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.
Loved, loved, loved this show. I loved the music to go along with the time period that the Cold Case was about. As other viewers here, I kept looking for it on Sunday nights and had no idea Cold Case was canceled until I decided to check on the internet. Sunday night are not the same without this show. I’ve watched it from the beginning. When I was 18 to 49, I did not think about how shows were conceived to appeal to our age group. I believe similar to Dan, who posted right before me, the powers that be… Read more »
CBS is wrong. 18-49 demographic is not the best audience for the show. They should have looked at 50 to 65 group. Also, the show never started on time. We had to add 90 minutes to our DVR to make sure we got the end of the show. I can not see 18 to 49 sitting around waiting that long. So it’s CBS’s fault that the rating went down because the show was GOOD.
I absolutely LOVE this show. Lily is smart and witty – strong because of events but full of heart.
I loved the flashbacks into different eras.
I have been waiting for this show to start – came online – only to discover it ha sbeen cancelled.
I CANNOT believe it.
Sunday nights just are not the same anymore.
ok cbs big effin mistake!!! bring back cold case!!
wish they would reconsider. It was a good program. Sad that the people that like good programming and writing have to take a backseat to reality tv.
The biggest problem was Football. You never even knew what time Cold Case would start if a football game ran long. Let’s get it back.
Please, please bring back Cold Case! I don’t care what night it’s on. Just bring it back!!!! Right, right, right now!
Iam very upset they took it off the air they do that all the time take off the good ones and leave the non enteresting ones on.
this is bad news…no ending for any of the characters. the show was great.
as far as i’m concerned they should not have cancelled the show…everytime i went to watch it the race show(reality) was always going overtime…no wonder everyone thought the show was gone…not the shows fault…producers could have put to earlier time.
I agree with the comments on here, it was a big mistake to cancel it. I also miss Without A Trace. CBS keeps cancelling good shows just to force us to watch reality crap TV, which I will NEVER do. I am watching less and less TV now since the good shows are disappearing. Soon I can save money on cable and just rent DVD’s when I want to watch something, so go ahead CBS keep swinging the axe! I hope your sponsors pull the plug on you too!
loved this program, looked forward to it every Sunday night. Loved the idea and the way the stories were presented. Too Bad, we miss it a lot.
If were not for Amazing Race after 60 minutes we would go to bed early. That Undercover Boss stuff if sooooooooooooo boring and we turn off the TV when that is on, cause the other networks are just as bad at that time.
That is our opinion.
I can’t believe it’s gone. I didn’t know it had been cancelled. We need a petition.
The only show I looked forward to on Sunday nights! Big mistake! I’d at least like to know what happened to everyone!
I agree with all the other past comments Cold Case was one of CBSs better shows and I can’t believe they cancelled it without trying it on another time/night. And why was there not a bigger word about the show being cancelled?! I kept looking for it too come back on so I also had to look it up online to only find out it was cancelled….I really loved that show. It will be greatly missed, but really CBS needs to re-think almost some of their shows.
l have been waiting for the show to start, looking for ads promoting the season. when l saw no new ads, checked on the web and , found out that it is cancelled. big mistake, loved the show loved the actors. l have been watching since it has started, l am very sad to see it cancelled.