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?
I loved Backstrom!!! I can’t believe it got cancelled!!! It seems like FOX is taking a page out of their news networks book and ******* up the one job they had!! So what if the ratings weren’t up to your expectations?! I don’t watch it every night that it comes on TV since I don’t have TV, I watch it on Hulu and I’m pretty sure FOX doesn’t have the data on that but if they did it would show that Backstrom is a HUGELY watched show!! Pay the **** attention FOX!!!
This was a great show. Great parts and actors were cast perfectly. I was a police officer for 35 years and could identify with each of the characters…. It was like saying x is just like y on our department.
I am sure officers, their friends and families would enjoy seeing it come back. FOX should give it a test with one or two more episodes.
Let’s see what the reruns say!!!!
I really enjoyed the quirkiness of the show. I am you …… why did you cancell me…. Please bring the show back it was a nice change of pace to all the other cookie cutter dramas.
Please bring back Backstrom! It was a brilliant show with a quirky new kinda male lead. I should hope the Fox Network should have had better sense than to cancel something. Goddamnit FOX. Ever heard of that which blooms in the midst of adversity? You took away Backstrom, that chubby SoB’s chance to bloom! BOO YOU! Hope another network has the good sense to see what Fox missed, and picks it up. *fingers crossed* Rainn Wilson is bloody brilliant. We NEED Backstrom back on air!
As usual the big wigs at the network dropped the ball on this one, great show great actors great storyline . I’m sure they will find an American idol reboot to shove down our throat
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Noooooo! I want my Backstrom back!
It was a show I actually looked forward to watching. I hope some how, some way it comes back. Backstrom…Brilliant detective, total dick.
I really liked Backstrom. I’m so tired of “reality tv” and wish the networks would hang on to these shows that have a good story line and a place to go with it. The characters were unique and you could imagine them growing. I hope someone else picks this one up.
I’m sooooo disappointed!!!! Backstrom is a great show, great cast and good storyline. Booooo to you, FOX – very poor decision!
I’m you
And I’m a little number crunching nerd that wouldn’t know a good show if it bit him on the butt!!! With all the crap on TV couldn’t you guys have at least given it another season?
Love the post.
Backstrom was simply brilliant. Probably aimed too high for average viewer today.
Sad state of affairs when a show with creative writers, a refreshing cast and intriguing plots gets laid to waste while all that “Marvel” crap survives. No more FOX for me!
I am so disgusted with the fact that shows like Backstrom get cancelled. It was a quality TV show enjoyed by our entire family. We were just beginning to enjoy the relationships that were developing between the main characters. There is so much garbage on TV right now. I am so sick of reality shows. TV needs more quality shows like Backstrom.
I loved the show and the characters.
I love the show with all its quirkiness! This show has room for the depth of each character to be fleshed out over the seasons. I know this kind of story line and character building takes a little longer for the average American to grasp it with their little minds because they’re not used to exposition. We were just getting to meet the real Backstrom in the last show and that’s when the story can really build! If this network isn’t going to run it, then I’m hoping another network has the good sense to pick it up. All the… Read more »
I was really hoping to see a flood of disgruntled viewers demanding Backstrom be brought back or a knight in shining armor to come ride to the rescue on a station that knows how to time slot appropriately. Help me by asking people to post their opinions if they loved the show. I never soap box TV but too many really good shows are getting axed before people know it’s even happening. FOX used to have the majority of my prime time viewing but too many start n stops and I just cannot prove my loyalty much anymore.