[TV] Why was Tera Nova cancelled after only 1 season?

[Paladin885]

every episode after the first few were sub par in comparison, especially in the story.

- the young teen love between the young actors was stupid and campy
- the "sixes" had potential but were made out to be a typical 80's cartoon super villian group that just so happens to cause trouble each episode but runs off at the end with the catch phrase "you haven't seen the last of us!!"
- Too much will they/won't they moments between the main characters
- no central story arch set in place, every episode felt like a filler
- production was too costly
- after the first few episodes, it was easy to forget that this had dinosaurs

Defiance sort of ran the same course, but got it right. See they may have random stuff each episode but hidden within each episode is a story arch that continues to play out each week instead of what this did time and time again -which is why it failed and Defiance is getting more popular.

[Doctor Funkenstein]

I don't recall them ever saying it was "their" past. They stated at the beginning that it was a past that was similar to theirs in a different time frame, but not their past. I'd have to rewatch the first couple episodes, but I'm pretty sure that's how it went.

That was you trying to justify the bad story to yourself.

[Sinister Knight]

Bad writing, bad acting. In a nutshell.

[Chickat]

I actually thought outside of the great visual effects it was pretty poor. And that for 6 mil an episode, I hope for future shows they focus less on the visuals and get a decent story in at least.

Only sci fi show these days doing decent is Falling skies, and to be honest first season was dreadful, how that didn't get cancelled is still beyond me. S2 was great though and S3 started of nicely as well.

Oh i love falling skies.

[Lagwin]

it was a bit shit really, for the amount they apparently spent on it.

[Faesroll]

it was a bit shit really, for the amount they apparently spent on it.

Too much focus on the Visuals and too little on a proper storyline and a decent cast.

[Shrouded]

Because they squandered a cool concept by making it a family drama.

[scoobysnacks]

I enjoyed it. They did the same with Stargate Universe: great show, cancelled on a cliffhanger. I just wish that if a show is being cancelled, an extra episode is made to tie up all the loose ends. It's very unsatisfactory when it's left in a manner that would have been continued in the next season.

[Statix]

It was the most expensive tv show ever made at that point. Combine that with bad ratings and you get cancellation.

It was flawed. Some tv shows just don't do it right, but it was a very interesting concept. I would have liked to see how it was going to end. Certain tv shows just lack something. Terra Nova did. Defiance, Falling Skies and especcialy Revolution do. But just because they are sci-fi, I am willing to look past that.

There was nothing wrong with Stargate: Universe. It's still the best Stargate in my opinion. Darker, more serious. Only reason why it failed was because fans were upset Stargate: Atlantis was cancelled so abruptly and because of it, didn't watch Stargate: Universe.

[Fuzzzie]

Because they squandered a cool concept by making it a family drama.

Not that it's a bad thing. A good family drama has it's place. They marketed the show as a sci-fi action (somewhat adult) series and it ended up being something else. I think a lot of the audience felt cheated in that respect. It's like when they make a movie and show the 1 action scene in the trailer and the rest of the movie is dull.