The Expanse is one of the rare sci-fi series that managed to return after being canceled after three seasons. Its revival, leading to three more seasons and becoming one of the best sci-fi adaptations of the century, makes the show's comeback even more impressive. The success of the show's return and its ability to prove its long-term potential demonstrates that a sci-fi series on Netflix also deserves a second chance.

Netflix is notorious for its long list of sci-fi cancellations. Even some of the genre's most ambitious series, like 1899, Travelers, and Sense8, struggled to complete their runs and reach natural conclusions. However, the most painful result of these cancellations is undoubtedly the cancellation of The OA. While the series was initially planned to run for five seasons, its creators Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij had to end it after just two seasons.

While there are many factors contributing to The Expanse's return on Prime Video, one of the most significant was the fan campaign supporting the show. Fans of The Expanse, identifying themselves as the "Screaming Firehawks," raised funds to hire a plane to fly a banner reading "#SAVE THE EXPANSE" over the Amazon Studios headquarters in Santa Monica. Although Syfy canceled The Expanse after just three seasons, the show's fans were determined to bring it back and launched a petition that garnered over 100,000 signatures. The campaign peaked when notable figures like European Space Agency astronaut Andreas Mogensen, Patton Oswalt, and George R.R. Martin supported the series' return.

Fans even raised $4,000 for a 3D-printed model of the Rocinante to send to the edge of space. Fortunately, the fan campaign eventually paid off, and Prime Video decided to release one more season of the show. Thus, The Expanse continued for three more seasons and became one of the best sci-fi series on Prime Video.

Fans of Netflix's The OA also conducted similar campaigns to demand its return after cancellation. To express their love for the series and its brilliant metaphysical elements, many organized flash mobs to perform a special dance choreography called "The Movements." The success story of The Expanse shows that Netflix sci-fi series could similarly deserve a second chance and that fan support can reverse cancellations.