One of broadcast TV’s best shows is over, and this one hurts.
FOX announced late Tuesday that it had canceled Fantasy Island.
The news broke less than 24 hours after the Fantasy Island Season 2 finale.
“We were very pleased with Fantasy Island’s fun and escapist creative, which we had hoped would gain strong traction among viewers,” the network said in a statement, adding:
“We’d also like to thank Fantasy Island’s cast, led by Roselyn Sánchez, Kiara Barnes and John Gabriel Rodriquez, crew and executive producers Liz Craft, Sarah Fain and Anne Clements for their partnership on the series.”
Fantasy Island averaged 2.8 million viewers and a 0.3 rating in its final season with Live + 7 playback included.
The numbers were very soft for FOX, but the fact that the show had a small group of series regulars meant there was a chance the show could survive.
FOX has been vocal in the past about the show being able to cross-promote other shows on the network, with the possibility of having cast members cross over.
Fantasy Island featured a new wave of guests in each episode.
The series also managed to score some great guest stars in the form of Bellamy Young, Daphne Zuniga, Jason Priestley, Leslie Jordan, Teri Hatcher, and James Denton.
The series was an update of the 1977-84 series, and while it never reached the heights of its predecessor, it had a devoted audience who followed the show wherever it went.
FOX bounced the show around the schedule several times, including delaying the Season 2 premiere at the last minute.
It’s hard to sustain an audience when networks pull that schtick, but despite the odds, the series always managed respectable numbers.
It’s unclear where the franchise will go next, but it strikes me as the type of series that will pop back up.
TV Fanatic had the chance to speak with showrunners Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain about the conclusion of Season 2 and their plans for Season 3.
Return later today for that.
What are your thoughts on the news?
Are you surprised?
Hit the comments.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.