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.
I wanted to watch this series but i ended up leaving for the Air Force. i just saw it on netflix with my wife. we were so caught up in it we watched it in 3 days. we were so excited to see if season 2 would exist, but when we found out it was cancelled we were upset. we are still searching to see if someone will continue it but we can’t find it. please someone continue it. if i knew how to do it i would
i love tera nova it was a very entertaining series we need more like it not those stupid discusting reality shows. if fox does not want it try sci fi channel. we want it back
I really enjoyed Terra Nova and was sorry to see it had been cancelled. But luckily that will leave lots of room on the network to put on those reality shows so we can all watch group after group of unhappy, spoiled housewives, rich no talent people who are famous only because they are on tv, shallow young people living in one house back stabbing one another, teenage mothers interacting with their baby daddies, little girls dressed up as ladies of the evening to gain a beauty crown, and the cruelest judges you can find make for high entertainment as… Read more »
I love this show so much I’m so disappointed that fox will cancel the show please bring it back.
it was one of the best shows i have ever seen i really wish it wasnt canceled i hope they find a way to keep it going because i would undoubtedly watch it. i have the whole season and watched it a few times hopefully there will b more to come. please bring it back i o alot of people who are disapointed and want 2 see more it kind of sucks that it ended the way it did we all want 2 no what happens next?
I very much enjoyed the Terra Nova series and am deeply disappointed that the show has been cancelled. I found the show very entertaining and looked forward to a long running series. How many “reality shows” are they going to push down our throats? We are long overdue for some good Sci-Fi programing.
This is an awesome show and should not be cancelled
[…] creators of FOX’s cancelled Terra Nova didn’t get a chance to give the TV show a proper ending. Now the studio wants your help in […]
This is a great show !! With great actors!
Im very dissapointed that the show was cancelled.
Im a huge scifi fan and i thought the show was even better than Falling skies.
I the show bizz is anything like poker than this is one show that the BOSS should have gone all in.
I really think that season 1 was good..and was just setting us up for an awesome season 2.
Oh well..i hope some-1 else out there picks up on it and makes it a massive hit.
A show like terra nova imo has HUGE potential.
veramente mi ero affezionato alla serie e non vedevo l’ora che reiniziasse…PECCATO!!!!
very disappointed. I loved this show
It was the only show I watched on FOX
Really upset to see Terra Nova canceled. My husband and I both enjoyed watching it. Tired of all the reality crap shows that dominate TV now!
Please bring it back! It’s a great family show instead of all of the “reality” junk! Life has plenty of reality without viewing someone’s idea of it.
Terra Nova captures the imagination and attention that it deserves.