And it's not as though we know the network cut there budget mid way into production of a later season and forced them to stop and go back and rewrite stuff to get the clip show ep in there. Oh. Wait. We do know that.
And if they'd do that too them during the final season, and pitch a hissy fit about the lead being female before the show was green lit, I would in no way, shape or form put it past them to tell the creators "You have twenty Six Eps." have them approve the scrips, and then at the last possible second tell them "Hey, were cutting your budget and we want it shortened to twelve, make it happen, no we don't care that it's unreasonable, do it or else."
And I seem to recall for the longest time people thinking Varrick and Zhu Li being the absolute best thing to come out of this installment of the franchise, so, yeah, based on that alone I'd call this a success.