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May 27, 2012

'Lone Star' on Death Watch: Series Faces Cancellation After Just One Episode

by Jean Bentley, posted Sep 22nd 2010 10:15AM

'Lone Star'Critics may have collectively loved 'Lone Star,' but that doesn't mean viewers tuned in when the show premiered on Monday night. After a disastrous showing in the ratings -- only 4.1 million people tuned in to Fox for the drama's debut -- the promising new series is now at risk of cancellation.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the show's dismal debut means that 'Lone Star,' about a Texas con man juggling his wife and girlfriend, will inevitably be canceled -- it's just a matter of when. "No one in TV should be happy about this," an agent of a 'Lone Star' writer told THR. "This is going to have a chilling effect on networks taking chances on anything but cookie-cutter shows."

'Lone Star' dropped 68 percent from its lead-in, 'House,' and more than half of 'House''s viewers had switched off the station by 9:15. "Those are Friday night numbers on a Monday night premiere," said TV analyst Brad Adgate. "That's a nice cable audience."

THR attributed 'Lone Star''s terrible performance to several factors -- a crowded Monday programming slate, the previously unknown lead, the originality of its plot. What could prevent the show from joining the illustrious 'canceled after one episode' club is the fact that Fox programming chief Kevin Reilly reportedly personally nurtured the show, and the wait for DVR ratings, which, considering the competition, could boost the numbers considerably.

The other new series that debuted in the Mondays at 9PM time slot, NBC's 'The Event,' saw 11.2 million viewers tuning in to the premiere. NBC will re-broadcast the pilot on Saturday night to help solidify its launch, THR reports.

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Andy

I definitely think its too early to pass judgment on Lonestar or any show after 1 or 2 episodes. Having said that, most TV viewers don't want quality TV anymore. The demise of October Road a year or 2 ago proved that. Your average TV audience nowadays are all piled up in various trailer parks waiting on Dukes Of Hazard and Jerry Springer to come on. Good TV is gone for good...................

September 28 2010 at 1:38 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
veronica

Hey fans - check out this blog by the creator of 'Lone Star':

http://thelettereleven.blogspot.com/2010/09/youre-invited-to-our-stunning-upset.html

Maybe if enough Nielsen viewers see this and check out the show (including some of the folks who were disenchanted with 'The Event), the show's ratings will improve next week. . .

September 24 2010 at 12:55 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Chess

Robert - It would be a better option and it is up against some heavy hitters on Monday night. Hopefully, someone from Fox will see that it can be a hit. Thanks!

September 22 2010 at 7:00 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mike

I watched the show live and its entire run is scheduled on my DVR... I just dont know for how long. It was kind of uncomfortable to watch with the double lives/wives thing going on and I was ecstatic when he didnt plan to return to Midland. I was so disappointed at the ending... but I guess thats what makes it a good show huh? I wanted to root for the main character but his actions wouldnt let me do that. The show made me think, it made me angry, and it made me happy at times. I think thats the problem most people are having with it... they dont know what to think about it so they tune to something "easier" to watch. If Fox does decide to cancel them, I hope a cable show picks them up :-/

September 22 2010 at 6:45 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
C C

My feeling about Lone Star from the get-go was that it was just a "filler" for their fall schedule. When I first read about Lone Star last spring, I thought to myself "This is a fake series".

September 22 2010 at 5:55 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
peggy

Who wants to watch a show about someone having a wife and an afair with another woman, that is the way I heard it, but some people are saying 2 wives.
There is so much of that going on right now, I don't think they should glorify it, bad timing.

September 22 2010 at 5:21 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Lawrence Phoenix

Never can tell what will make it...as I was telling my men's room attendant, Kevin Rielly....

September 22 2010 at 4:28 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
noraf

I think the idea of canceling a show because the pilot did not garner high ratings is idiotic. Pilots on a whole usually are not great. The cast maybe developing their chemistry, they may throw to much at you, they may try and introduce all the cast at once, etc. Unless its a Lost or a Alias, the pilots overall are usually the weakest episode out of the first 5.

Plus, your throwing a pilot up against really established shows or shows that always get stellar ratings (DTWS, American Idol, etc). A show has not chance to get 10 million viewers when you face that.

September 22 2010 at 3:46 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Joseph

I watched three premiers from Monday; Hawaii Five-O, The Event and Lone Star. I actually liked Lone Star more than the others and was quite surprised because I expected the least of it after reading the premise.

September 22 2010 at 2:50 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
judy

I watched the show -loved it - a relief from the
way too many "CIS and police type" shows. Monday
night was overloaded with new shows. Please lets
give this new show with different material a chance.

September 22 2010 at 2:23 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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