For the third week in a row, FOX has pulled yet another of its new shows from the airwaves. Vanished is missing in action. Is it gone for good? Will fans be left hanging?
Vanished debuted on Monday, August 21, 2006 and the premise went like this: Sara Collins (Joanne Kelly), the beautiful young wife of prominent Georgia Senator Jeffrey Collins (John Allen Nelson), mysteriously vanishes. As the family and the FBI search for her, a myriad of secrets begin to unfold, nothing is as it seems, and most everyone becomes a suspect. The ongoing drama also starred Gale Harold (whose character was killed in episode eight), Rebecca Gayheart, Ming-Na, John Patrick Amedori and Christopher Egan.
The series debuted to approximately 6 million households (a 5.6 rating), trounced by repeats on competing network ABC. Vanished was shown for seven episodes on Monday nights. Like many FOX shows, Vanished’s schedule was then interrupted (never good news for a serial drama) by Fox airing games of the World Series. Fox reworked their schedule in the interim and moved Vanished to Friday nights. It returned on November 3rd and two episodes have aired in that timeslot.
The last episode on November 10th delivered its lowest ratings to date (less than 4.1 million households), putting it in fourth place for the night. It’s no surprise that this has caused Fox to pull Vanished for the remainder of November sweeps (the month when audience numbers determine how much a network can charge for advertising). Trading Spouses: Meet Your New Mommy takes Vanished’s place on November 17th while the previously scheduled Bruce Almighty movie will fill the slot on November 24.
Though FOX hasn’t said that Vanished is officially cancelled as yet, its days are certainly numbered. The ratings are really low and aren’t getting better. In fact, USA Today ran an article in October reporting that Vanished producers had been told to wrap up the storyline by December.
Vanished is officially scheduled to return on Friday, December 1st (after sweeps have ended) at 8pm. But for how long? Its probable that Fox is just biding its time until the return of its powerhouse shows American Idol and 24 in early 2007. Hopefully, fans will get to see the Sara Collins mystery resolved before that happens. 
Well, the American public is much more interested in reality shows or programs like “Wife Swap” or other literally stupid, no-brainer programs than anything with any intelligence to it. I have vowed not to watch Fox again. Most of its programs are trash anyway.
An excellent show that should have done better….but at least I salute FOX for running the series to conclusion on the Web….more than can be said about some previous shows on the other networks….(see NBC..”DANIEL”).
I also love vanished.It was in the perfect time slot directly after prisonbreak. I hope they continue the program, iT`s about time theres a program to look forward to.
WHAT A BUNCH OF you know WHAT ! YOU ARE ALL RIGHT ON THE ABOVE POSTS. THIS SHOW WAS AS GOOD OR BETTER THAN ‘PRISON BREAK’ OR ANY OTHER. FOX DOES SO WELL, WITH “24”, “PRISON bREAK” AND “VANISHED” IT IS A TRUE SIT -ON -THE -EDGE -OF -YOUR -SEAT THRILLER DRAMA….. i DO NOT BELIEVE THE RATINGS WERE BAD. BESIDES, WHAT AND HOW DO THEY MONITOR WHO THE HELL IS WATCHING AND WHO ISNT? wHO REALLY GIVES A ROYAL RATS ASS WHAT THE RATINGS ARE? iF YOU GIVE UP ON IT PART WAY THROUGH…YOU JUST PISS PEOPLE OFF! IT… Read more »
I also liked this show. They changed the days without telling us, then again tonight, I expected to see the show, only to find out that it wasn’t being aired –no reason, just not there. I want to see the remaining episodes aired. Fox and CBS are doing a number of 1/2 season shows, taking them off for a couple of months and bringing back. It is confusing viewers and is not fair. PLEASE FOX, air the remaining episodes on TV if you are pulling the plug on another decent show. It’s the least you can do for viewers. Your… Read more »
This is a great show. I am so disapointed it was not on tonight. I am no longer going to wtch a show in its first season because I am sick of really getting into it and then it gets pulled.
This is a great show. I don’t think Fox really gave it a chance for the story line to flourish. It’s a pity to end it before the season wraps. I’m a loyal Fox viewer. Please, keep it coming and if you don’t, NO MORE REALITY SHOWS.
I AGREE WITH ALL OF THE OTHER POSTERS, THIS SHOW WAS GREAT!!! VANISHED WAS ONE OF OUR FAMILY NIGHT SHOWS AND LOOKED FORWARD TO IT EVERY WEEK. WE ARE ALSO SICK OF THE REALITY SHOWS. 24 IS ONE OF THE GREAT FOX SHOWS, BUT WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL JANUARY! PLEASE RECONSIDER PULLING VANISHED AND BRING BACK REAL SHOWS NOT REALITY CRAP.
I LOVE THIS SHOW AND CAN’T BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE NOT SHOWING THE REST OF THE SERIES. WHY NOT PUT IT ON AT A DIFFERENT TIME OR NIGHT. FRIDAY WAS NOT A GOOD IDEA. GO BACK TO MONDAY OR TUESDAY. SWITCHING NIGHTS WAS CONFUSING AND COULD BE ONE OF THE REASONS YOU LOST SOME PEOPLE. OH WELL.
It is terrible when the network takes series like Vanished and Invasion off the air without even bringing them to a conclusion. We get all wrapped up in the plots and then they are gone without any warning. It is a shame that any more when a good show finally comes on it is pulled. Give these shows more of a chance than just a few episodes. I personally am sick of all of the so called reality shows. Trading Spouses and Wife Swap are crap! I would rather have something more entertaining to watch.
Hopefully FOX will consider keeping this show and if not, please bring closure for the loyal viewers. I think it is an excellent show which keeps one guessing.
Let us see the final episodes, it was a good show even better when Ciaban took over. Billy Rinehart
Sign the petition to bring Vanished back: http://www.petitiononline.com/van8120/
i love this show…. they are just so inconsiderate on the feelings of thos 3.5 million viewers
The network should of at least finished showing the final episodes on tv before pulling the plug. That wasnt right how they would would just take something off so quickly.