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.
If it means we get more Fringe, Bones and House then I am more than happy to see it go!!!!
well all i gotta say is prey somebody Else does afterall take over the show regardless due to the facts and stuff ive seen&heard in last 12yrs the Fox network has gotten rid of good shows over the past they just cant be trusted. 1st they get ya interested in a show over time n if lucky they will allow a few seasons if they make enough when they already have more than enough Next thing we know..house,fringe &many other good shows will be canceled for Foxes Entertainment &greedyness etc.. my opinion fox should either sign over their network to… Read more »
this show was the only thing that brought me joy.
Terra Nova is quality programming and I really hope that “the powers that be” at Fox realize this and bring it back for a second season
please put on terra nova gain
remeber the program earth 2? real good got cancellein first season I loved Terra Nova was another show I watched after origanal air dates and watched straight through. was really looking foward to longer and more seasons . I can not stabnd all the crappy TV on these days all these reality shows, game shows and supposedluy pretend rel situation shows that are not real because as so as there is a camerA AND ONLY BITS AND PEICES ARE SHOWN it is not real and all these music and talent shows that take up the whole eveing and winners are… Read more »
I enjoyed the show. Hate to see Terra Nova off the air.
It was one show that the family could sit down and watch once a week. I have two boys and they love dinosaurs. I really hope it comes back somehow or someway. I love that show.
well guess the guy that canceled terra nova must be the that canceled star trek
I hate to see it go! It was a great thrill to watch and I just loved it.
I really liked Terra Nova. I hope they can shop it out. I will follow. It’s kind of silly not to renew a show that while expensive to produce, is making money….both for the network and the studio. It is a shame that even when profitable, they aren’t satisfied making money…
The simple fact that TV networks keep making shows that reel in viewers, and then just drop them without any satisfaction for the viewer, is what is going to pull ratings down eventually for a show before it even has a chance to get established. Smart viewers are eventually going to get sick of having their chain jerked so to speak, and not tune in to any shows at all, because they are going to realize that it is stupid to invest time into a TV network show that won’t invest any loyalty or satisfaction to the viewer.
Really great show. Too bad it was cancelled. Guess I’ll have to find something to watch on another network then. I hate when the good shows get cancelled and they keep all these stupid reality shows and singing/dancing shows on. Don’t we get enough of that stuff?
BRING TERRA NOVA BACK!
Really like the show. Well made and got better at the end . Cancelled??? This sucks.
we are a reality nation now no one wants to seat and love to like a show, all we care about is what kim k. is doing, what a celeb is drinking, im tired of it, was a good show now we will have to watch another stupid reality show, with fox probably about how to rise fish lol
You could always just not watch shows you don’t enjoy. Or is that too much personal responsibility for you?
I think the (really poorly communicated) point here is that crap reality TV is pervasive in our society today, while quality programming like Terra Nova (which got better as its run progressed) keeps getting cancelled before truly finding its feet. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine took four seasons to find its feet (it really came into its own starting with the premiere of the fourth season) and now it’s one of my favorite shows ever. To cancel a show like Terra Nova, for which (due to the caliber of actors involved, etc.) there was real potential for it to eventually… Read more »