After a short two episode run, ABC has decided to end Lucky 7, making the lottery drama the first show to be canceled this television season.
The freshman program encountered significant difficulties from its inception. Lucky 7 premiered to 4.4 million viewers and scored a meager 1.3 rating among adults aged 18-49, a vital demographic. This premiere was one of the worst in the network’s history. The second episode fared even worse, dropping to 2.6 million viewers and a miserable 0.7 rating. It has been reported that the latest episode’s dismal performance led to ABC’s decision to drop the drama from its programming schedule.
An American adaptation of a British television program, Lucky 7 was the tale of seven lowly New Yorkers who won millions from a shared lottery ticket and presumably would have followed them as they struggled with the problems associated with sudden wealth. In place of Lucky 7, ABC will air reruns of its hit drama Scandal in the 10:00 time slot on Tuesdays.
To be frank, I don’t know what ABC was expecting from this show other than failure. The network seemed to willingly ignore a number of impediments that contributed to Lucky 7‘s demise. First, there was barely any advertisement for it. I only knew this show existed because there was a one-second spot for it at the end of a commercial for the rest of the Tuesday night lineup. Second, there were no noteworthy actors, directors, writers, or producers to draw in viewers. ABC needed to have some high-profile names behind this show if it expected people to stay tuned in late Tuesday nights. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is a clear example of how to bring in viewers for a new show. Fans of Joss Whedon and the Marvel cinematic universe showed up in droves for its premiere. While it would be unreasonable to expect Lucky 7 to match that level of passion, it didn’t have a notable “something” or “someone” to pull in more viewers. Finally, I don’t believe the premise resonated with viewers. With a number of Americans suffering the consequences of a long-term economic downturn, a show about the hardships of the newly rich wasn’t likely to be attractive to the average viewer. Given these problems, Lucky 7‘s poor performance is certainly not a surprise.
Do you have any thoughts about ABC canceling this show? Do you have a prediction about the next casualty of this television season? Let us know in the comments!
Source: Entertainment Weekly
