So many such genre shows get canceled in their first season, ending on cliffhangers, that it’s gotten ridiculous. If they’re lucky, they can eke out a second season before getting the axe, such as “Timeless” and Fox’s “The Exorcist.”
The major broadcast networks of ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox are still living in the linear TV age while most people have moved on to on-demand viewing.
Meanwhile, cable and streaming networks have learned the value of smaller, more committed fan bases for shows. For instance, “Lucifer” was canceled by Fox after three seasons, but resurrected by Netflix because of its passionate fan support.
No fan base is more fervent than the geeks who watch sci-fi, fantasy and horror shows.
Thank goodness for the CW, the smallest broadcast network, which has built its schedule around genre shows. I’m a huge fan of post-apocalyptic sci-fi drama series “The 100,” which the CW has nurtured over five seasons, with a sixth planned.
The worst offender among the broadcast networks for canceling genre shows after one season is ABC. “The Crossing,” a drama about refugees from a future war who travel back in time for a better life, is the Disney-owned network’s latest victim.
Other short-lived genre shows on ABC in recent years have included “Time After Time” (2017), “The Whispers” (2015), “Forever” (2014-15), “666 Park Avenue” (2012-13), “The River” (2012), “No Ordinary Family” (2010-11), “The Gates” (2010) and “FlashForward” (2009-10).
What distinguishes ABC from other networks is that it had a hit genre show in “Lost,” which lasted six seasons from 2004 to 2010. Since then, the network has kept plugging away, trying to find the next “Lost.”
Rival network NBC tried to make the next “Lost” for a few years, but gave up after canceling a bunch of genre shows in a row. It gave single seasons to “The Event” (2010-11), “Awake” (2012), “Do No Harm” (2013) and “Believe” (2014) and two seasons to “Revolution” (2012-14).
Photo: Poster for “The Crossing.”
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