Multiple media outlets, starting with, as far as I can tell, aceshowbiz.com, have reported that Defying Gravity has been canceled. The show, as Brett has continued to make fun of me for report, has not done well in the ratings, quickly losing the 3.88 million or so viewers it had on its premiere. In light of that, I don’t really fault ABC for its decision (unofficial as it is at this point) to axe the show, but what I’m most curious about was the choice to pick up the show in the first place, and when they scheduled it for.
I’ve got to ask first, however, why hasn’t ABC chimed in on this? Apparently the teasers and previews for last night’s airings were tagged with Series Finale (I didn’t watch it live, so I’m not sure myself). Plus, TVbytheNumbers reported that tonight has been the last scheduled airing for a couple of weeks now. So, what gives, ABC? Can you throw us a bone and let us know for sure what’s going on?
Second, its been pointed out that ABC might not necessarily be the best home for Gravity in the US. I wouldn’t disagree with that sentiment at all. SyFy is obviously a much better home for the show, and I’m sure it was in their price range, too. Heck, even ABC Family is a better home for it than ABC (Well, except for the drinking … and the sex … and the sex while drinking…. Come to think of it, maybe not so much ABC Family).
Finally, why the hell did it start so late in the summer? Eight episodes ran in eight weeks, but there is only one weekend left before ABC starts up their fall programing on Sundays. How did they expect to air all thirteen episodes in that time period? (Short answer? They didn’t, is my guess).
There’s still a nice opportunity to complete the final five episodes on Hulu each week. What few fans DG had were fairly loyal, if the response to our coverage and a quick Twitter search are any indication (I’m not in college anymore, but I do recognize that’s not exactly scientific proof), so I think they might be able to pull through some decent online traffic if they did so. Plus it would give me an opportunity to continue to cover it here, and see if I can make it through the whole season before anyone catches onto the references in each of the post titles.
Update: Hold your horses … The Futon Critic is reporting that Defying Gravity isn’t dead yet, and that ABC is still “mulling scheduling options going forward.” Which, as Kona pointed out to me, may just be code for “not canceled yet.” (Thanks to Modwild for the heads up)
Clacked by Ivey West 
on Sep 14, 2009 @ 19:09 EST5EDT
){kind=link}
What makes you think the remainder will be on Hulu? Do you know for sure?
Do I now have to go back through all your post titles, scavenger hunting for deeper meaning? Don’t make me work Dorv! ;)
*POST AUTHOR*
I have NO knowledge of anything Hulu related, but it makes too much sense not to.
The H2IK post was Keith’s, so that would be the one that wouldn’t have relevance.
I believe that the quote from the first post would be a significant hint, but its all a matter of how familiar you’d be with the source material.
I briefly looked and, yeah I got nothin’, with the exception of remembered shame over the H2IK debacle. Thanks.
The show will be shown somewhere in the world so just download it. :-p
After NBC canceled The Listener, all of the remaining episodes popped up on Hulu all at once. The whole series is still available there.
We can hope…
*POST AUTHOR*
Well, the downside is ABC’s website is indicating that King Kong will be on tap for Sunday night.
The upside is that CTV will be showing Episode 9, “Eve Ate the Apple” on Friday.
So how many eps will Canada be airing then, I wonder?
I thought we could not view CTV programs in the states, no?
*POST AUTHOR*
Well, yeah, one couldn’t go to CTV.ca and watch them on their website, no. But I’m sure that one, with say, less moral standing, could probably seek episodes out on the internets somewhere if they were so inclined.
But, check the update at the top of the page……
Seriously – have you ever WATCHED Secret Lives of the American Teenager? Short of … freebasing whatever it is you freebase, these teens do it. It’s a show about 16 year olds and sex. And oral sex. And pregnancy. And so much more. ABC Family could easily squeeze this baby in.
I’m just really pissed about this being the end. I agree with you about the timing…only if it had been a breakout wunderkind would it have had a chance. If it had better advertising, utilizing the Office Space and Dead Like Me connections, they would have had much more success. My friend works for the local ABC affiliate…I wish she had a direct line to the top. Bastards!!!!!
*POST AUTHOR*
Canadian Ratings
Episode 1&2: 783,000
Episode 3: 573,000
Episode 4: 758,000
Episode 5: ?
Episode 6: ?
Episode 7: 698,000
Can’t find for “Bacon” or “Rubicon” but, and I by no means understand Canadian viewership, but those numbers, incomplete as they may be, eschew any type of trending I could come up with.
From what I remember, 1 million is pretty good, so if it can regularly pull 700,000 viewers, those numbers aren’t something a network would walk away from just because it got canceled in the States. But, if it’s not being bought by anyone in the states, it may not make enough money to justify continuing production.
Hey and in case we don’t see anymore at all – I saw on the side of the cliqueclack screen, Jen’s baby bunny grown a bit more! (Labeled disabled bunny learns to walk) ;)
I had it pegged as dead by episode 3 so kudos to ABC for hanging on to it for this long. I’m sure they’ll burn off the remaining episodes in the TV graveyard known as Saturday night, 10 PM, just like Pushing Daisies, Eli Stone and Dirty Sexy Money. It is available on iTunes and there will certainly be a DVD release once ABC’s option expires, but yeah, Syfy would have been the best home for the show (and could still possibly be since they like to pick up one season wonders like Moonlight and run them a few times).
all 13 episodes of Season 1 are already in the can so to speak … so they will be aired on CTV and everywhere else via torrents …
the only thing that happened is that ABC decided to no longer air the show … CTV/Fox are still planning a season 2 AFAIK
I thought the cash funding this was coming primarily out of Canada? I’ve read nothing to suggest that ABC is any more involved with financing the development of the show than buying the US rights? If it does well in other markets then it will live on. It’s doing ok in Canada and has yet to air in the UK (BBC is somehow involved in the production, also) or Germany where is is also getting cash from.
So, relax. It might find another US partner for season 2, and if not, does it really matter?