As expected, FOX’s juggernaut American Idol is back with a vengeance. The reality singing series has been garnering incredible ratings and as a result, the other networks are feeling the pinch. Interestingly enough, another reality show is the first casualty.
Armed & Famous debuted on Wednesday, January 10th at 8pm on CBS. The series followed five celebrities through police academy training, graduation and then on patrol as reserve police officers in Muncie, Indiana. The celebrity officers were CHiPs’ Erik Estrada, singer La Toya Jackson, The Osbournes’ Jack Osbourne, Jackass’ Jason “Wee Man” Acuna, and wrestler Trish Stratus.
On the day of the series premiere, the Armed & Famous cast presented Muncie’s police department with three fully equipped 2007 Hummer SUVs. At the ceremony, Muncie Police Chief Joe Winkle offered Osbourne a full-time position on his force. Osbourne respectfully declined but asked the Chief for a letter of recommendation to a Los Angeles police academy. It’s too bad this dedication didn’t translate into bigger viewer numbers.
The first and second episodes attracted only 5.5 million households each. The latest episode, up against Idol, experienced a huge drop in viewers. Only 3.5 million households tuned in. That’s apparently enough for CBS. The network has cancelled Armed & Famous effective immediately.
CSI: NY will take the Wedesday slot on January 31st and Criminal Minds will fill in on February 7th. CBS’ Jericho series returns for its midseason debut with a recap episode on February 14th. The remaining unaired episodes of Armed & Famous may air during the Summer months though, personally, I wouldn’t bet on it. 
Armed and famous was great!! I have a lot of respect for all the celebrities that took part in the show. They have guts!! They showed that they were human but at the same time they learned and did better each week. My hat is off to them!! Leave it to the tv station to pull it. Every time they put something decent on they cancel it. Why do they even bother. It would have been great to put on saturdays as there is NOTHING ON THEN!!!!! Sorry to see it go. It would be nice if another station would… Read more »
My wife and I loved the show, and was ticked when we found out it was cancelled. Nothing to watch anymore on Wednesdays. It wouldnt be good to put it on Mondays not only because of NBC’s Deal or No Deal, but because of (cable/satellites) WWE Monday Night RAW on USA network. That has the highest ratings on prime-time Monday nights. If anything CBS should air it on one of their cable stations.
Why, Why Why?!?!?!?!
And with just THREE MORE EPS!!!!!!!!!!!
Keep it up CBS, and NBC will be beating you in teh ratings again!
I personally think that they should have put it on Thursdays. Nothings on and they wouldn’t have had to compete against all the big rated shows like American Idol.
Loved the show.Stupid move to take it off. I don’t watch CSI or American Idol,,,,boring Wednesday nights on TV once again.
To the Anonymous poster who posted earlier:
Putting Armed and Famous on Monday’s would’nt have worked, either. Remember, NBC has new Deal or No Deal episodes on Monday’s, now.
I loved this show! I could relate so easily! I am a white, blonde, girly female and I was hired at the age of 42 as a police officer in a similiar sized city in the south. I knew exactly what LaToya and Trish were going through. It’s been three years so far and I think I have finally found my mojo on the job. You don’t know what “we” went through to get there. I hate it the show got cancelled. It really showed what police work is really like-the reality. There’s some good and bad elements in the… Read more »
I loved the show. CBS, you blew it by taking this show off the air! You didn’t give it a chance!
i think the show was great put it back on the air NOW!!!!!!!!!!!
I actually thought it was an interesting show. I was amazed at how the actors were taking the jobs very seriously. It is sad that CBS would pull the show…it was a nice thing to tune into when you don’t want to watch American Idol.
FINALLY A TV SHOW FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY. AND YOU PULL IT. I LOOOOOVE THAT SHOW!!!!MY FAIMLY AND I WATCHED IT EVERY WEEK!I THINK ARMED AND FAMOUS SHOULD STILL BE ON THE AIRE. MANY PEOPLE I KNOW WERE HEARING ABOUT THE SHOW FROM OTHERS AND WERE STARTING TO TUNE IN. WE EVEN GOT MY GRANDFATHER TO WATCH THE SHOW AND HE LIKED IT. AND HE IS VERY HARD TO PLEASE.
I loved this show, I can’t believe they pulled it just because CBS can’t air it when more popular shows aren’t on. It’s ratings would be so much higher if it were on Mondays when nothing is on, I’m really disappointed. I loved seeing what it was like to become a cop, what was involved, and the added twist of being famous made it even more interesting.
I am sorry that they cancelled Armed & Famous. It was funny and interesting. It was certainly better than Idol, Ugly Betty or Jericho. It did not turn out to be the spoof that I thought it would be in the beginning. Are the actors still cops?
I liked the show and kept up with it. I set the recorder when i had to work. I am so disappointed that they have removed it from their airing.
The show was awful boring and made muncie look bad. Who wants to see a bunch of D list celeb hippocrytes talk down to people doing the same things they’ve done in the past. Good riddance!