It’s game over for Syfy’s Hunters.
The NBCUniversal-owned cable network has canceled the straight-to-series adaptation of Whitley Strieber’s best-selling novel Alien Hunter, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
The 13-episode drama was first put in development in October 2013 and picked up to series in September 2014 without a cast attached.
From Universal Cable Productions and Gale Anne Hurd, the drama starred Nathan Phillips and Britne Oldford with 12 Monkeys‘ Natalie Chaidez attached as showrunner. The series followed a Pennsylvania detective-turned-suspect Flynn Carroll (Phillips) who, after his wife mysteriously goes missing, is determined to prove his innocence and find her. His search leads to evidence that dangerous alien cells are living among us, and the U.S. government has a secret organization in place to thwart their terrorist efforts.
Hunters bowed to little fanfare in April, drawing 540,000 total viewers and was panned by critics (it has a zero rating on Rotten Tomatoes). Through 12 episodes, it has averaged a dismal 316,000 viewers. Monday’s season finale will now serve as a series finale.
Hunters is a rare miss for Syfy of late. The cabler has focused heavily in the past few years to reinvent itself with a focus on more traditional science-fiction fare along the lines of critical favorite Battlestar Galactica. Syfy’s recent success stories include critical darling 12 Monkeys (renewed for a third, yet smaller season), The Magicians, The Expanse, Z Nation, Killjoys and acquisitions Dark Matter and Wynonna Earp. (A decision onWynonna Earp has not yet been determined.) Up next, Syfy has anthology Channel Zero due in October andIncorporated, set for the fall.