Latest Terra Nova News

According to TheHollywoodReporter, the popular streaming service Netflix is in talks with 20th Century FOX (the studio) to continue Terra Nova.  This comes two days after FOX Broadcasting decided to cancel Terra Nova.

While discussions are early, the move could make sense for Netflix as it continues its push into original scripted programming with fare including 20th Television’s Arrested Development, which the company resurrected in November.

While Terra Nova averaged 7.5 million total viewers and 2.6 million in the advertiser-coveted adults 18-49 demo in its 11-episode first season, it failed to catch on the way the network had hoped. Its two-hour finale matched a series low in the demo, drawing a 2.1 rating among adults 18-49 and an audience of 7.2 million.

Fox Entertainment president Kevin Reilly told reporters in January at the Television Critics Association’s winter press tour that the network was waiting to make big decisions as the fate of the Spielberg series until they had a better sense for midseason and development projects. “I do feel fortunate that we have some high-class problems,” he said at the time. “[Terra Nova] was an exciting bet to take and it’s proven that it was worthwhile.”

Meanwhile, 20th Television still holds an option on cast members including Lang and O’Mara. Co-star Christine Adams, meanwhile, has already found her next potential gig, joining ABC’s fashion drama pilot Americana.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/netflix-talks-continue-terra-nova-297585

Bad News! Word has come that FOX has cancelled Terra Nova.

EW, speculates that the “higher ups” weren’t very partial to the show, but confirms that 20th Century is looking for a new network to pick up the show which stabilized at an  average 7.5 million viewers per episode in the first season.

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The decision was handed down despite a few factors that were in the show’s favor: A creatively strong two-hour finale, which won over many of the show’s grumbling detractors; Fox cancelling Monday night veteran House; and another Monday sci-fi drama, Alcatraz, under-performing in recent weeks. From what we hear, Fox higher-ups weren’t too fond of the show.

Terra Nova will likely end up the highest-rated cancelled show of the season. It averaged 10.1 million viewers and a 3.6 adult demo rating once you add in a week of DVR playback.

TVLine reports that New Zealand actor, Jay Ryan, has been casted as the male lead opposite “Smallville” alum, Kristen Kreuk, in CW’s Beauty and the Beast project.

Ryan appeared in three episodes of Terra Nova as “Curran” a security personnel who was banished from the colony after he murdered another member of his unit.  Curran later redeemed himself and received a second chance after he agreed to be become a spy in Mira’s camp and eventually saved Skye’s mother, Deborah Tate.

While not a major loss to Terra Nova’s cast, we would have liked to see his storyline taken a bit further in a possible season 2.

Terra Nova star, @jason_omara, has been urging fans to show their support for the show and for Season 2 by sending this set of 12 2″ Inch Toy Dinos to FOX HQ.  Kinda like sending the carno through the portal to Hope Plaza in the finale. Get it?  So to get involved, head over to Amazon and your send order directly to:

Mr. Kevin Reilly – FOX Broadcasting
PO BOX 900
Beverly Hills, CA 90213
United States

Send as many as you can!

The set of toys are currently available from 4 sellers and the cost is just under $5 with free shipping for all 12 dino figures.  If you have kids over 3 who love the show, it also makes a great gift.

Along with your order, you include a polite note to FOX at the address above telling him why you want a second season, or forward your order confirmation along with the note via email to askfox@fox.com.  A decision on Terra Nova Season 2 is expected any day now.  If this dino campaign heats up, we might get news sooner rather than later.

THR reports that Stephen Lang has signed on for guest appearances on three episodes of USA’s “In Plain Sight”.  He’ll play ” the troubled father of Mary Shannon (Mary McCormack) — a pivotal character repeatedly referenced over the past four seasons. ”

Read the full story at The Hollywood Reporter.

Terra Nova is still on the bubble with FOX yet to announce a decision of whether to return the show for a second season.  The Commander’s appearance on In Plain Sight shouldn’t be interrupted as trouble for Terra Nova as both Lang and Jason O’Mara’s contracts were extended to June 30th, 2012.

Since the season finale on December 19th, Alcatraz has been paired with House for FOX’s monday night line up.  With the absence of strong competition, Alcatraz secured better ratings than Terra Nova’s premiere.  However, this week’s episode fell to a 2.2 rating (6.7 million viewers), while Terra Nova had 8.3 million viewers for it’s 5th episode.   With House seemingly on it’s last leg (pun intended ), let’s hope FOX renews both Alcatraz and Terra Nova to make Monday’s the sci-fi day of the week.

Update:  FOX confirms that House will indeed end this season, but still no word on a Terra Nova Season 2.

@jason_omara had some words with TVline and offered some suggestions on how to make Terra Nova a better show in a yet to be decided season two.

“When we use dinosaurs, I really hope they’re completely kick-ass dinosaurs — no half-hearted dinosaurs,” O’Mara says. “Maybe it’s better to have a totally awesome dinosaur in [just] one episode, rather than seeing a dinosaur every episode that isn’t quite there.”

O’Mara also hopes for a little more action anchored in 2149 (a setting he thinks is “awesome”), a lot more mythology, and the introduction of “a really bad, bad, bad guy.” In fact, ”we need to find out who the baddest dude is and bring him into our story,” he says, suggesting James Earl Jones for the role, “since Sam Neill is already in Alcatraz.”

Of course, before his ideas can be turned into reality, says O’Mara, “we need to get picked up first!”

To that end, O’Mara adds that Fox president Kevin Reilly recently said he was “making a decision, and everyone just has to stand by.” With the network’s new dramas The Finder and Alcatraz already a few weeks into their runs, and Touch debuting Wednesday, O’Mara says he is hopeful that “really soon they’ll have all the information they need to make their decision.”

Read the full story at TVLine

What do you think about Jason’s suggestions? Share your thoughts below in the comments or sound off on the forums.

For those of us who are dearly wishing to see a Season 2 for Terra Nova, things are looking up!

First off,  the buzz is that Fox is actively seeking to secure Terra Nova, creatively: the options for key cast members (Jason O’Mara and Stephen Lang) were picked up. Holding an actor’s option does not necessarily mean the studio will renew the show, but it does mean that the network is not gung-ho to cancel it, either. Additionally, Fox is rumored to be hunting for new writers–and we all know that this is a good thing. Now, let’s see if they can lighten up the executive producer list, which should produce a more cohesive show overall.

Secondly, the TCA (Television Critics Association) met for its bi-yearly roundup over the weekend, and, according to Ken Reilly, Fox’s chief exec, “”I do feel fortunate that we have some high-class problems” (in having to decide whether to keep or cancel shows such as Glee, House, and Terra Nova). “(Terra Nova) was an exciting bet to take and I think it has proven that it was worthwhile.”

When challenged about the massive costs in producing Terra Nova, Reilly responded by saying that Fox has, indeed, made money off Terra Nova–a major factor in deciding to keep a show on or not. Several excellent shows have been cancelled due to not making enough money–Firefly comes to mind; Fringe is currently on the verge of cancellation, since Fox is losing lots of money on that show…and Reilly is a self-proclaimed “Fringe fanatic.” Lamentably, shows have to make money to stick around, and since Terra Nova has earned its keep, let’s hope Fox sticks with it and allows the show to grow and develop in a second season.

Still, despite stating that Terra Nova had some creative issues, Reilly indicated that he was mostly happy with it: “If the show hadn’t worked, I still wouldn’t be apologizing,” he said. “I wish it was creatively more consistent this year but I don’t have a lot of regrets about it.”

He acknowledged that the long list of executive producers and numerous executive changes made Terra Nova a “bit of a challenge” and gave the perception that the show “got away from us.” Regardless, “The bar was sent enormously high and if this is all we produce, we made money, the studio made money, the audience enjoyed it … it’s clearly a concept that people wanted to watch.”

Referring to its viewership, he commented that there was a definite audience that “stuck with it,”, especially families that enjoy watching it together (this author’s family is included in that group). Reilly continued, “There’s a show there to bring back; there’s an audience for it to service.”

Ultimately, Reilly did not make any promises, though: “If we had more holes, we’d be thrilled to lock [Terra Nova] in,” he said. “Right now we’re looking at everything: new shows premiering, development, we’ll decide very soon. It needs to get back into production next month. We won’t be able to drag our feet on it for too long.”

Thirdly, Terra Nova came in on top of the December 19-25, 2011 DVR rankings in the 18-49 age demographic, gaining a .9 ratings point jump in that age range, which is key. Terra Nova also captured the top spots in the ratings increase in DVR watching in the 18-49 demographic for that week, as well as the Live+Same Day and Live+ 7-day measurements. Finally, Terra Nova added another 2.237 million watchers by DVR! What does all this mean? That all those people who recorded Terra Nova were either watching it for the first time or watching it again than any other show that week–and both of these things are positives for the show.

So, people, let’s cross our fingers and hope that the powers that be decide that Terra Nova is worth the while! I think season 2 has excellent potential…and I want to know what is the deal with the ship’s figurehead!!

Updated February 14th, 2012:  Still No news on Terra Nova’s Season 2.  But FOX announces that the current season of House will be the last.  This potentially opens up a spot for either Alcatraz or Terra Nova or a New Drama or Two New Comedies.

Despite a stronger premiere than Terra Nova, Alcatraz has now fallen to a 1.9 rating in the key demo for it’s 6th episode.  Terra Nova’s season lowest was a 2.1 rating.  See this thread on our forums where fans have began whipping out the graphs.

@TerraNovaonFOX released this behind these scenes photo from the Finale which aired on December 19th.