FOX's Wayward Pines had a solid first season that managed to impress both critics and audiences alike, so it was no surprise when the twisty drama got renewed for Season 2. Now that we're three episodes into that second season, though, it looks like people might not be responding to it as well as they did Season 1. The ratings for the M. Night Shyamalan science fiction series have dropped for the second week in a row since the Season 2 premiere.
According to TVLine, yesterday's episode of Wayward Pines drew 2.4 million total viewers with a 0.7 demo rating, which means that the show has dipped on both accounts for the second consecutive week. Now, considering the fractured television landscape, and the fact that Wayward Pines is a summer series, those numbers by themselves might not seem so bad, but the third episode of Season 1 did much better. Last year, Episode 3 nabbed 4 million viewers and a 1.2 demo rating, and the series, overall, had the distinction of being the summer's highest rated drama.
Wayward Pines is a mystery/sci-fi show that's based on a series of novels of the same name. The first season of the show followed U.S. Secret Service agent Ethan Burke (Matt Dillon) as he investigated the disappearance of two of his fellow agents in the small town of Wayward Pines, Idaho. When he awakens from a car accident, he soon realizes that one of the agents is dead, while the other, his ex-lover, has settled in the town for a suspiciously long time. Before long, Ethan finds out that he and the other inhabitants of the town are stuck there, because of the giant electrified fence that surrounds them. Plus, anyone who is caught trying to leave is faced with what's known as a "reckoning," which for regular folks would just be called a public execution. That sure is one way to keep the townsfolk in line.
Ethan does eventually find out what's going on, but the results aren't good. Season 2 focuses on Dr. Theo Yedlin (Jason Patric), a surgeon in the town who finds himself caught between the leader of the First Generation and the leader of the underground rebels, who just happens to be Ethan's son.
While the first season of Wayward Pines received mostly positive reviews, and was considered a fine return to form for recently embattled producer/writer/director M. Night Shyamalan, Season 2 has not fared so well with critics, and it seems as though the audience has caught on. This season is currently considered "rotten" on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, with the site consensus calling it "dull, repetitive and trite."
Well, if the ratings keep falling, there might not be much hope for a Season 3 of Wayward Pines, so if you're still a fan, you should stick with it. Wayward Pines airs Wednesday nights on FOX.
