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?
THE FINDER SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN MOVED TO FRIDAY’S. THE SHOW WAS NOT GIVEN A FAIR CHANCE TO SURVIVE. MICHAEL CLARKE DUNCAN MAY STILL BE WITH US IF THE CHANGES HAD NOT BEEN MADE AS WELL. HE WAS A HUGE PART OF THE SHOW. THANKS FOR GIVING US THE ONE SEASON!
P L E A S E bring this show back. I never even heard of it until I found it on Netflix. I absolutely loved it!!!! I was sad to notice that there was only one season 🙁
WE THE PEOPLE WANT MORE OF “THE FINDER”!!!!!!
From the moment Netflix recommended it my wife and I got sucked into it. It was wonderfully inventive, well written, and better acted than most movies. I love Walter, Leo, and Willa as characters, and true to form FOX cancels one of the best shows they’ve had since Firefly.
Please bring it back. It deserves the same chance other series get. It wasn’t a hit because no one knew about it until it was too late. Just found it and was excited about the find on Netflix just to be disappointed when I found it was canceled. It was a great loss to ask of us fans when we lost one of the greatest actors ever. I would never want to take anything away from his greatness, but after all in the movie The Crow, when another great passed as he was making the movie. They didn’t stop making… Read more »
I have to agree with the majority of people here. Canceling this show was a massive mistake. Even now two years later after its original air I still miss it. I loved it. It was a modern americanized Sherlock Holms. It’s a great loss to lose Michael Clark Duncan and if nothing else they could’ve made an episode in memorial to him and his work on the show. But in general it was a great show the main actor now has a new show called “enlisted” which I don’t see lasting. It’s good but it’s only a half hour sit-com… Read more »
I just recently began watching Bones. I loved the episode where the Finder cast was included in the show. I didn’t know it was an actually show until I stumbled upon it on Netflix. I think the problem they had with the views was the didn’t advertise it properly. They should have targeted audiences that are usually watching the Cloo Channel, or USA. Honestly, if this show was to do a second season, it would get alot more hits. The only problem is how to properly carryout the death of Leo, Michael Clark Duncan.. And who would replace him?… But… Read more »
I enjoyed The Finder. Very original an the cast was great! I don’t understand why this show was cancelled. Loved old Florida and the story lines. Please bring it back.
Insane. Loved this show, smart, funny, interesting, and very highly rated on Netflix. Tried watching Bones, and I found the writing very meh, the characters rather flat, and the props/special effects stupid and distracting. I just cannot believe that something far and away better, like The Finder, would get cancelled while a crap show like Bones keeps on trucking along. People must be really stupid.
Please make a second season! This show is awesome and fun to watch.
i love the finder tv series, please make the 2nd season. we all know that they who said low rate was a lie, yeah that low rated was a stupid conspiration.
By far a huge mistake! !! My girlfriend and I love this show. And agree tgat it is good for all ages. Great writin acting and storylines. Whats not to love come on fox, HUGE MISTAKE THIS TIME GUYSA, 2014 is a new year full of endless possibilities, give the viewers what tgey really want . Because so far everyone that I have came in contact with sbout this show…they all seemed to of said they loved it so much. Do us a favor give it a 2nd chance. Every one deserves one
I was in great disappointment to find out there were no more seasons to the finder, though in the beginning I was not too into the show…but the more I watch the series the more I learned to like it and enjoy it. I thought there were really funny and like all the characters.
PLEASE RENEW THIS AWESOME SERIES!!!! I can’t believe this show is not going to be renewed! This series has been one of the best I’ve ever seen–I don’t understand the low-ratings–that’s unbelievable! The characters are awesome! To be honest—I’m getting bored with Bones and The Mentalist etc… I used to love watching Bones—but it’s getting boring and tedious—The FINDER was REALLY REFRESHING–I love the character Walt & Willa. Why didn’t they promote the show? It’s such a great show!
I really enjoyed The Finder. I could have watched 100 episodes. I’m sorry it didn’t do well and was cancelled. I’ve watched the season twice now, once alone, and the second time with my wife who also enjoyed it.
There would be no way to bring it back now that Michael Clark Duncan has passed away.
I have to agree with Rose’s comments. I have watched season one over again on Netflix and enjoyed it even more. I have no doubt that the writers of the show would not have a problem putting together some killer new twists. The tragic loss of MCD will definitely leave a huge void but I would think he would have liked his show to carry on. I was never disappointed in any episode. A re-launch of the show would be greatly welcomed. In a sea of marginal television it is sad to see such excellent writing and acting not being… Read more »
Good TV Series get cancelled these days due to poor PR and time slots given and changed as well as short runs (1 Season). Any show can make it given the correct attention. Look at all the Reality shows and bad TV that are still on. If the TV networks were interested in good TV they would show use by using the right formula. Instead of getting a truly fantastic series that goes 10 seasons or more and potentially a huge cash stream, they do fluff reality shows and bring new series to kill. Ratings are everything. If this had… Read more »