What happened to adult animation?

'Scavengers Reign' is just the latest animated series for grown-ups to be cancelled

- MICHELLE KRASOVITSKI

If you haven't yet, I implore you to visit the planet Vesta, the alien world at the heart of "Scavengers Reign."

Rich with frightening vegetation and enigmatic creatures that simultaneously inspire awe and terror, Vesta is a truly unique setting for one of the most exciting TV shows of the decade.

Debuting on Max last October (and streaming on StackTV in Canada), this adult animated series follows the surviving crew of an interstellar cargo ship after it crash lands on a beautiful though dangerous alien planet. We follow three separate groups of castaways as they try to survive the hostilities of their new surroundings while attempting to chart a route home.

It's a riveting watch, striking both in its nuanced depictions of human resilience and its mastery in developing ecosystems that mirror those found on our own planet yet also feel wholly original.

Unfortunately, despite its rave reviews (it appeared on many critics' best-of-2023 lists), Max announced the cancellation of "Scavengers Reign" at the beginning of May.

There's some good news, for American viewers at least. Much as its titular scavengers gained a second chance at life on Vesta, the show will move to a new home in the United States: Netflix, which might pick it up for a second season (in Canada, it's currently available through subscriptions to Global and StackTV, with announcements yet to be made about a move to Netflix).