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?
WE CAN NOT BELIEVE YOU CANCELLED THIS SHOW!!! It was fun, entertaining, and well written. We were just getting to know the characters and their backstories which made us more invested than ever in the show. And with a cliff-hanger like the one we just saw?! How can you not bring it back for one more season. Why don’t you try giving it a better timeslot instead of a worse time slot. Seriously, even though we have our DVR set to record it no matter what, there are still a lot of people without DVR’s that have a life on… Read more »
Fox your on crack. The Finder was a good show with a decent story line , fun charactors and well writen whit. Your making a big mistake by cancelling it. We dont need more reality shows we need more shows like the finder that are different from all that other crap on t.v.
FOX is now officially on my black list. When they canceled Human Target, I was dismayed.Now that they have canceled two of this season’s most interesting shpws (The Finder and Alcatraz) I am so frustrated with mediocrity being what the public wants. Why renew shows like Glee (sorry America) and Fringe (a greay show but utterly predictable and static) and cancel ones that have potential on all facets . . . Plot lines, character development, not to mention the quality of acting available to the
I can’t believe they cancelled this show!! I loved it. I thought the interplay of the two male leads was great. The backstories created some interesting plot lines to explore and it was so refreshing to see Walter and Isabelle’s relationship not take the same old “we’re trying to build a super-couple drama”. I think FOX made a big mistake on this one 🙁
I can’t believe The Finder was canceled. It was a great show. Fox Network did not give it a fighting chance. Geoff Stults is a cutie patutie and the chemistry with Michael Clark Duncan works. The whole production just needed some time to find their groove and an audience. Coming in midseason and very little in the way of promotion, how were people supposed to find it to watch. If Fringe was losing in the ratings how was that supposed to help establish an audience for The Finder?If Bones has been a sleeper hit then it will take a little… Read more »
Wait, what? Really? This was my favorite of the only three shows I watched this year!!! Awesome characters, and an adorable bro-mance 🙂 I literally stalked Hulu for when the episodes became available.
Of course, I don’t have cable – do Hulu watchers mean anything to the networks?
I believe I’m going to stop watching Fox shows all together. This will not stand. The Finder was my new favorite show.
Lest we forget ….The victims of FOX.
Firefly (I will never forget or forgive this travesty)
House
The Finder
Doll House
Sarah Conner Chronicles
Bionic Woman (ok maybe that one needed to die)
Talented Writers need to stop giving FOX anything.
The finder is a great show. This is stupid. Way to screw us over fox!
Those people at Fox should be kicked in the ears for canceling this show…
Fox what were you thinking? Moving the show around and taking a hiatus right as the show was ramping up. The Finder was an awesome show. The last thing we need is more crappy reality TV. I am Fan and spent my entire time laughing. Characters were USA worthy. Well guess I have going to have to turn back to USA again for Decent Programming.
I can’t believe The Finder got cancelled. I freaking love this show! The chemistry is perfect and the cast is just fantastic! Fox is making a mistake cancelling this show!
I thought the finder tv series was excellent and really enjoyed watching it time and time again, I never missed an episode and I am seriously upset that it’s been cancelled. I wouldn’t have changed a thing, I thought the occasional appearances of bones characters was inspired and really helped me connected straight away with this series.
Fox please please please pretty please bring the finder back asap.
Omg that show was awesome……… AND we DON’T need anymore Reality shows FOX has there head in a hole
bummer, loved this show. We watched it all season and loved it….. now what are we gonna’ watch? Come on Fox. Friday nights, that’s where all good shows go to die.
NOOOO!! I love “The Finder”!!! It’s a really cool original show. FOX execs are stupid!!