Standoff: Cancelled? Will It Be Back?

As serial dramas go, Standoff is one of the lucky ones. After several new series from the 2006-2007 season bit the dust, this one miraculously survived and FOX even ordered additional episodes. But now, after being M.I.A. for months, has Standoff’s luck finally run out?

Standoff debuted back on September 5, 2006 on FOX. The series focuses on an FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit whose members negotiate hostage situations and, of course, share relationships. The series stars Ron Livingston, Rosemarie DeWitt, Gina Torres, Michael Cudlitz, Raquel Alessi and Jose Pablo Cantillo.

Following an episode of popular medical drama House, the Tuesday night Standoff premiere attracted a healthy 13.7 million viewers (retaining 70% of its lead-in). Before going on hiatus for the World Series, the ratings dropped to an average of 8.4 million.

When Standoff returned on November 1st at 8pm, without the benefit of the House lead-in, Standoff really got clobbered and viewership dropped to fewer than five million people. FOX hoped this was a temporary condition and showed it’s support by upping the episode order to 19 for the season.

The ratings didn’t really improve and FOX pulled the series after December 12th. The last original episode to air attracted about the five million. FOX ran House reruns in the subsequent weeks and attracted almost two million more than what Standoff had been getting.

When the series was pulled in December, FOX had said that it would return in early 2007. It was then revealed that Standoff would return in March on Friday nights when television viewership is much lower. That date passed and FOX now says that Standoff will return in June. Will it really happen this time?

With eight original episodes already completed and paid for, it’s almost a sure thing that Standoff will actually return. Unfortunately, the series return now won’t occur until well after FOX has decided on their new Fall schedule.

FOX says that Standoff hasn’t been officially cancelled. But, based on its ratings track record and FOX’s reluctance to bring it back to the schedule, a second season looks highly unlikely. We’ll keep you posted if things change. Stay tuned!