Netflix’s The OA was a show that never wanted to play it safe. Over two seasons, it told a story about a woman who mysteriously regains her sight after seven years missing, recruits five locals for a secret mission, and suggests the possibility of traveling between dimensions. It was a show about liberation, fear, and the courage to believe in something beyond understanding. And it never once apologized for being wild.
The Show’s Early Ambition
The OA premiered as a 16-episode Netflix sci-fi mystery series in 2016, created by Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij. It was driven by ambition from the start, and it never once tried to make its ideas easier to swallow. The show’s primary expression of magic is a dance form called the OA, involving five movements. On paper, that sounds absurd. In execution, it has an ethereal quality that prompts viewers to imitate the dance themselves.
That was the show’s signature move: sincerity over sneaky comedy. Even during its most bizarre story developments, The OA demanded complete seriousness from its characters and viewers. It was a show willing to risk ridiculousness to make its points about fear, trauma, and liberation.
A Meta Twist at the End
The show refused to compromise on imagination even at its end. Toward the close of its second season, The OA introduced a never-seen-before meta story where it reframed itself as a fictional story within its own universe. It was a bold move for a show that already leaned into surrealism, and it suggested the creators had more up their sleeve. In fact, they had.
Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij had planned a five-season arc for the show. After two seasons, the Netflix sci-fi show had many more stories to tell and ideas to explore. Yet, it was cut short long before it could realize its full vision. The show was a victim of premature cancellations, like many acclaimed Netflix sci-fi shows before it.
A Refusal to Compress
When Netflix canceled The OA after two seasons, the creators were given the opportunity to wrap up its story with a TV movie. They chose to hold on to their creative integrity instead. Zal Batmanglij and Brit Marling decided to preserve the show’s long-term plan rather than compress it into a single film. The decision has been part of the show’s cult following ever since.
The show’s refusal to sacrifice its creative vision has become part of its identity. Many fans endlessly discuss its story beats and even hope for its return in the near future. The show has retained a following, and its admirers have gathered outside Netflix’s headquarters, performing the five movements of the OA’s dance in rebellion when the show was canceled.
Why The OA Still Matters
The OA isn’t afraid of being wildly imaginative. That’s its core strength, and it’s why the show stands out among sci-fi shows that dabble with alternate universes, Near-Death Experiences, and life after death. The OA’s portrayal of these concepts approaches them with incredible ambition, and it executes them in a way that feels both realistic and relatable.
The show’s sci-fi elements are often riddled with spirituality and philosophy. Its story shifts between neo-noir detective thriller elements reminding one of David Lynch and twisty sci-fi similar to Netflix shows like Dark and Sense8. It’s a show that never truly confines itself to one fixed genre, and that refusal to stay in one lane is part of what made it so memorable.
The Legacy of a Cult Following
The show’s cancelation was a blow to its creators and its fans. It left a story unfinished and a potential five-season arc undone. But the show’s admirers have not given up on it. Many fans endlessly discuss its story beats and even hope for its return in the near future.
If The OA returns, it would achieve a rare fate only a few shows have in the past. Its continuation could benefit the sci-fi genre as a whole, by embracing its stranger identity without sacrificing its creative vision. That’s a powerful argument for the show’s ambition, and it’s one the show’s admirers have been making for years.
The OA’s Numbers
- Network: Netflix
- Creator: Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij
- Premiere: 2016
- Seasons: 2
- Episodes: 16 total
- Cameo: The show’s five-movement dance form
- Planned arc: 5 seasons
How The OA Has Compared to Other Sci-Fi Shows
| Show | Network | Creator | Key Twist |
|---|---|---|---|
| The OA | Netflix | Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij | Reframes itself as a fictional story within its own universe |
| Dark | Netflix | Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese | Time loops and family secrets |
| Sense8 | Netflix | The Wachowskis | Eight strangers linked by a shared mind |
The OA’s approach to its own identity was unique among its peers. It wasn’t content to be a mystery thriller or a neo-noir detective story. It wanted to be both, and it wanted to bend the rules of its own universe to do it.
The OA deserved its ambition. It was a show that took risks, and it executed them with sincerity and imagination. Its creators held on to their long-term plan when Netflix offered to compress it, and that decision has become part of what made the show so memorable to its admirers.
Source material: “Netflix’s 16-Episode Sci-Fi Masterpiece Deserves Kudos For Being Insanely Ambitious,” Screen Rant.
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