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.
I love this show. At first I was a bit skeptical on how they were going to portray everything and do it in a non cheesy way but so far everything seems great about it. I would be particularly upset if they did cancel it.
Renewed only show really good on TV don’t stop now
One of the only clean family shows on TV…please renew it!
I’m happy to say that I stuck with this show from the first episode through to the end. Yeah the first few episodes were rough at times but this show really picked up. I have fallen in love with the cast and the story. Not to mention the beautiful scenery as well. I really hope this gets a 2nd season. With the right promoting and a different night to work on this could be huge for fox. The fans that stuck through it will be back for a 2nd season and if fox replays some of the later episodes of… Read more »
Renew renew renew!!!
I’m so sick of networks beginning shows and ending them before they have time to get settled. I think the show has great potential, and quite frankly I’m sick to death of crime shows and reality TV! I hope they keep it…GIVE IT A CHANCE!!!
This is good family entertainment! The characters are developing and tonites episode certainly left me looking forward to more. I can watch this with my grand kids without having to change the channel due to inappropriate content. I think it stinks when so many good shows are cancelled just to replace them with shows that feel they have to use potty humor and sexual inuendo to maintain an audience.
The show better be renewed,it is one of the best shows on TV it just has a tough night with tough competition and it still had good ratings even against Monday night football and the well-established shows like dancing with the stars, if fox does not renew the show it’ll be the stupidest mistake they’ve ever made and hopefully another network will be smart enough to pick it up. if Fox makes the right decision and renews terra nova they could try on a different night and definitely have a full 22 episode season. This show could be the next… Read more »
I agree whole heartedly, this is a fantastic show and I never miss an episode, ill even admit to getting misty eyed at a few parts and especially when Zoe hugs Taylor to cheer him up. This definitely has to potential to go all the way so to speak. The Jurassic Park series was my favorite growing up as a kid, I’d watch them all the time and now that there’s a tv show that almost brings back those movies, it needs to be continued.
Nah, Falling Skies is much better than this G rated garbage a four year old would yawn at. I’m hoping for a TN cancellation simply so Fringe’s odds of renewal go up. That show has it all, smart writing with a soul and grade A actors.
I’m sure this show makes Faux uncomfortable because the bad guys in 2149 are the same dirty corporate ******** that those scumbags lie and shill for today.
the season finale was GREAT! we can’t wait for season two. Please renew.
Love the show. I would be highly disappointed if it wasn’t renewed next year.
If they get renewed for season 2 I could see this being a classic series with a feel like star trek and lost in space. Obviousliy all its own throwing the jurassic. Park feel in there. But there’s so many directions to go and it would be awesome to see a show take on a good sci-fi role like those 2 old shows.
Such a great family show! My hubby and I look forward to it weekly and really hope it doesn’t get cancelled!
am 65 years old–loved this season–please give us more