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 really hope that Terra Nova is renewed next season! My son is a huge dinosaur fanatic and we watch it every week! Sometimes we record it if he falls asleep too early, but we never failed to watch it. It is nice that we can watch something that we both like! Please bring it back next season! We definitely want to find out what happens to the colony!
The glum faces of the cast during the final episode telegraph what they already know: the series is not being renewed.
Please keep the show going. I do not watch much of TV but Terra Nova is one that has me hooked.
It’s a good show, Jason O’Mara is what makes it so easy to watch! I hope it gets renewed, and sooner rather than later – I’d be annoyed if I had to wait until next season’s mid-season, which would be 2013! That’s too long to wait for a show that had its season finale in 2011! Still gonna cross my fingers!
Please keep Terra Nova for a 2nd season. You should rerun it and rerun it through the off season so new people can get hooked. Do catch ups. Do something. It is a great show! I didn’t start with the show but caught up with it on the internet. They should have more than 5 episodes available so more people can watch it from the beginning!
Please keep Terra Nova!
Please renew this show; it is the only scripted tv show that I watch on a non-cable channel.
My husband and I love this show. We like sci-fi shows that make you think and this one is great. If FOX cancels, the SyFy channel should pick it up. Seems like there would be enough people to follow it through! I know we would!
This show is my favorite. It HAS to be renewed!
Finally a familyshow without too much sex and vulgar language. Fox needs to keep this one.
I am getting real tired of what is going on in TV…….if the program does knock it out of the park….its gone…..at least Terra Nova is getting “C” ratings……I am not in your age group…but like the show very much…If I can not watch it at the time it is on…I will DVR it…..I am tired of the reality shows…..I am watching more on cable….reading or spending more time outside…..I am sure that my letter will not have much effect on the companies…..but if MASH were to be tried today….it probably not make it….
Please do not cancel Terra Nova. I love the show and enjoy wataching it.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Return this show!! It is AWESOME!!! Too many GREAT shows are being cancelled for shows that are boring and DUMB!! Lets keep good shows on TV!!
I too love this show! My husband and I along with with our 3 kids watch it every Monday. It is our Monday night tradition! We would be devastated if they didn’t bring it back!!!
I love this show and DVR it each week and watch it when I get off work. Please renew this show! With all the stupid realisty shows now this is a refreshing show to watch. Please renew this show!
I hope Fox reads these. I am a mother – I don’t get to watch shows during their “first run” unless their first run occurs at 10:00 PM. I regularly stay up past midnight to watch Terra Nova on my DVR. I was up until almost 2:00 AM last night with the season finale, and then my mind went 20 million miles per minute trying to figure out how a 1600s-ish ship would manage to end up in the Devonian! Damn TN and my lost sleep. This show should be renewed.