It’s been a rough road for Mitch MicDeere. Now, it’s come to an end — at least on NBC. The Firm has been cancelled after one season of 22 episodes.
The Firm picks up years after the young attorney (Josh Lucas) made his deal with the mob to take his old crooked law firm down. He and his family have come out of hiding but their problems haven’t gone away. The show also stars Molly Parker, Callum Keith Rennie, Juliette Lewis, Natasha Calis, Tricia Helfer, Martin Donovan, Shaun Majumder, and Paulino Nunes.
The series represented one of NBC’s biggest launches of the season but it misfired right from the start. The two-hour premiere brought in a dismal 1.4 rating in the 18-49 demographic with just 6.32 million viewers.
When The Firm moved to its regular timeslot on Thursdays a few days later, the numbers got even worse. Week two dropped 29% in the demo and the ratings kept falling in subsequent weeks. After hitting an embarrassing low for a primetime show — a 0.8 demo rating with 2.97 million viewers — NBC sent it packing to Saturday nights.
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The numbers have been awful since that move — even for a Saturday night show. It’s frequently outperformed by movies and crime drama reruns on the other networks.
To date, The Firm has an average of a 0.7 rating in the demo and 2.10 million viewers. On our NBC Ratings Report Card, which measures the relative demo success of shows on the network, the show has a “D-” grade — even after low viewership is taken into account.
On the positive side, NBC’s deal for The Firm is unique and a bit more like the one the network had for Merlin, the supernatural drama produced by the BBC.
Sony and eOne partnered to produce The Firm, primarily for the overseas market. Thanks to pre-sales and Canadian production tax credits, the cost of producing the series was already paid for and NBC was able to pick up the show for a greatly reduced licensing fee, just like any other secondary buyer.
Not surprisingly, The Firm won’t be back on NBC (according to TVWise) because the network has opted not to renew its deal with Sony and eOne. The series could continue to be produced for other markets however and even possibly be picked up by a cable channel here in the US. There’s been no word on the show’s fate beyond NBC so, for now, we’ll have to wait and see.
There are 22 episodes in the first season of The Firm and tonight’s marks the 17th. Right now, the finale is slated for June 23rd. If a second season isn’t going to be produced, hopefully the last episode will supply enough closure for the few million faithful viewers who’ve kept watching.
What do you think? Are you sorry that NBC isn’t continuing the show? Would you watch on another channel or purchase season two on DVD?
Image courtesy NBC.
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I too am very disappointed it is being cancelled. Here’s hoping it is picked up somewhere!
loved the show. sooo disappointed .
It s a wonderfull show.We are waiting last 3 chapter and also second season.
My wife and I have loved the show. I can’t believe it is being cancelled. It seemed as if the show was jerked around a lot be NBC.
I am devastated by this possible news of cancellation. No! No! No!
My husband and I love to watch this. It’s a milder form of “24″ from Fox.
We jumped on it when a co-worker told me about it after that ’24′ and “The Unit” ended.
Puhleeeese people….
It is the only non sports show I watch. If not home, I tape it.
The last epicsone I saw on TV was I believe #16. Have there been any episodes aired since then and at what time? I saw on DirecTV that it only went back to the last episode I saw yet when I check online, there are storylines for additional episodes. Where can I watch these, other than online>
One of the few network shows I watch. I was greatly disappointed when they moved it to Saturday night, even though I tape it, but knew it was being dumped. Too bad since the story lines and the acting are much better than most everything else on TV, specially network TV. The only action I can take it to bouycott NBC but they could care less with one viewer is going to do.
While The Firm is a very well acted and well written show, NBC has again dropped the ball and given us more reality crap for the sophomoric viewer. Another show with excellent potential canned for the lowest common denominators – cheap, brainless pap – reruns and reality. Congratulations NBC, keep up the good work, you can soon be number 5 in the network ratings with this management.
Our family loves the firm so much! Please keep it going!! Not many shows these days as good as the firm
Please have a 2nd season. GREAT SHOW!!!! We love it.
My family watches the firm every week and we LOVE it! We hope someone else is willing to pick the show up! It’s a very interesting show!
I absolutely LOVE this show!! My husband and I look forward to watching it and can’t wait to see the next show.
This is one show on tv I actually watch…… I would definitely watch anyway I can!
This is a great show-oneof the best! Our family looks forward to it every week. But, hey, what place does a great show have on television????? Come on-bean counters-invest in great television-the cast is wonderful, the story line fast paced. And some of the best actors around!
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