Bones has been a quiet hit for FOX but the same can’t be said for its spin-off, The Finder. FOX has now cancelled the low-rated series after one season.
The Finder is a procedural series that revolves around a man (Geoff Stults) with the extraordinary ability to help people find the unfindable. Other castmembers include Maddie Hasson, Mercedes Masohn, and Michael Clarke Duncan.
The spin-off debuted on January 12th to a disappointing 1.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 5.50 million total viewers. It was fourth in its Thursday night timeslot right out of the gate and lost nearly 30% of the all-important demo from its compatible lead-in, Bones. This was not a good start.
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Things picked up a bit in the following weeks, thanks in large part to the show having FOX’s blockbuster American Idol as a lead-in. Still, the numbers weren’t as high as they should have been.
After seven weeks on the air, FOX put Finder on hiatus and then moved it to Friday nights, giving its Thursday timeslot to Touch. If The Finder could maintain a healthy percentage of its viewers after the switch, it would likely garner a renewal.
But that didn’t happen and Finder’s numbers dropped like a rock. In its first Friday airing, the freshman series attracted a 1.1 demo rating — an episode-to-episode loss of 53% — with just 4.03 million viewers. The numbers for future episodes fluctuated a bit but didn’t really get any more encouraging. The network could do just as well or better by running cheaper reality programming.
The season finale of The Finder is set to air this Friday night and there won’t be any episodes after that. Hopefully the producers saw the writing on the wall early enough and won’t leave viewers hanging with any major unresolved storylines.
What do you think? What went wrong with this show? Why do you think The Finder failed to attract a bigger audience? Was cancelling the series the right decision? How would you have fixed it?
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Very disappointed to learn that Fox is not bringing back The Finder for a second season. This was the only new drama that my kids and I actually watched this year. Truly smart, witty and just plain fun to watch! This was the show we waited for to debut after seeing the characters originally by chance when flipping by an episode of Bones and pausing to watch after becoming intrigued with Walter and Leo. I’m very surprised that this show wasn’t given a second chance, especially since the first season was so split by playing half of it then such a long break then picking up with the second half. This alone could have disrupted the programs chances for success, not to mention putting it up against the well established Grey’s. this show deserved to be given another chance, perhaps moving it to a different night rather than canceling it. I have never watched or even heard of Touch and yet that program got a second season. Shows that in my opinion are terrible have played for many seasons and finally here is a entertaining and thoughtful program that has now been cancelled! Very disappointing! I really think Fox should rethink their decision. What a mistake!!!
I don’t know about anybody else but I have sure noticed a trend when it comes to fox and its television series. When it comes to Fox they don’t know what they had till its gone. Just a few examples let’s see, Firefly-Polls show its the #1 show people want brought back to air. They had it, cancelled mid season and its gone. Then there is Tera Nova, while it was on the air it stayed within top ten shows watched on on cable. They made it through season 1 this time but said show was to expensive to keep airing. Guess what, right up there with Firefly, everyone wants it back but its to late. And now this show easily one of the best shows on tv with a cast that are actually great working together and it shows. But not only do the cancel the show they leave you hangin. What happens after he gets arrested and why the sly smirk, what happenes with the painting, where the hell is Willa going and what is going to happen to Temo. Thanks again Fox for cancelling a great show I hope you kick yourselves again. Maybe one day you will learn ur lesson.
What a shame to cancel one of the increasingly few witty, funny, and upbeat shows on television! The decision makers at Fox are clearly a bunch of short-sighted, lowbrow hacks who are not only completely out of touch with their viewing audience, but also utterly unable to correctly gather and interpret data. 97% of those surveyed vehemently disagree with canceling the show. Could it be any clearer than that??
I’m in total shock! My son & I just watched the season finally that we DVR’d and had to look up to see if it was cancelled. It took a few episodes for The Finder to grow on me, but it soon became our favorite show! My son & I are huge Psych fans and the finder was actually taking its place! Why do they only look at short term numbers?? Truly disappointing!
We looked forward to watching “The Finder” – quirky, clever writing, good characters. Don’t watch “Bones”at all – it’s boring and predictable.
Some shows take time to build an audience.
On the other hand, maybe the network’s method of determining the number of viewers is faulty – what with people’s ability to record a show, or view online, or download.
I am really disapointed in the last episode and I can believe they are cancelling the show I just started watching and it took me 2 days to watch all 13 episodes but it was so addicting I couldn’t stop watching. With so many other shows that have been on for years coming too an end you would think they’d at least finish the season the right way like all the others then give it another year. Wouldn’t be the first time they cancelled a show after two seasons. I havn’t even watched touch yet and know I probably wont because who knows if its gonna be cancelled thats why alot of veiwers have a hard time starting new shows because you never know which one they are gonna continue. I hope they read all these comments and change their minds and not just base opinion on the cable veiwers and look at how many online watchers. With hard times not every one has cable internet is more affordable.
WHY DID YOU CANCEL THIS SHOW? The Finder was cleverly written with great characters. How is it possible you are going to leave it the way you did? Please reconsider.
I was really to learn after watching the final episode, which I thougth was a great cliffhanger for next season, that the show has been cancelled. There where great actors, interesting stories with ongoing storylines and all in all a very enjoyable show. Can not understand this decision at all. Very disapointing.
Please continue this show, it was a great show and I loved the humor along with the drama.
My entire family watches this show. We have four boys and we all 6 love the show. There are few shows out there I allow all four boys to watch, this was one of them. I think its a shame to cancel this show. Everyone knows weekend slots are death sentences especially to shows that are not yet established. Try a monday slot and see what happens. They should promote the show on bones more, maybe another couple of cross overs before starting the next season. Dont cancel this show!
Very suprised and disapointed in finding out The Finder is being canceled. I sure hope it is picked up by any network. I was really into liking the characters and would love to know what happens to everyboby next. Somebody bring it back…please.
97% don’t wan to see it canceled but they cancel it anyway… I’m tired of getting into shows and see them end the season with loose ends. I’m down to 2 shows and after that, I will stop watching TV and get my life back. Studies show that endings of shows are depressing so I’m not sure what TV stations are doing, but increasing the depression rate cannot be good for sponsors… Maybe they should hire the finder to find a way to stop turning people away from watching TV… Do you hear sponsors that sponsors? Finder off the air means I will spend less time watching TV!
Canceling one of the actual enjoyable shows on tv now – lame really really lame. And canceling it with the cliffhanger that they did – total fail! What are they planning – making room for another reality show … I can’t be the only person who hates them with a passion. I loved having a show with quirky characters that I could relax with and put the stressors of life behind me for an hour.
The person who made this decision should be fired ..
I agree with “Tired of Fox”. I looked forward to the light-heartedness, yet clever scripts & characters of The Finder and truly enjoyed watching each week. I would have watched no matter what night of the week it was on! I was extremely disappointed (and actually a little shocked) when learning it was cancelled. I can’t understand it!
Lets face it. The Finder shouldn’t have been on Fox to begin with. It is more of an NBC show ( it would have made a nice lead-in to NBC’s Grimm). Since Fox only shows two hours primetime each night, they don’t have the patience to allow shows to mature and be found by a wider audience. Fox goes for instant attention that reality shows offer with their over the top theatrics. My job is stressful and very real such that I don’t need anymore theatrics. That is why I watch wonderful shows like the Finder which are more like comfort food than some twisted teenage view of reality. So I am back to watching zero shows on Fox which is fine with me. I have been burned too often by good shows getting cancelled by Fox. Yet every couple of years they suck me back in with shows like the Finder and I have to be reminded all over again that I am not Fox’s preferred demographic. They prefer viewers that buy Dorritos to those who buy Audis.
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