Whether "Terra Nova" gets renewed for a second season on Fox — along with the fate of the network’s long-running medical drama “House” — may depend on how the network’s midseason shows perform, reports Deadline.com.

The situation is especially critical for “Terra Nova.” The expensive dinosaur drama will need to go into production by April for a second-season debut in fall, but the renewal decision has been made tougher by Fox’s decision to hold back three of its four new dramas back for a midseason debut, the story notes.

"Things may get a little bit clearer in the next three weeks when midseason dramas ‘Alcatraz’ and ‘The Finder’ will premiere and ‘Touch’ will get a preview ahead of its March debut," the story points out.

Producers of both “Terra Nova” and “House” hoped to find out by the end of December whether their shows would be extended, but Fox’s decision to hold off on unveiling its new dramas pushed things back. “House” creator David Shore in particular has made it clear that he needs time to craft a proper conclusion for the series if it turns out this season is its last, the story notes.