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?
Although the show is not yet here, I discovered it while travelling in the US. I must say that I do agree with what is being said above. This show is great, shootings are great, storyboard is amazing.. This is very disapointing that the show has been canceled after season 1.
Just started watching alcatraz in NZ. Can’t believe is has been cancelled. Best new American show of the last year. Sarah Jones is great.
I was wondering when it was going to start up again. I guess I can wonder no more. It’s a shame I was riveted and I still would. Like to see them bring it back. If they made a second season they might as well play it for all to see. Give it another shot
Alcatraz was the best in years. I couldn’t wait for the next epasod. The carictiers had dept and the story lines garinted something new and exiting every week. Its not fair to your audiance to exite there curiosity. Why can’t Fox give something back to us the people that suport them instead of always chasing the buck. I think your missing a bet here Fox.
I can not believe this . . . my whole family was wondering when the new season was going to start. I hope another network picks up this fantastic show. We are all disappointed that it won’t be on again.
IM PISSED!!!!!! STOP DOING THIS! STOP SHOWING AMAZING TV SHOWS, ONLY TO CANCEL THEM!….THIS WAS ANOTHER GREAT SHOW THAT WILL LEAVE US WONDERING WHAT WOULD OR COULDVE HAPPENED NEXT…WHATS THE POINT!…JUST SHOW RERUNS INSTEAD OF GETTING US HOOKED!….ONCE AGAIN ANOTHER GREAT SHOW AND GREAT WRITING DOWN THE TOILET!!!!!!
real stupid move someone at fox is on crack awsome show
I loved this show and am disappointed that it got canceled. I hope another network picks it up.
I loved the show Alcatraz! I couldn’t watch it every week because of work, but I always watched it later on in the week. I hope it will continue on a different network because I liked the historical side as well as the mysterious point of view.
I loved the show Alcatraz! I couldn’t watch it every week because of work, but I always watched it later on in the week. I hope it will continue on a different network because I liked the historical side as well as the mysterious point of view.
**** fox stupid ***** alcatraz was mad
this is nuts the fox network cancell to many good shows before asking the fans of the shows. i liked terra nova and alcatraz lets try to bring them back
bring it back.something quite original-then gone.a hopeless audience or really bad
network thinking
My fiance’ and I enjoyed the series and have been waiting for it to come back on. Found the series to be interesting and would like to see a season two. Dancing with the stars has become boring and feel that America isn’t a very good judge of what real talent is, but a popularity contest.
bring it back, it made want to find out what happends next.