'Third Watch' & 'Point Pleasant' Have Been Cancelled

This season's list of "bubble" shows just got a bit shorter as both NBC's "Third Watch" and FOX's "Point Pleasant" have been given the axe.

In a post to the show's message board on FOX's web site, executive producer Marti Noxon confirmed the fate of the latter series:

"Well, it's all true. We're cancelled and we're off for good. No new ep on Thursday... In a way I'm glad because Thursday's episode didn't quite come together the way I would have liked and I would have hated for that to be our final word. Eps 9-12 were going to be pretty cool, though. Lots of twists and scary stuff. Anyway - thanks to those of you who care. It's been a bumpy ride for sure. If you feel inclined you can bug Fox studios to issue the season on DVD. I know they are thinking about it - and you'd get to see all the "lost" eps, which will be airing overseas. Again - thanks for watching. We had a blast."

FOX had previously announced on Tuesday it was replacing "Point" with the defunct second season of "Tru Calling" beginning March 31 while its planned airing tonight was yanked due to "American Idol's" delayed results show. In total five episodes of the series remain unaired.

To date this season, "Point" has averaged a disappointing 4.090 million viewers, just a hair more than fellow Thursday, 9:00/8:00c victim "North Shore" (4.070 million).

As for "Third Watch," producers Warner Bros. Television and John Wells Productions have confirmed the series will not return for the 2005-06 season. The remaining installments from its sixth season will begin airing Fridays at 9:00/8:00c beginning April 8.

For the 2004-05 season, "Watch" has averaged a solid but unspectacular 9.31 million viewers, just north of fellow Friday entry "Medical Investigation" (8.77 million) which wraps its run on Friday.