Image Credit: Bill Matlock/FOXAfter a disappointing premiere for Lone Star, the vultures seem to be circling the new drama starring James Wolk as a sexy con man leading a double life. The series, which also stars Jon Voight, only averaged 4.1 million viewers on Monday and a mere 1.3 rating/3 share among adults 18-49. Naturally, the assumption is that Fox will consider axing the show sooner rather than later.
For now, however, the network has yet to make a decision, though one insider told EW that Lone Star is still scheduled to return next Monday with a new episode. Complicating matters is that Fox won’t know until two weeks from Monday how popular the show was with DVR users. Given how competitive the first night was for the 2010-11 TV season, there’s a good chance that many viewers recorded Lone Star so they could watch the ultra-addictive Dancing with the Stars or the CBS comedies live instead. On top of that, viewers are still in the sampling stage; its too early for anyone to commit to new shows. Fox recognizes that viewers need time to find Lone Star, which has the added benefit of being popular with the TV critics. Stay tuned.
Read more:
Fall 2010 ratings: ‘Dancing With the Stars’ kills, but ‘Lone Star’ is D.O.A.
seems 2b a good show, maybe it needs a less competitive time schedule.
They are replaying it on Saturday, it may have a better chance there. I think it’s good.
Saturday is where show go to die. Doubt it will have any impact at all there.
I agree! I only have two tuners on my DVR and there are like 4 shows that I would like to watch on Monday night. I would rather watch the comedy block on CBS and Dancing with the Stars than a new show that I have never seen. I think that moving it to a different night would be great!
You need to get U-verse if available – - you can record 4 shows at once!! I couldn’t live without it!
What? It would be crazy to cancel this show! It seems great!!
Seriously!
What is wrong with the networks? New shows NEED A CHANCE for pete’s sake!!! Idiots!
This is so disappointing to hear. I LOVED the show. I thought it was a fun pilot and set up a great premise. I know it just began, but I’ll be disappointed if we don’t see how it’ll end. I liked it a heck of a lot better than the other shows I DVRed that night.
I recorded the show on the DVR and really enjoyed it. The Event was marketed more by NBC than Lone Star was by FOX. The fiance’ was in the other room watching Dancing with the Stars. Any show would struggle for ratings against those juggernauts.
OMG, the show was on for ONE NIGHT! How on earth do networks expect viewers to start watching a show when there’s the possibility it could be axed after one night. I DVR’d the show since the rest of Monday night was pretty full. Haven’t gotten around to watching it yet, but I read the recap here and it sounds promising. Not sure if I want to start watching the series though if Fox is already considering cutting it.
I agree. Shows should be given much more time to find an audience than they are today. I fear we’re heading for a future like the one I saw in some satire awhile back where a show was canceled 15 minutes into its premiere….
I dvr’d it based on great reviews. I wouldn’t have considered watching it without the reviews – a premise/stars didn’t really appeal to me, but I thought I would give it a shot. I have yet to watch it, but probably will. Too bad quality shows have such a tough time. Tough slot though – Dancing with the Stars, Two and a Half Ment are both so popular and The Event got sooo much press.
Really, Fox would have struggled no matter what they put there, especially since House lost so many viewers this first episode from last season.
please don’t cancel it, it needs time to gain viewers
Count me among those that didn’t watch but planned to later, since I was checking out The Event that night. I’m way more motivated to support this show now that I hear it’s in danger.
Did you like The Event? I didn’t watch and don’t own a DVR; I watched Lone Star instead and it was great. I’m curious to know if The Event looks as good as Lost was or if I should skip it.
skip “the event.” tries too hard to be a lost type show. the writing and special effects are bad. i was intrigued by that show, but EXCITED for Lone Star, which I was very happy with and would love to see picked up and placed on a less competitive night. But note to execs, don’t move it too much. Stick and stay and you will get your pay people!
The Event was very good. It is not really comparable to LOST in my opinion, was completely different. Both are unique and great shows. Just check it out and see for yourself!
@bootsycolumbia, If you have an iTunes account, you can download the pilot of The Event for free.
I’d be really disappointed if this show got cancelled so soon. Though as its warmth, intelligence, complexity and ensemble casting gave it something of a Joss Whedon vibe…well, need I say more? Maybe that sort of thing is just niche…
I also DVR-ed the show since it was in a tough time-slot. Watched it last night and thought it was a good show with great potential. Sad they would consider giving it the axe so early.
I DVRd it and watched it later. I loved it. Fox would be STUPID to jump the gun but then again this wouldn’t be the first time. I loved the show.
The cast looks great, but the premise looks awful, and I can;t imagine the idea of the show lasting long. It probably would have made a great mini-series, not a regular series.
I really enjoyed Lone Star and James Wolk is a true find. It would be crazy to cancel it after one showing. Give this show a chance – it is definitely worth keeping!
Waiting to catch the replay on Saturday. I watch football every week (great game BTW) and dvr’ed The Event. Mostly unimpressed by The Event. If the pilot for Lone Star is good I’ll ditch the Event.
The pilot was excellent. Watch on Saturday, you’ll love it. yes, I know I’m saying that to a total stranger.
The staggering failure of this show is such a fascinating question of “what went wrong?” I mean, even a terrible show should have retained a disappointing but not catastrophic 2.0-3.0 in the 18-49 demo. People really seemed to change their channel quickly and with intense purpose. It’s hard to fault Fox if they decide to yank it. They gave it a big push but a 1.3 puts it in a close competition with Gossip Girl for lowest rated of the hour. Seriously, there was only a .3 difference. A House rerun would perform better.
I honestly didn’t see a push from Fox at all. The only reason I even knew it existed is because all the critics were praising it. I had no clue what the show was even about until a day or so before it premiered. Not only that, what demo was this show bringing in? All ages watch Dancing, older guys watch Two and a Half Men, young girls watch Gossip Girl, and the Lost-ian crowd of message boarders tried The Event.
That’s true – I only heard about it thanks to EW, specifically Ausiello.
I saw lots of ads for Lone Star.
“People really seemed to change their channel quickly and with intense purpose” !!??!! At least you qualified your assumption w “seemed.” I heard excellent reviews but had no idea when the show began. Monday is a tough slot, DWTS had my attention but as soon as I realized I’d missed LONESTAR I found it on HULU and watched it straight through. Wolk looks like George Clooney, I was fascinated.
I don’t see it as a “fascinating question of ‘What went wrong?’” so much as it went up against the heavily promoted “event” show (pardon the pun) of “Dancing With the Stars.” FOX ought to know what it’s like to try and counterprogram juggernauts; after all, it’s had one with “American Idol” for a few years now.
I hope they don’t cancel it! I think it has a lot of potential and I am looking forward to seeing where it goes, especially how he can keep up the double life. The networks need to realize that it is in a very crowded time slot so most of its audience will not be live.