Fox cancels Alcatraz

Revolution – yet another JJ Abrams inspired series – recently received the green light for a season at NBC.



The show apparently depicts a world in which all forms of energy have mysteriously and abruptly gone kaput. Unfortunately for Abrams, the power also just went out on his show Alcatraz, which was uncermoniously cancelled by none other than Fox.

Alcatraz initially premiered to good ratings and reviews with Variety calling its debut “solid as a rock, ranking second to CBS and on par with Fox’s other new and returning drama shows this season… Among all new dramas this season, only ABC’s Once Upon a Time opened to a higher adult rating.” 



The L.A. Times predicted, “Alcatraz will lock you up,” although the show wasn’t “rock solid yet,” and The New York Times called the series “an appealing concoction that, at least in the first two episodes… a spunky upgrade over the collection of interchangeable police procedurals clogging the television schedule.”

 
Entertainment Weekly claims the Alcatraz cancellation was “largely expected,” and they also report the show “will be shopped elsewhere.” Oddly enough, Alcatraz received a 3.4 rating, but Touch, which has been renewed, got a 2.8 rating, and as EW also tells us, “There were other mitigating factors for each decision, like the show’s time period, cost, talent and studio…Still, it’s not very common for a network’s highest-rated bubble shows to get axed while its lower-rated titles are renewed.”

 

When TVLine confirmed the news, a number of fans were clearly unhappy and voiced their complaints in the comments section. 

”I’m so sad about this,” one fan wrote. “I was so pleased with the direction Alcatraz had taken near the end of the season. Very, VERY disappointed, Fox.”

“CRAP!,” wrote another. “I loved Alcatraz!! I am really bummed!,” and yet another fan wrote, “Sad to see Alcatraz getting sentence to life without the possibility of renewal,” while another fan corrected, “That’s called a death sentence, carried out immediately. BZZZZZZZZZAP!!!!”