As you have probably seen I expressed my dissapointment about Outcasts being cancelled.
I complained to the BBC and recieved this reply:
“Thanks for contacting us regarding ‘Outcasts’ on BBC One.
I understand you’re unhappy with the cancellation of the series.
We regularly have to make difficult decisions and unfortunately sometimes they will prove to be unpopular with some viewers. In spite of a great cast and production team, ‘Outcasts’ did not find its audience in the way that we had hoped. We remain proud of it but it will not be returning for another series. We can only apologise for any disappointment caused by our decision.
I’d like to assure you I’ve registered your complaint on our audience log. This is an internal report of audience feedback which we compile daily and is available for viewing by all our staff. This includes all programme makers and commissioning executives, along with our senior management. It ensures that your points, along with all other comments we receive, are circulated and considered across the BBC.
Thanks again for taking the time to contact us.”
I’ve just been to the Facebook petition and it looks like everyone else received the same reply. I mean, EXACTLY the same reply. So what did they do, just gather up all of the Outcasts Series 2 complaints and send one big message saying that its all down to viewing numbers (and, reading between the lines, FINANCIAL), as if 1.5 million viewers isn’t enough.
Comments we receive are circulated and considered across the BBC my arse, if you can’t be bothered to even consider bringing series 2 back then you’ve already made a decision without taking into account TV license payers views. Its a disgrace.
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I am not in posession of the figures but considering it was filmed in south africa and such a “big” production 1.5 million viewers probably isnt enough to warrant financing a second series. I do believe however that if they gave it a second chance by re-airing the first series word of mouth would spread and increase the numbers enough to warrant a second series. 8 episodes over 7 weeks is not enough time to build a fan-base. Given more time, it will, absolutely do this.
A short timeframe to build an audience with 8 episodes in 6 weeks, removal from primetime slot after only 2 weeks, no further promotion of programme once launched… it smacks me that someone high up in the BBC had this show fingered as DOA.
Films are made in SA because it’s cheap and coupled with CGI the only thing that would have made this show expensive might have been the cast wages, although there weren’t that many well established names in that great cast.
You also have to put aside domestic numbers and see how syndication does and a show has to build a reputation which takes time.
Someone at the BBC decided a long time ago that this show had no future.
God almighty, another show I was really getting to enjoy ripped out from under me.
I swear, there is just no flaming point bothering anymore…
every single bloody show is axed. Unless it’s abhorrent to my mind – soppy sex crazed rich bitches, wrestling, survivor garbage, dancing or singing….. and a load of wankers in all of them…
God forbid people have to actually think.
Oo
Oh that’s great! The first time I’ve been able to watch a series from beginning to end because it’s intelligent enough for me to be interested in it and they sodding well pull it and on a cliff-hanger no less. – How bloody typical! – no I’ll rephrase that – How bloody predictable!
When are that shower at the BBC going to grow some and stick with a proper programme for more than a five minute stretch?
OUTCASTS SERIES TWO – NOW!
I agree with all the other postings. Outcasts was great and bit of a slow burner. To cancel this show, and on a cliff hanger, is deeply frustrating and shows the BBC don’t care about it’s viewers. How can anyone commit to watching a BBC drama when the BBC are prepared to pull the plug without even the decency of a decent ending?
This series didn’t look promising to start with, but i gave it a chance, and by the time it got to episode 3, i started to get into it, and it got better and better, although a few of the characters were a bit annoying.Why can’t the beeb give it another chance.
After all, look at the viewing figures when the first series of only fools and horses first aired, and the criticism it got, and the beeb nearly axed it then.
Let.s hope that sky tv will take it on.
As sky tv have dropped their plans for a Blake’s 7 remake, then maybe the bbc can remake it instead.
That should get some big viewings.
Outcasts season 2 is a must. Proper tv entertainment….
Thanks again to all of you for your show of support – let’s hope we see a Series 2 at some point!
Disgraceful! I am outraged. Makes me sick.
Even worse they dropped it from iplayer so I couldn’t watch the last two episodes! Mind you it wasn’t really that good that I’m going to get upset about it.
In 2009 I complained to the BBC about cancelling Judge John Deed and I got that reply. I just rewatched the series and realised how much I miss the show so I’m gonna start sending letters to them once a week for the next year-asking for at least one more episode to wrap everything up.
Due to the changing time slot, I and others recorded it to watch it at our convenience rather than the BBCs convenience. You can’t leave it with that cliffhanger surely!
A modest proposal to clean up the dangling loose ends: A blue police box materializes on Carpathia on Chrismas Eve…..
You get the idea, I’m sure.
~f
At this rate the BBC are in dire risk of creatiing a whole new series…of failures – trodding-along ‘Outcasts’, the slightly better, but nevertheless meandering ‘Survivors’, which err…. became extinct, and does anyone remember ‘Jekyll’…where the heck did that one go after one series?
Sounds to me that Channel 4 could have a new Top 100 BBC drama flops show on it’s hands if this appaling rate continues. Can’t we tell from the script anymore if’s the series is going to be any good? Take Liam Cunningham (Richard Tate…a cheepo sc-fi name if ever there was one…. hello American cheesecake square-jaw culture if ever there was one. Just surprosed his name wasn’t Brock or Chad or maybe ‘Ass’), – everyone of Cunninghams scenes began with him arriving from somewhere, or being somewhere..and usually with a cup of coffee and a (‘I’m a serious actor’) frown. ‘Outcasts’? – eastenders in Space more like.
RE: Robin – Sky to remake Blake 7.
In a word, dear god NO!!! Sky is a good adoptive father for US series, but a poor mother for the production of such. In a world of Jedi’s, sky is a trusty blaster…. not a saber.
I’m stunned! Set fasers to kill that one.
This is a real pity – it’s airing right now in Australia and got great reviews but the ABC placed it on Saturday night at 9.30pm. That mean I bought the DVD from the BBC so as not to miss anything PLUS it’s so compelling I couldn;t wait for the next week when you can buy the DVD.
I’ve just seen you comments and noted it has been canned, just after we watched the last episode yesterday! I suppose that in itself is good fortune
Come on BBC – go into a JV [with say the ABC] who would stump up the money, if that was the only problem
It was a class production and filled the void created by the Americans
What a shame, mething new and different and it gets cancelled before it has time to catch on!
The final episode of ‘Outcasts’ just screened here tonight on the ABC and I immediately logged onto the Net to see how long I would have to wait for a few answers – what a finale!! – and I discover it has been CANNED!!!??? Life is bad enough without good telly being taken from us! And ‘Survivors’ has been canned!! I am afraid I will have to retreat from new telly and stick with my DVD collection to save myself from falling for new telly only to have some mean executives decide to leave me and my Fellow Good Taste in Telly Viewers in eternal suspense with their dumb ass decisions!
Oh, sorry. ‘Here’ is Australia.
The BBC or whover is responsible are getting are notorious at this, you get into a series and then boom it is gone. As one of the other writers has said, Survivors, Jekyll, Primeval came out of extinction but for how long and now Outcasts.
So you rehash Flashforward and call it Paradox, but have your own original idea and you don’t stick with it. In Australia we kind of trip over these shows that our ABC shows or something comes up on UKTV but they are never really widely advertised, maybe the same is in Britain.
Very disappointing because the Brits make great series but except for the Bill which never seemed to end you only make em short.
Outcasts had possibilities – cancelling Outcasts 2 is a sorry bit of work
There’s some really awfull TV produced – what a waste that this one didn’t get a decent go.