When Alcatraz debuted, it looked like the show had a very good chance at being renewed for a second season. But how do things look now? Will the TV series be cancelled after all?
Alcatraz follows police detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) and Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) as they try to solve the mystery of how 340 prison inmates and guards disappeared in 1963 and are now reappearing in modern day. The cast also includes Jonny Coyne, Parminder Nagra, Jason Butler Harner, and Sam Neill.
The TV show debuted with a solid 3.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 10.05 million total viewers. In week two, the demo slipped 9% to a still respectable 3.0 rating with 9.03 million. New shows typically fall 15-20% in their second week so this was a good sign. Week three dropped another 7%. That wasn’t positive but not horrible either.
Unfortunately, the ratings have just kept falling. In February, NBC kicked off the second season of The Voice and Alcaraz took a big hit, dropping 18% on February 6th and then another 17% on the 13th. And the numbers just keep going down. Last week’s episode was a series low with a 2.1 in the demo.
For the first time in many years, the big networks all have really strong programming on Monday nights and FOX has ended up on the bottom. House, which is in its final season, keeps dropping and so does Alcatraz.
Alcatraz’s season average is currently a 2.3 in the demo with 7.1 million. On our FOX report card — which ranks the network’s shows based on demo averages — Alcatraz has a “C.” Terra Nova, which has already been cancelled, had a better demo average and has a “C+”. When a show that was performing better than yours has been cancelled, that’s not a good sign.
Alcatraz is definitely on the bubble but, in light of the downward ratings trend, I expect it to be cancelled by May. There’s just no reason to expect that the series will do any better if given a second season.
But, what do you think? Do you think Alcatraz will beat the odds and be renewed for a second season? Should it be cancelled?
Image courtesy FOX.
Please do not cancle Alcatraz. I love this show.
Cindy I’m with ya on that one. I too think that all those dancing and singing show need to go, they are polluting the airwaves. Alcatraz is a great show and I love it. If Fox cancels this show, then they are stupid.
Please don’t cancel Alcatraz. I really like this show, you can’t just end the show with that final episode!!!
I time shift everything except live sports because I can’t sit through commercials. Alcatraz is a refreshingly well written show with a plot line that could last a few seasons that doesn’t depend on whether two main characters will ever sleep together.. I’m sure a majority of the show’s fans dvr it like I do. Does anyone do “ratings” that take time shifting into account? If they did, I’m pretty sure Alcatraz would get picked up.
Don’t Cancel Alcatraz…..
Don’t cancel. Love the show. Love the cast. Don’t disappoint us again with another cancellation of a great show.
I love Alcatraz. The last few episodes have been moving much more quickly with pieces of the puzzle starting to fall in place. Please don’t cancel it. Just move it to a better time slot and I guarantee it will do better.
I agree, move it to a better time slot, because it is in competion with The Voice, which I really like to watch. I’ve been taping Alcatraz.
I seriously hope that Alcatraz can stay on – it’s about time a decent drama with some suspenseful twists arrives! Reality TV has taken on too much of a monopoly on our airwaves. Besides, plenty of us PVR it, and don’t necessarily watch it at it’s appointed time slot! It’s ratings may be somewhat skewed.
dont cancel alcatraz please! i loved it. good shows are hard to come by now a day and i need to know what happens next! it left me such in suspense i cant wait for season 2!
DONT CANCEL ALCATRAZ!!!! ALL THE SHOWS I LIKE KEEP GETTING CANCELLED!!! IF FOX CANCELS THE SHOW IM NEVER WATCHING ANOTHER THING ON THERE STUPID NETWORK!!!!!!
I hate that so many shows have to be reality TV….why can’t the good shows that involve acting get a chance? Alcatraz has all the great points – intrigue, suspense, mystery, humor and a bit of sci-fi thrown in. Good actors and good writers – now THAT is a concept!
I think it should be renewed. I enjoyed watching it. I was surprised to hear it wasn’t doing well. I hope it comes back if for nothing else to shed light on what the point of bringing the inmates back.
Don’t cancel Alcatraz it’s the best show on tv
I am a 50somehing female who thinks all dancing and singing shows should be cancelled! How much brain power does it take to watch those kind of shows? This younger generation has a hard time following any show that takes some brain power! We “hippie ‘s generation” s knows how to use our brain’s very well! We have the power to keep Alcatraz going. Let’s protest, sign petitions, whatever it takes! How about flooding Fox network with as many e-mails as possible!
You go girl, let’s bring the brains back into TV – our younger generations are mind-numbed.
Please don’t cancel the show. It is a great show.