This weekend FOX Broadcasting will treat us to two memorable SciFi nights: Fringe returns this Friday (March 23) with new episodes and the season finale of Alcatraz will air Saturday (March 24). Sadly, both these shows are reportedly on the bubble for cancellation. Fringe may still have a chance, but Alcatraz is taking its last gasps. FOX’s third SciFi offering, Terra Nova, was already canceled.
I suppose we should be happy—after getting a bad reputation over the mid-season cancellation of Firefly years back, FOX seems to be working harder to give SciFi a full season before declaring it dead. Fringe has actually made it to four seasons and only a year ago we were told it was sure to go to five. Apparently, that is no longer true and creator Abrams has plans to ensure the show ends with the questions answered even if he has to wrap the show a year early. I hope the uncertainty doesn’t lead to a schizophrenic second half of the season.
The really troubling part of all this is that FOX invests heavily in these shows. They work with big talent like JJ Abrams and Steven Spielberg. And by many measures these shows are successful. Just not successful enough. Makes you think, maybe SciFi belongs on cable.
The only new SciFi on the FOX horizon is Touch. Frankly, I’m not motivated to give it a try. I think I’ll wait for Season Two of Falling Skies – ten new episodes this summer.
What do you think?
Smart Girls love SciFi 
I loved Firefly! I still can’t believe they cancelled it. Awesome show!
It is still one of my all time favorites. One of the shows that I even know the episode names and can quote dialog at the drop of a hat. Never did learn chinese though.
Wish we could get Firefly back but they’ve all moved on… We’ll see if Fox decided to hang in there.
Fringe probably has the best shot. It has important backers and the best following. Funny that Fringe is the one show with Romance squarely at the center of the show.
It’s rather disappointing all around. If Terra Nova had been more dinos and less daytime drama, it would have worked. Oddly, I read that it was very popular overseas. I think they should have fixed it and tried a second season. In any case, Falling Skies is a great show and I can’t wait to watch Season 2.
Terra Nova may have suffered for the family drama but the family dynamic is one of the things that make Falling Skies great. Love the father son threads in that show. also love the history professor turned resistance fighter angle. Just great all around.