NBC Cancels ‘A.D.: The Bible Continues’, But It Could Be Resurrected
NBC is canceling A.D.: The Bible Continues, but the show could still be resurrected. The show followed the adventures of the disciples after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but the ratings were too low to be considered worth a second season on the major TV network.
Producers Mark Burnett and Touched By an Angel actress Roma Downey are hoping to bring it back in digital format. It may be possible that the religion-centric drama will indeed “continue” on an equally religion-centric channel. They are confident in bringing it back due to what they consider a loyal core audience for faith-based programming.
The timing was great for the launch of A.D., following the successful release of several Bible-based films and TV series. Downey and Burnett’s The Bible, Christian Bale’s Exodus: Gods and Kings, and Russell Crowe’s Noah proved that there was an audience for the Biblical drama genre. The results were great when A.D. launched in April with 7.6 million same-night viewers, according to the New York Daily News.
After its nearly 10 million viewer base dropped off, NBC decided to cancel A.D.: The Bible Continues. Being paired with the equally low-rated American Odyssey may have contributed to the show’s failure to see a second season on the major TV network.
Downey and Burnett have been working on a deal with MGM to help make their own online channel, United Artists Media Group, which launched last Fall, a success. This channel, under the banner of Lightworkers Media, is where they are planning the Bible follow-up series to continue.
The show won’t likely hit until late 2016 or early 2017, says Variety, so NBC canceling A.D.: The Bible Continues could be little more than a temporary setback.
‘A.D. The Bible Continues’ joins ‘American Odyssey’ on NBC’s cancellation heap http://t.co/XP3034XF6d pic.twitter.com/iNYxGLTZKF
— HitFix (@HitFix) July 4, 2015
The cast of A.D. will likely not be the same, since NBC’s decision has also released Juan Pablo Di Pace. Richard Coyle, James Callis, Babou Alieu Ceesay, Chipo Chung, and Adam Levy from their contracts.
Would you be interested in seeing the return of A.D.: The Bible Continues, even with a new cast?
[Image via NBC / E! Online]
