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.
This is definetly a good, one. What a change to be able to watch something with adventure, loving family groups, and senarios that point out you don’t have to like everybody all the time, but when crunch time comes, you pull together. It’s not disfunctional families, drugs, gangs, stupidity, or animation crudity. The entire family sits down and watches, enjoying a relaxing adventure without worrying about inapproriate stuff, young to old.
This is a keeper, and should be renewed.
I love Terra Nova! I sure hope it comes back next year!
Please renew Terra Nova for another season. The article says you’re waiting to see how Alcatraz and Touch do before making a commitment to a second season. In my opinion, Alcatraz looks boring and just another prison movie, and Touch doesn’t impress me because Keifer Sutherland can’t act, and the type of story about a kid that can tell the future through numbers doesn’t seem like it could go far. Neither of those shows are family shows like Terra Nova is, and I think that’s what we need more of. Shows that show people in situations caring for one another… Read more »
DON’T CANCEL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT IS AWESOME. I MISSED THE VERY LAST EPISODE BECAUSE OUR DISH WAS SCREWED UP. I WAS NOT A HAPPY CAMPER.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE TERRA NOVA!! I didn’t think I would like it from the previews….gave it a chance and have been hooked ever since the first episode. Please don’t cancel it!! The season finale was great and I hope it returns.
Yes, I think it should be renewed. It is the only show me and my teenage son watch together. I think that if fox will concentrate MORE on the dino story line and actually show more life and death struggles with the strange new enviorment from plants to the dinos and less of the love story between the teenagers. I really think it would be much more successful. The teenage drama/love story is way over done. I know everyone i talk too watches it for the dino action. And I think if they had to deal with more weather, plant,… Read more »
I still don’t get it – the problem with it is that it tries to aim at many demographics/genre at the same time – there is “some” mystery/mythology, “some” teen-relationships, “some” family plots (ala swiss family robinson), “some” sci-fi plots, “some” war/action plots, “some” medical drama, “some” thriller plots – the show doesn’t hit any of these with full force. Some episodes are kid-friendly, some are not. Some are extremely boring, some are very thrilling (on both extremes). For a production this big, it seems they brought in a bunch of ideas, and instead of focusing on one they tried… Read more »
I think Terra Nova is a great show. I love that it hits every demographic and still keeps everything linked together. I can’t wait for season 2 to start.
It better be renewed or there will be tears! All the good shows keep getting aced. It’s not fair. WE NEED THIS ONE! It actually has LIKABLE characters…. do you know how hard it is for me to like characters? Especially women… they become so whiny and annoying… not these chicks. Love them all!
This is one of the most entertaining show to come along since 24. Keep it for another season and watch the ratings climb.
I need more terra nova.
My entire family and I watch it and love it. We don’t watch it on Fox the night of the broadcast . We got rid of the expensive forms of tv and went with Hulu plus. Does watching it like that hurt the ratings? Many people are watching tv shows this way now as it is less expensive and fits in with time schedules easier. Please do not cancel the show.
Yes – absolutely – I love this show – please renew it
There better be another series! I thought the season finale was very good best episode yet imo
YES — we need it for another season at least. My wife and I are hooked… 🙂
Please do not cancel this show. It is great and better than all shows out there.