Axed: Ripper Street
Cast in shock as period crime drama Ripper Street has is axed due to poor ratings.
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Period crime drama Ripper Street has been axed by the BBC after two series due to poor ratings.
Actor Jerome Flynn, who plays Sergeant Bennet Drake, told BBC radio the cast were “shocked” by the BBC’s decision.
“We’re all in absolute shock because it’s a wonderful job and we feel like it’s kind of this unfinished work. So we’re hoping it will turn around if anyone from the BBC is listening,” he said.
“There’s these wonderful storylines which Richard (Warlow) and Toby (Finlay), the writers, have marked out and it’s one of the most captivating characters I’ve played and also been part of in terms of the story, so it is suddenly like a marriage being broken.”
The BBC series has struggled to pull in audiences, previously attracting close to four million before the reality show I’m a Celebrity, Get me Out of Here! when it lost 670,000 viewers.
A BBC spokeswoman said: “We are very proud of Ripper Street which has enjoyed two highly ambitious series on BBC One. However, the second series didn’t bring the audience we hoped and in order to make room for creative renewal and new ideas it won’t be returning.”
TEN will air season two in 2014.
Source: The Telegraph
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8 Responses
I stopped watching this after about 3-4 episodes. Good cast let down by poor scripts and a problem suspending disbelief.
I liked this show. A shame.
Thought it was only average. The basic plot to each episode seemed ok, but the writing fleshing out the story and characters let the show down.
Such a shame, I enjoyed this show. Hope ch10 still air season 2.
Another globally targeted production that just didn’t work. I was surprised it got a second season.
The early forensic idea was not done well. They tried to lamely cash in on Jack The Ripper’s name. They added crudely inserted US characters and Western elements to boost BBC America ratings. The dialogue was forced and they never created a believable 19th Century East End or any atmosphere. The melodrama of loss of Reid’s marriage breakup, the loss of his daughter and trying to work it into the last episode of S1 was just silly.
Like Serangoon Road it demonstrates that a story needs to have something to say. And characters that fit that.
Damm I really liked this show.
I was looking forward to this show when it started. A BBC drama with some fab actors seemed promising. But I found it to be absolutely horrendous. I tried to persevere, hoping it would improve. But it was like pulling teeth for me, I gave up.
the audience were obviously not shocked……including me, I had high hopes for this series…