With Revolution taking a break, NBC decided to try a new Monday night drama, Deception. Has it been a ratings success for the network or will it end up being cancelled like so many of their other Monday night dramas?
On Deception, a wealthy party girl has been mysteriously murdered. Her childhood friend, now a San Francisco narcotics detective, is convinced by her former partner to go undercover into the wealthy world she thought she’d left behind. The cast includes Laz Alonso, Meagan Good, Victor Garber, Katherine LaNasa, Tate Donovan, Wes Brown, and Ella Rae Peck.
The series debuted in January to a 2.0 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 5.66 million total viewers. Those were hardly impressive numbers and were less than half of what Revolution’s premiere drew a few months earlier. Year-to-year however, it was a big improvement over the ratings NBC was getting for Rock Center with Brian Williams.
In week two, Deception’s ratings dropped more than 20% to a 1.6 demo rating and 4.14 million. That was not positive — and the ratings kept falling. As we now near the end of Deception’s 11 episode run, the ratings seem to have stabilized at a 1.1 demo rating with about 3.3 million viewers.
Those numbers are terrible and certainly there’s no ratings justification for NBC to renew Deception for a second season. They cancelled shows like Chase and The Playboy Club and they had better numbers than Deception.
On the positive side, at least NBC aired all of the episodes. Unfortunately, viewers are unlikely to ever get their storyline questions answered.
But, what do you think? Should NBC stick with Deception and give it another shot next year or should they cancel it instead? Why do you think it didn’t catch on with a bigger audience?
I really like this show! I’ve already had Emily Owens cancelled on me, don’t make this one the second!
Please don’t cancel…
Thumbs up!! Should be renew for Season 2
Love this series! There are too many unanswered questions to end it now! The characters are great and the story lines are interesting. PLEASE DON’T CANCEL THIS ONE!
Love the cast and writing, needs a better time slot so all the abc viewers can see it!
Please do not cancel. We are loyal viewers. It is a shame to start smomething that will never have a proper ending. So why should we watch any other new show from NBC?? people get hooked then oops not enough people watch so too bad to those who do we dont care.
Two thumb’s up from here.
Thumb’s up!
Kudos for not stating only the 18-49 numbers, but the key number is audience. Revolution was a flop starting at a less than impressive 10 million viewers and constantly dropping lower and lower. NBC is going to bring it back next year and there is a 95% chance the ratings will continue dropping to “everyone’s amazement” (unless they pull a Walking Dead). As for Deception, its 5 million viewers was puny and ridiculously low (except that NBC and FOX routinely return flops with 4 million viewers!) and there is no logic except that of Hollywood you scratch my back I’ll… Read more »
Deception’s writing and acting are excellent -head and shoulders above most that is on television these days. It would be a shame to reward quality work with cancellation, and a shame for people who enjoy watching quality work. But the television industry doesn’t exactly have a great track record of presenting programing with much substance. Do the ratings count people who watch on hulu?
Please don’t cancel. We are loyal viewers. What happened to Mia and we don’t know for sure Robert killed Vivian . Please don’t leave us hangin. I looked forward to this show all week. Yes the series did slow down a bit. However it started up again and got us interested
It’s getting better and better. They just have to renew it!
Would love to see what happens in season 2. I like the storyline & the characters. Please give it a chance.
Keep! Our household has never missed an episode! Great cast and characters!! Look forward to Season 2.
Do NOT cancel!!! Really getting good.