While the fight is still on to save Found, we have to look at the reason NBC canceled the series in the first place. After two great seasons, we’re left with a cliffhanger that we need a lot of answers to.
NBC made the disappointing decision to cancel Found just ahead of its season 2 finale. That meant we went into the season worrying about how it would end, and we had many reasons to worry. A life was in the balance, freedoms were on the line, and the M&A Team were left without their leader. Why would NBC choose to cancel a show knowing that was how it would end?
Why Found was likely canceled after two seasons
NBC didn’t give a full reason behind the cancellation, and in cases like this, we’re usually looking at it being a business decision. The series likely cost too much compared to the money that it was bringing in, and there were likely fears that the viewership would drop afterward. The problem is the linear ratings weren’t the great idea of the viewership of this show considering so many people watched delayed via Peacock.
However, when you look at the linear ratings, TV Series Finale shares that Found season 2 lost 30% of its average demo and 27% of its average total audience from the first season. The series didn’t hold up from its first season success, suggesting that it performed well because there was so little airing during fall 2023 due to the strike action of that summer.
Again, though, this is just the day of the episodes airing live. These numbers don’t take into account the streaming and delayed viewership.
Found sits higher in the demo than The Hunting Party
To make it more frustrating, Found season 2 was just ahead of The Hunting Party season 1 in the demo ratings. However, it was admittedly just behind the freshman series in the total audience, but the networks usually look at the demo figures first because that’s what the advertisers look at.
I do blame the move to Thursdays for some of the drop. That Thursday 10 p.m. timeslot has been a difficult one for a number of years now. All 10 p.m. timeslots have been, but the Thursday one always seems to be the worse. I’m worried about The Hunting Party now that it’s moving into the timeslot in fall 2025.
Found should have been moved to Peacock in the way that Law & Order: Organized Crime was the previous year. It’s frustrating that we have to deal with a cliffhanger and the loss of a great and meaningful show.
Found is available to stream on Peacock.
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