Rainn Wilson had a long run on NBC’s The Office but his own TV series Backstrom has been cut short. FOX has cancelled the series after one season of 13 episodes.
On Backstrom, an offensive, irascible yet brilliant detective (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.
The show debuted in late January to a decent 1.95 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 7.98 million viewers. Unfortunately, the numbers took a big dive in episode two with the ratings falling more that 30%. They fell almost as much again in week three. After a brief rebound, the numbers kept sinking lower and lower.
The 13th and (now) final episode drew a 0.7 in the demo with 2.8 million viewers. The ratings were just too low to justify a second season.
What do you think? Did you like the Backstrom TV show on FOX? Why do you think it didn’t catch on? Do you think it should have been cancelled or renewed for a second season?
The characters were starting to evolve. Did not give show a chance. In our household a store salesman, a nurse, and a nursing assistant watched it. You should at least give it another season.
I was thinking the same exact thing. Sometimes I feel like people want to be injected with adrenaline right from the get go but, this show although it had it’s moments of excitement was more or so about character development, drama and establishing characters for it’s first season and I could see the direction they would’ve taken it if it was given a second chance. Especially the since Everett was starting to open up more.
I am so disappointed that this Backstrom show has been cancelled. It started out great but slow. If people would have persevered to the 3rd episode, it would have caught on. My family has the exact same humor as Backstrom. We can’t believe it has been cancelled. Backstrom was our #! Show! I supposed because it was cancelled it does not appeal to a certain type of humor but it sure does to ours and we love our sense of humor.
How can it be brought back?
Really loved the first season and was so looking forward to the 2nd one!! Very sad to hear it will not be renewed 🙁 Really hope that Fox will reconsider !!!!!
There is so much of the same stuff out there and when something completely different and very entertaining comes along ?
Please bring it back !!
Agree.
I enjoyed Backstrom. Sadly there were 3 programs I liked on Friday night so I usually watched one or two of them On Demand. Love Rainn Wilson’s humor and hope to see more of it.
LOVE this show. Smartly written, wonderfully acted …great congruous cast! Please dont’t cancel! Rainn Wilson is perfect!
Agree
I felt somewhat the same way by end of the 2nd show, but the subsequent airings were great! I guess it takes a while ( 1-2 shows) for new series to build momentum or even be discovered? I think it’s solid…we’ll miss it!
Does anyone know how to get Fox to reconsider this cancelling Backstrom. Is there a specific person who makes these decisions or a team?
Agreed. I posted something similar.
What got us was the teaser for the episode with Backstrom on the phone in the shed telling the person on the other end that he was looking for lesbians in a shed and had to go. I don’t know why that was so damn funny to us – maybe because of how politically incorrect he was and how much we loved it.
There is no show like this on TV. I hope they get smart and bring it back.
This is one of the few shows I kept an actual appointment with, as much as I could, when it aired. What I want to know is, have the networks figured out a way to measure their OnDemand viewership? I have some insight into how that information is recorded at a system level, and it’s all there. And then Hulu. I get the feeling there isn’t an real system in place with the right time frames to sample viewership, or more importantly a way for networks to sell advertisers a cross platform package with comprehensive metrics. Of course, FOX kills… Read more »
You’re Mensa- Thanks!
Loved Backstrom. It takes time to absorb the characters because they are complex. they get better and the shows are wonderful. this show deserves a second chance. It may seem to producers that viewers are simple minded. The opposite is the case. There is a distinguished history of TV shows that networks hung in there with and were richly rewarded with success.
I think it really sucks that Backstrom was cancelled; my wife and I really liked it. Not surprising from the idiots at Fox though.
I liked this offering from Hart Hanson, but it felt a little too much like, “what if House were a cop.” I’d have liked to see some more development.
I don’t think it should have been canceled. Don’t think it should be judged on one season. Probably political move. Typical Fox. Wish another station would take it. it has a good cast and an interesting plot.
I enjoyed every episode of Backstrom. I seldom watch TV but made an exception with this program. Perhaps FOX will reconsider.
Recently discovered Backstrom through fios ‘On-demand’, in time to find out that one of the best new shows of 2015 has been cancelled.
Show takes a while to get used to don’t cancel ! Done
I loved this show. Discovered this show by accident – zapping. A little advertising would have helped. I loved the main character – Backstrom is me.