Tonight, FOX is airing the season finale of Terra Nova, the network’s latest foray into science fiction. Does the TV series have a chance at returning for a second season or will it be cancelled instead?
On Terra Nova, our planet has been over-developed and is overcrowded. Mankind’s only chance for survival is to make use of a newly discovered fracture in time and try to colonize pre-historic Earth. The Shannon family is chosen to participate but they find their new home is far from paradise. The cast includes Jason O’Mara, Shelley Conn, Landon Liboiron, Allison Miller, Naomi Scott, Alana Mansour, Stephen Lang, and Christine Adams.
The TV show debuted on September 26th with a pair of installments. They attracted an average of a 3.1 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 9.22 million total viewers. It was third in its timeslots and held viewers through the two hours, a good indication that they’d be back the following week. And, they did return. The third episode drew about the same as the first two episodes.
Unfortunately, that didn’t last. Week three fell by 19% in the demo. Over the course of the season, the numbers have fluctuated quite a bit week to week, hitting a low of a 2.1 in the demo three times. Terra Nova currently averages a 2.5 in the all-important demo and 7.6 million viewers. It’s the seventh most-watched scripted series on the network, out of 14, and currently has a “C” on our season ratings report card. That’s not bad but certainly not a shoe-in for renewal either. It doesn’t help that the show is very expensive to produce.
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In September, FOX head Kevin Reilly said that, because of the additional production time needed, a decision would have to be made, “Before the first of the year, at the latest. We couldn’t wait until the spring and see how everything else plays out; otherwise, we would never be able to deliver the following year.”
That decision has now been delayed until sometime in 2012. O’Mara recently tweeted, “Decision to pick up #TerraNova for S2 deferred to New Year by @FOXBroadcasting. Everyone involved remains confident and optimistic.”
While this delay doesn’t mean that the show is history, the network isn’t in any hurry to give it a renewal. The network is most likely waiting to see how well new shows Alcatraz and Touch perform before making a commitment to a second season of Terra Nova. If it does gets renewed, depending on how long they wait to make a decision, the episodes may not be ready until mid-season. Given the budget and the ratings, it seems unlikely to get more than a 13 episode order, if it returns at all.
What do you think? Do you hope that Terra Nova gets renewed for a sophomore season or should it be cancelled to make way for something else?
Image courtesy FOX.
Definitely renew it. My wife and I haven’t missed an episode, and we plan on buying it when it comes to DVD.
My husband, sister, brother in law, niece and at least (by count) 17 of my friends love this show!!! bring it back!!!!!!!
this is a great show.. and finally not a show about the next model, singer, bachelor, or are u smarter than a day shift adult dancer.. my whole family watches it together
Terra Nova is worth saving! The show does seem to jump around, but I expected the writers to use the first season to simply set the stage for more in depth scripts for a much deserved second season. I ike ALL the actors! Now let’s give them all a chance to really show us what scifi is all about.
Terra Nova is a great show. It is nice for a change to not have something that is not reality TV to watch. To cancel it would be down right STUPID!
Good show. I enjoy it and it is great compared to some shows they try to put on. Please keep Terra Nova for another round at least!! One of the few family shows to watch!!!
I do not do science fiction and yet I love this show and I never miss seeing it. I hope the networks also count those of us that watch it on Hulu as well as those tuning into the TV as well.
Great series. Please continue.
Please do not cancel this show. It is great and better than all shows out there.
PLEASE RENEW IT!!!! its like my new Lost and I was HOOKED on Lost! I could watch this show for hours and hours and never get bored!!!!! 🙂
Yes, my husband I watch every Monday night. If can’nt watch we tape.
Hell yes that show should be canceled! After Mondays episode were they shot and killed a dinosaur. They had a great idea man living with dinosaurs and to think that the writers & producers would actually put that it out it quite disturbing. I turned off the show and have no intentions of ever watching it again. The fact that this new pristine world has been taken over by a group of ruthless thugs is bad enough but killing a docile dinosaur and planning to exterminate all life for the purpose of financial gain is sending the wrong mesage to… Read more »
Y)uo have got to be kidding. The dino’s raom all over teh Terra Firma world. You figure the species can’t risk a few losses,heck they a re eating each other, or is it that young viewers can’t see purposeful death?? Heck they are eating each other – or is it the “Gee they killed an animal it? I had some venison last night, so I guess I’m on your hit list as well.
Anyway, my family all watch the show, and the youngest is ten. Keep it on the air!! It is one of the few the kids can watch.
In case you didn’t notice, the antagonists killed the dinosaurs. The main characters (protagonists) have never once shot at a dinosaur with the intent to kill. They were obviously using this as a plot device to show the differences between the Terra Novans and the Phoenix Group!
PLease don’t cancel Terra Nova it is one of my favorite shows
Got to have more Tera Nova. Need to find out what’s in the badlands.
Please do not cancel this show! My whole family watches this. We love it!