For the most part, FOX has really been struggling this season. When it comes to new shows, Empire is a hit and Gotham’s doing okay but Utopia, Mulaney, Gracepoint, and Red Band Society were dismal failures in the ratings and have already been cancelled. How’s Backstrom doing? Will it survive to see a second season?
On Backstrom, an offensive, irascible yet brilliant detective (Rainn Wilson) is brought back from exile to run Portland Police Bureau’s Special Crimes Unit. The rest of the cast includes Genevieve Angelson, Dennis Haysbert, Kristoffer Polaha, Page Kennedy, Beatrice Rosen, and Thomas Dekker.
With American Idol as a lead-in, the series debuted on January 22nd with a 1.9 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 7.98 million viewers. That was an okay start but there wasn’t much serious competition on the other networks.
In week two, Backstrom had to start competing with Scandal on ABC and the ratings dropped more than 30%. In week three, NBC’s The Blacklist moved to Thursdays at 9pm and Backstrom dropped another 30% or so once again, falling to a 1.0 in the demo and 3.64 million.
In week four, the FOX series bounced back to a 1.2 in the demo and 4.39 million. Last week’s installment took another big tumble and Backstrom landed at a 0.9 in the demo and 3.54 million.
It’s pretty clear that, while Backstrom may have some devoted viewers, it’s not priority viewing for most people on Thursday nights. It’s pretty consistently in fourth place in its 9pm timeslot and is now FOX’s lowest-rated drama.
With numbers like these, it’s hard to imagine that FOX will renew Backstrom for a second season. FOX has some serious schedule problems but this show doesn’t seem to be a solution. There are eight episodes left in the season (only five are scheduled) so Backstrom has some time to prove itself with better ratings. This seems unlikely but sometimes miracles do happen. Backstrom could certainly use one.
But, what do you think? Do you like Backstrom? If you ran the network, would you cancel or renew this series for a second season? Would you change anything to attract more viewers?
This is the only crime drama that’s not like the rest. A different time slot and night can give it a chance. I love all the characters. It deserves a second season.
Please leave Backstrom,
A commenter mentioned above that character development is finally happening. This is true. Backstrom is one of the best cop shows ever made and we need to keep it alive.
Please keep. Move to.another night if necesssary. We love it.
Please keep it. It’s wonderful, different, funny.
I love it. Change the date and time.
Please don’t cancel this wonderful new funny/dramatic program.
Keep it. If they have to, move it to another night, but it needs a chance as there is potential in this series. The characters are interesting and have plenty of room for growing.
Definitely keep it. Backstrom has shown to get high boosts from +3 and +7 ratings (when those numbers were being posted the first couple weeks) and has been popular on streaming services so the interest is definitely there, it’s just cursed with a bad timeslot. Initial marketing also didn’t do it any favors. I’d challenge anyone who watched the pilot and dropped it to watch either of the last two episodes; character development is happening and that doesn’t take place over merely an episode or two. Shows need time to grow and hit their stride, and that means people shouldn’t… Read more »
Leave BACKSTROM on, Finally a decent quirky, well written cop show. Thankyou FOX
My entire family watches this show. They need to keep this show. It’s a good one. They just need to move it to a different times slot.
Backstrom is awful, I vote for cancellation.
Just slide it to a better timeslot, it should never go against top rated shows. I adore the show 🙂
Keep it. Show deserves some more gas, get a few more miles down the road.
I like Backstrom keep it on. Move it to another timeslot
Keep it! It’s the best of House meets the Office meets Bones. We love it! Give it a chance! Why are so many shows pulled off the air so quickly now?
Keep it add a good enough twist to the end you can go on forever look at ncis, psych, monk, and criminal minds
I love Backstrom…move it to Tuesday or Friday night. Too much Thursday night competition and Backstrom deserves a chance….Blue Bloods needs some competition!!!!!!