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 agree whole heartedly , a great concept with great players . Not many original ideas out there these days , this was one well executed. Brilliant casting . Wrong move FOX.
Im shoked this show didnt have more veiws fell in love with it from the first episode i cant see what went wrong it was brill BRING IT BACK
reality shows SUCK!!
I loved Finder. Count me as one of the disgruntled. All that “reality” crap on TV and a funny , intelligent show gets cancelled. Moving the show to Friday was a sure way to lose viewers. It should have been following or preceding Bones not American Idol. The same people who watch Bones were the true audience for this show not the ones who can’t get enough of the so called reality shows. Oh well, we all can’t be as intelligent as the big talking heads at the network. Besides without the big guy, this show would truly suffer. RIP… Read more »
I will miss this show. What are they thinking? I will not watch the reality-crap that is everywhere. A little whimsy and fun with a great premise is gone. These were great characters portrayed by actors, not marginal people paying themselves!
Loved this show ( RIP MCD ) They must have been asking the wrong people
Fox has done it again. Loved “The Finder” – great cast, clever writing. Even with the sad passing of Michael Clarke Duncan, this show deserves another chance. Please, Fox, uncancel this show.
Fox has done it again – cancelled an excellent show without giving it a chance!
My husband and I really enjoyed the show and all of the characters. We are so disappointed that it was cancelled and feel- like the other commenters- that it was not given a fair chance. It is so sad that Leo[ Michael Duncan Clarke] has passed away- what a wonderful actor he was and an integral part of the show. It would have been difficult without him but I am sure that the show would have still been ok. I wish another network would pick the show up.I am so tired of all the reality shows on now- the dumbing… Read more »
I am I too am going to miss The Finder
Just goes to show you the average intelligence of a network executive to take HR me intelligent witty show and slowly killing it off
I am sad to hear of Michael Clark Duncans passing…..His role as Leo gave a certain gavitas to the show…..I don’t know how they’d be able to continue without him providing a foil/balance to Walter
I CAN’T BELIEVE THE SHOW WAS CANCELLED, I REALLY LOOKED FORWARD TO WATCHING IT. I ALWAYS MADE SURE TO SIT DOWN AND WATCH IT NO MATTER WHAT.
Loved this show right from the start! Such a refreshing break from all the conniving and deceipt that is highlighted on “reality” shows… I loved the detail given to the dynamics of the relationship between the very talented co-stars, Geoff Stults and Michael Clarke Duncan (RIP).
First I find out that Michael Clark Duncan died, then I find out that one of my favorite shows is cancelled. I would wait all week for this show! They did such a good job, it was quarky, funny, and kept you waiting for the next episode. They didn’t advertise the show well, and changed the running day too soon. It wasn’t given a chance like the other popular shows are. Someone killed off the show when it was still a baby, it wasn’t the viewers fault. That show was great. I’ve been waiting for the season to start, but… Read more »
It is too bad that a morality-centered (which some of us related DEEPLY with) show with over FOUR MILLION viewers was NOT enough to surpass “the fishbowl parade” of human degradation nor the “need for greed” !
Agree with all of the previous statements. Unfornately, the networks and powers to be have decided not to allow success grow on the viewers. Instead they look for the quick fix and immediate success, all in the name of the mighty dollar. It’s time like these that have had a reverse affect on viewership. As an avid watcher, I find myself not investing in new show releases, because you run the risk of getting cancelled if the immediate success is not found. This is turning people off and will continue to have negative impacts…when are we goint to get a… Read more »