To no great surprise, ABC has opted not to order a second season of their Wednesday night drama, Life on Mars. The show was one of the most anticipated of the season. So, what happened? Will viewers be left hanging or will the show’s mysteries be resolved?
A remake of a UK show of the same name, Life on Mars follows Sam Tyler (Jason O’Mara) , a modern-day NYPD detective who’s investigating the abduction of his girlfriend (Lisa Bonet) by a serial killer. After being hit by a speeding car, Tyler wakes up in 1973. While trying to figure out what’s happened to him, he ends up becoming part of his precinct in the past. Is he in a coma, insane, or a true time traveler? The stand-out cast includes Michael Imperioli, Gretchen Mol, Harvey Keitel, Jonathan Murphy, Dominick Mancino, John Cenatiempo, Chris Miskiewicz, Tom Stratford, Matthew Cowles, and Tanya Fischer.
The series debuted on October 9, 2008 to a solid 11.33 million viewers and a 3.8/10 rating/share in the 18-49 demographic. Unfortunately, the numbers fell significantly in the second week, to 8.22 million and a 2.5/7 — a loss of 25% of the total audience. The ratings for the next five episodes averaged just eight million, sinking to a low of 7.77 million and a 2.5/7 rating/share on November 20th.
Mars then went on a two month hiatus, which is essentially like a death sentence for any serial drama. As expected, when the series returned at the end of January, following Lost, the numbers got even worse. For the past four weeks, Mars has been averaging a terrible 5.5 million viewers, hitting a low of 4.63 million and a 1.6/4 rating/share.
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As expected, ABC has decided to cancel the series at the end of its 17 episode season. On the positive side, it’s being reported that the producers have time to make that last episode an actual series finale. Though there are many outstanding questions that need to be answered, it looks like most of them will be answered. ABC Entertainment Group President Steve McPherson told TVWeek, “We felt it was the right thing to do for the producers and the fans and creatively.”
Of course, whether ABC actually gets around to airing the episode remains to be seen. Considering that fans are still waiting to see the final episodes of Dirty Sexy Money, Eli Stone, and Pushing Daisies, the network’s track record isn’t so good.
For now, the plan is to continue airing the series though the March sweeps period, with Mars finishing on April 1st. Let’s hope that actually happens and it isn’t some twisted April Fool’s joke from the network execs.
Image courtesy ABC.
Thanks for nothing ABC you get people hooked on good shows then say we gottem now so lets pull the plug on just to here us gripe well no more for me you cancel this show and you won’t hear me gripe anymore cause I won’t watch your network I see your adding more new shows I thought about watching but if LOM is canceled who’s to say we starting liking these new shows and guess what hey lets pull the plug on these new shows as well just to p us off well no chance in heck will that… Read more »
I CANNOT believe this. THE best show on network TV and ABC is pulling the plug. And yet they persist in running crap like “The Bachelor”, which is TV for brain-dead morons, year after year. I give up. I’m still smarting from the loss of “Deadwood”, and now this. I used to love ABC, but will no longer watch anything they might put on. Grey’s Anatomy? Desperate Housewives? Lost? All together now – WHOOOOO CARES? It’s just soap opera b.s. This was my chance to revisit New York in the 1970s, the city of my youth, and experience again the… Read more »
Arghhh! I love this show! They put it on hiatus for weeks and weeks and then expect us to find it again. (I don’t read the TV listings or watch commercials.) Quit messing with us!
That is a good show!.I cant believe they are not having a season 2. It has actually turned into one of my favorite shows. But October Road was too!
It figures. My DVR to do list is almost empty because of all the cancelled shows. Not everyone in the world wants to watch “reality tv” shows, that for the most part aren’t even real. I was really hoping that USA or SciFi would pick up “Pushing Daisies” and “Eli Stone”. I guess I will add “Life on Mars” to my wish list. If it wasn’t for “Lost’ , I wouldn’t watch ABC at all.
Wow, I can’t belive it. I think this is the best show on TV. I love it. What a shame.
I wish someone would start a network of nothing but canceled shows and carrying them on to new seasons, giving lovers of good writing and quality shows their own place. I’d pay for that. ABC, you have suckered me for the last time, I hope you circle the drain.
Why oh why does ABC decide to cancel what is probably the best show on television? Why? The acting, the drama, the comedy, the situation, this is great stuff. It figures! If its not a “reality” show with dancing or with people stuck in some God Awful place with mud on them, then its not worth keeping. I just wish ABC would give Life ON Mars a chance and let it run for another year. Oh well!!
Remember that ABC only a couple of years ago cancelled two other great shows, Invasion and The Nine, before the season was over, and didn’t care enough about viewers to give them even the satisfaction of a proper finale. Forget ABC. I’m through.
This is a sad state of affairs !!! I have to say I’m very disappointed and and bummed out that you are canceling THIS show. I just don’t get it…… You will cancel a show with great acting and phenomenal story lines, but keep Grey’s Anatomy! Ya, that’s quality. It’s a shame, it really, really is.
ABC sucks out loud. They seemed to have canceled everything but Eyewitness News and the dung-smelling foulness that is Grey’s Anatomy. ABC’s as bad as Fox in that both of those networks have Gettysburg Address-length rap sheets for canceling great shows. I hope at least Life on Mars and Women’s Murder Club make it to DVD.
I’m sure going to miss Sam’s Chevy Chevelle Super Sport. I would love to have that car!
I was extremely disappointed to hear this evening that one my new favorite shows, “Life on Mars” has been canceled. The November-to-January hiatus was far too long, but I still couldn’t wait to see the show return. Hopefully, ABC will decide to truly give “closure” to this series so that the audience can find out what happened to Sam Tyler. I love ABC’s programming, like “Ugly Betty,” but I’m afraid they’ll cancel that too with their track record! “Pushing Daisies” was already canceled this year and without a final episode. ABC has the capacity to create wonderful shows, but apparently… Read more »
Why can’t the networks give new shows a chance? I will not get interested in any new show. Also what is the point of HD when there is nothing worth watching.
Why am I not surprised? Well…because they cancel everything they put out in about 2 seasons or less. First my fav. October Road, then Women’s Murder Club, Pushing Dasies, & Dirty Sexy Money! I’m done with ABC programming. First, you put a show on hiatus for a month, and then you bring it back at a new night to a new audience, and after a show like Lost. What did you expect exactly? These ABC execs need to rethink things and give these shows a chance to form an audience. If Women’s Murder Club (based on murder novels) couldn’t survive… Read more »
It is very sad to see this wonderful show be canceled. That huge hiatus definitely killed it though. My DVR even forgot about recording it when it came back. Hopefully this “final episode” will be shown, but I guess time will tell. It’s hard to believe that the show has low viewership after being the most anticipated series of this broadcast season. Well I guess I’ll start watching that new series “Castle” and watch that get canceled and burned off during the summer. =[