Written by Johnnie Jae• 11:38 pm• ENTERTAINMENT, Featured

Two months ago, NDN Country celebrated the premiere of CHAMBERS, a supernatural drama series, that held the distinction of being the first Netflix series and first TV series ever to feature an Indigenous lead. On June 18th, 2019, Netflix officially announced that Chambers would not be returning for a second season.

“’Chambers’ will not return for a second season,” said a Netflix spokesperson. “We’re grateful to creator and showrunner Leah Rachel for bringing this story to us and to her fellow executive producers Alfonso Gomez Rejon, Steve Gaghan from Super Emotional, Winnie Kemp and Wolfgang Hammer from Super Deluxe, and Jennifer Yale. We’re also thankful to the tireless crew, and to our incredible cast, especially Uma Thurman, Tony Goldwyn and talented newcomer Sivan Alyra Rose.”

The cancellation of Chambers comes right on the heels of Netflix announcing that it was partnering with three of Canada’s leading Indigenous media groups, imagineNATIVE, The Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) and Wapikoni Mobile, to create a suite of programs ranging from screenwriting intensives to apprenticeships. It seems an odd move to cancel the first and only U.S. series to feature an Indigenous lead in light of these partnerships aimed to increase Native representation within the film industry.

Fans of the series were also confused and upset by the cancellation of Chambers.

Beautifully diverse shows that Netflix has canceled: Sense8, One Day At A Time, and now Chambers. In a world with very little good representation of LGBT and/or BIPOC characters, @netflix just keeps taking until we have nothing left. https://t.co/O5qtPoGW7M — Mika (@MikaMathurin) June 19, 2019

I’m so sad because Netflix has cancelled Chambers. I loved that show so much and it’s so disappointing. It was the first show EVER to star a Native American woman in the lead role and seeing that for the first time meant a lot to me. https://t.co/SJNxhBUB16 — 〰️Delia〰️ (@Delia_X23) June 19, 2019

I don’t wanna hear shit from Netflix about supporting diversity after cancelling sense8, the get down, one day at a time, and Chambers — Klaudia Amenábar is being gay and doing crimes (@kaludiasays) June 19, 2019

For Natives, the pain of losing Chambers runs deep.

Chambers finally made natives feel represented and included, broke negative stereotypes, and made history with @sivanalyrarose being the first female Native lead for a television series. We all know why it wasn’t “received” well by an industry that thrives off of token diversity. https://t.co/tYsMmTp2HN — Goth Corn (@the_reclvse) June 19, 2019

@netflix you really cancelled #Chambers. The only time native kids like me have EVER seen ourselves represented. That was something special and you stole it. It wouldve been a successful show but you never even gave it a chance. #savechambers — Sunshine (@queersweetgrass) June 18, 2019

Chambers isn’t gonna get renewed because it’s good representation. That wasn’t the point. Netflix does these diversity one shots to see which communities are marketable to straight white people. That’s why you see a marginalized community trying to save a show every other month. — Blood Quantum Entanglement (@LammaticHama) June 19, 2019

Chambers finally made natives feel represented and included, broke negative stereotypes, and made history with @sivanalyrarose being the first female Native lead for a television series. We all know why it wasn’t “received” well by an industry that thrives off of token diversity. https://t.co/tYsMmTp2HN — Goth Corn (@the_reclvse) June 19, 2019

Chambers is a groundbreaking series, not only because it is the first to feature an Indigenous lead, but because it isn’t grounded in outdated and racist Native stereotypes. The Native characters are complex, nuanced and their interpersonal relationships are healthy and just as complex. The cancellation of Chambers is a reminder that as ready as we are for authentic Native representation, it seems that Netflix isn’t as ready as they claim to be. After all, they are still very proud of Adam Sandler’s Ridiculous6.

Chambers season one is still available on Netflix. Watch it and hope with the rest of us that Netflix or another Network steps in to #SaveChambers.

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Last modified: June 19, 2019