'Dead Zone,' '4400' Get the Ax

Zap2It.com | December 21, 2007

Billy Campbell on 'The 4400'

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USA cancels veteran dramas to make way for newbies

The other shoe has dropped for two of USA Network's longer-running series, "The Dead Zone" and "The 4400."

Rumors about the fate of the sci-fi series had been floating for some time, and USA made it official this week. The cancellation of the two shows will make room for new series, including the crime drama "In Plain Sight," with Mary McCormack, and the dramedy "To Love & Die," starring Shiri Appleby and Tim Matheson.

"We wish we could keep all our great shows alive forever," USA original programming chief Jeff Wachtel tells The Hollywood Reporter. "But we feel we need to give some of our new shows a platform to grow, and it's with great sadness that we say goodbye to two shows that had a great run and helped create the resurgence of original programming on our network and on all of cable."

"The Dead Zone," based on the Stephen King novel about a man (Anthony Michael Hall) who can see people's futures when he touches them, premiered in 2002 to a then-record audience of 6.4 million viewers. It ran for six seasons.

"The 4400" came along in 2004 and broke that record, drawing 7.4 million viewers to its premiere (a figure since surpassed on ad-supported cable by TNT's "The Closer"). The tale of a group of abductees who return to earth with special abilities ran for four seasons.

Creator Scott Peters posted news about the cancellation on a USA message board, thanking fans for making the show a success. "We've had a great time bringing you this story and submersing you in the lives of all these incredible characters," he writes. "I wish we could go on forever, but the party has come to an end."