The Terra Nova TV show has been officially cancelled by the FOX network. However, though you won’t see dinosaurs back on the FOX schedule next season, there’s still hope for a second season.
For those who came in late, Terra Nova’s produced by Steven Spielberg and revolves around a time when our planet has become over-developed and 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 cast includes Jason O’Mara, Shelley Conn, Landon Liboiron, Allison Miller, Naomi Scott, Alana Mansour, Stephen Lang, Rod Hallett, and Christine Adams.
Terra Nova premiered last September with a pair of installments which 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 but held viewers through the two hours. The third episode drew about the same as the first two episodes. Episode four fell by 19% in the demo and later episodes hit a low of a 2.1 rating in the demo three times.
The season averaged a 2.5 rating in the demo and 7.52 million viewers. Those aren’t bad numbers but also aren’t good enough to ensure a pick up — especially considering that Terra Nova is expensive to produce. FOX entertainment president Kevin Reilly once noted that the network was committed to purchasing 22 installments if the show was renewed.
FOX initially had a December 31st deadline to make a decision on renewing Terra Nova but bought themselves some extra time by picking up the options on many of the actors’ contracts.
Reilly had concerns about the creative direction of the show so Terra Nova producers and 20th Century Fox Television began approaching showrunners and senior writers about possibly joining the series for next season. Reilly was reportedly pitched several potential scenarios and writers but he didn’t take to any of them. A last ditch meeting on Friday supposedly went well but Reilly ultimately decided late yesterday to cancel the show.
The decision comes as somewhat of a surprise since the network and studio both made money on the show and has Spielberg’s name attached. Word is that studio 20th Century TV will now shop the series to other potential outlets. The mediocre ratings and hefty price tag — reportedly about $4 million per episode — won’t make it an easy sell. The talent options supposedly expire at the end of June, keeping those castmembers from being in contention for potential new series.
What do you think? Are you disappointed that FOX has cancelled Terra Nova? Are you surprised?
Image courtesy FOX.
what a very idiotic thing to do such as cancel a series that brought in money and viewers everyone was paid on each end. Oh boy, and what really makes me laugh is how the network doesnt want this show on there, because the price obviously the greedy tight sons of ******* didnt realize that at the end of the last season they were cut off to the future meaning that theres no need to have all the crazy gadgets like the first one also meaning that the budget will not be as overwelming. But noone wants to think about… Read more »
I know by read the promos when it started it was expensive but what killed it was the lack of dinos. Your going back in time to the Mesozoic age and all it was was two clans fighting most of the time.
Time to go back to Discovery Channel. Fox when will you guys ever keep a decent series onboard. Good thing you were not in charge of Star Trek or MASH. God knows you’d likely not given them more than a year either. First Terra Nova and now Alcatraz. What’s NEXT?
Other than sports Terra Nova made it worth owning a TV. Too many reality shows that are not too real. Terra Nova was worth planning to sit down and watch television again. Shows like Terra Nova makes it worth paying a cable bill.
My wife and I both loved this show and didn’t miss an episode. If Fox doesn’t renew it aI hope someone picks it up
I just found out they cancelled on of my favorite shows, Terra Nova! I loved this show and ABC’s Once Upon a Time. People are sick of the all the Detective/Lawyer/Cop shows, we want entertainment that takes us away from reality. You can only take so much of the singing, dancing and who is going to date/marry/break-up shows. At least let us know how the show ends! (One last two hour episode).
I loved the show at first, and the scenery and wildlife were awesome, but some of the acting was terrible, and the durection that the show went, was totally wrong and i don’t see how they could pull it back. The writers wounded this one….. and it deserves to die
How many brain cell did you lose watching crap ass reality tv.
I absolutely loved the show – the story line, the visuals – the cast – EVERYTHING. I have been hunting for it and bummed that it has been cancelled.
I sincerely hope that someone else will pick it up – I’ll be watching for it!
Go screw yourself Fox. This was an AMAZING show. Complete idiots these people are!
I was skeptical at first, not being sure how they would explain going into the past without changing the future, but after I saw the premier, I was hooked. I’m in my 50s, enjoyed the show, and hope they bring it back. I wish networks wouldn’t get so obsessed about the 18-49 “demograghic.” There’s still a whole bunch of us out there no longer in that group, that still enjoy good stories and great effects. We’re not all old grumps who think the only good tv programs were made before 1970.
[…] Terra Nova (FOX) An expensive series to produce, Terra Nova registered only mediocre ratings so the network ultimately decided to cancel it. […]
I dont understand how a show can be cancelled after one season, it takes some time for people to start to get into the show, just look at Star Trek, I know alot of people here in the UK that love Terra Nova, its SYFY without being over the top, its drama with great actors, and great stories, as with the added excitment of the danger of T-Rex and his mates, well what can anyone ask for – PLEASE DONT CANCEL or if so at least give us a conculsion to the story, dont let us hang wondering whats happeing.
Its strange that fox would pick up touch when every episode is the same and has no clear path of intent for the story line, while they cancel terra nova. Terra nova was actually a show that brought everything to the table: drama, suspense, action, and science fiction. I hate all the reality regurgitations being aired on the major networks (ex. American idol). Television should be a fun vacation from reality, which terra nova was.
I think you guys are dumb for cancelling terra nova. It was just starting to get really good. This show had so much pontential. I was really looking forward to watching some more of the show. fugures youd cancel a good show and put on crap shows in its place.
Figures – here we have a good show, really getting hooks into the story line and they cancel it. FOX, you just don’t know a good show when you see it.