Karl Urban's sci-fi show Almost Human gets axed

Almost Human has been axed after one season.

Karl Urban's American sci-fi television series has only lasted one season.

Almost Human, the JJ Abrams production about police in the future being coupled up with cyborg buddies, has been axed by Fox after its first series.

News of the show's axing came on the same day as Abrams held the first script reading for Star Wars: Episode VII, The Hollywood Reporter said.

As well as Urban, Almost Human also starred Minka Kelly, Lili Taylor, Makenzie Crook and Michael Irby.

It debuted on US screens in November, and is expected to reach New Zealand screens later this year.

THR reported the show rated well to start with, but ratings dropped over the course of the season.

It has a 63 per cent approval rating on review aggregate site Metacritic, with USA Today saying: "If you can look past a few disquieting flaws and get past that odd feeling that you've seen it all before, you'll find the bones of a potentially entertaining series."

Urban's lead role came after playing Dr "Bones" McCoy in Abrams' reboot of the Star Trek film franchise.

It's not Abrams' first show to be cut short. His 2012 series Alcatraz, which starred Sam Neill, was also canned by its American broadcaster after its first season.

- nzherald.co.nz