Zero Hour – ABC’s Davinci Code-like drama – has been cancelled just three episodes after it premiered. The show might come back, but it simply wasn’t providing decent competition for the show’s around it.

The American conspiracy series, created by Paul Scheuring for and starring Anthony Edwards may air again in the summer, but stiff competition from shows like The Big Bang Theory and American Idol, which show at the same time. The last episode brought in a pretty terrible 1.0 rating/3 share in the 18 to 49 demographic, which, as anyone in TV knows, is the most sought-after demo for any show or studio. The 8pm Thursday slot has become a hard one to fill; “Last Resort” had previously held the slot on ABC, and was also cancelled after thirteen episodes. Yidio say “dry and passé writing, questionable plotlines, and uncomfortable character chemistry,” meant Edwards – making his first TV appearance since ER – couldn’t save it despite a “promising concept”. The first three episodes hold a “generally unfavourable” score of 39% on metacritic, but an early positive review from The Wall Street Journal had given hope to the people behind the show.

Anthony Edwards, NIcole 'Snooki' Polizzi, and Ethan Hawke Celebrities come together for ABC's 'Day of Giving' Telethon, to raise funds for the victims affected by Hurricane Sandy New York City, USA

Edwards helping out victims of Hurricane Sandy

“It's a measure of the skill brought to this script by Paul Scheuring that a first episode so awash in multiplying complications manages to maintain its coherence and even a significant measure of suspense,” read the review. The Chicago Times, though, said “This overly ambitious series tries to do way too much and ends up doing nothing particularly well.”