Prime Video Axes ‘Motorheads’ After Just One Season; Series Seeks New Network

EXCLUSIVE: Prime Video has decided not to renew the young adult drama Motorheads for a second season, as reported by Deadline. This news arrives over three months following the release of its first season, which consisted of 10 episodes and premiered on May 20.

However, fans of the series, who have been actively advocating for its continuation on platforms like X and TikTok, might still have reasons to hope. With the green light from Amazon, the show’s producers, led by creator John A. Norris, have begun seeking out new platforms interested in adopting the series, according to sources.

“Our main goal was to craft a series that was genuine and heartfelt, offering something that entire families could enjoy together,” shared Jason Seagraves, the executive producer of the series, in a statement to Deadline. “It’s disappointing that Motorheads won’t proceed on Prime Video, but we are immensely proud of the work our team has done. We launched with very minimal audience anticipation, yet our dedicated and vocal supporters have really pushed the series into the limelight. Their energy gives us hope, and we are optimistic about finding a new platform that shares our vision for the series.”

Starring Michael Cimino, Melissa Collazo, Ryan Phillippe, and Nathalie Kelley, Motorheads has maintained a strong presence on Prime Video, continually ranking within the top 10 shows in the U.S. and even reentering the top 5 as of yesterday, currently positioned at No. 7. It has received positive reviews, holding a 78% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and viewers who start the series tend to watch it through to the end, which is a significant indicator of success for streaming services.

Streaming Insights

Vernon Sanders, the head of TV at Amazon MGM Studios, last month expressed excitement about the series: “What’s remarkable is the completion rate we’ve seen; viewers who begin the series often stay with it until the final episode, and that’s always a positive sign,” he explained to Deadline.

Supporting this, the audience score for Motorheads on Rotten Tomatoes stands impressively at 95%.

Despite these strengths, the overall viewer count wasn’t sufficient for Prime Video, leading to its cancellation. Motorheads failed to appear on Nielsen’s weekly top 10 streaming charts and only made the Luminate Top 50 weekly streaming series chart for five weeks, mostly ranking in the 40s but peaking at No. 19 with 3.29 million hours viewed in the week following its release. However, it did achieve the No. 1 spot globally on Prime Video shortly after its debut, according to FlixPatrol.

The title Motorheads—which might not immediately convey its teen romance and street racing themes—could have been a hurdle in attracting female viewers, who have shown strong interest in Prime Video’s similar Culpa film series. Interestingly, Motorheads performed well in Brazil, a region where the Culpa films are also very popular.

As described in the show’s synopsis, Motorheads explores themes of first love, first heartbreak, and life’s early milestones set against the backdrop of automotive culture. It follows teen twins Zac (Cimino) and Caitlyn (Collazo) as they move with their mother Samantha (Kelley) to Pennsylvania to live with their uncle Logan (Phillippe), a former NASCAR champion turned auto shop owner.

In a discussion last July, Sanders commented on Amazon’s commitment to Motorheads: “The concept of the show immediately captivated us. We were introducing NASCAR that summer, and having a show that resonated with auto enthusiasts was a huge plus. But it was really the characters that sealed the deal for us. We felt very fortunate to collaborate with such talented showrunners,” he added. “The series has really resonated with us, and we are proud to have been a part of it.”

Motorheads stands out in Amazon’s portfolio of YA offerings, which includes hits like The Summer I Turned Pretty, Maxton Hall, and the Culpa movies. It’s noteworthy that unlike these other successful series, which were based on popular books, Motorheads is an original concept, which may have contributed to its initially low profile. It also didn’t receive the same promotional push as some other high-profile releases.

Nevertheless, the show has gradually built its audience, likely due to its universal themes and family-friendly appeal. It has particularly resonated with viewers in the central United States.

From creator and showrunner Norris, Motorheads features a notably diverse cast, including four Latino leads, and also stars Uriah Shelton, Drake Rodger, Johnna Dias-Watson, Audrey Gerthoffer, Nicolas Cantu, Josh Macqueen, and Mia Healey, with Matt Lanter and Sophia Esperanza in recurring roles.

The series left fans on a cliffhanger at the end of Season 1, with a dramatic nighttime street race that ended in a disastrous crash, and a mysterious phone call that could lead to the twins discovering more about their father, whom they’ve never met. These unresolved storylines highlight the potential for further exploration should the series find a new home.

It’s unusual for streaming services to allow their internally produced shows to seek new platforms after cancellation, making Motorheads an exceptional case.

Produced by Amazon MGM Studios, the executive team for Motorheads includes Norris, Seagraves, Jake Fuller, Dana Brunetti, Keegan Rosenberger, and Jax Media, with Neil Burger as the pilot director and Ryan Zaragoza as co-executive producer and producing director.