Prime Video Drops the Axe on 'Countdown' & 'Butterfly' After One Season

Sadly, two more freshman dramas, the Jensen Ackles-led 'Countdown' and Daniel Dae Kim's 'Butterfly,' won't be returning to Prime Video for a second season, leaving fans and cast members alike to wonder what might have been.

TL;DR

• Prime Video has officially canceled the action thrillers Countdown and Butterfly, effective October 10, 2025.
• Both shows debuted this summer and briefly appeared on Nielsen's Top 10 U.S. streaming charts, but global viewership numbers ultimately led to their demise.
• Fans are particularly disappointed by Countdown's abrupt cliffhanger ending, though creator Derek Haas has offered a small bit of closure regarding a major character's fate.

Another Streaming Story Ends Early: Prime Video Cleans House

Well, this is a bummer. Just when we were getting settled into some new Prime Video thrillers, the streaming giant has decided to pull the plug on two of its first-year series, Butterfly and Countdown. The news dropped on October 10, 2025, confirming that neither show would be returning for a second season, despite both having made a splash (albeit a brief one) on Nielsen’s Top 10 streaming charts.

It's a tough pill to swallow for fans who invested in these narratives, especially with one ending on a significant cliffhanger. This move is part of Amazon MGM Studios' broader evaluation of its recent scripted series, signaling a continued focus on performance metrics like global viewership.

The Final Act for 'Countdown': Jensen Ackles' Thriller Reaches Its End

Fans of Jensen Ackles, who know him best from Supernatural and The Boys, were excited to see him back in action as LAPD detective Mark Meachum in Countdown. Created by Derek Haas (the mastermind behind Chicago Fire), the series plunged viewers into a high-stakes conspiracy. It kicked off with the murder of a Department of Homeland Security officer, leading Meachum to join a secret multi-agency task force. Their mission? To uncover a sinister plot and save Los Angeles from impending doom. The show, which premiered on June 25, 2025, rolled out its 13 episodes weekly, wrapping up its season in early September.

While Countdown managed to snag a spot on the Nielsen Top 10 for Streaming Originals, peaking at #8, and reportedly showed stronger internal performance than Butterfly, its global viewership didn't quite hit the mark for Amazon. Critics were also not particularly kind to the series, with Variety branding it a "monotonous" "snooze fest" and its Rotten Tomatoes score sitting at a rather dismal 35%. Many found the characters and storylines underdeveloped, failing to create a lasting impression.

"Well, as some of you may have seen already, Countdown did not get picked up for another season. Amazon’s gonna let it go, and it’s a bummer. I had such a such an amazing time making that show. I had an absolute blast with the cast and the crew... Thanks to Amazon, for giving us the opportunity, especially Vernon Sanders, for being such a champion for that show. But sometimes you can set out to do your best and check all those boxes, and ultimately, it’s out of your hands. That’s the way it goes in this industry."

— Jensen Ackles, via social media

A Cliffhanger Solved: Oliveras' Fate Revealed!

One of the biggest reasons for fan frustration is how Countdown left us hanging. The season finale ended on a nail-biting cliffhanger, with Jessica Camacho's character, Amber Oliveras, kidnapped by the villainous Seth (who turned out to be an FBI agent all along!). She was then ordered to run across a field as he aimed his sniper rifle. Jensen Ackles himself acknowledged the pain, stating after the finale, "Obviously, it would suck if it just ends there!" and expected his character, Meachum, to "lose his st and go a bit ballistic" if a Season 2 happened.

However, in a small act of mercy (or defiance), creator Derek Haas took to social media to confirm the fate of Oliveras: "Pssst... Oliveras lived." This comes after his earlier comments defending cliffhangers regardless of renewal chances: "I don't give a s--t, I’m doing it." So, while we won't get to see Meachum's ballistic reaction or the slow-burn romance with Oliveras develop further, at least one major character survived the chopping block, even if off-screen.

The main cast for Countdown included:

• Jensen Ackles as Mark Meachum
• Jessica Camacho as Amber Oliveras
• Eric Dane as Nathan Blythe
• Violett Beane as Evan Shepherd
• Uli Latukefu as Luke Finau
• Elliot Knight as Keyonte Bell

No Wings for 'Butterfly': Daniel Dae Kim's Spy Thriller Grounded

Next up for cancellation is Butterfly, a character-driven spy thriller starring and executive produced by Daniel Dae Kim. Based on a graphic novel by Arash Amel and Marguerite Bennett, and co-created by Steph Cha and Ken Woodruff, the series brought us David Jung (Kim), an enigmatic former U.S. intelligence operative living in South Korea. His life is turned upside down when his estranged daughter, Rebecca (Reina Hardesty), now a deadly, sociopathic agent, is sent by a sinister spy organization called Caddis to kill him.

Butterfly premiered as a binge release on August 13, 2025, filmed extensively on location in South Korea, offering a unique cultural backdrop rarely seen in Western thrillers. It also briefly made it to Nielsen's Top 10, hitting #6. Critically, Butterfly fared much better than its canceled counterpart, scoring a respectable 68% on Rotten Tomatoes. Reviewers, like Jasneet Singh from Collider, praised its "cinematic scope and emotional depth," along with Kim's layered performance and Hardesty's breakout role. The show was applauded for its authentic blend of cultures and its exploration of family dynamics within the treacherous world of espionage.

The cast of Butterfly featured:

• Daniel Dae Kim as David Jung
• Reina Hardesty as Rebecca
• Kim Ji-hoon
• Park Hae-soo
• Kim Tae-hee
• Charles Parnell
• Sean Dulake
• Nayoon Kim
• Guest appearances by Sung Dong-il and Lee Il-hwa

Despite its critical goodwill and unique premise, Butterfly ultimately couldn't secure a second season, with "total global viewership" cited by some sources as the deciding factor, suggesting it didn't capture a large enough international audience to justify continuation.

The Streaming Game: Why Amazon Decided to Cut These Shows Short

The cancellations of both Countdown and Butterfly highlight the incredibly competitive and data-driven nature of the streaming world. While both shows managed to get on Nielsen's Top 10 U.S. streaming charts, that alone isn't enough anymore. The emphasis appears to be on sustaining viewership and achieving significant global reach to justify the investment in production.

Amazon MGM Studios conducted a "slate reevaluation" for its new scripted series launched between May and August. The decisions were initiated under outgoing Head of Global TV Vernon Sanders and finalized by his successor, Peter Friedlander. In this period, some shows got lucky, while others faced the axe:

• Renewed: We Were Liars, Overcompensating, and the Bosch spinoff Ballard.
• Canceled: Motorheads, Countdown, and Butterfly.

It's a tough environment for new shows to thrive, especially when facing high production costs and the need to grab (and hold) a massive global audience's attention. Even a respectable critical reception, like Butterfly received, isn't always enough to guarantee a future in this landscape.

What's Next for Daniel Dae Kim and Jensen Ackles on Prime Video?

While we're sad to see these specific shows go, it's not goodbye to these talented actors and creators from the Amazon family just yet! Both Daniel Dae Kim (through his 3AD company) and Jensen Ackles (via his Chaos Machine banner with wife Danneel Ackles) maintain first-look deals with Amazon MGM Studios.

For Jensen Ackles fans, there's still plenty to look forward to. He's set to star in the forthcoming Vought Rising, a prequel series to the hugely popular The Boys. He also recently made a guest appearance in the two-part premiere of CBS's Tracker, showcasing his versatility. Daniel Dae Kim, whose 3AD production company developed Butterfly, will undoubtedly continue his work with Amazon on other projects. So, while we close the chapter on these two series, the stories for their stars and the studios continue.

Frequently Asked Questions About These Cancellations

When did Countdown premiere on Prime Video?

Countdown premiered on Prime Video on June 25, 2025.

When did Butterfly premiere on Prime Video?

Butterfly premiered on Prime Video on August 13, 2025.

Are Countdown and Butterfly still available to watch on Prime Video?

Yes, both Countdown and Butterfly are currently still available to stream on Prime Video.

What were the Rotten Tomatoes critic scores for these canceled shows?

Countdown received a "rotten" score of 35% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, while Butterfly scored a more favorable 68%.

Sources

• The Hollywood Reporter
• Deadline
• Variety
• TV Insider
• MovieWeb
• Collider
• Yahoo
• CBR
• Hindustan Times