ABC Pulls ‘Defying Gravity’ From Its Schedule
ABC orders 'Defying Gravity' to leave fans behind.
UPDATE 15/9/2009: The Futon Critic have confirmed that Nicole Marostica, publicist for Defying Gravity, has stated ABC hasn’t pulled the plug on the show completely and is still mulling scheduling options going forward. However, she gave no indication about if or when the series would return.
Well it was on the cards due to poor ratings but now its official, ABC has pulled their sci-fi series Defying Gravity from their schedule.
I think the reasons why Defying Gravity’s ratings have been poor can probably be debated until the end of time (and no doubt will be), but in the end the only thing that matters is the fact that those ratings were poor.
For those that liked the series – and I’m one of them – my only hope is that the final five episodes will find their way to our screens in due course.
It’s a shame to see the series pulled at episode 8 whilst knowing that the entire ‘mystery’ that’s been building up remains unresolved (not that I can say if all 13 episodes would have resolved it!). Whilst it is probable those five episodes will surface in due course, at this stage when that might occur remains unknown.
Whilst I’m not going to claim Defying Gravity was a show in the leagues of Firefly, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles or even My Own Worst Enemy to name a few, it will nonetheless be added to the same list of “good shows that ended before their time”. Why do I say that? Because I’m guessing that even if those five episodes finally get air time, my money is on the series going no further than that.
Defying Gravity has received atrocious ratings so I’m guessing there won’t be a second season, but if you have more hope than I do and would still like to try and add weight to ABC’s future decisions regarding the series, visit the Defying Gravity message boards at ABC.com. There are already a number of threads going that you can join in the conversation with.
You can also send a polite email to ABC asking them to consider continuing with distribution of this brilliant show.
jason: 
Paul: 
Coijo e tal: 
VinceC: 
beth: 
sasss: 
September 14th, 2009 at 12:32 am
CTV can still air the remaining episodes, because ABC only ordered the broadcast rights, the didn’t produce the show.
September 14th, 2009 at 5:54 am
Anyone know if CTV will air the remaining episodes?
September 14th, 2009 at 7:12 am
This is really disappointing news. I really enjoyed the show.
September 14th, 2009 at 7:47 am
The remaining episodes will probably end up on a “complete series” DVD set of the show.
September 14th, 2009 at 9:54 am
I am seriously disappointed! D: Right now I’m so mad at ABC that I can’t sit straight! At the very least the five remaining episodes need to see the light of day, darn it!!
September 14th, 2009 at 11:29 am
Weird. How can ABC cancel a show that it is not producing? It is co-produced by the BBC, Fox Television Studios, and Omni Film Productions in association with Canadian broadcasters CTV Television Network, SPACE, and German broadcaster ProSieben. ABC only ordered it for viewing after the first season was in the can. It is scheduled to be aired on BBC 2 in the UK, ProSieben in Germany and both CTV and SPACE in Canada, all of whom ARE producing the show.
September 14th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Defying Gravity Canceled!…
ABC cancels Dafying Gravity according to sci fi scoop. That’s just sad. I can’t say I love that series, but it was definitly growing on me….
September 14th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
God this sucks. I’ve been doing my own promotion for the show every chance I get because nobody seems to know it even exists!
ABC has something really great, but they just didn’t market it enough.
Everyone who I’ve recommended it to has loved it so far.
September 14th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
What a tragedy, I accidentally dropped by this beautiful show.
If they hadn’t aired it at a ass time and maybe some advertisements I would have gotten more viewers.
Lame ending it this way, especially the way ep8 ended.
September 14th, 2009 at 10:21 pm
I just found out that, according to an ABC rep, the show is not actually canceled. However, it’s status is up in the air.
Here’s an article about it: http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=8293
September 14th, 2009 at 10:54 pm
Jason, thanks for the comment! I’ve updated the article to reflect the new info. Though there’s no commitment in ABC’s update, at least its confirmation that they may show those five remaining episodes down the track. Thanks again!
September 15th, 2009 at 10:45 pm
With regards to the poor ratings, airing a SciFi show at 10pm on Sundays on a broadcast network seems to be as certain to kill the show as airing one (Sarah Conner Chronicles) on Fridays against the SyFy Channel’s “SciFi Fridays” line up.
Of course, I have to question how ABC was going to show all 13 episodes on Sundays anyway before the new season started. Whether or not ABC will show the remaining episodes remains to be seen. If the series gets renewed elsewhere for another season perhaps they’ll be shown here…or in syndication.
September 16th, 2009 at 11:43 am
There has been so much misinformation and mismanagement about this series – for instance some say only 11 episodes but I thought it was 13 and just – no one has cared : ( if interested in trying to at least show a little support – http://defyinggravity.wetpaint.com/page/Save+Our+Show+-+Beta+Siren+Call
September 16th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Day Break, Journeyman, Defying Gravity…
This is getting very old!
September 18th, 2009 at 10:10 am
It’s great to see that momentum is starting to pick up for this great show! I’m anxious to get the official official word, but the rumors of it not getting cancelled are encouraging! There’s another campaign going on over here to make sure the show doesn’t get cancelled: http://defyingravityonline.com.
September 18th, 2009 at 10:17 pm
Episode 9, ‘Eve Ate The Apple’ is on CTV in Canada as I write this… As a Canadian fan I’m stoked, but disappointed for those of you in the States who are getting shafted.
September 18th, 2009 at 11:31 pm
You BOBA are a legend! Thank you for the update which has literally made my day, and which led me to quickly post this:
http://www.scifiscoop.com/news/ctv-in-canada-continues-to-air-defying-gravity/
[Edit] Took out the ‘lunchbox’ thing after someone pointed out that’s not a compliment lol! Sorry about that!
September 19th, 2009 at 8:33 am
Glad that I could pass on the good news! Your earlier post likewise left me hopeful once l’d read that Canadian television had invested so much into the series (it took me until episode 2, Natural Selection, to realize that it was also filmed here in Vancouver like BSG was) . l THOUGHT that it was unusual that Space was also airing first-run episodes from the get. Makes perfect sense now!
September 19th, 2009 at 8:35 am
Edit: Sorry, post credit should go to Michel! Cheers!
September 19th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
I can’t post on ABC’s site, they don’t like canadian postal codes (no matter what i do to the postal code box, it wont let me register)…
also spacecast.com appears to nolonger have forums or even comments sections, so can’t post about the show there… so annoying.
September 20th, 2009 at 10:26 am
This is getting very annoying. Yes, fine the rating is bad. But can ABC be a bit more consider for the people who actually likes the show and have the courtesy to at least finish the first season? Plus ABC just pulled the show without making any sort of announcement? I will protect from now on, by not watching any of their first season show. Just because I won’t want to be left hanging half way!!!
September 20th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
It’s not ABC/DVD quality, but it works for me:
http://www.ch131.com/defyinggravity109.htm
Excellent, as advertised!
September 20th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
I tried to watch the latest episode on the CTV website – it blocks me because I’m in the USA – rats!
I want to see the rest of these episodes!!
September 20th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
Or, grab Hotspot Shield for free online. I watch Hulu using it from outside the US so it may work. Or, watch it at that link above from MyEye which works. Trust me, episode 9 is great. It’s worth watching. It’s the best one yet. Why ABC pulled it before showing episode 9 is beyond me. Episode 9 would have won more viewers for sure. The series is awesome. Hope it keeps going. Support it!
September 20th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
http://tvshack.net/tv/Defying_Gravity/
The last aired episode in Canada. Ep_9.
The quality could be better, it’s also wrong res. showing a 16/9 at 4/3, but who cares? Fabulous show, typical of the networks heads, who have their heads up their xxxxx!
enjoy.
topcat139
September 25th, 2009 at 6:42 pm
I can’t believe this show has been pulled off the air! I liked it the first time I watched it and have been watching it faithfully ever since. Big mistake to stop airing the episodes! The people that made this decision need to reconsider and realize that it is a really good show.
September 26th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Defying ABC Gravity: Perhaps, abc doesn’t want to Loose on ratings, but it’s loosing on followers. Since I saw an episode of “D-G,”by accident, the next few Sundays I opted to see the show without running to my PC in search of alternative entertainment. The plot is very interesting, the back/forward; past/present; the rearview development was gestating. And, it’s a shame that, executives who only see (understand) ratings play the role of aborting doctors on shows exploring human spirit.
Furthermore, the show is/was on the development stage… and of course, in need of an additional season to solve the glitches.
Thus, apealing to more viewers who need more time to become familiar with the characters. To me, using the full screen only, was a little boring, and I felt that people fliping channels would get confused enough no to keep seeing it. I would use full screen, instead or pale colors, when explaining scenes from the past only, and panoramic view in the present, especially for the present in space. ABC’s decision with not even allowing to pass the baby (Defying Gravity) to a sister station or to a different time, it is a blockade to new genarations and a new ideas.
September 28th, 2009 at 11:39 am
The show was a “soap opera” sci-fi story with it’s rediculous “astronaut babes” in training and in space storyline it never really had a chance. The show had potential but never lived up to it. However it would be nice to see a better conclusion to it.
September 30th, 2009 at 9:59 am
I am disappointed that ABC would drop a show with so much potential to be a huge success. It seems to me that most new Science Fiction series start out with low ratings but if the plot, cast (great), and writing are good they pick up momentum. In the beginning some of it is sure to be hokey but much of that is tweaked as the story continues. It is a shame that the younger generation won’t have this show to spark their imagination. Perhaps the Science Fiction channel will pick it up.
September 30th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
Anyone remember the showtime series “Dead like me”? Another perfect example of a great show that vanished with no explanation. I’ll admit that I am a bit biased about this show, being that a certain blonde actress starring in ‘Defying Gravity”, was also in Dead like me, as well as one ore two of “the Outer Limits” episodes. I sure do hope that “ABC” will be smart enough to run the last 5 episodes, even if they do not plan to pick it up for another season. But then, what do I know.
Wowsville.
October 4th, 2009 at 11:53 am
The show seemed to have poor advertising and a poor time slot. I taped every show to watch later as I also watch Army Wives.
I sure hope Defying Gravity comes back. It is a great show. I was telling my siblings about it and none had even heard of it although SiFi buffs.
October 4th, 2009 at 10:55 pm
Disappointing is an understatement. This has the same earmarks as the “Firefly” disaster. What morons these people in charge are. First of all why put it on with zero pre show promotion in the first place if you had any intention of letting it live. Literally every person that I know who knew about the series had discovered it through “word of mouth”, including myself…
It was, despite the lack of advertising, growing a fan base very quickly. Friends of mine were catching up on previous episodes by watching it on Hulu etc. That is an indication of a good show.
The other madness was to stop it at episode 8… Why not just run the last few shows and not renew next season, or give it to local affiliates to run?
They are Idjits!!!
October 6th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
things like this is why i don’t trust start watching shows from ABC i try to stay away from that channel because of all the disappointments they have by bringing out shows and not even seeing them threw to the end of the season what kind crap is that. how can you trust a network that cant even commit to finishing the airing of one season when they get on a wim to try some thing else in that time slot. maybe that was a bad time slot to start off with i don’t know. i first found out about the show on hulu one of their suggestions popped up watched the 4 episodes and every weak kept going back they should check to se how many people watched on their web sight but the whole time waiting for each new episode to come out i always worried because it was produced by ABC. and the one day i finally got time to clear my schedule to watch the episode on my TV the episode didn’t air. wasn’t online nothing i had to scour the Internet for the next episode how do you expect to get a fan base for any thing if you just cancel a show like that. why not start asking questions and find out what you may be able to do to get more ratings. instead of oh pull it that is so stupid. it takes time for people to catch on to new things like this and set a pattern to go and watch it. i know one of my favorite things about star trek and star gate is they would re run a episode or 2 at the off hours or even a different day when they are playing reruns of stuff any ways than people can catch up with the show find the notch don’t just yank it out if you already paid for episodes to be made why not air them …… i think that is why network TV is not as good as it once was. yet another ideas would be finish the season and get the dvd out for the holidays and see what kinds of sails they get.. but that would be smart.. hahaha
October 17th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
I will miss “Defying Gravity”, even though I was a bit annoyed by all the flash backs and romantics. Let’s get on with the trip–so much to discover, so many adventures ahead.
Cap
October 24th, 2009 at 5:54 am
Very sad indeed.
November 16th, 2009 at 7:38 pm
I missed the original piolit and serveral shows that followed. In fact I just happened to stumble acoss the show trying to figure out what shows were available onlne so that I could stream the on my laptop connected to our 42″ via HDMI. By this weekend I had caught up on all the shows archived online and was ready to begin watcing the scheduled braodcast only to find that episode 9 did not air
I’m not certain why its not longer being aired, but I do know there should be more advertisement. Sunday was a good day for me as durig the week I find it hard to follow a schedule for watching broadcast events.
November 17th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
It’s not looking good — the Defying Gravity message boards are no longer available.
scifi.com still has the Farscape board up.
December 7th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
If anyone knows anything… good or bad… please let us know.
December 27th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
The last 4 episodes were quite good.
It was a good story line with, the personal/romantic side playing a good foil to the Science/Story side of the series.
All of the series got shown on the BBC here in the UK. Really sad to hear it will be the last.
December 28th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
As with almost all good sci-fi it takes time for the story to work and us to ‘get it’!
8 shows before you get anywhere is too many sorry! But as has been said before the last 4 or 5 were quite good! I’ve just rewatched “kiss” on the BBC and its really good, leaving loads of story arcs to explore! Thank God the BBC commit properly.
I remember Lost way back when! Great pilot and loads of interege to get us instantly hooked (which is where DG possibly went wrong-with no big event to suck us in). Where Lost was an instant hit, I then got bored with it (I’m sure I’m in the minority though) and confused with all those story arcs and charactors and flashbacks and weird themes which seemed to get nore and more weird!, with DG its a smaller group of charactors allowing us to get to know them better and the ‘beta’ is no more weird a concept-at least it is in space!!!!
Shame on ABC to pull it before its even aired fully and given a real chance!! the curse of instant results culture.
Who do we need to contact at ABC to urge a rethink? Its been done before!!….
December 29th, 2009 at 1:44 am
As a UK viewer I got to see the full series and really enjoyed it. If the publicity and airing times were as bad in the US the show was set to fail from the get go. It should of been sold as ‘LOST in space’ or ‘GRAYS ANATOMY ..in space’ the show had a lot of potential and a solid cast. I am dissapointed at the prospect of no series 2 ..to 6. As a contrast to the shows poor publicity ‘FLASH FORWARD’ was over sold and I found it to be a dissapointment.
December 29th, 2009 at 3:29 am
I watched all 13 episodes of this show on BBC HD and I’m absolutely gutted that the damn US network ABC dropped it. It has been a long time since we had a “near to present-day” show, and for me this was a breath of fresh air which the genre sorely needed.
I thought that ep13 was the end of the first season, but to hear that we will now never know what happens to the crew (imo the actors played their roles extremely well) is very dissapointing. Sure, the creator/writer did explain what would have happened, but I think this show was worth a little bit more rope.
They already destroyed the sets, which is criminal, as I’m sure that some other contry/network would have paid for them to carry this show on once the show had had a chance to gather a proper following. The US isn’t the be-all and end-all of TV, and it’s about time that they stopped being so damned short sighted.
Firely, KIA well before it’s time.
Invasion, damn good adaptation of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, KIA.
Defying Gravity, well presented and acted portrayal of humanitys quest to persue knowledge for the sake of knowledge, KIA.
It’s criminal that these shows were cancelled, but tripe like the X-Factor and all the “reality” TV shows continue to find funding. Just shows how the average inteligence of the TV viewer has dropped over that last two decades.
/rant over =B’Þ
January 3rd, 2010 at 10:55 am
PLEEEEEEEEEZ dont cancel this show. Ron Livingston is one of my favorite actors (made Band of Brothers), the rest of the cast is very strong, and the show’s concept is INNOVATIVE.
We don’t need another series like Friends. We dont need another reality show based on who is the best BBQ expert (really, a show on that?) We need more shows like this. Shows that take us away from the troubles of the world. Shows that give us vision, give us hope. Shows that make us think. We dont need another sitcom.
If I had a nickel every time that shiver went up my back, the one where I am AWED by a moment in one of these great 13 episodes, I would have a LOT of nickels.
Please, ABC, CTV, whoever else is listening who can have an impact on the future of Defying Gravity, save it! Dont make the same mistake Fox made with Firefly. Dont force us to create hundreds of websites SCREAMING to bring back DG. We are your viewers. We are your lifeblood. We represent a niche market that SCREAMS to be satisfied.
Please, satisfy us. Keep Defying Gravity alive!!!
January 5th, 2010 at 5:43 pm
Are you guys nuts.. Defying Gravity Sucks big time,, boring script ,boring everything..sheeesh.. it’s funnny most of the posts all seem to be similar..makes u think..
January 7th, 2010 at 7:43 am
Stick that in your pipe and smoke it ABC you are idiots!
January 24th, 2010 at 7:42 am
I loved Defying Gravity. There are too many medical, police, and lawyer shows on the air. We need more sifi space shows like Defying Gravity. This is like Star Trek in the late 60’s when NBC pulled the show, because of “Poor ratings”, now look at the Star Trek franchise. It is clear that TV executives don’t know a good show when they see one. TV executives don’t understand the cerebral shows – the ones that make people think about possibilities and the future.
ABC executives did the same thing to the show called Jericho, they pulled it in the middle of a good story. I am surprise that they have let Lost continue to the end.
I think it is time we canceled some of the TV executives and replace them with more imaginative people.
February 3rd, 2010 at 9:20 pm
The “bad ratings” justification is just an obfuscation. A (brain-dead) TV executive can guarantee “bad ratings” if they personally do not like the show, by not publicizing it, by scheduling it up against a show that almost always carries it’s timeslot, or by scheduling it in a “graveyard” slot, thus creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.
I personally am looking forward to the day when the networks that hire and promote these uneducated, illiterate, and emotionally stagnant people into positions of power breathe their last breath, which, judging by the growth of independent networks, should be sometime in the next 7-10 years. Then, good shows can be supported properly, and the bad shows can be allowed to die a quick and painful death.