Following the ratings success of The Bible mini-series on History, NBC ordered a sequel — AD: The Bible Continues. Has this mini-series been the answer to the network’s prayers? Will they want a second season?
Produced by Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, AD: The Bible Continues tells the tale of the later chapters of biblical history (following the Crucifixion of Christ). It focuses on the disciples who had to go forward and spread the teachings of Christ to a world dominated by political unrest. The cast includes Juan Pablo Di Pace, Adam Levy, Richard Coyle, Vincent Regan, Greta Scacchi, Babou Ceesay, Chipo Chung, Emmett J. Scanlan, Jodhi May, Joanne Whalley, Ken Bones, Kevin Doyle, Helen Daniels, and Fraser Ayers.
The series debuted on April 5th to a respectable 2.33 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 9.68 million viewers. Unfortunately, the numbers saw severe drops in weeks two (falling 28%) and three (falling 31%) and the rating have kept coming down nearly every week. AD has hit series lows of a 0.7 rating in the demo and little more than four million viewers.
Though this was billed as a mini-series, the producers have said that their writers have been working on scripting season two. Just in case the network wants a second season, they need the additional lead time to have episodes ready for next Easter.
Still, based on the ratings, there doesn’t seem to be much reason for NBC to order a second season of AD. They could make the show an annual event but the audience numbers really aren’t big enough for a network.
Burnett and Downey could however choose to take the project back to cable where The Bible was a big success for them. That also did very well with DVD sales. In today’s ever-shifting marketplace, they could find enough outlets to keep producing Bible-based series for years to come without being on a network.
What do you think? Would you like to see a second season of AD: The Bible Continues on NBC? Would you watch it elsewhere?
7/3 update: NBC has cancelled the series. They won’t air a second season but…
The time that it was on television was not a good time for me to watch. I ended up purchasing it, and have enjoyed it immensely. I just finished the last episode and am sad it has ended with no plans to continue. I would definitely love to see more seasons.
What happened with the comment I made 8/8/15. Why did you delete it? You don’t like to hear the true? Are you who created blogs, and press so corrupted, that don’t allow other people’s to watch an honest comment about how you discriminate Christians, especially Roman Catholic and Apostolic Christians. Were is your transparency?
Wow.
Your comment is right here: http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/ad-the-bible-continues-cancel-or-keep-the-nbc-series-37121/comment-page-92/#comment-2243620
i enjoyed it alot im waiting for the 2nd season i have learnd alot by watching this mini series.. im a huge fan of both the series The bible n the bible continues as well im disapointed about the end so hopefully there will be a second season coming soon
As a Roman Catholic and Apostolic Christian, after the Passion of the Christ, I have never see anything as good, without Bible Error as this series A.D. Everything that the Catholic Church Teaches was there. My heart breaks that NBC did not want to continue the Acts of the Apostles alive and visualized as A.D. The world prefers the darkness than the light. Well all of you who are sick and tired of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Gospels of true, you should have what you deserve. Men does not learn by history and mistakes committed over and over.… Read more »
I thoroughly enjoyed watching the series. I was disappointed when it ended. I looked forward to watching this each week. It seemed to end really leaving the audience hanging. I thought it would end or stop at a different point. It was all so interesting. I have not seen or learned this much about the challenges of spreading the gospel after the life of Jesus on the earth.
Thanks for pulling this show together and airing it.
I think that the cancellation of this show is not surprising, It goes along with the anti Christian agenda that is becoming the norm.
My family got together on Sunday to watch the show because it had become a teaching tool to visualize what has been read, so the learning wouldn’t be so abstract.
And mind you, we are not affiliate with the same church or denomination, but, It brought us together and discuss and strengthen our beliefs.
I hope NBC reconsiders or another network see the moral value that in my humble opinion this series bring.
I have been truly blessed by the series and so have my family. My children look forward to seeing AD every Sunday and we DVR the series just so we can watch it more then once. It speaks to us spiritually and makes you want to grab the Bible to see what you missed or what to look forward to in the next episode. I would really like to see another season and personally if it was on the major network or on cable I would still watch it. If you do go back to cable, please advertise well so… Read more »
please continue a second series I went to washington on a vacation and when I got back I was so looking forward to seeing my recordings and couldn’t find anything on my recordings about it
This series has really brought me back to the truth. God. Every Sunday night I would cry because of the truth. I’m amazed in this time in the world this truth can be shown. How’s God’s work can and WILL be done!!! I look forward to this show and has to continue! I.know it’s not all biblical but I believe God is working in it all!
I loved the series! I hope they will have season 2!
The only thing that was worth watching on Sunday night! I looked forward to it every week and hope they bring it back!
i hope it continues it is very rewarding, and I I gree the thing on tv.
Please continue creating more of this series. It has substance and life! Best production I’ve seen in many years! Please find a way to continue it.
I really thought that Mark Burnett and Roma Downey did a brilliant job on making this show. I’m disappointed that A.D. could not go on with NBC for the second season. I really wish the network would give this show another chance. But no matter how high or low rating of any show, there’s always something with these networks. I really hope that Burnett and Downey will continue to expand A.D. for 4 more seasons with a different network like the History Channel or Lifetime, Discovery, or others. What’s even better is they should consider having their own network like… Read more »
I would love to see AD continue. It’s one of the few descent shows on TV. At least it’s not a reality show