FOX has thrown away the key on Alcatraz. The J.J. Abrams thriller has been cancelled after one season and 13 episodes.
Alcatraz follows the investigations of police detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) and Doctor Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia). They work to uncover how 340 inmates and guards disappeared from the infamous prison in 1963 and why they’re now reappearing looking just the same. The show also features the talents of Jonny Coyne, Parminder Nagra, Jason Butler Harner, and Sam Neill.
Fueled by a lot of promotion, the TV series was launched in January and drew good reviews and strong numbers. The two-hour premiere attracted a 3.3 rating in the all-important 18-49 demographic with 10.05 million total viewers. Opposite some tough competition from CBS, Alcatraz was in second place in its timeslots.
In week two, the demo slipped 9% to a still respectable 3.0 rating with 9.03 million. Week three dropped another 7%. That wasn’t positive but not horrible either but the ratings just kept falling.
 Loading ... |
In February, NBC launched season two of The Voice and Alcaraz’s ratings took a big dive. They ropped 18% on February 6th and then another 17% on the 13th. The numbers just kept falling after that.
The two-hour season (now series) finale was in fourth place in the timeslots and averaged a disappointing 1.6 demo rating with 4.76 million total viewers.
The first season of Alcatraz ended up averaging a 2.2 demo rating with 6.74 million viewers — and those numbers would have dropped lower had there been more episodes.
On our FOX report card — which ranks the network’s shows based on demo averages — Alcatraz has a “C” and that just wasn’t good enough to get a renewal.
FOX chose to keep Touch instead but the network stays in business with producer J.J. Abrams via the network’s Fringe renewal.
What happened? It would seem that Alcatraz just wasn’t compelling enough to keep viewers returning week after week. Plus, for the first time in quite awhile, all three of the major networks had really strong programming on Monday nights. Two of the competing shows — The Voice and Dancing with the Stars — are reality competitions and many viewers feel compelled to watch them “live” rather than catch them online or via DVR recordings.
All 13 episodes of Alcatraz have aired and the last episode left viewers wondering what would happen next. Unless the producers decide to share what they had in mind for season two, we’ll never know the answers to the show’s mysteries.
What do you think? Why do you think Alcatraz failed to hold onto a bigger audience? Did FOX make a mistake by cancelling the series? What will you miss about it?
Newer and/or Related Articles
-
123 Ending or Cancelled TV Shows for the 2011-12 TV Season (part 1)
Aug 28, 2012 -
Cancelled & Renewed FOX TV Shows for 2011-12
Aug 19, 2012 -
Alcatraz: Complete Series Coming to Blu-ray and DVD
Jun 13, 2012 -
FOX 2011-12 Ratings Report Card
Jun 1, 2012 -
Touch: Season Two for Kiefer Sutherland Series
May 9, 2012 -
Alcatraz: 2011-12 TV Season Ratings
May 9, 2012 -
Alcatraz
May 9, 2012 -
Alcatraz: Will It Be Cancelled or Renewed for Season Two?
Mar 26, 2012 -
Alcatraz: Petition, Ways to Help Save the FOX TV Show
Mar 16, 2012 -
House, Alcatraz: What Happened to Monday’s Episodes?
Feb 29, 2012 -
FOX Shifts Touch, Bones, House, The Finder and More
Feb 27, 2012 -
FOX Announces More Mid-Season 2011-12 Plans
Feb 10, 2012 -
Alcatraz: New FOX Prison Series; Cancel or Keep It?
Jan 24, 2012 -
Alcatraz: Premiere Ratings
Jan 17, 2012 -
Alcatraz: Is the FOX TV Series Worth Watching?
Jan 16, 2012 -
Terra Nova: Key Contracts Extended; Good Sign for Season Two?
Dec 26, 2011 -
FOX Announces 2011-12 Mid-Season Schedule
Dec 2, 2011 -
FOX Announces 2011-12 Season Primetime Schedule
May 16, 2011
{ 736 comments… read them below or add one }
← Previous Comments
They should go to a different channel…..
Wtf an awesome show has to come to an end due to bs reallity crap! For fuck sake if ur not gonna air it atleast make it a Dvd series for the avid fans
I can’t believe they are cancelling Alcatraz. Have watched all 13 episodes and was looking forward to the next. I hope they chAnge their minds. And I believe they should change the day, Let the people who like the realities let them watch them, i myself am fed up with these reality shows, they are boring. It’s a shame these tv people do not listen more to viewers.
I am so disappointed that such a fresh original show it not coming back. I also find it sad that the programers care so little for their viewing audience that they just leave it hanging. I loved it from the weird to the unexplained to just being attached to alcatraz and it’s history. Sad stupid choice. Just another reason to stop watching that channel and stick with my cable.
What a bunch of crap! I looked forward to monday nights to see the show. And if what they’re saying about losing ratings to those reality shows is true i think they’re full of shit. THOSE SHOWS SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!! The idiotic exec’s need to figure something out like a new night and time slot for example. Please bring back Alcatraz!!!!
My husband and I have been waiting for season 2 of Alcatraz and are very disappointed that it is not returning. I loved the concept, the acting and the episodes were compelling. I have never liked reality shows and I have don’t even recognize the “stars” on Dancing with the Stars. I’ve pretty much figured out the how to discover “who done it” in most crime procedurals. So they are getting pretty boring. The one exception is “Elementary”. And hospital dramas don’t attract me anymore. Justified made a big mistake in killing of Madge and NCIS ends this season. I think getting the right time slot is key to this program. Bring it back!
I’m a big fan of JJ Abrams and his crew. Love “Person of Interest’. It just gets better. But bring back Michael Emerson’s wife and get her more involved.
FOX SHOULD GO FOR A SECOND SEASON OF ALCATREZ….WAS A GREAT SHOW AND LEFT ME WONDERING…I WATCHED ALL 13 EPISODES AND WANTED 13 MORE TO WATCH!
I was looking for the second season to come out soon! i’ve been waiting since the last episode to know what was going to come!! I really pray they change their mind maybe changing the day it comes on so that it doesn’t have to fight for views with more established shows will increase the views. Either way i will be watching
Alcatraz was put in a bad time slot. It needs to be brought on Tuesday or Thursday.
← Previous Comments
{ 4 trackbacks }