TV Shows That Race-Swapped Black Characters and Got Canceled

Today, many TV shows are updating classic stories with new actors, aiming to better represent the diversity of our society. This often means characters who were originally written as White are now played by Black actors. While some of these shows are popular and well-received, others haven’t connected with viewers and have been cancelled. The following series made these casting changes but were ultimately cancelled by the networks that produced them.

‘Resident Evil’ (2022)

Netflix tried to reboot the popular video game series with a story jumping between 2022 and 2036. They cast Lance Reddick as Albert Wesker, a character usually portrayed as white in the games, and he gave a compelling performance. However, the show’s story differed significantly from the established game lore, which disappointed fans. Critics and viewers didn’t like the focus on teen drama and found the plot confusing. The series was quickly canceled because not enough subscribers finished watching it.

‘Cowboy Bebop’ (2021)

The popular anime series Cowboy Bebop was recently adapted into a live-action show with a unique visual style. Mustafa Shakir played Jet Black, a character who was originally portrayed as white in the Japanese version, and received positive feedback for his performance. However, the show had trouble matching the tone of the original anime. Many fans disliked the show’s speed and changes to the story, and Netflix ultimately canceled it after a single season despite its high production costs.

‘Halo’ (2022–2024)

The highly anticipated TV series based on the popular Xbox game franchise took some liberties with the original story to make it work on screen. A notable change was the casting of Danny Sapani and Olive Gray as Captain and Commander Keyes, characters who were portrayed as white in the games. These changes, along with alterations to character backstories and the decision to show the Master Chief’s face, immediately upset many longtime fans. While the show was renewed for a second season, it struggled to gain the full support of the core gaming community. Ultimately, Paramount+ canceled the series after its second season ended.

‘The Wonder Years’ (2021–2023)

This updated version of a beloved sitcom replaced the original’s white family, the Arnolds, with the Black Williams family in Alabama. The show sought to depict the late 1960s from the perspective of a Black teenager named Dean. While critics appreciated its heartwarming tone and accurate portrayal of the era, ratings decreased over its two seasons. Ultimately, ABC canceled the series because it didn’t achieve the same level of popularity as the original.

‘High Fidelity’ (2020)

Zoë Kravitz led the cast of this updated take on the story originally told in Nick Hornby’s novel and the John Cusack film. In this version, the main character was reimagined as Rob, a biracial woman who runs a record store in Brooklyn. Critics praised the show’s music and Kravitz’s engaging performance. However, despite the positive reviews, it didn’t attract a large enough audience, and Hulu canceled it after one season, leaving fans disappointed.

‘Cursed’ (2020)

This fantasy series offered a fresh take on the Arthurian legend, telling the story through the perspective of Nimue. It featured a young Arthur, played by Devon Terrell, reimagined as a Black mercenary instead of the typical white king. While the show tried to combine coming-of-age elements with magic and intense violence, many viewers felt the story moved too slowly and that the world it created wasn’t as well-developed as in other popular fantasy shows. Ultimately, Netflix decided not to continue the series with a second season.

‘The Irregulars’ (2021)

This series, taking place in the world of Sherlock Holmes, followed a group of street kids who solved crimes—but for a villainous Doctor Watson. Actor Royce Pierreson portrayed Watson as a Black man, a significant change from the character’s traditional depiction in the books. The show blended classic Victorian mysteries with supernatural horror. While it briefly climbed into the top ten most-watched shows, not enough viewers kept watching, and Netflix canceled it just under two months after it first aired.

‘Troy: Fall of a City’ (2018)

This historical drama attempted a realistic and intense retelling of the Trojan War. The choices of David Gyasi as Achilles and Hakeem Kae-Kazim as Zeus led to discussions about how well the show matched the original myths and history. Though a collaboration between the BBC and Netflix, the series didn’t perform well with audiences in the UK. Many critics found the writing overly dramatic and felt it didn’t live up to the epic scale of the story. As a result, it wasn’t renewed for another season.

‘Anne Boleyn’ (2021)

The psychological thriller starred Jodie Turner-Smith as Queen Anne, a historical figure traditionally portrayed as white. This casting decision was meant to encourage viewers to focus on the queen’s struggles against male dominance rather than her race. While some critics applauded the show’s daring approach, others found it historically inaccurate. Viewers generally disliked the series, reflected in low ratings and negative reviews. Ultimately, the miniseries didn’t gain enough traction to inspire further installments or a similar trend.

‘Tom Swift’ (2022)

This show, inspired by the Nancy Drew books, offered a fresh take on the classic inventor character, reimagining them as a gay, Black billionaire. Tian Richards starred as the lead, focusing on exciting, high-tech adventures and sci-fi mysteries. However, the series didn’t attract a large audience on The CW, especially as the network was going through changes. Ratings were very low, and after just a few episodes, the show was quickly canceled.

‘Vampire Academy’ (2022)

Peacock’s TV series, based on a popular book series for young adults, made some changes to how the characters looked compared to the original novels. Sisi Stringer played the main character, Rose Hathaway, who was described as having tanned skin in the books, but this wasn’t always how fans pictured her. The show tried to update the traditional vampire story by adding political drama and social themes. While some book fans enjoyed the changes, others didn’t, and there were also mixed reactions to the visual effects. Ultimately, Peacock canceled the series after one season because not enough people were watching.

‘Perry Mason’ (2020–2023)

HBO revived the classic detective series, updating it with a dark, 1930s Los Angeles setting. A key change was the character of Paul Drake, traditionally portrayed as white, now played by Chris Chalk as a Black police officer. This allowed the show to examine the racial issues and corruption of the time. Though critics loved the show’s quality and performances, its high production costs led HBO to cancel it after two seasons as the network shifted its programming focus.

‘Let the Right One In’ (2022)

This series, based on a Swedish novel and movie, followed a father and his vampire daughter as they navigated life in New York City. The story was updated with a Black family, starring Demián Bichir and Madison Taylor Baez. It delved deeper into the origins of the vampire virus and introduced fresh villains. Unfortunately, Showtime canceled the show after just one season and took it off their streaming service, as part of a larger removal of content from the network.

‘Heathers’ (2018)

This darkly comedic series was inspired by the 1988 movie it’s based on, but it moved the story to a contemporary high school. One character, originally Heather Duke, was updated to be a Black, genderqueer male. The show had a difficult rollout, facing delays due to school shootings. Reviews were mixed, with many critics finding the satire muddled and the humor unnecessarily harsh. Ultimately, it aired on the Paramount Network with little promotion and was quickly canceled after one season.

‘Utopia’ (2020)

Amazon created an American version of a popular British show about a group of comic book enthusiasts who find a graphic novel that seems to predict disasters. While the character Wilson Wilson was played by a different actor than in the original British series (Desmin Borges took on the role), the American adaptation received criticism for simplifying its unique look and adding more violence. The show’s release during the COVID-19 pandemic, with its storyline involving a virus, also negatively impacted how it was received. Ultimately, Amazon canceled the series after only one season.

‘Charmed’ (2018–2022)

The reimagining of the original WB series featured the Vera sisters, who are Afro-Latina and Latina, replacing the Halliwell sisters. The new show sought to tell a more inclusive and feminist story about three powerful witches. However, longtime fans often expressed a preference for the original cast, and the reboot struggled to attract a consistent audience. The writers tried various changes to the show’s history and relationships to keep viewers interested, but The CW ultimately canceled it after four seasons as part of a larger network overhaul.

‘Roswell, New Mexico’ (2019–2022)

This science fiction romance series was a modern take on the Roswell High books and the original television show, featuring older characters and exploring political issues. Heather Hemmens played Maria DeLuca, and the Valenti family was reimagined with a different ethnic background. The show blended an alien mystery with a focus on immigration. Unfortunately, ratings declined as the storyline became more complex, and the network canceled it after four seasons, concluding the primary plot threads.

‘First Kill’ (2022)

Netflix debuted a teen drama centered around a vampire and a monster hunter who fall in love. The show featured the Burns family, a Black family of monster hunters, in contrast to the white vampire family. While it quickly gained a dedicated online fanbase, critics were divided, citing the show’s somewhat low-quality special effects and writing. Although the series appeared in Netflix’s top ten for weeks, not enough viewers finished watching each episode, leading to its cancellation after just one season.

‘Krypton’ (2018–2019)

This series explored the history of Superman’s family, the House of El, on their home planet Krypton long before it was destroyed. Notably, the show reimagined the Zod family as Black, with Georgina Campbell and Colin Salmon starring as Lyta-Zod and General Zod, respectively. This casting choice brought a fresh perspective to the longstanding conflict between Krypton’s powerful families. Unfortunately, Syfy canceled the show after two seasons due to declining ratings, and plans for a spin-off series about the character Lobo were also abandoned.

‘Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector’ (2020)

This crime series was inspired by the novel The Bone Collector and starred Russell Hornsby as a gifted forensic criminologist who used a wheelchair. Although Denzel Washington portrayed the character in the movie, the original book described him as white. The show tried a mix of ongoing storylines and individual case investigations, but NBC canceled it after just one short season because it didn’t attract enough viewers. It struggled to gain attention among the many other police shows on television.

Please share your thoughts on which of these shows deserved a second chance in the comments.

2025-12-01 16:47