What Is It?

This animated sci fi series follows the survivors of a damaged interstellar cargo ship who try to find their missing crewmates on the planet where they crashed.  In their endeavors, they must deal with the odd ecosystem of this land, which can be both hostile and helpful.

Aired: Max/Netflix, 2023, 1 Season Totaling 12 Episodes

Starring: Sunita Mani, Wunmi Mosaku, Alia Shawkat, Bob Stephenson, Ted Travelstead

Created By: Joseph Bennett, Charles Huettner

Why Was It Cancelled?

This series premiered on Max in Fall 2023 but it did not chart during its first season run on that service. It did develop some notable word-of-mouth throughout the sci fi community, and regularly received recommendations on social media as a unique and original genre entry.   It has also been lauded by critics and viewers, currently holding a 100% Fresh Rating and 95% Audience Score at Rotten Tomatoes. But none of that led to notable viewership numbers and Max decided to cancel the show after one season.  And while the show did wrap up its story across its 12-episode run, executive producers Sean Buckelew and James Merrill have indicated that they mapped out two more seasons.

Despite the cancellation, Netflix must have been paying attention to the positive buzz because they picked it up for an encore run of the first season which began in Summer 2024. They did not commit to a second season of the show, but the word was that would be paying close attention to the viewership numbers.  It did not chart for that streaming service either, so at this point, the show appears to be one-and-done

Can the Show Be Saved?

The fate of Scavengers Reign looks to be very much in doubt at this point, but it is not impossible that it could return for a second season or more. Netflix definitely had an interest in continuing the show, but the viewership numbers did not appear to justify it. I am not certain if it was an expensive production, but if it was not too costly, the streamer might still consider keeping it around. They have not made an official announcement one way or the other, so my guess is that the second season is still up for consideration.

As mentioned, the show has developed quite a bit of buzz, but it does not seem to have pulled together a cohesive fanbase. I have seen people promoting it sporadically in various places, but not a unified effort that has managed to get it trending on social media. At this point, if fans can bring the show some attention and get people watching it in large numbers on Netflix, that streamer may be persuaded to keep it going for a second season or more. I’m thinking any attempt to focus on Max would be a wasted effort since that service already cancelled the show, but Netflix does appear to still be an option. That window could be closing soon, though, so fans should definitely step up their Call to Action if they want more from Scavengers Reign.

Where Can You Watch It?

The show is still streaming on Max, but as mentioned above, fans should focus their viewing on Netflix. Those views will be counted and could help propel it to a second season. It is not currently available to purchase VOD.

Stream Scavengers Reign on Netlix or Max

Did you watch Scavengers Reign and would you support fan efforts to save the show? Chime in below in the comments.

Be sure to follow the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site  for breaking news and updates. And for the latest news and discussions on sci fi and fantasy television, follow r/SciFiTV

Follow our Sci Fi TV Schedule for all the currently airing and upcoming sci fi and fantasy television shows, and you can see the premieres for all the upcoming genre entries at this link.

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Honestly, I felt completely numb to it in both cases when it happened. That's because the game getting cancelled meant that the team was also getting laid off so I immediately had to go into survival mode. At the time, I shoved all of those feelings about never seeing my work into a tightly-sealed jar to process later once I had secured my own survival. Most of the things I learned from those layoffs (and subsequent layoffs) have been crystallized into my [Gamer's Primer to Practically Dealing with Job Loss]. I didn't have any time to mourn for my lost work because I was too busy trying to secure my own living situation. I did process eventually get around to processing it, but by then it was much later and the scar tissue had already grown.

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2014’s Forever offered a Prime Time friendly procedural with a twist and did very well in delayed viewing, but its network was unwilling to support the show.

What Is It?

This series followed Dr. Henry Morgan–a man who has lived two hundred years and can’t die–who has taken a job as a medical examiner to study death and to see if he can find the answer to his own immortality. He is also being stalked by another immortal who goes by the name of Adam and who claims to have lived over two thousand years.

Aired: ABC, 2014-15, 1 Season Totaling 22 Episodes

Starring: Ioan Gruffudd, Judd Hirsch, Lorraine Toussaint, Alana De La Garza, Joel David Moore

Created By: Matt Miller

Why Was It Cancelled?

This show combined elements of Sherlock Holmes, The Highlander, New Amsterdam, and more and delivered yet another procedural with a twist to Prime Time television.  But it did manage to stand out in a large part because of the excellent cast led by Ioan Gruffudd in the main role as well as the supporting players which included Judd Hirsch, Alana De La Garza, Joel David Moore, and more.

Forever debuted in the Tuesday 10 PM EST timeslot, an hour which ABC had struggled with for several seasons, and it produced decent premiere ratings.  Its numbers slipped to marginal at best levels shortly after that, but it did score well in delayed viewing, and ABC did give it a full-season pickup suggesting at first that network execs had some confidence in the show.  But as it turned out, they apparently just wanted to use it as schedule spackle, plugging up the Tuesday 10 PM EST timeslot until the season ended.  After November, it never aired more than two new episodes in a row which stifled any chance for it to build up momentum.

Its numbers remained low, and despite the lip service the networks were giving to the delayed viewing stats at that time, ABC cancelled it at the end of the season.  Forever received high marks from critics and topped most season-end polls as the show least deserving cancellation.  And a very vocal fanbase lobbied hard to convince the network to bring it back for a second season or to move it to another venue.  But it remained cancelled as would NBC’s Constantine that season and Limitless on CBS the next year, both of which were genre shows that also performed well in delayed viewing.  The networks were still far too focused on the same-day numbers (despite what they would say in press conferences), and cancelled the show far too soon despite the fact that it showed plenty of promise.

Can It Be Revived?

It has been nearly ten years since Forever first debuted, and the fact that the show is about an immortal who does not age would make it difficult to bring it back with the same actor after so much time has passed. But perhaps with sufficient application of makeup or some sort of some sort of explanation that Henry had started to show signs of aging, the show could make a return. The clock is definitely ticking on this one, though, and any sort of revival would have to happen soon lest they go the complete reboot route. Fans showed a strong outpouring of support after it was cancelled by ABC, so perhaps they could pull back together and target one of the streaming services as the landing place for a revival.

One or two seasons of eight to ten episodes each could bring Henry back and give the show the opportunity to wrap up its storylines, leaving it with a binge-worthy run. But if much more time passes, it seems unlikely that Ioan Gruffudd could return to the role unless they did CGI de-aging. With the streaming services looking for properties that are less expensive than the mega-dollar productions they have been putting out, Forever might draw some attention because it would have a reasonable budget and it comes with a built in audience. And Max would be a good service for fans to target since the show was originally produced by Warner Bros. But they would need to organize something soon otherwise time will expire on this immortal.

Where Can You Watch It?

This show has been released on DVD, and it is also available to purchase VOD.  It was streaming for free on the CWSeed site that was part of The CW, but new ownership has done away with that.  It is not on any of the other major streamers at this point, but it could show up on Max at some point.

Did you watch Forever and would you support fan efforts to bring it back? Chime in below in the comments.

Be sure to follow the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site  for breaking news and updates. And for the latest news and discussions on sci fi and fantasy television, follow r/SciFiTV

Follow our Sci Fi TV Schedule for all the currently airing and upcoming sci fi and fantasy television shows, and you can see the premieres for all the upcoming genre entries at this link.

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There are certain things that studios and companies can ask us not to do but have a real hard time preventing, especially if the company is going through a death spiral process. Keeping a personal copy of stuff I worked on, especially in an age of remote work, is one of those really hard-to-prevent things. If the company or studio is going under, almost everyone is losing their jobs and the motivation to maintain operational security is very low. Nobody in security cares when their main priority suddenly shifts to finding a new job. In these situations, leaked stuff happens a lot more often since there's little motivation for enforcement.

It's much harder for workers who are let go from a company that remains alive, since breaking NDA would result in being liable for a bunch of damages. However, if I don't disclose anything and just keep stuff private, the studio cares a lot less about whether I have those files. They don't really do much forensic analysis of the workstations of former employees, they mostly just wipe them clean in order to protect the company from potential liabilities from accidentally finding left-behind personal files of the former workers.

The thing about old game projects (especially for cancelled games) is that there's really only so long that the old stuff is even viable. The inevitable passing of time will decay any knowledge of the project and its workflow. If we release information and development stuff about games that were cancelled, say, two console generations ago, it is unlikely that the current IP holders and leadership would be super angry about it because so much time has passed. This is considerably different from releasing information about a game that was cancelled this year, where things are still raw and legal action is still a very legitimate threat.

The main benefit to holding on to old projects is primarily for personal education. There's a lot to be learned if one can go back and study the way things worked on an old project. How did they set things up and why? How can I learn what decisions my seniors and leads made, and why did they make those decisions? How did they solve these problems? Can I use those same techniques? There might be some element of internet influencer points if old stuff gets released to the public, but that typically gets glossed over the way trivia is treated. In my opinion, the real value in old project assets is in the educational content it can provide.

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The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself (aka Half Bad) was cancelled by Netflix after one season, but there is still a chance that fans could lobby for a revival.

What Is It?

Based on the Half Bad books by Sally Green, this show follows a young man who is the bastard son of a notorious witch who was responsible for a terrible massacre. He tries to find his place in the world and deal with his powers while caught between two warring clans.

Aired: Netflix, 2022, 1 Season Totaling 8 Episodes

Starring: Jay Lycurgo, Nadia Parkes, Emilien Vekemans, Isobel Jesper Jones, Karen Connell, and Paul Ready

Created By: Joe Barton

Why Was It Cancelled?

The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself is one of several YA-leaning supernatural dramas that Netflix has put out over the last few years like Lockwood & Co., Fate: The Winx Saga, and Warrior Nun which had a short run and was cancelled too soon. Also known as Half Bad after the book series, it arrived with little in the way of promotion in Fall 2022, though it did manage to creep into the Netflix Top 10 for two weeks (it did not make it into the Nielsen Streaming Rankings). It also received very good marks from critics and viewers, currently holding a 93% Fresh Rating and 91% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes. But it did not have the “completion rate” that Netflix execs were looking for (which tracks the number of people that watch all of the episodes of the current season within a set amount of time), and the show was cut short after its eight-episode run. The show’s studio The Imaginarium announced the cancellation on Twitter, and showrunner Joe Barton confirmed it.

Sadly, yes, Netflix have cancelled this. Very proud of it and really liked the people I got to make it with. Sorry not to be able to finish the story… https://t.co/HUGi13R6Ow

— Joe Barton (@JoeBarton_) December 9, 2022

Fans made an effort to save the series after the cancellation, hoping to convince Netflix execs to change their minds or to interest another venue in picking it up. And they proved that the show has a notable following by getting it trending on social media. But despite their efforts, the show remains cancelled.

Can It Be Revived?

At this point, it may seem like The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself is dead in the water, but an important milestone is coming up which may present an opportunity to revive the series. Netflix generally owns the streaming rights to a property for a minimum of two years. So unless it has an extended hold on the show, the rights should revert back to The Imaginarium by the end of 2024. If fans were to get this one trending on social media again, perhaps that could interest another venue in picking it up for a second season. This show is likely not one of the more expensive streaming productions, so it may be attractive as an affordable scripted property that already has a built-in audience.

The Roku Channel recently enjoyed some success after picking up the cancelled Spiderwick Chronicles from Disney+. And AMC’s horror-focused streaming service Shudder might also be a good landing spot for the show. I don’t know if they have the budget for a property like this, but it is worth trying or possibly targeting some of the bigger services as a budget addition to their scripted lineup. It has been less than two years since the show was cancelled, so picking up where the first season left off is still a very real possibility. And if the rights do indeed go back to The Imaginarium by the end of the year, now is a good time for fans to start building some momentum to interest another streamer in taking a flyer on the show when it is available.

Did you watch The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself and would you support fan efforts to bring it back? Chime in below in the comments.

Be sure to follow the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site  for breaking news and updates. And for the latest news and discussions on sci fi and fantasy television, follow r/SciFiTV

Follow our Sci Fi TV Schedule for all the currently airing and upcoming sci fi and fantasy television shows, and you can see the premieres for all the upcoming genre entries at this link.

The post Why Was The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself Cancelled and Can It Be Revived? appeared first on Cancelled Sci Fi.

NBC announced that its revival of Quantum Leap will not continue to a third season, leaving the series and the franchise ending on a cliffhanger. The show arrived in the Fall of 2021 and saw the revival of Project Quantum Leap in an attempt to find Sam Beckett who disappeared after five years of leaping. But Dr. Ben Song enters the Accelerator early and loses his memories, requiring the others in the project to guide him in his leaps while trying to figure out why he made his unauthorized decision. The show received an early renewal for a second season after performing well in the ratings, but NBC then decided not to keep it going for a third year.

Quantum Leap had decent ratings in its first season, averaging a 0.33 score based on same-day viewing by the 18-49 demographic according to Nielsen. It was below the network average and its numbers trended down through the season, but it performed well enough early on to get a renewal nod that got production started ahead of the impending strikes. It was one of the few scripted shows to hit the schedule in Fall due to the production stoppage from the strikes, and it performed well even though its average rating was down to a 0.29 score. But that was still enough to rank at Number 36 among all broadcast network shows for the Fall, and it was performing pretty much on par with other dramas on the network at that time.

When the show returned in January 2024, it was moved to the Tuesday 10 PM EST timeslot and its numbers dropped notably. It slipped to an average of 0.18 in that hour, and its season average dropped to a 0.25 score. NBC did not do a good job of promoting the timeslot change, and it certainly appeared like they were trying to justify killing off the show. Its numbers were down, but word is that it was doing well in digital viewing over on Peacock, and that was in part what helped the show get its second-season renewal in the first place.

I took note of the show’s declining numbers in our Cancellation Watch column, but I did not move the show to Bubble Status because I figured that NBC would go the same route as La Brea and at least give Quantum Leap a final season. Or perhaps it could have shifted to Peacock like the network just did with Law & Order: Organized Crime. But for whatever reason, the network decided to outright cancel the show, leaving two entries in the franchise (going back to the ’90s series) ending with the leaper never returning.

The fact is that NBC executives should have an incentive to give this show a proper resolution. The original series had five seasons and 97 episodes while the revival has produced two seasons and 31 episodes so far. That makes for a nice syndication package (where shows really turn a profit) and/or an extended binge run on streaming. But it ultimately proves unsatisfying at this point because it does not offer a conclusion. One final season of six episodes or so would not set NBC back that much (especially considering the fact that networks throw away millions of dollars on shows all the time), and it would give the property a much better resolution. That makes it much more saleable in the syndication and/or streaming market and could help it to live on for many years in encore runs. And since NBCUniversal has at least partial ownership of the property, the company will continue to profit from it.

So it is basically up to the fans at this point. Within just the past few years, we saw NBC’s Timeless saved by fan action, both for a second season and a final movie. If fans of Quantum Leap can get the show trending, it is very possible that it will get a final season or at least a movie to wrap up its storylines (and we can certainly hope that Scott Bakula will return as Sam Beckett). And the network has much more of an incentive to provide a resolution for this franchise as opposed to Timeless seeing as it has over one hundred episodes under its wing already when you combine the original series and the revival.

Quantum Leap is leading our season-end Save My Show Poll as of this writing, and there is also an online petition out there garnering some attention. Fans should certainly stage watch parties on Peacock and do everything they can to get the show trending on the social networks (and there are more ideas on how to help the show at our Call to Action page). I believe a strong show of support can certainly help this one, and possibly get it to at least one more season. It will take some effort from the fans, but it is certainly within reach.

Did you watch Quantum Leap and will you help with fan efforts to save the show? Chime in with your thoughts below.

Be sure to follow the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site  for breaking news and updates. And for the latest news and discussions on sci fi and fantasy television, follow r/SciFiTV

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The post Why Was Quantum Leap Cancelled and Can It Be Saved? appeared first on Cancelled Sci Fi.

Dark Matter was cancelled too soon by Syfy, but with the support of its creator and the fans it could be revived.

[Updated]

What Is It?

This series follows six people who wake up in stasis pods on the starship Raza with no memory of who they are or why they are on that ship.  They take up the names of One through Six based on the order in which they left their pods while also discovering that an android is onboard who understands the functioning of the ship (but does not know why these six humans are there). As they seek answers to their situation, they start to discover that each has lived a troubled past, and that quickly catches up with them as they find themselves on the run in a hostile galaxy.

Aired: Syfy, 2015-17, 3 Seasons Totaling 39 Episodes

Starring: Marc Bendavid, Melissa O’Neil, Anthony Lemke, Alex Mallari Jr., Jodelle Ferland, Roger Cross

Created By: Joseph Mallozzi, Paul Mullie

Why Was It Cancelled?

Dark Matter debuted on Syfy with decent but not spectacular ratings, but the fact that this was a co-production with the Space channel helped to keep the show going its first few years. Its numbers slipped each season, though, and after its third year Syfy decided to pull the plug on the show.  Co-creator Joseph Mallozzi elaborated on the situation in a blog post claiming that the cancellation came due to the declining numbers and the fact that the series was an acquisition.  Since it was not owned by Syfy, the network would see little or nothing on future gains. The only money Syfy made on the show was based on advertising during the live broadcasts (as well as the digital viewing, though to a lesser extent) and the ratings did not bring in high enough ad revenue.  Mallozzi offered to pitch the fourth season of the show to the network executives, but they were not interested.  He had an overall five-season arc planned but indicated that he could do a wrap-up of the show with a six-episode mini-series.

How Did Fans Respond?

Despite the low Nielsen viewership numbers–which did not necessarily represent the full audience–Dark Matter had developed a notable and vocal fanbase. They immediately responded to the cancellation by taking to the social networks and staging multiple “tweetstorms” to get the show trending. They also put up an online petition which eventually reached over 77K signatures.  The hope was that if Syfy would not reverse its cancellation then Netflix or one of the other streaming services would pick the show up.  But despite a raucous campaign and plenty of publicity, the show remained cancelled at the three-season mark.  Netflix did acquire the show for encore runs and it allegedly performed quite well on that service while it was available, but the story arc remains unfinished.

Can It Be Revived?

Dark Matter was cancelled in 2017, but there is still hope for a revival, especially since Joseph Mallozzi has remained closely involved with the property. In a blog post from August 2021, he indicated that he has worked out a six-part mini-series that could wrap up the show’s storylines and that he would pitch that to various venues. He gives the following description of how it would proceed:

Set three years after the events of Episode 313, a missing player returns with the key to thwarting a massive alien invasion. In order to defeat this formidable enemy, unlikely alliances will be forged, long-held secrets will be revealed, and the seeds of an even greater threat will be sown.

Nothing has come of that yet, but in a recent post on this site, I indicated that a revival of Dark Matter could draw some interest in the current television landscape as the networks look for safer properties to add to their scripted programming lineups.  The show had a relatively moderate budget, especially compared to some of the big-dollar productions put out by the streaming services these days.  And it brings a built-in audience that would certainly tune in for a new season that could wrap up the storylines and/or continue the adventures of the Raza.

That post sparked some interest among the fanbase, and it suggests that perhaps now is the time to get Dark Matter trending on the social networks again. In addition, the fans could stage watch parties (it is streaming for free on The CW’s website and app) to prove that this show does indeed have a notable audience that would tune in for new seasons.  If those efforts were to get some traction, Mallozzi could use that to help with a pitch to one of the streaming services or maybe one of the linear networks (FX is still in the scripted game and may have an interest).

I believe this show has a decent chance of getting revived because of the involvement from its creator, the fan support, and the fact that it should count as an affordable scripted entry. It does not require a huge commitment money-wise and it should draw enough viewership that it could prove a good fit for a more cautious entertainment industry. If fans were to come together once again to help bring the show some attention, perhaps the story of the crew of the Raza could continue for another season or more.

Did you watch Dark Matter and would you support fan efforts to bring it back? Chime in below in the comments.

Be sure to follow the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site  for breaking news and updates. And for the latest news and discussions on sci fi and fantasy television, follow r/SciFiTV

Follow our Sci Fi TV Schedule for all the currently airing and upcoming sci fi and fantasy television shows, and you can see the premieres for all the upcoming genre entries at this link.

The post Why Was Dark Matter Cancelled and Can It Be Revived? appeared first on Cancelled Sci Fi.

NBC’s Quantum Leap reboot wrapped up its second season last week, and there is no word yet on whether that one will be returning for a third year. Its ratings in Fall were decent, tracking pretty close to other dramas on the network airing at that time. But when it returned from the Winter hiatus in January and changed timeslots, it took a notable drop. The showrunners claim that if the second season is the show’s last, they left it on what they believed would be a satisfying ending. But it still leaves plenty of storylines unresolved and they do have plans for where the show would go in a third year. So at this point, what are the chances that this series will continue to leap through time for another season or more?

In its first season, Quantum Leap averaged a 0.33 rating based on same-day viewing for the 18-49 demographic, which was below the network’s overall average and its average for dramas. But the show performed well in delayed and digital viewing and ended up getting an early renewal for a second season. That was in part so that it could get a jump on production as both the writers’ and actors’ strikes loomed, and that allowed it to return in Fall 2023 when there were few scripted shows on the schedule due to those strikes. During the Fall months, the show averaged a 0.29 rating in the demo which was about on par with the few other dramas NBC had airing during that time. But in January it got switched to the Tuesday 10 PM EST timeslot and its numbers took a hit, averaging only a 0.18 score over its final five eps.

The network execs had to know that the numbers would drop with the shift to the lower-viewership hour on the schedule, so hopefully, they are taking that into account. But if they have soured on the show for some reason, they could have made that move to justify killing it off. I have seen nothing to suggest the network has lost faith in the show, but the fact is that two Fall dramas–Found and The Irrational–have received renewals while Quantum Leap is still waiting for word on its fate. That doesn’t necessarily suggest the show is doomed, but the network brass does not appear to be confident enough to renew it just yet.

Quantum Leap has always been a better performer in delayed and digital viewing, and that could be what keeps it going into a third season. But I would not be surprised if they followed the same path as La Brea and renewed it for a final year. NBC Universal has an ownership stake in the series and it will likely continue to stream on Peacock once it has wrapped up. So a final season will give it a binge-worthy run and the chance to wrap up its storylines which will make it a more satisfying show to watch. It’s also possible that this one could continue into a fourth year or more because despite the recent drop in ratings it has performed relatively well overall. And it is likely not as expensive to produce as some sci fi entries because it does not rely heavily on special effects, but its period settings do bump up the costs some.

At this point, my guess is that the network wants to bring it back for at least one more season, even if that is a shortened six-episode affair like we saw with La Brea. But they haven’t committed to that yet, so the fans should step up and give the NBC execs a nudge in that direction. A social media campaign can certainly bring the show more attention, and watch parties on Peacock could help as well. I don’t believe that Quantum Leap is in dire straits at the moment, but a Call to Action from fans certainly could give it a boost and help it get at least one more season.

Are you watching Quantum Leap and will you help with efforts to keep it going? Chime in with your comments below.

Be sure to follow the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site  for breaking news and updates. And for the latest news and discussions on sci fi and fantasy television, follow r/SciFiTV

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The post Will Quantum Leap Be Cancelled or Will It Jump Into a Third Season? appeared first on Cancelled Sci Fi.

2011’s Alphas turned out to be a sleeper of a sci fi series that was sadly overlooked, and its network gave up on it too soon.

What Is It?

This series follows a group of people with superhuman abilities known as Alphas who are brought together by the Department of Defense to form a team to seek out others of their kind and also to defend against threats from malicious Alphas. Neurologist and psychiatrist Lee Rosen works closely with the group believing that they can co-exist with normal humans.

Aired: Syfy, 2011-12, 2 Seasons Totaling 24 Episodes

Created By: Zak Penn, Michael Karow

Starring: David Strathairn, Ryan Cartwright, Warren Christie, Azita Ghanizada, Laura Mennell, Malik Yoba, Erin Way

Why Was It Cancelled?

Back in 2010-11, when word first broke about this show joining the Syfy’s lineup, a collective groan went out through the sci fi community as it seemed rather derivative and yet another retread of themes already explored by the X-Men movies and the Heroes TV series. And that latter entry had just been cancelled after a three-season downward spiral that followed a promising first-season start. But while Alphas did borrow from those other properties (as well as offering a bit of a superhero spin on Syfy’s own Sanctuary), it managed to maneuver past many of the expected pitfalls and prove itself a unique twist on an established concept. That came largely on the part of good writing, that avoided too much in the way of copy-and-paste, and an excellent cast that was headed up by the likes of David Strathairn, Ryan Cartwright, Azita Ghanizada, Malik Yoba, and more. The characters quickly established themselves in the series and the stories didn’t just rehash plots previously covered in other shows (or comics or movies). Basically, this show delivered “Heroes done right”, and early on it was developing into an excellent genre entry with some well-done sci fi stories.

However, the ratings for its freshman year were not great even though it was sandwiched between two of Syfy’s better-performing shows (Eureka and Warehouse 13) in a three-hour Monday night block. The network did renew it for a second season, but they tinkered with it to an extent and its sophomore year did not deliver as satisfying of a run (though still much better than the much-maligned Season 2 of Heroes). The ratings continued to slip and Alphas was cancelled at the end of its second season, leaving it on a pretty major cliffhanger. Ultimately, it had the misfortune of being the wrong show at the wrong time. Syfy had just rebranded from the Sci Fi Channel in 2009 and had started to focus on “sci fi lite” entries like Warehouse 13, Being Human, and Haven. The network also amped up its reality programming and renewed its commitment to wrestling, all designed to appeal to a broader audience than just sci fi fans. That worked for a while with some of the network’s new offerings bringing in decent ratings, but the backlash from the former audience was already evident by 2011.

Alphas was seen by many as another of Syfy’s not-really-sci-fi shows and its concept seemed all too familiar, so it never succeeded in building much of an audience. Then the tone shift in its second year apparently led to a shrinking of its fanbase and ultimately it got kicked to the curb in favor of other Syfy projects (mostly more reality programming). Those of us who were onboard from the beginning still lament the loss of this show and the wonderful set of characters it introduced in its short run.

Can It Be Revived?

It has now been nearly twelve years since the show aired its final episode, and a revival certainly seems unlikely. There was an effort by fans to save the show after the cancellation, but the show did not develop much of a following in its initial run and nothing came of that. There were also some rumblings about a Kickstarter revival of the series (that was right about the time that Rob Thomas’ Veronica Mars revival blew away its funding goal), but co-creator Zak Penn said that it was not feasible.  Since then, more people have discovered this sleeper sci fi entry and have realized that it was not given a fair shake in its initial run. Perhaps a movie could be produced picking up sometime after the events of the finale and providing some sort of resolution. And if that were to prove successful, maybe it could lead into an ongoing series. The show’s creators Zack Penn and Michael Karnow do not appear to be too busy these days, so if they were to spearhead efforts for a revival, maybe it could get some momentum. And if no network or streaming service is interested, perhaps they could at least do a continuation in comics. The premise lends itself well to that format, and they could pick up right where Season 2 left off if they went that route. If fans of the show were to start making some noise, perhaps something could happen with this one, and at least give has a better resolution.

Where Can You Watch It?

The entire series has been released on DVD, though it has not received the Blu-ray treatment yet. You can purchase it VOD and it is available for streaming free (with ads) on The Roku Channel.

Did you watch Alphas when it first aired and would you support fan efforts to revive the show?

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