Why Cooking With Paris Won't Be Back For A Second Season

"Cooking with Paris" will not continue for a second season. The culprit? Netflix. According to Deadline, the company has "opted not to renew the cooking reality series."

For the improbable reader who has not heard of the show and yet has decided to interest themselves in its non-renewal, "Cooking with Paris" is a cooking show that featured Paris Hilton and various celebrity guests in their attempt to be both otherworldly celebrities and relatable homemakers.

It was probably a niche show but, as The Independent reports, that niche is not happy with Netflix's decision. One tweet they quoted reads "Seriously, Netflix? You have a long list of terrible shows you can cancel instead of 'Cooking with Paris' which [is] HILARIOUS." 

However, it seems safe to say that however deep that niche runs, it is too shallow for Netflix to consider further investment. As the company explains on its website, the team at Netflix cancels programs when they think their popularity does not warrant their cost. Of course, this often leads to programs being canceled either because they're still developing or because Netflix has not sufficiently marketed them. 

Still, the show began as a series of YouTube videos on Paris Hilton's channel. So anyone who feels like they're missing out on Paris Hilton culinary can catch up there.

Why did people not like the show?

It seems a bit too pat to end an analysis of why "Cooking with Paris" was not renewed with a statement that it was because people didn't watch it. The reason why "Cooking with Paris" failed to catch on in the way that, say, "Selena + Chef" has might be because the manicured caricature of Paris Hilton has faded in popularity.

In their review of the show, Decider noted that in recent years, Paris Hilton has slowly revealed how much of an act her public persona is. In interviews, for example, she ceased using her almost trademarked voice in favor of something resembling everyday speech: "We've heard her in interviews talk in her lower, regular voice and talk with lots of savvy about how she decided to market herself when she was in her 20s and was one of the first people who were 'famous for being famous.'"

In "Cooking with Paris," however, she still presents as the character that built her brand almost two decades ago. Perhaps the Paris Hilton character just can't meld properly with the requirements of a genre built upon day-to-day, relatable matters like cooking.