Bonekickers will not be returning for a second series, the BBC told TV.com today. The six-part drama, coproduced by the creators of Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes, was cancelled following plummeting viewing figures.
Speaking to TV.com today, the BBC said: "Ashley Pharoah and Matthew Graham (the show's writers) have decided to concentrate on new projects and not write a second series of Bonekickers."
Initially, the drama, which followed a team of archaeologists as they explored ancient mysteries, gained impressive audience ratings. A generous 6.8 million viewers reportedly tuned in for the first show, but viewing figures soon began to dwindle. According to TV analysts Broadcast, audience numbers had dropped to 3.9 million by the final episode.
Bonekickers, starring Adrian Lester, Julie Graham, and Hugh Bonneville, also received poor critic reviews when it aired earlier this year.
Are you surprised the show's been axed?
This was one of the worst shows i've seen in years!
This show had diabolical dialogue, annoying flashbacks to historical times and was just a pile of bilge from start to finish. Anyone with half a brain could have seen it was a stinker, so why the BBC commissioned it, we'll never know. If you want to watch a show involving archaeologists, stick to Channel 4's "Time Team"...
I thought this was going to be like 'Bones' but it was really quite boring.
Good news. I only saw the first episode and it was awful.
I am not really surprised. It didn't please the Action Adventure fans because it was too dull and Archaeologists/Historians hated it for the gross historical inaccuracies. Together with the enormous gaping plot holes it was never a winner.
It was okay but I am not surprised.....it was no Bones lol
I am picking up Eli Stone and Bonekickers to air on bradtv.Bonekickers airs after Dollhouse on Friday Nights and Eli Stone will air after Jethro and Order: Criminal Intent.
I'm stunned! This was the worst show without a laugh-track the BBC had given us for a long time, I thought they would have kept it going for years! I gave up half-way through episode 1, usually a good sign for BBC shows.
I only ever saw the very first episode and the whole way through it I was going "god that's stupid" So I'm not surprised.
Not really suprised. It was excrement. Now all they have to do is realise that Apparitions is also terrible, despite Martin "the Messiah" Shaw, and do a TV series of the Merrily Watkins books by Phil Rickman instead, which are far, far better and don't shove religion down your throat like Apparitions does.
im very, very happy with this news :D
NEver even sampled it, didn't sound good enough.
I'm one of the one's whom started, gave it a couple of episode's then (to be honest) didn't even remember (what night) it was on. No: "I must remember that's on & watch it."
I can't say I'm suprised, personally I wouldn't have minded if they had done more, But reading the reviews and talking to other people about it, it seems to be the correct decision.
Great news! This was one of the worst shows I have ever seen. Worse still because it had decent actors in.
When i first heard about bonekickers, i thought it would be similar to Bones (like the UK version), but when i tuned in it was focused around historical stories instead and often relating them to todays headlines (like the first episode based on religion and the episode concerning the black president from the US). I think this made it very unique to the programmes that are high-flying at the moment. It'll be sad not to watch any more of the show, but at the same time i'm not surprised - at times the acting was very dramatic and the stories were a little OTT, but all the same, surely there are only so many storylines the show could have taken on, and the theme of series 1 was finalised in the finale with Gillian finding that bloody sword she was obsessing about! (that drove me crazy!)moreless
Finally, Good news since the Eli Stone SHOCKER!i'm glad its gone, it was so silly and really out of this world, it was lame and boring...i watched the first episode and it was abysmal.
GOOD
I tried to watch the first episode but found it far fetched and boring in places (such as when they stood around a table discussing details etc.). At least the BBC tried to do something different for a primetime show.
WAtched the first episode and that was it very poor show. The writing was poor and the storyline left little to the imagination. I wont miss it.
I'm amazed the BBC had the sense to do it. They usually drag a programme out till there's only the chain and a tiny shred of the original greatness left. (See 'My Family' and 'Only Fools and Horses')
I can't say I'll cry any tears over this. The show wasn't terrible, but the writing wasn't up to much and it was a bit OTT.