Netflix Looking to Travel Down ‘The River’?

It might be too early to start making the "up sh*t river without a paddle" jokes for ABC's freshman drama 'The River,' which recently aired its first season finale, but already the buzz is that the series might be able to find new ground on an emerging TV network

According to Deadline TV, Netflix has reportedly engaged in preliminary conversations with ABC to see if 'The River' might be a strong gain for them, particularly if ABC decides not to renew the supernatural drama.  'The River' opened to decent buzz and critical acclaim, but it's Tuesday finale episode "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" only earned a meager 1.4 rating in the 18-49 demographic, far short of the number a major network like ABC tends to desire.

If true, 'The River' marks yet another network TV series potentially to be picked up by Netflix, a brand already looking to expand its market into original and exclusive serialized shows.  The video-streaming service already released its original series 'Lilyhammer,' recently green-lit an Eli Roth horror series starring Famke Janssen for 2013, and will play host to the long-awaited 'Arrested Development' reunion series.

Additionally, Netflix has been in talks with FOX to pick up the rights to a second season of 'Terra Nova,' which was already denied a renewal.  'Terra Nova' makes for a far more expensive prospect than ABC's more practical drama, though 'Terra Nova' also secured much more promising ratings than 'The River' in their respective first seasons.

What say you?  Do you think the odds are good for 'The River' to reach a second season on ABC, or would you rather Netflix keep expanding their brand with more high-profile series?  Tell us what you thought about the first season, and what you'd like to see next in the comments below!