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.
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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?
After the cancelling of both House and Alcatraz, I have decided that FOX isn’t worth my time. I will not be viewing any new shows on this channel, as I do not want it cancelled before there is any closure. What a waste of time. A better time slot for the show would have worked, if the schedulers haven’t figured that out, then shame on them. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to conduct that sort of research.
Brilliant show witha most strange ending. Must have more to understand what it was about.
I can’t believe they canceled the show.. It was just about to take-off… God damn Fox..
We think its great thats me and the wife just watched last ep please bring it back or sell it on we love it ask BBC if they would like it see what the rating are over here in the UK , to many good shows get axed makes achange to have someting that makes you think and wonder
Unbelieveable ! You make one series of what was, for me, one of the best series on TV in decades, and just as the story gets good…cancel season 2. Makes me wonder why I bother watching anything at all. Tell me FOX, who do you make these series for? Clearly not people who watch television.
Bring it back or at least sell it to another TV channel
i think fox should sell to bbc alcatrez, still dont make sence on why they are coming back FOX U MADE A MISTAKE ON CANCELING ALCATREZ.
Can’t believe they’ve cancelled this.All these tv companies seem to want to do is cater for the pea brains who watch these reality shows! Will someone get a life!!
We love Alcatraz gutted it has been cancelled. I look forward to Thursday nights. BRING IT BACK
Come on new season
I am sick of FOX TV. Another great show gone! Just what we need some more FAKE reality shows. Where are peoples brains?
Can’t believe it! This was an excellent show and it needs series two! So many questions left
Unanswered! Very disappointed with fox and I agree they should sell to the BBC
gutted alcatraz was brill we loved it in uk please please please there must be a second series dave uk
just watched the final episode,with my son 14 we both have enjoyed the whole series, we both looked forward to watching this and he as am i annoyed as to why there will be no second series at the very least to answer all the unanswered question that we have been left with. seems like the UK audience has a stronger market than the USA for this show. Also how short minded that you pitch this drama against such strong reality shows and expect it to hold its own, wake up STUPID, without stating the ……., plug it in another… Read more »
Great show cancelled. Please, FOX, give us more of the mindless drivel known as “reality shows”. We just can’t stand a show with great acting and a great plot. I’m very disappointed.
Im from UK and me and my partner watched every single episode of Alcatraz, and loved every character. How can you leave it like they have? The rest of the Inmates, The warden, Rebecca etc. BRING IT BACK!!!!!!!