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?
Agreed I really liked this show and I’m very dissapointed it was cancelled. I don’t watch any shows on fox now that this is cancelled. My wife and oldest daugther used to watch Lie to Me as well and that was cancelled. Really dissapointed.
I really wish they had decided to keep this show. My dad, older sister, and I would watch it every Monday night if we weren’t busy. Even if we were busy we would record the show on our DVR and watch it when we all had time. The show had a great story line and I really hope that either they bring it back, or another channel picks it up.
Fox and cbs have cancelled every show I liked except Fringe, and this is the last season for that show. I guess if you don’t watch singing or dancing contests, there is nothing but cable shows or sports now to watch. There are still dumb comedy shows that are not funny that stay on year after year. I can’t understand why networks put all the best shows on at the same time.There’s not much sense in getting hooked on a new show that is good and continues. If I like it, it’s a sure bet it’s going to get cancelled,… Read more »
I love this show. I only watch Masterchef and Hell’s Kitchen on Fox other than that I don’t enjoy their line up it sucks!!!! Alcatraz was engaging and I even got a DVR just I wouldn’t miss an episode. Guess I can get rid of my DVR now. Nothing on I want to watch that bad.
Fox- I wish you would think about the shows and what you produce because 99% of your shows SUCK! Thanks
This show had a great story. It’s a shame they canceled it. Shame on you ABC. I don’t remember getting to vote. Loved Garcia’s part.
Please bring it back, or maybe another network will pick it up.
What a bunch of idiots! Isn’t there enough of this dancing with the stars garbage, the voice, american idol, over the rainbow, all crap. Something interesting comes along, and they cancel it. It’s a sad state when all a person can follow, is watching people sweat it out over and over again to see if they will be the next teen idol. There are so many of these shows, I can’t see what is new about it that attracts people to watch the same garbage over and over again only with a different network. Don’t even get me started about… Read more »
amen, brother.
Yep…same in the UK mate…. so many crap reality shows, and no decent TV. Netflix all the way! (oh and PS3)
So bummed they canceled this show! I found it engaging, interesting, intriguing, and 2nd season worthy. Can’t you just move it to another time slot or another night?? I was anxiously awaiting Season 2.
I can not believe that they cancelled this series. It was riviting and kept me on the edge of my seat every week. The least they could do before cancelling the show is to let the loyal viewers they had know what happened. I mean…Come On Man!!!
Very upset it has been cancelled. Moving to another time slot and keeping on the air would have been better. It was a different program, than another regular police show. Will miss and hope another network picks it up.
Bad move by ABC… Another ball dropped on what I thought was a very strong and engaging show. I agree with Chris, if the show was on Tuesday or Wednesday like LOST was it would have worked out. Monday is a tough place to contend for that primetime slot not only do you have the reality shows to compete with, but there is also Monday Night Football and WWE Raw… In conclusion, bad move ABC… bad move.
It was on FOX.
If they had it on ABC like on tuesday or wedensday– Like LOST.
It would not got cancel by ABC
I like they had Hurly from Lost on this show !!
abc is just as bad. They have all comedies and the 2 shows they had that were good, Detroit 187 and the Kyle L7 on abc family were cancelled with a stupid ending
PLEASE BRING IT BACK!
I really liked Alcatraz. I was excited to see what happened next season. The problem isn’t the show, it’s the programming department. If you know two reality shows air during that time slot and that they are both mega hits why put your series up against them? You are setting it up for failure. I think the show would have been popular in a better time slot. Have you looked at the current seasons schedule? There are several nights, in my opinion that tv just plain stinks! I’m sure others will agree. Perhaps if your scheduling dept thought about that… Read more »
Very Upset! I thought that we finally had a show that was going to be written as deep as Lost was. The story was just getting heated up and I will surely miss what was going to materialize in season two.
Sooooo disappointed, absolutely LOVED Alcatraz……bring it back PLEASE!!!!
who cares about the stupid reality shows. Thy are all annoying anyway. Alcatraz was a well written and acted show. That’s the trouble with tv writers. They get a good show then give up on it. Get rid of all the reality shows and put some shows on that people will watch. I just can’t stress enough how reality shows are getting in the way of entertainment.