Editor: This news hits us like a ton of bricks. All the loyal fans of this series are at a loss why the general viewing public didn’t get into it like we did.
By Karla Peterson / SignOnSanDiego / December 6, 2010 at 10:23 a.m.
In a blow to the local TV-production economy and TV viewing everywhere, the FX network has canceled the locally filmed series “Terriers” after just one season.
The shaggy-dog detective series, which was set in Ocean Beach and shot all over San Diego county, was canceled due to criminally low ratings. In spite of terrific performances from Donal Logue and Michael Raymond-James, enthusiastic support from critics and a devoted cult following, “Terriers” averaged about 500,000 viewers per episode, which is low even by cable standards. (The recent “Sons of Anarchy” finale on FX drew 3.6 million viewers.)
This is particularly sad news for the local film- and TV-production community. The show was the first non-reality series to shoot in San Diego since the short-lived CBS dramedy “The Ex-List” was canceled two years ago after just a few episodes. The “Terriers” crew employed 100 locals, not including actors and extras. The San Diego Film Commission estimates that the production added about $20 million to the local economy during the 13 episodes that were shot here.
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{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
In other news, reality shows like the Kardashians and the Jersey Shore have ratings through the roof. So much for talented actors, writers, production, etc… I guess the majority of Americans prefer watching complete idiots and tarts make fools of themselves on TV while raking in hundreds of thousands of dollars to sleep around and get into bar-fights. How pathetic.
That’s because the majority of Americans ARE complete idiots.
True, and we are spoiled in OB. If I wanna see people make fools of themselves, sleep around, and get into bar fights, I can just walk down to the Sunshine Co.
Maybe what we should do if film our own OB based reality show!
The Tilted Stick is my favorite place to do that. Edwin Decker of SD City Beat even got attacked there.
Tilt was also a prominent filming location…
FX is dumb as hell. Some of the best shows need time to find its audience. Fox gave Arrested Development, what, only 3 years so what the hell should we have expected. Any chance another network might pick it up? This was too good of a show to go out like that – great actors, storylines, writing. Effing BS.
I agree…Did anyone watch Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia 6 years ago?? That’s when it began on F/X. This show has become popular within that last 3 years or so…meaning it needed time to mature and gather a following, just like Terriers needs. Personally, I didn’t start watching the other F/X show Rescue Me until its 4 season and now that show is on their 7th and final season. Maybe try a different date and/or time slot before cancelling such a critically successful show. They should have at least given Terriers another year…
The name killed it, many outside San Diego thought it was a show about dogs
That’s true tennyson. Nobody understood the name. All the great acting and writing in the world won’t help you if you can’t draw viewers in with an exciting title. Or at least a title that speaks to the basis of the show. Some of the most successful shows in history had great titles. “The Sopranos” “Cheers,” “The Office,” “Seinfeld,” “M.A.S.H.” “Bosom Buddies” ok….not so sure about that last one.
and you speak for everyone, right tennyson? people like reality shows because it is about real people being themselves (idiots or not) not actors (pretending) to be someone.
^exactly the reason our generation is so, so sad….. “Actors pretending to be someone” The arts are all but dead. Good luck with what VH1 tells you are real people.
But most reality shows are actually far more scripted and staged than you would think. Ask anyone who’s been on or worked on one.
I see enough of people being idiots in real life, I don’t need to see it on TV too.
Thank you Terriers. It was a fun ride.
Once again, Fox kills another great show before it ever really had a chance.
Yeah, shades of Firefly.
Bummer, it was a damn good show & getting better each ep IMO…
Bummer , it was the best show on tv.
Damn! I wonder how much of the ratings problems are caused by people like me having disowned TV sets? I E-mailed these folks about wanting to find the show on line but never got a response not even an acknowledgment.
You can still find it online at hulu, itunes and amazon. And some eps are on the FX website.
Graboid.
I must be missing something. I thought it was a very dull show and only made it through two and a half episodes. I’ve never understood the appeal of the show beyond the fact that you can see the ‘hood and it was (apparently) a boon for the economy in OB.
I found it amusing at first, though pretty pedestrian…but staring at places I like to hang out kept me tuned in long enough for the back stories and character development to pick up steam around episode 4 or 5.
I actually hate TV, the only other show I’ve actually take the time to watch start-to-finish is Weeds, and then only after it came to Netflix on my Wii…and I really didn’t like the filming process much either, driving with those big production rigs was a pain on our tiny streets, it seemed like whatever street I wanted to go down was blocked for filming, an SDPD officer guarding one shoot made my daughter cry when he was kinda gruff about kicking us out of a spot where the film crews were…despite all that I still got attached to the show.
I am so sad about this. I thought it was a really good program.
I may be late to the party as I am writing this on the 12th of December and most postings look to be from the 6th, but I did come across this link to a petition to bring back or “save” the show:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/boycott-fx-in-protest-of-terriers-cancellation/
Yeah, it does seem that the name & marketing was not useful: don’t know if a show has ever been cancelled and brought back under a new name & different marketing.
Maybe Terriers might have been better as a movie with possible sequels: who knows, but I did enjoy it as I have other FX programs (especially Rescue Me & SOA). FX does have balls so I am a bit suprised they won’t stick with it & give the show more time (which I am sure really means more money).
Someone at OBRAG helped me with the name of the woman journalist but I lost track of her name: anyone remember her name? She was in the final episodes and seemed to be on track to a personal relationship with Logue: very mature, handsome actress.
On a final note: being one of the right-wing conservatives who it would seem would get beat upon on a regular basis here (y’all are a bunch of hippie commies but then some of my best friends are hippie commies) I will STAY THE HELL AWAY from political postings. But suffice it to say: I get the feeling y’all are a bit frustrated if not disappointed with Obambi. Voter’s remorse or the drugs wearing off?
If the powers that be at the OBRAG ever want to have occasional conservative contributors (I already write for my pal Tucker Carlson’s Daily Caller here in DC) just to have something to throw tomatoes at just let me know: I was heavily involved in CA politics back in the 80’s & 90’s but still know the terrain well.
Conservative Christmas (please, not “Holiday”) Cheers from THIMMESCH!
Hey Nicholas, thanks for the link and for coming by this hippie commie enclave!
We, or maybe I should just speak for myself, I am disappointed in some of the things that Obama has done, or has failed to do. Voter’s remorse? No way. I cannot even imagine the shape of our nation under two years of McCain and Palin.
It was me who found Allison Elliot for you. You’re welcome (even though you called her a broad).
I am curious, what exactly comprises a Conservative Christmas?
Wow, this got waaaay off topic.
Nicholas, is your real name Tom?!?