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?
Typical FOX decision making process. They take an intelligently plotted series that is opening up to all sorts of intriguing mysteries and flush it because rival networks stack reality TV programming against it. Add it to the attrition list along with Firefly.
I may be mistaken, but isn’t the clinical definition of insanity something about repeating the same behaviour pattern and expecting a different outcome? One would think they might know better by now…
They made a huge mistake. Cause we all waited to see and understand what really happened to all the prisioners and from where they were coming back. Also, never were an explanation about their return.
I think if they would have made it little more interesting. they might have kept a bigger audients. but I loved the show. I wish there was another season. I couldn’t wait for it to come out.
Same here!
Loved season 1 cannot understand why it was cancelled
I just bought the movie and watched all of them. I watched it on Fox but once I had a baby and working more hours I could lnt keep up with it. BT they should have left it with a better ending. I felt that they story solved it questions then gave us more questions and the end that we will never know what will happened. All I wanna know is did they catch Madsen grandfather???!!
no I’m sorry they never did.
U didnt give it a chanced i loved it Maybe better advertising on the stations part would have helped What a shame Great actors out of a job and people r out a great show
Watched the show when it was on. Was upset when i heard it was canceled. Still want to know how they were going to explain in season 2, etc.
Chiller should buy rights for more seasons
They should bring it back NOW. Chiller is airing all 13 shows on Sunday, 7/6/15 from 6:00AM on. My DVR is set.
Fox made a mistake in cancelling this series. They should bring it back. Chiller is airing all 13 shows on Sunday, 7/6/15 from 6:00AM on. My DVR is set.
only stupid leaders throwing good tv series
REALLY LOVE alcatraz, keep watching season one over n over again, still has a good story. . PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE season two is needed. . I need closure. . . you don’t end stuff like this. . realise DVDs then we will buy, just a conclusion it can be a movie
VERY VERY DISAPPOINTED!!!! Was so excited for season 2 and now they stopped it.
What a pity — PLEASE BRING IT BACK!
Such a pity. Would love a second season!
It seems that all networks judge their shows by the number of viewers on the coasts. Try remembering that there are people in the middle of the country who watch TV also.