LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- After two months of kicking the can down the road, FOX has ultimately decided not to order a second season of its much-ballyhooed drama "Terra Nova."

The network originally had until December 31 to make the call but bought itself some extra time by picking up the options on the actors' contracts. But with production needing to begin this month to make a planned 22-episode second season, FOX couldn't hold off any longer.

"Terra Nova" averaged a 2.5 rating/6 share among adults 18-49 for its 13-episode run, besting "Fringe" (1.2/4) and "The Finder" (2.3/6) but behind "Bones" (2.8/7), "House" (2.8/7), "Alcatraz" (2.9/7) and "Glee" (3.3/9).*

In Live + 7, "Terra Nova" improved to a 3.6/9, but still finished in the same place in the drama pack - ahead of "The Finder" (2.9/7) and "Fringe" (2.0/6); short of "Glee" (4.6/13), "Alcatraz" (4.2/10), "House" (4.1/10) and "Bones" (3.9/10).**

Producer 20th Century Fox Television reportedly plans to shop the series to other networks however only the cancellation could be confirmed by network sources at press time.

* Live + Same Day Ratings (9/19/11-2/12/12); ** Live + 7 Day Ratings (9/19/11-2/12/12)