FOX Cancels “Utopia”

Well short of its goal to run for a full year, FOX has cancelled reality series, Utopia.

Estimated to cost around $50 million, the ambitious reality series was pegged to be the next great reality series.  Utopia was, essentially, Survivor and Big Brother in one (thus, not as original as FOX hoped).

It debuted in September to 4.6 million viewers and 2.0 A18-49.  In its first episode without the NFL as a lead in, on Tuesday nights, it dropped to a meager 2.5 million viewers and 0.9 A18-49.  A few weeks later, FOX pulled the plug on the Tuesday episodes.  They would, however, leave it on Friday nights for the rest of the year.

In its first episode back from the World Series hiatus, Utopia fell to a paltry 0.5 demo – enough reason for FOX to pull the plug.

As for the contestants, they will be notified today, and sent home.  All online live feeds with go dark later tonight.  The Friday night timeslot will be filled with encores of Masterchef Junior, with originals airing on Tuesdays (also where Utopia had aired).

ABC Cancels “Manhattan Love Story”

After four low rated episodes, ABC has cancelled freshman comedy Manhattan Love Story.  The ABC comedy now has the distinction of being the first cancellation of the 2014-15 television season.

Manhattan Love Story debuted slow out of the gate with 4.7 million viewers and 1.5 A18-49.  By week four, its most recent episode, Manhattan Love Story had fallen to 2.62 million viewers and 0.7 A18-49 – ouch!

The demise of Manhattan Love Story is not all that unexpected.  In August, Tonight on TV predicted Manhattan Love Story would be a bomb.  While it wasn’t a bomb from the start, its most recent performance could be described as such.

In place of the cancelled series, ABC will air back-to-back originals of Selfie.

Two Series Renewed, One Cancelled

Earlier today, ABC Family cancelled one series while renewing another, and HBO renewed a freshmen drama.

Switched at Birth, which is currently in its third season, has been renewed for a fourth.  Through nine episodes this summer (11 aired during the regular season) Switched at Birth has averaged 1.42 million viewers.  Once its third season is finished airing, this coming Monday, 71 episodes will have aired.  No word yet on how many episodes have been announced for the fourth season.

In addition to renewing Switched at Birth, ABC Family has cancelled Twisted.  The series aired for one season, consisting of 19 episodes.  During its sole season, Twisted averaged 1.31 million viewers.  That number may look solid, but the show lost viewers as the season progressed.  It began with 1.61 million viewers (for its official premiere, not special preview) and finished with a mere 770,000 viewers.  The season finale figure is one of the lowest, if not the lowest, for a drama on ABC Family in recent memory.

No word yet on the fate of The Fosters, Mystery Girls, or Young & Hungry.  Freshmen drama Chasing Life was given an additional ten episode order before its premiere, and Pretty Little Liars was renewed for two seasons in June.

Finally, HBO has announced the renewal of The Leftovers.  Reviews have been fairly mixed since its debut, but the ratings are quite good.  In its first seven episodes, The Leftovers is amassing a solid 1.57 million viewers per episode.  Like the renewal for Switched at Birth above, no episode order for season two of The Leftovers has yet been announced.

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TV Land Cancels “Kirstie”

After only one season, TV Land has officially cancelled Kirstie Alley-led Kirstie.

Despite a well-known cast of Kirstie Alley, Rhea Perlman, and Michael Richards, as well as guest stars Jason Alexander and John Travolta, Kirstie never caught on.  The comedy averaged a mere 775,000 viewers in its first, and only, season (excluding season premiere numbers, which are not available).

The series finale aired in February.

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NBC Renews “The Night Shift”, CW Announces Cancellation

Six episodes through its eight episode first season, NBC has handed a second season renewal to summer drama The Night Shift.

The series, which was originally supposed to debut in the spring, has done okay behind America’s Got Talent on Tuesday nights.  The Night Shift slipped to a 1.2 demo just a few weeks back, but has recovered nicely and put up a 1.4 demo this past week.  Through those six episodes, The Night Shift has averaged a solid 6.71 million viewers.

The medical drama was renewed for a fourteen episode second season, with a return date yet to be announced (although a summer date is expected).

In addition, The CW has made a change to its summer schedule.  TMZ-backed Famous in 12 has been pulled from the schedule after only five low-rated episodes.  The series followed a family trying to become famous in twelve weeks, with the help of social media.  Famous in 12 debuted to a meager 610,000 viewers, with its most recent episode notching a mere 470,000 viewers (and an 0.2 demo).

No official replacement has yet been announced, but for at least the foreseeable future, repeats of Arrow will fill the timeslot.

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