A few weeks back in the Sci-Guys Podcast we talked about the state of TV sci-fi for the summer, and one of the shows that we all liked is “Persons Unknown”
Part of the reason we liked it was that after its run of 13 shows it will be done.
Well, make that 12 shows.
NBC was so dissatisfied with the ratings on this program that they have moved it to the burial ground of TV – Saturday night. But now they aren’t even willing to give this thing a decent funeral.
They’ve decided NOT to broadcast all the episodes. Episode 11, which should have aired last night, has been slated to be shown ONLY online. They will skip this episode and air the final two episodes on Saturday August 28th. This is a pretty unusual plan for a show that in the past would simply have been canceled. It is both sad that the show couldn’t make a go of it, and somewhat promising that future “doomed” shows may get a new lease on life via the web.
But it sure doesn’t bode well for mysterious serialized dramas (AKA shows like Lost) if a pretty decent 13 show mini-series can’t get viewers. And that is a shame. It might not be the most riveting thing on TV, but Persons Unknown fun and certainly worth the very small time investment.
If you are watching the show, don’t miss the web-only episode “Seven Sacrifices” here:
or I guess you can wait until the DVD set.
By Sci-Guy-Jim
August 22nd, 2010 - 8:45 pm
Isn’t part of the social contract of having a 13 episode run is that you SHOW all 13 episodes?
August 22nd, 2010 - 10:01 pm
Figures… the one new show I half-liked this summer, and it gets treated in a way that ensures no other series like it will see airtime on NBC.
Good bye, Janet and Joe…
August 23rd, 2010 - 4:44 am
Y’know, despite being completely inept and freefalling into fourth place, until recently I still think I’d say (if we just look at the different series they broadcast against their competitors) NBC would be my favourites. But they are just so badly run it’s unbelievable.
They’ve got The Event coming soon which looks like it’s another serial attempt – I think that may be the last hurrah of the serial drama on broadcast TV. That one could go either way.
One thing’s clear though: the quality gulf between cable and the basic networks right now is so vast that they’re almost different mediums.
August 24th, 2010 - 12:51 am
Werd, Martin.
August 24th, 2010 - 1:26 pm
Perhaps if they made the show better the ratings would improve.
August 24th, 2010 - 2:44 pm
yeah. If it was only as good as Survivor or Big Brother, it would run for YEARS!!!!