Apple TV+ cancels ‘The Big Door Prize’ after two seasons

The Morpho machine shuts down. Apple TV+ has canceled “The Big Door Prize” after two seasons Variety has confirmed. The series, from Skydance Television and CJ ENM/Studio Dragon, concluded its season 2 run on June 12.

“The Big Door Prize” comes from writer David West Read (“Schitt’s Creek”) and is based on the novel of the same name by MO Walsh. The whimsical series received critical acclaim in Season 1, which aired in spring 2023 and starred Chris O’Dowd, Gabrielle Dennis, Josh Segarra, Ally Maki, Djouliet Amara, Sammy Fourlas, Crystal Fox and Damon Gupton.

The series centers on the residents of Deerfield, a small town that is turned upside down when a mysterious machine appears in the store, promising to reveal the true life potential of each resident.

Read serves as showrunner and executive producer, alongside David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Matt Thunell for Skydance Television, Miky Lee, Jey-hyun Kim and Hyun Park for Studio Dragon, Bill Bost and Sarah Walker. Steven Tsuchida, Heather Jack, Jordan Canning, Satya Bhabha and Declan Lowney direct the series.

“The Big Door Prize” earned Rotten Tomatoes Certified Fresh status during its first season. Wrote Variety in last year’s review: “It’s an interesting comparison of generations, but it also leads to honest conversations about the pressure to succeed, the dangers of settling down, and flexibility in pursuing dreams. The show makes sure to never answer these questions, mind you, instead presenting these topics and letting viewers walk away with their own interpretations. The series uses MO Walsh’s novel as a starting point, but settles into a mix of science fiction, philosophy and small-town comedy as the episodes unfold. Former ‘Schitt’s Creek’ writer David West Read helms the adaptation, and his experience with quirky small-town characters certainly shines through.”

TV Line was first with the news of the cancellation.