In what seems to be a trend among the networks, another of the season’s new serial dramas has bitten the dust. CBS pulled the plug on Smith, NBC’s Kidnapped will end after 13 episodes, and things don’t look good for Fox’s Vanished. Now, CW has announced that they’re joining in and have cancelled their low-rated Runaway dramatic serial. Runaway was one of only two new series on CW (all of the rest of the CW shows were culled from either the WB or UPN).
Runaway focuses on a family of fugitives that seeks to prove the innocence of the father, Paul Rader (played by Donnie Wahlberg), after he is unjustly accused of murder. The show also stars Leslie Hope (previously seen as Jack Bauer’s wife on 24 and the Attorney General on Commander in Chief), was created by Chad Hodge, and was executive produced by Darren Star and Ed Zuckerman.
Since its September 25, 2006 debut, Runaway has averaged a meager 1.8 million viewers. The show aired for two weeks on the very competitive Monday night and was moved to Sunday just this week. Unfortunately the weak ratings didn’t improve with the move.
Eight episodes of the show have been finished thus far and only three have aired. Production was reportedly stopped on Tuesday during the ninth episode but Sony Pictures (who produces the show) didn’t confirm whether it had been stopped for good. That being said, it’s still doubtful that the remaining episodes will be aired in the U.S. The unfilmed scripts from the network’s 13 episode order are entitled “They Say It’s Your Birthday,” “Dashing Through the Snow,” “Trial and Error,” and “Knock, Knock.”
For now, CW plans to move repeats of America’s Next Top Model into Runaway’s Sunday night 9pm slot while various drama repeats will fill the 7pm hour; Smallville on October 22nd and Supernatural on October 29th.
Perhaps we’ll see the return of the popular Reba series as a result of this cancellation — if CW has another half-hour show to help fill Runaway’s slot on the schedule. I wonder if anyone at the CW network is now wishing that the much-beloved Everwood had been renewed? 
I rarely watch any tv shows and I couldnt wait for the next show each week. It should be moved to a monday or Tuesday night. A lot of people have church on Sundays and Wednesday or Thursday. This was a really bad move. Hopefully it will be reconsidered.
Well i think i am done with CW unless they bring back Runaway. I loved that show and think there were just poor descions on when it should air and a lot of confusuion along with it. So bring it back you morons!
And why happens when two unsuccessful networks merge? They let a great show like “Everwood” die, and cancel another great show like “Runaway” after only three episodes. Dumb bah dumb dumb.
I was utterly disappointed after I heard of the cancellation.
Actually, I thought it was a decent show overall.
I was pretty confused when they changed the schedule around though, so obviously that must’ve confused many other viewers, especially those who don’t subscribe to TV magazines or have the internet. 😡
(sigh) I guess I’ll just have to live off of watching Veronica Mars & Supernatural..
HAHAHA! Omg… you accually replaced Runaway with America’s next Top Model? thats such an insult to inteligence who the hell wants to watch another Reality T.V. Show about some dumb bimbos who look pretty for a living… you wonder why society is so vain these days… because of shows like that. I was watching ANTM yesterday and they said that the prettiest model (the middle eastrem woman) had a wieght problem, i stopped watching the show, i think its ridiculas… I’m just gunna stop watching the CW all together, its such a stupid channel.
i think you guys suck that was one of the best shows aired besides one tree hill do me and everyone a favor and put it back on tv do the right thing this time
This is crazy, Runaway was a good show. In time I believe that it would have built a fan base. Has anyone ever thought that the reason these new shows have a hard time building fans is due to the fact that as soon as you get into it, IT’S CANCELLED. Why get attached to something that isn’t going to last that long. Newsflash, everyone does not think that watching dizzy ass model wannabees having cat fights is a good evening of tv watching.
You guys suck!! If you keep on changing the times and days to air the show, how the hell do you expect good rating?? You gave the show like a week tops then you decided to change it around, oh and while you did that who ever you paid to advertise the show for you didn’t do a good job, they had it advertised on Mondays (when the show wasn’t airing that day) others said it was on Sunday when you had moved the show again. Bottom line, no one ever advertised it with the right time or day. Who… Read more »
yeah thats dumb, i was totally wondreing what happened to it. GOSH it was like the only other show on the CW besides one tree hill that i was in love with.
it was amazing.
way better than ne stupid americas next top model
fake bimbos, competing to walk down a runway and look like ******. nice
who could i complain to…to get this known this was a really good show
Like so many other I was just beginning to get in to ‘Runaway’. The networks don’t seem to have any staying power or loyalty. They didn’t give the show a fair chance. ‘Mash’ didn’t take off until later and so many others.
Thought a new network, the CW, would be different . . .nothing changes. Give ‘Runaway’ a fighting chance.
I wonder how CW exec’s would feel if they got dumped after a 3 week evaluation. Just moronic that they cancel a show after 3 weeks. Good luck morons.
I really enjoyed the show. Only if you guys wouldn’t screw around with the airing time maybe people can get into it. It’s nice to see shows on TV that are not about a TV crew following you around 24 hours a day. Please bring it back I’m sure I’m not the only one that wouldn’t mind seeing what happens.
I can not believe they took this show off. They have so many more shows worthy of cancellation and they take Runaway off. What they moved it to Sunday nights and than cancel it after 2 weeks. It took me one week alone to find out they even changed the night on it. What they heck is wrong with these people ! That show was awsome and I agree with one of the viewers who said that the show kept you wanting more. I think they should have given Runaway on the air a little longer. Look at the hit… Read more »
I can’t believe they cancelled Runaway!!! I love this show, and I was already addicted to it. I really want to find out what was going to happen, they can’t just cut it off like that!