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?
Are you kidding me??? How could fox cancel this great series??
We want season2!!!!!
I am very upset about fox cancelling Alcatraz. It was a very interesting show and I would atleast like to know what happened in the end?!or more details about what really caused the disappearance. I really hope they reconsider their stupid decision. So much for me ever watching FOX again.
I am really disappointed. I thought there will be a season two??? I think the reason for low rating is because it’s similar to some series like THE LOST ISLANDS, etc. I think the adrenaline was not as much. I told my friend about it and he said he watch till episode 6 and then found it bored. Keep in mind it was not bored at all to me., but as soon as I mentioned what happened in the last episode where Sara Jones dies. He got all excited and said he will continue to watch it. Another pointer is… Read more »
This was really disappointing. I loved the series, but I got really confused at the end of episode 13. I thought that they would make a new season, but no? I have no idea why the rating sank, I REALLY think they made a big mistake cancelling the show, because it was really exciting and I couldn’t wait for a new episode to be aired.
Very upset this show is not going to air for season 2. I don’t think I want to watch Fox any more every time I get into a show they cancel it.
I am in utter shock that they canceled Alcatraz. It was addictive! I loved it!! I even forgot about Bones a few nights because I was so geared up for Alcatraz! That says alot right there because I have been a religious Bones fan from the get go. I feel they didn’t really give Alcatraz a proper chance. So disappointing. Not to mention that they had Sam Neill in it who is a FANTASTIC actor!!! I hope FOX reconsiders this extreme lapse in judgment on their part. Alcatraz ROCKS!!! I’m buying the DVD as soon as it’s out.
Is it possible for them to reconsider and bring it back? I’m sick and tired of FOX cancelling show after show. I needed a replacement for LOST, and Alcatraz was it.
Alcatraz was a fantastic show and I am very upset it may be cancelled completely. If fox continues to do this I won’t watch any new shows, I wouldn’t want to get into anything and have it taken off the air!
THAT IS BULL ****! NO SEASON 2 ! THAT SHOW WAS GREAT, MY WIFE AND I WATCHED IT ALL THE TIME AND IF WE COULDN’T MAKE IT IN TIME WE RECORDED IT!
Just when we were getting to the interesting bit, they pull the plug… the mind bogles. Yet another good series ends ‘up in the air’. If networks continue to ‘pull the plug’ prematurely on series, then people will stop watching from the outset, in case it gets cancelled.
rediculous how all the good shows get left up in the air.Alcatraz i felt got better as it went on and to finish the way it did is just annoying,same happened with stargate universe,without doubt the best of all the stargate films or series,dark and serious instead of humerous and silly and what happened to that? oh yes,cancelled .the least they could do is make a feature length episode and at least tie up the loose ends.
Why cancel a program like Alcatraz when they know that they airing it against some really popular live shows which constantly air high viewing ratings and will do so because of the reality aspect of the show
Why not air a second season at another reasonable watershed time and see what happened to the rating then I’m hoping that the results will be surprising
Here in the UK we have watch Trauma (cancelled) Samantha Who (Cancelled) and now Alcatraz (Cancelled) Why do the British TV companies buy this stuff if it’s going to get cancelled. I heard people complaining the Britsh drama etc is not getting produced because of the US imports, well wake up if they keep canning them stop buying them!
this flat out sucks!!! me and my wife used to watch the Event and it got cancelled and now Alcatraz? this show was great!!! i agree with the notion that it stimulates the mind watching these shows and the viewers prefer dumbed down reality popularity contest where lil if no brain power is used. that being said if it was losing views because of these dumb shows then move it to a different night!! dont cancel it all together. it was too good of a show. alot of people had to dvr or tivo it to watch later and that… Read more »
This was the only show I have watched on TV in a long time. Fox needs to bring it back. Now I have zero reason to watch any of it.
I love alcatraz and as someone already mentioned I would record it then watch later I know lots of people who also found it a good programme. They should make season 2!!