ABC has called a long hiatus for the thriller “Flash Forward”. The show will take a three month long break this winter. According to promos aired on the channel, the show will return on March 4. While the finale was broadcast on schedule, the original return date was to be in January.
There are several reasons behind the decision to delay the show’s return.
The American Idol juggernaut returns in January to be followed by the Winter Olympics in February, so it seems to be logical to keep the show out of the fracas till the appropriate time. Producers of “V” also made the same decision way before the premiere of the show. “V” returns in late March and will move into a post “Lost” slot at 10 p.m. The Alphabet is not the only network to freeze shows; Fox has also given time off to “Glee” (four months in fact) and “Lie to Me”.
The late call for “Flash Forward” may be due to the fall in ratings the show has experienced since its decent opening. The critics are growing in numbers due to the direction the show is taking. These critics are former fans of the show who are growing wary of the story. The decision to let go of Marc Guggenheim from “Flash Forward” and faltering production in November to tweak the story are some of the reasons why fans are up in arms.
But more importantly, the burning question right now is how the break will affect the show’s April 29 episode, a date which is crucial in the show’s mythology.