Last night, NBC burned off the final two episodes of Prime Suspect. The TV series has been ratings-challenged right from the start and, in November, NBC acknowledged that they wouldn’t be ordering any installments beyond the initial 13 episode order. The official word was that they would re-evaluate once all of the episodes had aired but everyone knew that it was really being cancelled.
If there was even a glimmer of hope that Prime Suspect might see a second season, the ratings for the final episodes didn’t help. Prime Suspect’s numbers continued to dwindle in the latter part of 2011. Last night, following a month hiatus, the finale registered a new series low.
Prime Suspect has been all but officially cancelled by NBC and its replacement, The Firm, is doing even worse. Last Thursday’s episode registered a 0.9 rating for its fourth episode. It took Prime Suspect 10 weeks to drop that low. Fortunately for fans of The Firm, NBC purchased 22 episodes up front. It remains to be seen if they’ll all air.
At the recent TCA press tour, NBC execs noted that, had Prime Suspect been on a premium cable channel like Showtime, it would have been declared a hit and would have been quickly renewed. Maybe but we’ll never know.
What do you think? Are you sorry that this was the end of Prime Suspect? Why do you think it didn’t catch on? Would it have been a hit on HBO or Showtime or even on a basic cable station like TNT?
Image courtesy NBC.
Newer and/or Related Articles
-
NBC 2011-12 Ratings Report Card
May 26, 2012 -
107 Ending or Cancelled TV Shows for the 2011-12 TV Season
May 22, 2012 -
Cancelled & Renewed NBC TV Shows for 2011-12
May 19, 2012 -
Prime Suspect (US)
Jan 25, 2012 -
Prime Suspect: Ratings for the 2011-12 TV Season
Jan 24, 2012 -
Prime Suspect: Cancelled Now?
Nov 16, 2011 -
Prime Suspect: Essentially Cancelled? Can It Be Saved?
Nov 8, 2011 -
Prime Suspect: Premiere Ratings
Sep 23, 2011 -
Prime Suspect: Is the New NBC Crime Series Worth Watching?
Sep 22, 2011 -
Which TV Shows Will You Watch on Thursday Nights?
Sep 15, 2011 -
NBC Announces 2011-12 Fall Season Premieres
Jul 6, 2011 -
NBC Announces 2011-12 Season Primetime Schedule
May 15, 2011
{ 265 comments… read them below or add one }
← Previous Comments
Next Comments →
This was a great show, you want the truth, you can’t handle it. Wish cable stattions would take it on.
loved Prime Suspect. I hatye The Firm.
I loved this show!!!! I continue to watch old episodes ON Demand. I think being on Sunday nights is what killed it. Wrong time! Wrong Day! The stories were great, as were the people. I am truely sad they will not be back on. Will they reconsider? Give it a Tuesday or Wednesday night showing and ratings would improve greatly.
Loved Prime Suspect. Thanks for the tease NBC. Try cancelling Grimm instead.
Seriously NBC there are viewers out there that like a well written show. I love Prime Suspect. Was excited for the Firm to but what a dud. Maybe and Executive will get smart and pick it up like they did Southland. Just stupid really and for what some lame reality show or a rip off of some hit show on one of the other networks. How about you give good programing some time and don’t move it around so quick. Exactly why NBC is tanking.
Shame on you.
I Loved the series…and when they started to change its time slot…I got annoyed. I think if NBC would just leave their time slots alone for a season or at least 1/2 a season…but when they jump it around like they did…that is why viewer ratings went down…people who wanted to watch it found it had been replaced in its time slot. The actors were fab…the story line really good. I hope they will consider revamping it and putting it on some other NBC Universal sister channel. Now, I’m afraid they’ll do it to GRIMM too….they started changing it up as well….GRRRR NBC scheduling team…YOU SUCK!
Prime Suspect was my favorite show; NBC should’ve done a better job of promoting it. Can’t say I like any of their other shows. I guess I’ll stick to watching CBS & FOX.
TNT or FX should pick it up. It would be right at home on either network.
I loved prime suspect. NBC didn’t even give it a chance. Best cop show since NYPD Blue. Great character acting! Love Maria Bello. I also hope some other network will pick it up!
This was/is a great show. When you watched it you connected immediately to the characters and felt like you where there in the office witch them. I hope some network is smart enough to pick it up.
What a shame, this show was great, with a good cast and story lines.
What is NBC thinking? Prime Suspect is an excellent show, gritty and real. Maria Bello is wonderful in the role of Jane. NBC seems to reject quality and embrace mediocrity!
Great show, great cast; surprised it’s cancelled
Prime Suspect has been a gem, along with Southland the only cop show worth paying attention to. I wish, I furiously wish, that one of the cable channels would pick it up. Guess the only thing to do is make an NBC doll and stick pins in it.
i LOVED prime suspect. dry witted, real, smart, and hip. now there are NO TV shows that i enjoy watching. REALLY NBC!?? I talked this up to anyone who would listen. bring this back, PLEASE.
← Previous Comments
Next Comments →
{ 3 trackbacks }