<Tr> <Th> Original release </Th> <Td> 000000002018 - 02 - 07 - 0000 February 7--March 20, 2012 (2012 - 03 - 20) </Td> </Tr> <P> The River is a 2012 American found - footage supernatural action - adventure horror television series that debuted during the 2011--12 television winter season on ABC as a mid-season replacement . Eight episodes were produced for the first season . The series ran from February 7, 2012 to March 20, 2012 . On May 11, 2012, ABC officially canceled the series . </P> <P> After The River was officially canceled by ABC due to its sub-par ratings, Netflix was in talks with ABC Studios about possibly continuing the series on its video - on - demand digital distribution service, though they ultimately passed . </P> <P> Famed explorer Dr. Emmet Cole (Bruce Greenwood) went looking for "magic" deep in the uncharted Amazon basin and never returned . The shocking truth about his disappearance is out there, somewhere, just waiting to be discovered . To the millions of children who grew up watching his nature show, Dr. Cole was a hero . To his own son, Lincoln (Joe Anderson), he was more of an enigma . Now, six months after he vanished, Lincoln is finally ready to bury the past when Dr. Cole's emergency beacon suddenly goes off . At the urging of his mother, Tess (Leslie Hope), Lincoln reluctantly joins her on a search for his father . To fund the rescue, they agree to let Dr. Cole's cagey ex-producer, Clark (Paul Blackthorne), film the mission documentary - style . The mixed crew of old friends and new acquaintances includes the missing cameraman's daughter, Lena Landry (Eloise Mumford), ship's mechanic Emilio Valenzuela (Daniel Zacapa), and private security bodyguard Captain Kurt Brynildson (Thomas Kretschmann). </P>

What happened to the tv show the river