’
Countdown premiered on June 25, 2025. The crime drama was created by Derek Haas, a co-creator of Chicago Fire. The series followed LAPD detective Mark Meachum, played by Jensen Ackles, who is recruited into a secret multi-agency task force after a Department of Homeland Security officer is murdered. The investigation uncovers a far-reaching conspiracy, forcing the team into a race against time to save Los Angeles from a devastating threat.
The show had a longer, weekly release format for its 13-episode first season. It spent two weeks on Nielsen’s Top 10 U.S. streaming charts, peaking at number eight. Reports indicate that even over a month after its season finale, the show was still hanging on to a spot in Prime Video’s own U.S. Top 10 list. However, the final decision to cancel the series came down to its total global viewership, which did not meet the streamer’s expectations.
The show also starred Eric Dane as Special Agent Nathan Blythe, the leader of the task force, alongside Jessica Camacho, Violett Beane, and Elliot Knight. The first season ended on a significant cliffhanger, with Agent Amber Oliveras (Camacho) running for her life in the woods, pursued by a killer.
A Look at the Canceled Show ‘Butterfly’
Butterfly arrived on Prime Video a bit later, with all episodes of its first season released for binge-watching on August 13, 2025. The series was a spy thriller based on a graphic novel by Arash Amel and Marguerite Bennett. It starred Daniel Dae Kim as David Jung, a former U.S. intelligence agent living in hiding in South Korea. His quiet life is shattered when his past catches up to him, and he finds himself targeted by a deadly young agent who works for the very spy organization he once helped create.
The show had a shorter first season, consisting of 6 episodes. Like Countdown, it also managed to break into Nielsen’s streaming top 10, reaching number six shortly after its release. The series was co-created by Ken Woodruff and Steph Cha and was filmed in South Korea, featuring a cast that included Kim Ji-hoon, Park Hae-soo, and Kim Tae-hee. Its season one finale also ended with unresolved plot points, leaving audiences wondering about the fate of its characters.
Why Were the Shows Canceled?
The cancellations are part of a larger pattern of Prime Video evaluating its new scripted series that launched between May and August of 2025. During this period, the streamer renewed the young adult titles We Were Liars and Overcompensating, while canceling Motorheads. Among its crime and thriller offerings, the streamer renewed the Bosch spinoff Ballard, while deciding to end Countdown and Butterfly.
For Countdown, the choice was not due to a complete lack of viewers. The show continued to perform well in the U.S. even after its finale. The determining factor was its performance on a global scale, which ultimately did not justify a renewal. The show also faced harsh criticism from reviewers; Variety‘s chief TV critic called the series “monotonous” and a “snooze fest.” It holds a critic score of 35% on the review site Rotten Tomatoes.
Butterfly was received more favorably by critics, earning a 68% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with a very strong audience score of 84%. However, its overall viewership numbers, particularly globally, were apparently not strong enough to secure a second season.
Both Daniel Dae Kim’s production company (3AD) and Jensen Ackles’ company (Chaos Machine) have first-look deals with Amazon MGM Studios, meaning the actors will continue their working relationship with the studio on future projects. Ackles is already set to appear in Vought Rising, an upcoming prequel to The Boys.
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