Bones has been a quiet hit for FOX but the same can’t be said for its spin-off, The Finder. FOX has now cancelled the low-rated series after one season.
The Finder is a procedural series that revolves around a man (Geoff Stults) with the extraordinary ability to help people find the unfindable. Other castmembers include Maddie Hasson, Mercedes Masohn, and Michael Clarke Duncan.
The spin-off debuted on January 12th to a disappointing 1.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 5.50 million total viewers. It was fourth in its Thursday night timeslot right out of the gate and lost nearly 30% of the all-important demo from its compatible lead-in, Bones. This was not a good start.
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Things picked up a bit in the following weeks, thanks in large part to the show having FOX’s blockbuster American Idol as a lead-in. Still, the numbers weren’t as high as they should have been.
After seven weeks on the air, FOX put Finder on hiatus and then moved it to Friday nights, giving its Thursday timeslot to Touch. If The Finder could maintain a healthy percentage of its viewers after the switch, it would likely garner a renewal.
But that didn’t happen and Finder’s numbers dropped like a rock. In its first Friday airing, the freshman series attracted a 1.1 demo rating — an episode-to-episode loss of 53% — with just 4.03 million viewers. The numbers for future episodes fluctuated a bit but didn’t really get any more encouraging. The network could do just as well or better by running cheaper reality programming.
The season finale of The Finder is set to air this Friday night and there won’t be any episodes after that. Hopefully the producers saw the writing on the wall early enough and won’t leave viewers hanging with any major unresolved storylines.
What do you think? What went wrong with this show? Why do you think The Finder failed to attract a bigger audience? Was cancelling the series the right decision? How would you have fixed it?
I’m so sorry this show was cancelled! I wish Fox had put as much effort into advertising The Finder as they put into Touch. I’ve watched Touch once (that was enough!), but I faithfully watched–and enjoyed–every episode of The Finder. I’ll miss it!
BRING BACK THE FINDER. So much better than dumb reality shows.
The Finder should have been left to follow Bones instead of moving everything to different nights. Bad move FOX!
really loved this show,hate that we won’t be watching it again,please,please bring it back!!! I just lost House,now The Finder too..
There is a campaign going on to save The Finder by bombarding USA Network with requests to pick up the series. If you want to help save this great show go to USA Network facebook page and ask them to pick up The Finder.
Hey – I just started to like the Finder and I realllllly LIKE it… No way you will remove this – Can’t believe you will remove this program!
FOX I CAN NOT BELIVE YOU WOULD CANCEL SUCH AN AWSOME SHOW!!!! My whole family loves THE FINDER!!!! most shows are not fmily orientated anymore where small children can watch and you finnally have one and cancel it!!! I would hope that you would reconsider your mistake and start a season 2, besides you really did leave everyone hanging with the last episode, there was no ending, we are all left haning on wht will happen to them all next. sometimes shows dont start off big right away, give them another season the charecters were amazing we love micheal duncan… Read more »
Finder is one of the best shows on TV. Quirky, entertaining, interesting characters and situations.
Fox is nuts to cancel it.
Maybe another network will have the brains to pick it up.
I agree that Fox are idiots! This is a great show with very likeable characters. My family and I love the show and look forward to it every week. We are very disappointed. I love Walter’s character, fresh, new and unpredictable. I hope they change their mind, since they seem to do that often!
Please reconsider about canceling the finder, it’s one of mine and my husbands favorites, there is so little on worth watching, we hate the reality shows, the Finder, Bones and Criminal Minds are the best, Please, Please, thank you
FOX, you really screwed up. You should’ve put “The Finder” after “Bones” and let it grow there, NOT put it after “American Idol.” As with “New Girl,” you put shows I like after shows that I absolutely cannot stand.
Fox are idiots…first they cancel futurama, and even Family Guy twice…yet they let a GREAT show like this slip through their fingers….SO lame…
What a unique show. I loved it!! With several story lines hanging from the last episode, it is not a good time to call it quits. This is a show that has likeable “characters” and it would be great if it could move to a channel [USA] where “characters [are] welcome.” One season lacking adequate publicity and changing the time slot does not give a new show time to gets its footing and give viewers a chance to become fans. A great cast. A big loss. . .
Agreed. FX (home of “Justified”) would be another good choice.
FX is run by fox. Not likely.
I actually like this show. There are not many new series I enjoy but this one is great. What is Fox thinking??
Fan of The Finder? Sign the petition to bring it back.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/406/663/146/save-the-finder-on-fox/
This petition is for FOX to not cancel the show. Better to try to get USA Network to pick up the show. It is a done deal with FOX and they will never renew this show.
this was one of the best new shoes on TV. I looked forward to it every week. Wish fox would not have moved it around. I hope they rethink this poor decision.