Season 1
8 episodes May 24, 2023 6.6
Overview
When a father and daughter discover they both secretly work for the CIA, their high-stakes missions get tangled up with awkward family dynamics.
Seasons
2 listed- Status
- Canceled
- Seasons
- 2 seasons
- Episodes
- 16 episodes
- First aired
- May 25, 2023
- Last aired
- Jun 12, 2025
- Network
- Netflix
Latest episode: S2 E8 Let's Twist Again (Jun 12, 2025)
Season 2
8 episodes Jun 12, 2025 6.4
Cast
10 people
Reviews
5 min readEspionage in a Family Mug Shot
I keep coming back to the weird little pleasure of seeing Arnold Schwarzenegger try to say “normal” family things. In FUBAR, even his most domestic lines feel like they’ve been translated from another planet — not because he’s bad at them, but because the movie keeps reminding us that this is a man who spent decades playing forces of nature, latestnetflix.com contends, and now has to look embarrassed in a kitchen.
That tension is the whole joke, and also the whole engine. The series knows that the family sitcom and the spy thriller are both built on concealment: one hides resentments behind dinner-table chatter, the other hides identities behind passports and false names. Put them together, and you get a show that’s much more interesting when it’s thinking about intimacy than when it’s tossing grenades.
The basic premise is a high-concept machine, yes, but it’s also a very old one: the parent who doesn’t really know the child, the child who has become the parent’s moral judge, the humiliation of learning that your family member has been lying to your face for years. What makes FUBAR distinct in 2023 is that it arrives after a long, self-aware run of action-comedies that keep asking whether masculinity can be softened without being mocked to death.
Schwarzenegger’s public persona has already done half the work for the show — the bodybuilder, the terminator, the governor, the aging icon who’s comfortable enough with his own mythology to let it wobble. This isn’t the first time he’s played a father, obviously, but it is one of the few projects that treats his age not as a problem to hide but as the point. He’s a relic who can still kick down a door.
That’s funny. It’s also a little sad.
I’m not sure the series always trusts that sadness. Sometimes it’s content to keep rattling through spy mechanics and broad banter, as if worried that sincerity might slow the whole thing down. But the best stretches understand that the comic friction comes from embarrassment, not just action.
The show’s central conversation, if you want to call it that, is less “Can this father and daughter save the world?” than “Can they survive knowing too much about each other?” That’s a better question anyway. Most relationships are ruined not by secrecy alone, but by the moment when the secret is finally revealed and the other person has to reassemble years of memory around it.
Audience Opinions
Broad evidence
Audience 6.0/10
"A No. 1 crowd hit that critics panned, best enjoyed as light Arnold spy-comedy chaos."
FUBAR played big with Netflix viewers and hit No. 1 on the Netflix top 10, even as critics raked it over the coals. Later coverage notes it was cancelled after two seasons with low critic and audience scores, while some regular viewers still call it pretty good and keep review conversation going around Arnold Schwarzenegger and Monica Barbaro. latestnetflix.com's take is that russian-language audience texture is similarly mixed but warm toward Arnold: viewers notice his age, visible stunt doubles and labored action scenes in his series debut, yet enjoy the positivity and seeing a childhood hero still leading a project, with some joking that the spy setups feel deliberately over-the-top and silly.
What viewers praise
- Chart-topping crowd pull Reached No. 1 on the Netflix top 10 and worked as a hit with customers wanting a big star action show.
- Easy fun for Arnold fans Some viewers call it pretty good and enjoy Schwarzenegger's comedic spy turn alongside Monica Barbaro.
Common complaints
- Critics panned it Reviewers raked it over the coals despite its popularity, with later coverage pointing to low critic and audience scores.
- Short-lived run The series was cancelled after two seasons, leaving the sense it never won over skeptics.
Recommended for
Arnold Schwarzenegger fans Viewers who like light spy action-comedy
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsArnold Schwarzenegger’s FUBAR Gets the Axe: What Went Wrong for Netflix’s Action-Comedy?
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s first leading role in a scripted live-action TV series has come to an abrupt end. Netflix has canceled FUBAR after just two seasons, leaving fans of the action-comedy spy thriller in the lurch. latestnetflix.com's take is that the decision, first reported by Deadline in August 2025, marks the end of Schwarzenegger’s short-lived foray into streaming television—one that promised big returns but ultimately failed to sustain momentum 
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A Strong Start, Then a Swift Decline
When FUBAR premiered in May 2023, it was a major event. Schwarzenegger, the 76-year-old action legend, was headlining a Netflix series—a first for the streaming giant, which had lured him with the promise of a high-octane, family-friendly spy romp. The show, created by Nick Santora (Prison Break), paired Schwarzenegger with a stacked ensemble cast, including Monica Barbaro (Top Gun: Maverick), Milan Carter, and The Matrix’s Carrie-Anne Moss 
.
Early numbers suggested FUBAR was a hit. The first season reportedly drew 11 million views, a strong debut for a new series . But the hype didn’t last. By its third week, the show had already slipped to 10th place in Netflix’s rankings, with just 1.8 million views—a steep drop-off . After that, FUBAR vanished from the streamer’s top 10, a sign that audience retention was fading fast.
Netflix’s decision to renew FUBAR for a second season in June 2023 seemed like a vote of confidence at the time . But behind the scenes, the show’s performance may have been shakier than the public numbers suggested. While Netflix doesn’t release full viewership data, the rapid decline in rankings—and the fact that FUBAR never re-entered the top 10 after its initial surge—likely played a role in the cancellation .
**Why Did FUBAR Fail to Stick?**
Several factors may have contributed to the show’s downfall:
- Schwarzenegger’s TV Debut Wasn’t Enough – While the actor’s star power drew initial curiosity, it didn’t translate to long-term engagement. Unlike his film roles, where his larger-than-life persona carried entire franchises, FUBAR relied on a serialized spy-comedy format that may have struggled to find a consistent audience .
- Competition in the Action-Comedy Space – Netflix’s library is crowded with spy and action-comedy series (The Recruit, Reacher, The Night Agent). FUBAR’s blend of family drama and espionage may not have stood out enough to retain viewers .
- Second-Season Struggles – The show’s second season premiered in June 2025, but by then, Netflix’s algorithm may have already moved on. If the drop in rankings after Season 1 was any indication, the show was fighting an uphill battle to regain traction .
What’s Next for Schwarzenegger?
The cancellation leaves Schwarzenegger’s TV future uncertain. While he has teased retirement from acting in the past, he’s also expressed enthusiasm for new projects—including potential returns to Terminator or other franchises. For now, FUBAR remains a short-lived experiment in streaming, one that proved even an action icon can’t guarantee a hit in today’s crowded market.
Netflix has not commented on whether the show could find a second life elsewhere, but given its performance, a revival seems unlikely. Fans will have to settle for two seasons of Schwarzenegger as a rogue CIA agent with daddy issues—and wonder what could have been.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.
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