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?
Thanks to Netflix we’ve “found” The Finder. Never heard of it when it was being broadcast originally. I hope producers/network will give it another chance, put it in a good time slot and try advertising the program. It was the kind of show that’s badly needed on television these days.
Really liked the show, was hoping for more. It’s totally different from all of the other useless, mind numbing programming out there. Not to mention, it has better content than a lot of shows, which continuously shove disgusting, horrible things in everyone’s faces daily. It’s a shame what society deems as good or acceptable programming and that folks are becoming desensitized to the UNACCEPTABLE.
I love the Finder, though it is horribly sad about Michael Clark Duncan, I truly believe the show could take off. There are so many shows that made it, in all fairness, that shouldn’t have. The finder was perfect for me and my 2 boys. No nudity, or gratuitous sex scenes. The guys were trying to teach right from wrong to a Romany girl, who as it turns out is a virgin. All the while keepibg viewers entertained with action and a touch of comedy. Please reconsider, bring back The Finder.
This was one of the more enjoyable series. Terrific cast, fun and engaging scripts. Different and entertaining storyline. Easy to watch and funny. Too bad it was cancelled. I am extremely disappointed. There was a lot left undone.
Loved this show, out of country when it got canceled.
Wish they could bring it back.
I finally find a good show thanks to Nex flex no real sex scenes, graphics, great humor great story line. And they remove it from the line of shows. I agree with almost all. Bring this back, put advertising out there. No one even knew it existed. Make that tribute to Michel and shut back and watch..this could go as big as The Big Bang Theory. You didn’t give it a chance! Get the gang back, and put your right foot forward!
You could also do flash backs on the anaversary of his passing. This show should also be on a day, like a Tuesday. Let’s get this up and running!
Watched this when it originally aired. NetFlix, please get the cast and writers back and get new episodes on air, especially a tribute to Michael Clarke Duncan.
This was one of the best shows I’ve seen! So upset there is no season two….
Unfortunately the complete cast couldn’t return due to the passing of micheal clarke duncan. But the show was great and as some correctly pointed out did not have any marketing besides the episode of bones that started it. It was an very humorous and laid back sherlock and watson style show. Another fox mistake letting this one go.
May CBS should have taken it,, Advertisement probably would have helped too.. I didn’t even know about it till I accidentally saw it on NetFlix
I wish this show would be recommisioned. Even just one more season–to tie loose ends and give followers of the show some closure.
I think they should get some new writers and try again on a different station. I think that this show would work on a different station and targeting an older crowd between like 30 to 50 yr olds.
I was 63 then and I loved it !!
Caught this show on Netflix and was very disappointed it was cancelled. Loved the show and would love to see it come back.
if anything make it a mid saturday showing or let netflix pick it up to finish as one of there projects
I really love this show and think it should have continue I don’t watch any reality shows because I have my own reality going on at home i don’t need extra drama specially not mine.
I like this shows to get away from reality I hope the network or other network reconsider this show and give it a other change.