Netflix passes on resurrecting Terra Nova

A few days after FOX officially cancelled Terra Nova, Netflix made an announcement that they were interested in picking it and continuing the series. At the time, I thought the idea was not practical, mostly because of the huge cost factor. Now, two weeks later, Netflix acknowledged they have decided not to go forward. Terra Nova is now dead. While resurrection of shows has happened –Family Guy and Futurama in the last few years, and Arrested Development sometime this year- prospects for mounting a science fiction show remain too costly for the cable networks and companies like Netflix; sadly, these expensive shows remain only possible in the realm of the broadcast networks. Still, while Terra Nova has most of its costs already covered –sets and location- it would still be expensive show to make, no matter how much the budget was reduced. This was the same thing Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome was faced with at Syfy last week: how to make the economics work so the network can make money. Meanwhile, Netflix is also interested in ABC’s The River, which while not officially cancelled at the Alphabet Network, the fact that another company is interested in picking it up more or less confirms it will not be back. But like Terra Nova, The River is also an expensive show, but I believe the shows format might make it more flexible to budget reduction and still –possibly- make money for them.