The TV show finale of NBC’s America’s Toughest Jobs aired on Saturday night. Though the reality series hasn’t been officially cancelled by the network, it’s extremely unlikely that it will return for season two. Few people tuned in to watch the last episode, likely in part because NBC had already spoiled the surprise.
America’s Toughest Jobs debuted on August 25th. The reality show follows a group of contestants as they undertake taxing professions like crab fisherman, bullfighter, logger, and mountain guide. As is the case with many reality shows, one contestant is eliminated from the competition each week. The prize for the series’ ultimate winner — $298,000 — is the combined annual salaries for the professions that the contestants have sampled.
Scheduled opposite mostly reruns, Jobs debuted to a decent-sized Monday night audience; 7.47 million viewers and a 2.6/7 rating/share of the 18-49 demographic. As the weeks progressed and the other networks began rolling out new episodes of their shows, Jobs’ audience began shrinking. By the fourth episode, viewership had dropped to 4.9 million and a 1.6/4 rating/share.
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NBC moved the reality show to Friday nights and, not unexpectedly, the numbers continued to drop. The series was exiled to Saturday nights for the final two episodes and the ratings dropped even further.
The season (likely series) finale of Jobs aired on Saturday night and attracted only 3.1 million. Those numbers weren’t helped by the fact that NBC’s website posted the winner long before the episode aired. Images and text congratulating 28-year-old Ben Coleman for winning the competition appeared on the site as early as Saturday morning.
Did someone neglect to tell the NBC webmasters that the competition had been shifted to Saturday nights? Or, did they just figure that no one would notice or care? Either way it seems like NBC gave up on America’s Toughest Jobs long ago. Stay tuned! 
“I’m sorry, you weren’t tough enough.”
Every time NBC switched the night, it took me a while to find the show again. I enjoyed watching the people take on jobs that were out of their comfort zone. I just needed to know what knight to tune in.
Congratulations, Ben! You’ve tackle America’s Toughest Job!