Mindy Kaling’s Not Suitable for Work will not be returning for a second season on Hulu. At least for now.
Hulu has canceled the series after just one season, bringing an early end to a show that followed a group of twenty-somethings trying to figure out adulthood, careers and relationships after college.
Set in New York City’s Murray Hill neighborhood, Not Suitable for Work centered on five young adults navigating their post-college work lives and everything that came with them.
The cancellation is disappointing for fans who saw potential in the lighthearted series, especially because Season 1 left viewers with more story to tell.
But there may still be some hope.
Warner Bros. is reportedly shopping Not Suitable for Work around to other networks and streaming platforms, meaning another company could potentially step in and give the series a second season.
And Netflix feels like one platform where the show could fit naturally.
With its young characters, New York City setting and stories about navigating work, friendships and adulthood, Not Suitable for Work has the kind of light, bingeable feel that could work alongside shows such as Emily in Paris. A move to Netflix would also potentially introduce the series to a larger global streaming audience.
It would not be the first time one of Kaling’s shows found a new home after a cancellation, either. The Mindy Project previously continued elsewhere after its original network run ended.
The cancellation also brings up another conversation about modern television: Should shows still end seasons on major cliffhangers when renewal is never guaranteed?
Kaling has previously spoken about learning to leave audiences with a cliffhanger that keeps them interested in another season. But in a streaming landscape where viewers often binge an entire season and shows can be canceled before their stories are finished, that strategy can leave audiences without closure.
Perhaps there is a middle ground: wrapping up the season’s main story while leaving enough possibilities open for another chapter if the show is renewed.
For Not Suitable for Work, though, the story might not be finished just yet.
Kaling shared her love for the series following the news, writing, “I love this show, I loved making this show, I love these people,” while also thanking viewers for watching and supporting it.
For now, Not Suitable for Work may be done at Hulu. But with Warner Bros. reportedly looking for another home, fans still have a reason to hope someone else is willing to clock in for Season 2.
