The Black Donnellys: NBC Puts a Hit on the Drama
It looks like the axe has fallen for the Paul Haggis/Bobby Moresco drama The Black Donnellys. But does it have to be replaced by a reality show?
The Black Donnellys follows the story of four young Donnelly brothers — a clan of Catholic Irish-American siblings who are involved in organized crime in New York’s infamous Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. The story is told by unreliable narrator and Donnelly childhood friend named Joey “Ice Cream” while being incarcerated. The series stars Jonathan Tucker, Thomas Guiry, Olivia Wilde, Billy Lush, Michael Stahl-David, Kirk Acevedo and Keith Nobbs.
The series debuted on NBC on February 26, 2007 and took the place of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip on Monday nights. The series’ initial half hour did well (10 million) but viewership fell off significantly in the second half hour (6 million). The series’ initial hour ranked #50 for the week. The subsequent episodes lost viewers and attracted as few as 5.5 million.
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While many hoped that a Donnelly dismissal would mean the return of Studio 60, NBC has other plans. The Real Wedding Crashers will debut at 10pm on Monday nights beginning April 23rd, just in time for May sweeps. It seemed like the Crashers reality show would air on Sunday nights but, NBC execs like the series enough to give it the benefit of a post-Heroes debut.
Unless NBC pulls the series even earlier, only eight episodes of Donnellys will have aired on network TV. The series’ third episode, entitled “God is a Comedian Playing to an Audience Afraid to Laugh,” was considered too violent for network TV and was released as an NBC.com exclusive.
The network has ordered 13 episodes and its unknown at this point what will become of the remaining four segments. They may air over the summer or could be released as online exclusives.
Whether we get to see the rest or not, it looks unlikely the series will be back for a new season in the Fall. NBC will announce their Fall schedule next month. Stay tuned! 
UPDATE: NBC has now pulled Donnellys’ last scheduled episode due to low ratings. The unaired episodes will be made available on NBC.com, presumably on a weekly basis.
340. Halfpenny said,
whoever decided that the black donnellys wasnt good enough for a second series and beyond is an idiot and obviously knows nothing about great television. the acting throughout was excellent. coupled with top quality writing and direction this had the makings of a hell of a series. the first and last episodes leave the audience gagging for more. this was by far the best series on t.v. people in suits pull your heads out and low it.
339. Irishbhoy said,
Cant believe this show is cancelled. It was really taking off in Ireland and we all cant believe its been cancelled!!! Bring it back!!!!!!!!
338. Luz de Nogales said,
This serie is so amazing, is a really good show, i love it and i want to come back a new season, PLEASE¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡
337. amanda said,
I can not believe that this show is not coming back, it was exceptional! We had lots of friends come over and we’d all watch the show together. This is very disappointing NBC. Hopefully some other channel will see the potential in this cast.
336. CK said,
I was dissapointed when The Black Donnellys was taken of the air. I saw a little of The Spranos, hints of The God Father, and goodfellas. It even had some of the qualities I enjoyed watching the shield. I was addicted to the show and had the wind knocked out of me when it was cancelled. I bought the series on dvd and added it to my collection. I think FX would make a good home for this series
335. chelsea said,
i really think that there should be a season two of the Black donnellys. i loved the first season!!! so there should be a second season!!!
334. Tess said,
I just watched the season finale and I thought it was one of the best endings. NBC needs to bring back this show. I am so sick of realty tv and it was nice to have an entertaining show on.
333. Matthew said,
some of the best quality i have ever seen on nbc…why oh why did you cancel this show? it was sooo good. Bring it back after Wedding Crashers bombs.
332. F**K YOU NBC said,
NBC sucks, I kept holding off waiting for them to bring it back, thinking “Hmm, what the hell?” and so FINALLY I looked online and they screwed us over. Scrubs will be gone soon, and the “C”s will have nothing worth watching left.
331. bsloan said,
How about SOMEONE (hbo?!?) making The Black Donnelly’s into a show again - please - i’ll pay for it - i already netflixed it and watched it again - one of the better and most original series made.
330. KEV J said,
BLACK DONNELLYS ROCK.I ALREADY BOUGHT SEASON ONE AND WOULD BUY SEASON TWO BUT THERE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT.WHAT ARE YOU THINKING NBC????????
329. Americaningermany said,
The best NBC could do is dump the wedding crappers reality show and bring back Studio 60. Then their next move should be to dump another mindless reality show and bring back The Black Donnellys. NBC-WAKE UP AND GIVE US WHAT WE WANT!
328. Chad said,
Way to go NBC taking off a really good show. Bought the season so I could find out how it ended. How can you pull a show that made me sit on the edge of my seat just wondering what was going to happen next. I need to know. Not going to be watching NBC anymore!!!!! not even for Heroes.
In closing, NBC you really, really, really, messed this one up!!!!!!
BRING BACK THE DONNELLYS!!!!!
327. Doyle said,
Me and my brothers love this show. I neeed it. Man.. We stopped watching so much of Heros to watch more BD. The new season of Heros isn’t even that good. A new season of The Black Donnelys would be though.
326. J said,
How many more of these dumb “reality” shows do we need? I watch tv to get AWAY from reality….. And these “reality” shows have nothing to do with reality anyway. Seriously. Let’s do a show with the troops in Iraq. Or how about one that is in Hell’s Kitchen with real mobsters? But the reality is, tv caters to people that think that what they see on these “reality” shows is really truly how life is….. Bring back the Donnelly boys. Atleast they were more real than the Crashers…..
325. noah bostrom said,
F*ck!!!!!!!!! I LOVED THIS SHOW THERE HAD BETTER BE A SECOND SEASON. MAN IF THERE IS NOT I WILL ONLY WATCH HEROS AND IF THEY CANCELL THAT TO I AM GOING TO BE PISSED!
324. joey urbinatto said,
wow this is truely terrible - this was my favorite show - i cant believe nbc cancelled it - btw the article says the last 4 episodes might not air - u can get them on itunes for like 2 bux
323. Kaulins Akins said,
Why would this happen I was looking forward for another season. I kept looking on Monday nights for it and just found…no mroe show:(
322. Rachel said,
this is really disappointing! this was such a good show and it had a lot of potential! Someone needs to pick it up because i need to watch it!!
321. Marty said,
being irish with brothers of my own, it was cool to finally be able to relate to a show on tv. im tired of getting really into a show and having what ever !@#$ing network running it deside to pull it no matter how popular it is!!!theres so many! firefly! undeclaired! over there! and THEN SHOWS LIKE “WILL AND !@#$ING GRACE” AND “GILMORE GIRLS” stay on the air for like 8 to 10 years! ive never posted a comment about any show untill NOW! this has gotta stop!! what dose sombody have to do to start a BOYCOTT??? if i knew how id have done it by now! the public are the ones watching the shows, and we should be doing somthing to keep the ones we enjoy.
please post some suggestions!