Our Predictions for 2009: Were We Right?

Last year we made some predictions on television programmes we thought were in danger of being axed. With 2009 in its final few weeks we take a look back at those predictions to see how right or wrong we were.

Knight Rider:

We Said: “The revived 1980s series has suffered from low ratings for some time now and a planned reboot of the drama, to bring it more in-line with the original series, is a last ditch attempt to save the drama. The problem is the series has already undergone one revamp which failed to bring in audiences as the pilot episode was radically different from the weekly series that followed due to changes behind the scenes. While Knight Rider has survived longer than the Bionic Woman, which was killed off by the writer’s strike, in all honesty it is limping along and is dangerously close to being dropped completely by NBC.”
 

Were We Right? Yes! Unsurprisingly NBC announced it was not renewing the series due to low ratings. 

Dollhouse:

We Said: “Hugely anticipated new series from Joss Whedon but the signs for the series aren’t good. Production on the series has stopped several times while scripts were written and a new opening episode was filmed as Fox thought the premise of the series needed a better introduction. Then came news the show would air in a highly competitive slot that had killed off several shows across the years. However, Whedon is a big name in Sci Fi circles and commands a loyal following from his fans and doubtless they will tune in to Dollhouse and give it their full support but to survive Dollhouse will need to command a strong audience base from the word go or it really will be in danger of the axe.”
Were We Right? Well you would have to have been on the moon for the past few weeks not to know the answer to this one – yes folks we were right. The second season of Dollhouse didn’t perform well enough for Fox in fact it rated worse than its first outing. So Fox has officially pulled the plug and cancelled the Joss Whedon series.  

The Sarah Connor Chronicles

We Said: “Television spin-off series from the Terminator film franchise. The first season of the series was disrupted by the writers’ strike and so Fox commissioned a second season of episodes. However, the second season has been struggling in the ratings for some time and many expected the plug to be pulled on the spin-off. In a surprise move Fox actually ordered more episodes of the series but that was mainly due to delays with Dollhouse. However, ratings for the series haven’t really improved and its likely Fox will pull the plug on the series when it reaches the end of its episode order.”

Were We Right? Yes! No one could really have expected the series to get a third year after the way it performed. No one expected it to get a second year and it was lucky to get that second chance but sadly couldn’t deliver on it. 

Robin Hood 

We Said: “BBC Saturday-night teatime drama that hasn’t commanded the same audiences as Doctor Who or the same respect, critics haven’t been kind to the drama series. The drama will be back for a third series later this year but at the end of it actor Jonas Armstrong will step down from the role of Robin Hood placing the show’s future in doubt. How can a drama called Robin Hood continue without its leading character? Well in the 1980s the HTV series Robin of Sherwood continued for a season without its original Robin Hood by finding someone else to fill the gap. The BBC version may go for a similar trick but it’s all very dependent on audiences and they may not want another Robin Hood.”
Were We Right? Yes the BBC pulled the plug as its third series saw ratings sink below three million thanks to it airing opposite Primeval on ITV – which appeals to the same audience. However, even if it hadn’t performed so badly it’s debatable in light of budget cuts at the BBC whether the corporation would have ordered another year without big changes – I.E production moving back to the UK to lower costs.

Heroes

We Said: “When this series debuted it commanded huge audiences but these figures have now halved, here and in America, and the show’s second and third seasons failed to impress audiences. The storylines failed to impress audiences and ratings data show the ratings declined to dangerous levels. However, Bryan Fuller returning to the writing staff, after the axing of his series Pushing Daisies, could lead to a turnaround in the show’s fortunes. Broadcasters NBC are certainly hopeful of such an event and are confident enough in the show’s future to give the go-ahead for more episodes. But ratings will have to improve quickly as NBC aren’t likely to wait around for long before waving their axe.” 

Were We Right? The series hasn’t officially been cancelled yet but the ratings haven’t improved and many are saying that the fourth season of Heroes is likely to be its last. It may not have been axed this year but we think it’s a dead cert for next year.

Ashes to Ashes

We Said: The 1980s set spin-off series from Life On Mars, which was set in the 1970s, which returns for a second season later this year. Ratings for the first series was good although critical response was rather mixed but the most important thing to remember in the case of the spin-off’s future is that Life On Mars only ran for two seasons. Producers correctly guessed they couldn’t string out the mysteries of the shows for too long before audiences demanded answers or switched off and so decided to wrap things up after two seasons. As Ashes To Ashes is set in the same universe as Life On Mars, be it slightly later, it’s likely producers will feel the same and seek to wrap up the Ashes To Ashes mythology at the end of its second season. Rumour has it that another spin-off series, with Gene Hunt, is in the pipe-line.   

Were We Right? No. The BBC has ordered a third season of Ashes to Ashes which will be its last series in all likelihood and there’s been no more news on possible new spin-offs involving Gene Hunt either.

The Royal/Heartbeat

We Said: “Medical drama set in the 1960s and spun-off from Heartbeat. The series used to command respectable audiences of up to eight million and ITV were obviously satisfied enough with the series to commission a daytime spin-off from it set in the modern day. However, the daytime series wasn’t a success and wasn’t re-commissioned for another run. But it may have had more of an impact than ITV anticipated as ratings for The Royal over the past year haven’t been good. For the drama now usually doesn’t pull in audiences higher than five million. The Royal isn’t the only drama to suffer from this though as its parent show Heartbeat has also been suffering from a decline in ratings and is also only attracting similar figures. The Royal is probably secure for now but ITV will doubtless be keeping a close eye on it and hoping ratings improve.” 

Were We Right? Yes and on both counts. Earlier this year ITV announced production on both Heartbeat and The Royal would be suspended because of budget cuts and low ratings for both dramas.