Christopher Chance and company have been struggling in the ratings this season and FOX isn’t exactly helping them out. On Wednesday, the pair of scheduled Human Target episodes were pre-empted by President Obama’s speech from Tucson. Those episodes have been rescheduled for tonight, an evening when viewership is much lower and many fans of the show will probably miss them.
Now, FOX has decided to expand the Wednesday, January 26th edition of American Idol to two hours. As a result, the previously scheduled episode of Human Target will be bumped to Monday, January 31st. It’ll precede the final Lie to Me of the season (and possibly the series). The network hasn’t announced it yet but, if the two-hour Idol on the 26th is a success, FOX could certainly decide to expand the next couple episodes which would displace the last two episodes of Human Target’s season. While the series was once going to get a ratings boost from an Idol lead-in, it’s now getting shuffled around instead.
It would seem that FOX has all but given up on the series. At this point, it’s hard to blame them. The ratings certainly don’t warrant a third round of episodes. Season one averaged a 2.9 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 9.6 million viewers and it was almost cancelled with those numbers. Thus far, season two has averaged just a pitiful 1.6 rating and 6.04 million total viewers. Human Target is currently the lowest-rated scripted show on the network.
It seems that Human Target is already destined to be cancelled and these latest schedule changes will be the final blow.
What do you think? Will Human Target be renewed for season three or cancelled? What would you suggest doing to increase the ratings?
Image courtesy FOX.
Get rid of winy hard headed ilsa find a woman like fiona on burn notice make chance rich abd in charge keep the guys move to USA station
Ratings rule in commercial television and therefore the decision to cancel is purely statistical and will not change. We have lost many “good” shows to ratings. And we will get over it and wait patiently for the next ” next good one”. But sometimes some of us just want to escape reality tv, games shows, unfunny sit-coms, and any other commercial project that appears to be successful. Sometimes we just want to be enthralled in a desperate adventure were the fate of the world or the fate of some unknown person whom we choose to or not identify with. Let… Read more »
And I’m with Jin…I’m sick and tired of reality TV…we need more shows of this caliber (and that of FireFly!)
It would be such a shame to cancel this show – but Fox has done so much to sabotage it, that the writing appears to be on the wall. Darn it! The characters are quirky and complex and the plots replete with fun twists. I was so pleased to have discovered it.
I am a avid fan of Human Target, and although there were some shows that were a little “silly”, please do not cancel.
Get rid of Ilsa. Adding her was a dumb dumb idea. She adds nothing but eye candy. Get rid of the new girl assistant or whatever. (getting married and then annulled on the last show) Really! Get back to the chase of the bad guys. Keep it a guy’s club. They had great chemistry going, and then screwed it up this season. BTW I am a woman.
Sadly FOX does this with all its good series. They empy them out for other venues and screw with the order of the episodes and then when the numbers come in the show gets the blame. I’m so tired of reality TV. You want to play that crap, fine! Do like MTV did and start another channel for people who want to watch something good and play all the reality tv you want on the other. I’m gonna miss Human Target, Same a I miss FireFly. Wonder what network screwed that piece of art up….Oh yeah FOX!
Its too bad I really like this show- I look forward each week to watch it…..
Please, Fox, keep Human Target on the air! There aren’t that many shows around that are a good alternative to inane sitcoms and insipid reality shows. Human Target is a successful show in the genre of Mission: Impossible, Alias (minus the bizarre-o J.J. Abrams mysticism) and early episodes of Leverage (before they ran out of plot and jumped the shark). The cast is teriffic and there’s a real sense of chemistry, not just among the team but between Chance and Ilsa. I was worried that their romance would torpedo the show, but it’s turned into another reason to tune in.… Read more »
The Human Target show on FOX is the best show FOX has in its line up. The biggest problem with FOX is they move it all over the map Monday Wednesday Friday its hard knowing when its on. Do not cancel this show just do a better job of getting it advertised to the public. All the characters are awesome and well played, just need a better public relations department to help promote this great show.
If FOX cancels Human Target, it will be just another mistake from a second class network with one hit show. I’m not aware that they have made the actors of this great show available to the morning new shows, or the late night talk shows, for any interviews or to talk up the show. FOX has made numerous mistakes in scheduling, moving this series with little or no notice. The actors have done their jobs admirably (I’d be surprised if Gurerrero doesn’t have a cult following), as have the writers. As it is, I seldom watch FOX, except for this… Read more »
I do hope there will be more of Human Target. It is intelligent and entertaining, dynamic and emotional, with lots of charm and character, quality humor and subtlety. Have to admit that these days there are very few series that do not insult one’s intelligence and have so much style. Would be a shame if Human Target bites the dust for reasons that have little to do with the truly top quality.
Human Target was never a boring show now you want to talk boring lets talk about American Idol now thats boring. Please bring back Human Target it is such an awsome show just like Lie To Me which is no longer on tv. Whats up with that anyway?
It’ll be unfortunate if Human Target is a very well done show. It has terrific writing, great characters and an outstanding cast. The only way this show could be saved is if Fox picked a night for it and keep it there. The main reason for scripted shows on Fox fail is because there is no consistency to there timelines. If they put a show on Wednesday’s in the fall it will inevitably be moved to another timeslot in the spring due to American Idol. American Idol may bring in good ratings. But it kills all other shows.
There are so many repetitive, boring show on the networks these days and “Human Target” is neither. It’s a different kind of action series and one of the few things I actually look forward to each week. Too bad that Fox has not given it a fair shot and seems now to send it to oblivion. At least it was fun while it lasted!