(Photo by: The Nacelle Company)
It looks like Zac isn’t coming back to The CW for a second season — or even the rest of his show’s first. The smallest broadcast network has dropped Down to Earth with Zac Efron show after just two airings.
A documentary series, the Down to Earth with Zac Efron TV show stars actor Zac Efron and wellness expert Darin Olien. The duo travels the world searching for the secrets to good health, a long life, and a higher level of eco-consciousness. Through the adventure and laughs, this travelogue, food odyssey, and eco-warrior series takes the star out of his comfort zone and into the world’s far corners. In the first season, locations include Costa Rica, France, Iceland, Iquitos, Lima, London, Puerto Rico, and Sardinia.
Airing on Tuesday nights, the two episodes of the first season of Down to Earth with Zac Efron averaged a 0.04 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 269,000 viewers in the live+same day ratings (including DVR playback through 3:00 AM). It was a middle-of-the-road performer compared to the network’s other summer shows.
The first season was released on Netflix three years ago and on Vice this past spring. The CW’s new management has decided to focus on keeping costs down by airing inexpensive and acquired programming.
Since the network doesn’t own its shows, ratings and ad revenue are very important to the bottom line. As a result, the execs apparently aren’t shy about pulling shows that aren’t measuring up. The CW has also pulled acquired shows Fantastic Friends and Barons in the past month. The latter series’ final episodes were released online, and it seems likely that the remaining installments of Down to Earth will end up there too.
For the immediate future, reruns of Penn & Teller: Fool Us will fill the Mondays at 8 PM timeslot.
What do you think? Have you enjoyed watching the Down to Earth with Zac Efron series on The CW? Are you disappointed that the network has cancelled its future airings?