After two weeks on the air, FOX has decided to shift its new Monday night legal drama, Canterbury’s Law, to Friday nights.
The Julianna Margulies series has been garnering terrible ratings so the move certainly comes as no surprise. The series’ premiere on March 10th attracted just 7.7 million and a dismal 1.7 rating among adults 18-49 — the network’s lowest-rated premiere for that time-period in the history of the network. The second episode’s viewership for 18-49 was essentially the same but total viewers dropped to 5.7 million.
With numbers like these, it’s no surprise that FOX has sentenced the series to Friday nights. It’s essentially a done deal that Canterbury’s won’t be back for another season. With four episodes left, it seems likely that the network won’t even let the show finish airing all of its episodes.
Interestingly, both Canterbury’s and New Amsterdam were originally slated for Friday nights but they were shifted to Mondays because of the writers strike.
Though its numbers are nothing to brag about, Amsterdam has been able to improve on Canterbury’s numbers. Its for this reason that FOX is likely giving Amsterdam some more time on Monday’s schedule. Repeats of House will take Canterbury’s slot and will provide a bigger lead-in audience for Amsterdam. Stay tuned! 
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25 Comments on "Canterbury’s Law: Essentially Cancelled? Good News for New Amsterdam."
this sucks Just saw this on netflix and I love it. To bad its gone
I think it’s a great legal drama, very original. The dialogue, music, and subject matter are all provocative and the plot thought provoking. I think that Julianna Margulies does an excellent job creating and executing this character!
I think the strike really messed up the new shows. Too bad because this was a good show.
You know, I don’t even like your network, I have been watching the show online and I was actually considering being part of the ratings by watching as it comes on, you really need to keep this show. It may bring some people who aren’t watching for other reasons back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Usually don’t comment about a show being cancelled but my husband and I truly loved this show. To give a show an opportunity to succeed you have to put it in a good time slot to begin with and NOT move it to another slot after a few shows. It was the network’s fault this program was not successful. We found the acting excellent and the story lines entertaining. Even Seinfeld had problems finding an audience in the beginning. Enough said.
Who in the heck are these Nielson rating boxes going to? Canterbury’s Law is a great show and I want to see the show continue. I love the fact that her character is so passionate about justice. Her supporting cast could use a little makeover like a hot new ex husband or a hottie DA. Let’s explore her character more to find out how she came about.
Hopefully someone with the power to save an outstanding show will read this. KEEP CANTERBURY’S LAW ON THE AIR FOR THE NEXT SEASON. WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO GET YOU GUYS AT FOX TO DO THE RIGHT THING WITH A QUALITY SHOW!
It’s a good show, different, and although the plot has some holes, I think it’s very entertaining. I sure hope Fox doesn’t kill it. It’s the first thing really unique on any network and my wife and I really enjoy it. Because we like it –that means it will get cancelled. Same thing happened about 20 years ago with a show named “A Year in the Life” set in the Seattle area. I liked it so they cancelled it. Just can’t compete with Pro Wrestling or cage fighting for ratings.
who the heck do we contact to save this show? I am sick to death of finally finding a show every once in a while that is smart, funny, intelligent and though provoking (Book of Daniel!!!) that they give 2 weeks on the air and then axe it!! If I see one more game or reality show I am going to create a reality show of my own!!
I’m tired of new shows being put on t.v. against other popular shows and then since people are watching the old”popular” show, the new ones get yanked after a few epidoses. There are only a few good shows on anymore, I’m sick of the losing weight shows and all the other reality crap!!!
So we were going to get to see the scheduled showing of the “season finale” of Canterbury’s Law and it was pre-empted by a Mets/Phillies game. Don’t the Mets have their own channel? Come on….if your going to take the show off the air at least let the viewers who give a damn about the show watch the last episode? This is a well written show. If your not going to keep it on FOX then move it to FX where the ratings are not such a big deal but the television is great.
You know….I’m about sick of reality shows….you finally get a decent show back on the air and now you want to cancel it….I like both these new shows and having them back to back on Monday night was great. Wednesday would even be better, as there is absolutely nothing decent on either of those night. Hopefully, someone will read these comments and listen to what the public has to say and not the executives who probably make more money producing REALITY SHOWS!
It is EXTREMELY unfair to put a show up against Dancing With The Stars for it’s premiere and then move it to Fridays because of poor ratings, as a result. It seems to me that execs are cancelling shows just because they have the power to do so, not giving it time to “catch on”. What about the viewers who have invested time into watching the show and are interested in the characters and plots? Does Fox not value us?