Terra Nova season 2 was canceled despite strong ratings and a cliffhanger finish — here’s why Fox’s classic sci-fi program was axed. Terra Nova’s concept is that Earth is overpopulated in 2149, with pollution posing a danger to life on the planet.
A fissure is found that can transport humans 85 million years back in time, and a series of pilgrimages are sent through to establish the Terra Nova colony.
The program followed the Shannon family as they tried to live in this new world, headed by father Jim (Jason O’Mara) and Terra Nova’s commander Taylor, portrayed by Stephen Lang (Avatar).
Terra Nova was an enormously ambitious project, with the pilot costing over $10 million to shoot and each following episode budgeted at $4 million.
The series featured lavish settings and action scenes using computer-generated dinosaur assaults.
Fox was hoping for a Lost-like success with Terra Nova and invested much in its advertising before the show’s debut. While the movie got mixed reviews, with some applauding the majestic grandeur and others criticizing the corny narrative, Terra Nova opened to good numbers.
Despite stable ratings throughout the show’s 13-episode first season, these are the reasons why Terra Nova season 2 never materialized.
After the season 1 conclusion, Fox said that no decision had been made about Terra Nova season 2. It was a negative indicator, given that Fox had previously expressed dissatisfaction with the show’s cost and the production issues encountered while shooting in Australia.
While the show’s cinematic scope was its primary selling point, the expenditures of sustaining that aesthetic forced Fox to delay greenlighting Terra Nova season 2.
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Terra Nova season 2 was eventually canceled by Fox in March 2012, although producers marketed the show to other networks in the hope that it would be picked up.
While SyFy first expressed interest, Netflix seriously contemplated a second season, intending to relocate production to Hawaii to make the series more cost-efficient. While this raised expectations for a second season, Netflix eventually passed on the program as well.
What Terra Nova Season 2 Is About
Brannon Braga, the executive producer, subsequently disclosed plot ideas for Terra Nova season 2, which would have the colony meet a new intelligent dinosaur species.
According to reports, the program would have taken a darker turn, with Taylor becoming insane and Shannon thrust into a leadership role.
A motion comic bonus enabled fans to design their finale; however, the feature did not allow much freedom. One conclusion said that the dinosaurs had escaped from the past and were now roaming the cities of 2149.
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Terra Nova season 2 was dropped due to excessive production expenses, and the program’s size is somewhat too large for television.
The series could have had a better chance if it debuted a few years later when the popularity of more cinematic programs like Game Of Thrones would have prompted its creators to embrace its goals.