After seven years on the beat, the show’s over for Detective Lily Rush (Kathryn Morris). CBS has officially cancelled Cold Case.
Each episode of Cold Case begins by showing an unsolved crime from the past. The scene then flashes forward to the present day and a group of homicide detectives try to piece together what really happened, using old evidence and new interviews. The series stars Morris, Danny Pino, John Finn, Jeremy Ratchford, Thom Barry, and Tracie Thoms.
Cold Case began in September of 2003 and quickly became a staple of the CBS Sunday night schedule. The crime drama had a successful first season and, by season two, was averaging a 3.5 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 15.1 million viewers. For the next couple seasons, total viewership fell a bit but the all-important demo numbers rose, reaching a 3.8 in season four.
Unfortunately the ratings have come down quite a bit since then. In season five, the show averaged a 2.9 rating and about 12 million viewers. Last season, Cold Case sank lower, to an average of a 2.7 rating and CBS made a choice between renewing ailing Without a Trace or Cold Case. They chose to keep Cold Case but may have regretted it pretty quickly. This season, the show’s ratings dropped even further to a 2.15 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 9.6 million viewers.
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So, while the overall viewership isn’t terrible, the demo numbers are and that’s what brings the ad dollars. CBS often has the most total viewers, but they are often lacking in the 18-49 demo department.
To no surprise, CBS has cancelled Cold Case after seven years on the air. The show won’t be back for season eight next fall. Sadly, the show is not available on DVD. It’s believed that securing the rights for the show’s extensive use of period music is problematic.
What do you think? Are you sorry to see the series go? What could have been done to help the TV show’s ratings?
Image courtesy CBS.
thank god for dvd’s on amazon
Yes I saw that without a trace had been moved to ION by looking in the tv guide newspaper. hopfefully that ION will pick up cold case now on TNT they only show it at 0200 and 2pm each day. pluse numbers has been canex too.
Cold Case being canceled is a travesty given replacements such as Survivor and other stupid reality shows. I noticed the ION TV picked up Without a Trace, another of my favorite shows, and sent them an email suggesting they also pick up Cold Case. If they do, they will be my favorite TV station….I will also not watch CBS anymore.
The first time I watched Cold Case on TNT it instantly became my favorite shows, figured out new episodes were on CBS Sun. nights. So I set my DVR to record all new episodes because I work when it’s on. But half the time it wasn’t Cold Case it was what ever was before it like that stupid show about the boss going undercover & The Amazing Race. And CBS goes & cancels it cause the % of viewers dropped well I wonder why if it was actually on at it’s scheduled time there probably won’t of been a problem… Read more »
I am very sorry to see Cold Case leave cbs I taped every episode I could and I am hoping another network will pick it up. they always suspend the good shows and bring on junk that is why NetFlix is so popular.
I won’t have much left to watch. I always liked that they solved the Cold Cases, left some hope for people who really do have such cases that they ight some day be solved.
needs tobe moved to another night
move to a new night
I think Cold Case and Without a Trace were two of the best shows on tv and was very disappointed to see both of them taken of the air. I will miss them both alot and watch reruns that I have missed. If there is a chance they will be brought back I will wathc them faithfully.
I also loved Cold Case from episode 1 on up and never missed even one of them in spite of having to try to figure out when it was coming on. They listed both Cold Case & Ghost Whisperer as “Season Finales” when they knew darn well they were Series Finales. Also they fired AJ Cook from Criminal Minds and are slowing phasing out Paget Brewster. Then to add insult to injury they say they want to replace AJ with a different unknown actress. Next they will cancel Medium and fire Pauley Perrette from NCIS and at that point I… Read more »
i am in love with the show ,it’s so original with the flashbacks of the stories, showing up the facts and faces of the eras and the people—when producer Veena Sud was in, she included love relationships with Scotty and Christina, (i can’t get over their song in thebar “i wish you there, i wish i never met you…”) it kept me in a trance and to this day i’m still looking for that song in YouTube from Dave Feldstein, ScottNickolay and Jamie Dunbar but to no avail—the episode aired on March 2oth 2005, the real title “Schadenfreude”, i’d loveto… Read more »
I cant believe cbs is canceling my favorite show! what is wrong with them?
Last season episode was awesome i remember being dissapointed the season was over but i thought well next season is bound to be good. So we fans just get left hanging the last episode was sure to have an exciting conclusion.
I hate cbs they keep crappy shows and do away with the only decent show on the air.
I vow not to watch anything aired by them in the future. unless of course they come to their senses and put my show back on.
I think that Cold Case should stay on the air. Why does CBS get rid of all good shows. Let me guess is it because the show does not have alcohol in it. Or even sex something that does not sale. It is to family orientated. I think that Cold Case was a good show, and I think that CBS is crazy for cutting it. So what if it happens to not be ” Popular”. What are they going to come up with next! Good Luck CBS. NOT!!!!
Tina, it IS popular, they just hid it from us after the sports programming. It was NEVER on at the advertised time, so we lost it. I think they did that on purpose, but of course, it could be that they are just idiots. I have complained to them for a long time about the delayed start of the show, requesting that put it on a different night. They chose to leave it where it was for some unfathomable reason, unless that was the point: nobody could find it, so the ratings fell and they had an excuse to remove… Read more »
I second that Mary good for you, maybe one of the nuts will listen
I absolutely agree with you Mary!!!
i think it is the best show on television by the way what was the name of the song that was played on the show tnt at 2 pm friday 7/02/ 2010 it fit the show beautiful with the little girls something about angels i think the whole team on the show is great i hope you bring them back the seniors really enjoy it.