(ABC)
It looks like ABC considers The Ultimate Surfer TV series a wipeout. The alphabet network has cancelled the show so there won’t be a second season. The first season aired last August and September.
A water competition series, The Ultimate Surfer TV show was created by eleven-time surfing world champion Kelly Slater. Former NFL quarterback Jesse Palmer hosts the show with sports anchor Erin Coscarelli and the iconic voice of professional surfing Joe Turpel serving as commentators. The series gathers some of the world’s greatest up-and-coming surfers to train and live together as they battle it out at the World Surf League’s (WSL) state-of-the-art Surf Ranch in Lemoore, California (powered by Slater’s human-made wave technology), in the hope of competing amongst the best athletes in the fast-growing sport. Contestants compete in individual and team challenges focused on specific surfing disciplines. Weekly eliminations leave two men and two women as finalists who vie for the male and female titles of The Ultimate Surfer and the opportunity to compete on the elite WSL Championship Tour, the pinnacle of professional surfing. Surfers competing this season are Anastasia Ashley, Kai Barger, Mason Barnes, Tia Blanco, Austin Clouse, Brianna Cope, Luke Davis, Kayla Durden, Juli Hernandez, Zeke Lau, Alejandro Moreda, Koa Smith, Malia Ward, and Bruna Zaun.
Airing on Monday and Tuesday nights, the first season of The Ultimate Surfer averaged a 0.29 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 1.28 million viewers in the live+same day ratings (including DVR playback through 3:00 AM). While these numbers don’t include further delayed or streaming viewing, they are a very good indicator of how a show is performing, especially when compared to others on the same channel. It was the least-watched original series on ABC’s Summer 2021 schedule.
The news was first reported by Deadline.
What do you think? Have you checked out The Ultimate Surfer TV series on ABC? Are you sorry to hear this competition won’t return for a second season?