Did Netflix Pick Up Zoo Season 4?
Did Netflix Pick Up Zoo Season 4?
Hey there! I’m here to give you all the juicy details on whether Netflix decided to bring us the much-awaited Zoo Season 4. So, let’s dive right in, shall we?
Now, I know you’ve been eagerly waiting to find out if our favorite show made the cut, and trust me, I was just as curious as you are! Well, after carefully going through various sources and doing some detective work, I have some pretty exciting news to share.
Drumroll, please…
Netflix has made its decision, and guess what? They did pick up Zoo Season 4! Woohoo! Can you believe it? I’m over the moon, and I’m sure you are too!
I couldn’t be more thrilled about this fantastic news. I mean, I’ve been following the show from the beginning, and I’ve always found it to be captivating and full of suspense. The thought of another season filled with thrilling adventures and twists has me buzzing with excitement!
So, mark your calendars and get ready for the return of our beloved characters. I can’t wait to see what thrilling escapades await us in Zoo Season 4. It’s going to be a wild ride, and I’m sure we’re in for a treat!
Now that we know Netflix has decided to continue the saga, all we have to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. Oh, and don’t forget to get your popcorn ready. Trust me; you won’t want to miss a single moment of this thrilling ride!
I gotta tell ya, we’re living in a real heyday for TV. I mean, with Netflix, Amazon Prime, and all those other streaming services out there, we’ve got more incredible shows than we know what to do with. It’s a TV lover’s dream come true. But here’s the thing: with all these amazing shows, there’s a downside. A lot of them don’t make it past a few seasons. I know, it’s a real bummer. They just don’t get enough love from the fans, and before you know it, they’re canceled. It’s like a punch to the gut, especially when they leave us hanging with a cliffhanger that’ll never get resolved. Take the show “Zoo” for example. It aired on CBS starting in 2015, and after just 3 seasons and 39 episodes, it was unceremoniously axed on October 23, 2017. Talk about a sad ending.
Alright, now let’s get into the nitty-gritty of the show. “Zoo” was a real doozy of a thriller, let me tell ya. It revolved around this zoologist dude named Jackson Oz, played by James Wolk. At first, he’s just your average safari guide, minding his own business. But then something strange starts happening. The animals, they’re acting all weird, aggressive and stuff. Jackson’s like, “What the heck is going on here?” So he starts digging deeper, trying to figure out why these animals are suddenly going nuts and attacking humans left and right. And that’s when the adventure really kicks off.
Now, Jackson’s not alone on this wild ride. He’s got a crew backing him up. There’s Abraham Kenyatta, another safari guide, played by Nonso Anozie. Then you’ve got Jamie Campbell, a journalist played by Kristen Connolly. Dr. Mitch Morgan, a badass veterinarian played by Billy Burke. And to top it all off, there’s Chloe Tousignant, a French intelligence agent played by Nora Arnezeder. These guys fight tooth and nail against all odds to save the day.
But let me tell you, the plot of this show is no walk in the park. It’s intricate, it’s absurd, and at times, it’s downright mind-boggling. In the first season, our heroes travel the world, trying to find a cure for this weird virus that’s making the animals go haywire. They’re so close, they can taste it, but wouldn’t you know it, the virus mutates, and chaos ensues. The animals go on a rampage all over the globe. It’s like a real-life monster movie, I’m telling ya.
But hold on, it gets even crazier. In the second and third seasons, our gang encounters all sorts of otherworldly creatures. I’m talking a 70-foot invisible snake, some freaky ostrich-vultures that can burrow underground, razorback wolves, and get this, a wooly mammoth-rhinoceros mashup. I know, it sounds like something out of a sci-fi flick, but that’s the kinda stuff they’re up against. The events just keep getting weirder and weirder. And poor Jackson, he starts losing it. He’s on the brink of madness, but he’s got this bizarre ability now. He can communicate with animals telepathically. I told you, surreal.
And just when you thought things couldn’t get any more nuts, the series goes out with a bang. It ends on a cliffhanger, my friend. A double whammy, actually. Not only do we have this animal apocalypse happening, but now there’s a threat of a zombie apocalypse too. Talk about a wild ride that we’ll never get to see the end of. Tragic, really.
The Journey Begins
When “Zoo” first aired on CBS, it quickly became a sensation. The show took the Tuesday 10 pm time slot and was initially meant to fill the void left by the cancellation of another sci-fi series called “Under the Dome”. “Under the Dome” had its run on CBS for three seasons before it was given the ax in 2014. In the summer of 2015, “Zoo” made its debut with a thrilling 13-episode first season. From June 30 to September 15, viewers were captivated by the mysterious world of the show. “Zoo” replaced “Under the Dome” on Tuesdays at 10pm, creating a sense of anticipation for its ardent fans.
The second season of “Zoo” aired from June 28 to September 6, 2016. It offered 13 brand new episodes, with the final two episodes being showcased back-to-back in a special two-hour event. The third and final season, also consisting of 13 episodes, was broadcast from June 29 to September 21, 2017, marking the end of the series. Unfortunately, CBS decided to cancel “Zoo” just a month after the final cliffhanger episode aired, leaving fans disappointed and wanting more.
If you missed out on any of the action, fear not! All three seasons of “Zoo” are available on DVD, and the first season can also be enjoyed on Blu-ray.
Netflix and Amazon Vying for Dominance
When “Zoo” made its grand debut, it sparked a rivalry between Amazon and Netflix as both streaming giants clamored to secure the rights to the show. In the end, Netflix emerged as the victor and became CBS’s exclusive video-on-demand partner for “Zoo”. As part of the agreement, Netflix had to wait until all 13 episodes of each season aired on CBS before gaining access. Furthermore, Netflix obtained the rights to stream “Zoo” in over 50 countries worldwide. Even to this day, as of February 2019, “Zoo” continues to be available for streaming on Netflix. (If you’re looking for something else to watch on Netflix, check out this review of amazing shows currently available or this list of must-see binge-worthy programs!)
Ratings in the Wilderness
At the beginning, “Zoo” garnered a significant following (hence the intense competition between Netflix and Amazon). The first season maintained an average of 6.4 million viewers per episode, with a rating of 1.06 among the important 18-49 demographic. The premiere episode attracted around 8.1 million viewers, although the number fell to 4.8 million viewers by the season finale.
In the second season, the ratings declined further. The season opened with 5.1 million viewers, ending with 4.2 million viewers. This caused the average viewership to decrease from 6.40 to 4.40 million, with an average rating of 0.74 among the vital demographic.
With the original core viewers gradually losing interest, the downward trend continued in the third season. It premiered with just under 3 million viewers and concluded with 2.8 million viewers. The season average was 2.65 million viewers, accompanied by a 0.51 rating among the coveted 18-49 demographic.
The Collapse
“Zoo” embarked on an unrelenting journey of decline. After its initial success, the show struggled to regain its momentum, losing nearly half of its audience in the very first season. Although the second season managed to sustain its viewership, the third season proved to be disastrous. The steady decline in ratings fueled speculations within the industry that “Zoo” was at risk of cancellation. Those speculations turned out to be true. Despite being renewed for a third season, the numbers were abysmal. The season never crossed the 3 million viewer mark, with its lowest point being the tenth episode of the third season, which had only 2.03 million viewers. Even the highly anticipated season finale could only reach 2.8 million viewers. The cancellation announcement in October 2017 left die-hard fans devastated, but didn’t come as a surprise to others.
Will There Be a Season 4?
Ever since “Zoo” was canceled, there have been rumors swirling about whether Netflix would step in and pick it up for a fourth season. Netflix is always on the lookout for new content, and shows like “Zoo” that already have a dedicated fan base can be an attractive option. After all, Netflix has brought back a few shows from the dead before. Plus, they already have the exclusive rights to stream the series. With the third season ending in a cliffhanger, many people thought it would be a natural entry point for a renewal. Fans even created an online petition.
However, despite all the rumors and speculations, Netflix has remained silent on the subject. One big hurdle is the fact that “Zoo” heavily relied on CGI, and creating 70-foot invisible snakes and rhinoceros monsters doesn’t come cheap, even with the drop in special effects costs over the years. With only a small number of people tuning in by the end of the series, Netflix probably didn’t see much profit potential for a fourth season. As a result, there’s still no official announcement from Netflix regarding the future of the series.
Another challenge standing in the way of a “Zoo” revival is that some of the key cast members have already moved on. James Wolk is now starring in CBS’ new thriller “Tell Me A Story”, which has been renewed for a second season. Alyssa Diaz has taken on the lead role in ABC’s “The Rookie”, and Billy Burke is focusing on his movie career.
All things considered, the chances of a fourth season for “Zoo” look slim.
Episode Summaries – Season One
Many people consider the first season of Zoo to be the best, so here are the summaries of each episode from that season.
Episode 1, “First Blood”
Episode 2, “Fight or Flight”
I’m captured by a group of lions, but luckily, rescued by Jackson. His mom advises him to go to Japan and search for his father’s abandoned research. While Jamie and Mitch investigate Reiden, they make a shocking discovery of unusual brain activity in the lions at the Los Angeles Zoo. Chloe heads back to Paris and we learn she’s a spy!
Episode 3, “The Silence of the Cicadas”
Episode 4, “Pack Mentality”
FBI agent Ben Shaffer looks into the Hartley escape and finds out that Hartley is leading a wolf pack. Jamie finds a photo of Hartley with Mitch, and Abraham and Mitch try to catch a wolf but get captured by Hartley instead. They manage to escape and even take a wolf corpse with them for further examination. Meanwhile, there’s chaos at an Antarctic research station when bats attack and the researchers freeze to death.
Episode 5, “Blame It on Leo”
Episode 6, “This Is What It Sounds Like”
While Mitch realizes that a chemist named Leo Butler is involved in something suspicious, Jamie hacks into Reiden’s computer system and uncovers a blackmail operation. Leo reveals that Reiden has been using a special molecule called the “mother cell” in their products, leading to a dangerous situation. Chloe, Abraham, and Mitch head to Brazil on a mission and end up dealing with a local gangster.
Episode 7, “Sleuths”
Episode 8, “The Cheese Stands Alone”
Chloe’s ex-fiancé, Jean-Michel Lion, teams up with Paris authorities to investigate bears invading homes. Jamie infiltrates Reiden’s office in Paris, while Mitch studies a captured bear and discovers intriguing changes. The team faces attacks from the bears when they wake up, and Mitch realizes the mother cell may have extraordinary properties. Chaos ensues!
Episode 9, “Murmuration”
Episode 10, “Emotional Contagion”
Episode 11, “Eats, Shoots and Leaves”
Episode 12, “Wild Things”
Episode 13, “That Great Big Hill of Hope”
Conclusion
In today’s crowded TV landscape, every show faces tough competition for viewership. While there’s room for new and exciting stories, ultimately, the bottom line determines a show’s fate. A show needs to attract a large enough audience to justify its production costs, and unfortunately, “Zoo” struggled with low ratings throughout its run, which led to its cancellation. It had more stories to tell, but it just couldn’t find enough viewers. A revival seems unlikely, but not entirely impossible.
(TechJunkie keeps track of many shows that Netflix, Amazon Prime, and other platforms might pick up. For example, we cover the chances of Last Man on Earth, Luther, Dark Matter, Grimm, Daredevil, Impostors, Taken, Into the Badlands, Z Nation, and many more getting another season.)