North Dakota Inspired 'Blood & Oil' Might Be Canceled After Ratings Fall 40 Percent

Blood & Oil, the energy industry soap opera based in North Dakota but filmed in the Rocky Mountains of Utah, premiered to modest ratings a couple of weeks back. Since then, though, the ratings for the program have tanked.

The show lost over 1 million viewers in week two, and in week three the show’s ratings are now down almost 40 percent since the premier.

According to TV.com, the show has 6.3 million viewers in its first week but was down to just 3.82 million ratings by week three, or a 0.8 rating.

“A 33 percent drop for the ABC oil boom soap was the biggest hit any new show took this week (tied with The Grinder), and it seems to be accelerating into the ground at a greater speed as it goes along, as though it’s drilling for black gold,” the website reports. “This show is a goner, and should be canceled in the next few weeks.”

I guess you could argue that perhaps the show’s negative portrayal of North Dakota and oil activity here was turning viewers off, but I honestly don’t think that’s it.

I think it’s just a bad show with poor writing, cringe-worthy acting, and a sense that the show’s producers seemed to care very little about the authenticity of the story they are telling. Starting with the choice of snow-capped mountains as the backdrop.