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.
Keep the show.Right now it is the onley show I even watch on fox.Take it off and I wont even put my tv on fox.I all ways looked forward to it comming on each week.
I absolutely love this show. I’d given up watching any tv for the past two years and I’ve gotten hooked to this show. It’s fresh and original….no more cop shows, stupid adult cartoons and reality shows, been there done that. Keep this one going!
I love the show! It is different from everything else on TV and that is a relief. I am so tired of the usual CSI, doctor, and lawyer shows. Terra Nova is a breath of fresh air. Nowadays, networks cancel shows so fast that they don’t have time to build a fan base. Give it a chance! All it might take is a rerun or two on the other stations during the same time, leaving viewers to switch to Terra Nova for something new and they are hooked! Could happen! It did for me on another show. Please bring it… Read more »
The finale was awesome! It deserves another year. Fox needs to promote it and put it in a better time slot. It was promoted early…but not much has been from since.
Bring Terra Nova back please! There is very little interesting on TV despite the plethora of channels. That was a great cliff-hanger. Don’t leave us guessing. Fox — I will watch your channel for Terra Nova and the Simpsons. Maybe more if you give this a chance.
My favorite TV show by far!!!!!! It is time for some of the real time stuff to be canceled and make way for good shows like this. Bring back Jericho also!
F*%K I miss Jericho! There was a show that shouldn’t have gotten cancelled… Hopefully Terra Nova doesn’t suffer that fate… I’m sick of everything good fox airs being cancelled and replaced my reality tv or some cheap to make cookie cutter show… Does no one care for quality tv these days?
I love this show! But how do the networks expect to keep an audience when the ‘season finale’ is in December? Remember the good old days when reruns didn’t begin until early summer and you could find a show every week in the same time slot? I’ll be amazed if the show returns next fall…..that’s sooooo far away. I guess this is what the SyFy channel is for as the networks seems stuck on stupid sitcoms and sickening reality shows. Is this really what viewers want in mega doses?
I absolutely “LOVE” that show!! I haven’t enjoyed one so much in a very long time. I’ll be greatly disappointed if a 2nd season doesn’t come back. This show has everything,suspense,mystery,thriller,fun,family, loyalty and edge of your seat kind of thing,not knowing what’s going to happen next. My sister and I talk about it all week until the next episode trying to figure out what’s going to happen next.I have cancer and going through chemo and Terra Nova is the only “highlight” of my week and that’s GOD’S honest truth!! I hated that last night was the last episode of season… Read more »
@Sean If renewed, it should be a 13 episode series as normally when there are 22 episodes, the story is dragged out like lost and other sci fi shows
Looked forward to this for months! Had high hopes for it but no, I don’t think it should be renewed. Great premise, schlock everything else. Highschool kids could have written better dialogue.
This show should NOT be cancelled! After watching just one episode, I was hooked! The cast is amazing! The mark and maddy storyline is amazing. All the characters storys grew on you and it’s just plain amazing!!!!! DO NOT CANCEL THIS SHOW!!!!!!!
I’m so sick of the shows that I start to get into, getting cancelled by money hungry moguls. They are making money, they just want more. This show has all the ingredients of a good Sci-Fi hit. There are many Sci-Fi fans out there dying for something to watch. Use your heads and give it a chance. I don’t think killing off the hottest girl on the show was a smart move but that’s just me. I also don’t understand the relevance of the ratings system. As for advertisements, I don’t know anyone that sits through any of the commercials… Read more »
YES – RENEW TERRA NOVA !!!
Love it want another season + more
It has had its ups and downs as far the quality of each episode. But the season finale was thoroughly enjoyable, and I found myself regretting having to wait so long for the next episode.
keep the show. The cast is wonderful. Now the story can build. all I need is a good story line. In the show will be gold.