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.
I am going to miss Cold Case and it shocked me terribly when I didn’t see the show on the fall lineup. I didn’t watch the show in real time but it was cued on my DVR every Sunday night. I loved Cold Case, and I guess it’s off to watch re-runs on TNT. I certainly hope that maybe the producer and someone from TNT will cut a contract or something like that. I have enjoyed HawthoRNe, Rizzoli and Isles, and Memphis Beat. I guess only time will tell.
If the start of the show was not always interrupted and was on time, I think more people would have stayed with the show. It was a GREAT show and I do hope another network picks it up.
I hate to think that Cold Case is off the air!!! I hope another network picks it up. It was one of my favorites!
It seems that all the really well done series are taken off and replaced with silly reality shows. I still can’t believe Boston Legal and Without a Trace are gone.
Only reason for low ratings is time slot. If CBS had put it after in The Good Wife time slot, it would be alive and well. It was a great show.
I just recieved the dvd box set of cold case it is one of these that you cannot stop watching, I am almost finished with season 1. this is good stuff.
I loved cold case and am furious to see it go. TV shows become a part of our daily lives, although that sounds very sad, but I begin to think I know the characters and can’t wait til the next week. Everytime I am truly into a show, it seems to get cancelled. I don’t mind a show ending if has done all it can do, or the main characters want to move onto other things, but I do mind when we are in the middle of something going on in the show and it is ended. I will miss… Read more »
i am too very upset cbs canceled cold case. if cbs really thought about it they would realize that airing cc on a sunday night @10pm or later because of football it would be hard to catch the demo they want. think about it cbs sunday night alone is a bad night 1 because people go to bed early to get ready for the new school/work week,2 even if you do try and wait up it might not even air because of football,3 even if you wanted to at least record it you never know whats going to record football… Read more »
I will miss the show, I always watched it.
I was looking forward to the new season and just found out the show was canceled. I am so upset, I loved this show. This is the 3rd time one of the shows I have liked to watch has been canceled and it is really frustrating. This show will be missed terribly.
I cant believe that they canceled Cold Case but is keeping those stupid reality TV shows. Shows like Cold Case and Ghost Whisperer were the only reason to has the CBS network on the air, now I dont care if the CBS Network goes all together.
It probably didn’t have enough viewers because it came on Sunday nights, so any time sports carried over it automatically cut Cold Case out for the night. I know I got so aggravated about it being held over week after week because of sports I just watched it during the day on TNT. Cold Case got the Cold Shoulder from CBS
You should be ashamed CBS for dropping the show I looked forward to watching it every Sunday night. Then, you started playing with the time. One did not know when it was coming on, I think CBS wanted to replace it with silly shows. It’s a shame….
In my opinion, this is an idiotic decision by CBS. CC is a great show and an alternative to the vast wasteland of inane reality shows. It would be great if another network would pick it up and move a loyal fan base along with it.
I’ll miss “Cold Case” terribly. After losing “Law and Order”, another intellegent show, this is a blow! Not even a series finale 🙁
I totally agree with Mirsky72. TNT should pick up Cold Case since it already airs the reruns. They should drop The Closer! I love watching the reruns of ColdCase even if I’ve seen them already. I wasn’t able to watch the last season so I hope that I get to see the reruns on TNT. I wish they would get the rights to put it on DVD!