Are you missing Flashpoint on CBS? Can’t wait for it to return to primetime? Well, we have some good news and bad news.
On the downside, season four of Flashpoint averaged a 1.1 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 6.25 million viewers on CBS. That made it the weakest original programming on the network. It won’t be back.
On the positive side of things, the ION cable channel has licensed the first four seasons of Flashpoint and is ready to start airing them. That’s 62 episodes, including 11 installments that CBS didn’t purchase the rights to run. They begin airing on Tuesday, October 18th.
What’s more, ION acquired the rights to air all of the existing episodes of Flashpoint from CBS Television Distribution — as well as any future episodes. Flashpoint is produced in Canada for the CTV network and they’ve already ordered a fifth season of 18 installments. If ION finds rating success with the 62 they’ve already licensed, they have the exclusive option to purchase the new episodes as well.
Here’s the press release from ION:
ION TELEVISION PREMIERES HIT POLICE DRAMA “FLASHPOINT” WITH ORIGINAL EPISODES TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18 AT 10PM ET/PT
NEW YORK, September 12, 2011- ION Television premieres its newly acquired hit police drama “Flashpoint” on Tuesday, October 18 at 10pm ET/PT with new original episodes. ION Television, the new home for the award-winning series, will schedule “Flashpoint” in a two-hour block on Tuesdays from 10pm-12am ET/PT and again on Saturdays from 9-11pm ET/PT.
To support the series launch, ION Television will unveil an integrated marketing campaign, including television, print, out-of-home & digital advertising. As part of the campaign for the first-time ever, ION will feature a Quick Response code on all printed marketing elements, which will provide fans access to exclusive cast interviews, a never-before-seen sneak peek from the premiere episode and entry into the ‘Flashpoint Alert’ contest, starting September 26th. The online contest provides fans a chance to win weekly cash prizes by scheduling the premiere episode onto their digital calendars and their social media platforms.
ION Television, a top-10 network, acquired the rights to all existing episodes and future production of “Flashpoint” from CBS Television Distribution earlier this year. The production of the season’s upcoming episodes marked ION Television’s first venture into originals planned by the network in the coming year.
“Flashpoint” joins ION Television’s primetime line-up of hit off-network series such as “Psych,” Monk,” “Criminal Minds,” and “Without a Trace,” and its blockbuster theatricals, which have driven record ratings for the network. The new series joins the schedule on the heels of ION’s recent acquisition of the hit series “Leverage” and “House,” both set to launch on ION in 2012.
Starring Hugh Dillon (Durham County), Enrico Colantoni (Veronica Mars), Amy Jo Johnson (Felicity) and David Paetkau (Whistler), “Flashpoint” is the nail-biting cop drama and an emotional journey into the tough, risk-filled lives of a group of police in the Strategic Response Unit (inspired by Toronto’s Emergency Task Force). Members of a highly-skilled tactical team, they are trained in negotiating, profiling and getting inside the subject’s head to understand the emotional breaking point (the “flashpoint”) that triggered the crisis.
“Flashpoint” is produced by Pink Sky Entertainment and Avamar Entertainment in association with CTV and CBS. Executive producers are Anne Marie La Traverse and Bill Mustos. Creators are Mark Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern. David Frazee is Series Consultant.
Source: Top 10 Rank; Nielsen Media Research, Live+SD, 9/27/2010-8/28/2011, M-Sun 7P-12A, A25-54 (000). Excludes kids, news, and sports nets.
About ION Television
ION Television is a leading U.S. general entertainment network, combining high-quality programming and dependable broadcast distribution with an attitude of innovation and growth normally associated with a cable channel. Its “Positively Entertaining” network brand positioning features a formula of proven series, an expansive catalog of blockbuster movies and a commitment to introduce new original programming. Since its recent launch in 2008, ION’s reach has grown to 99 million households and has become one of the top-15 TV rated U.S. networks in record time. For more information, visit www.iontelevision.com.
What do you think? Will you be watching Flashpoint on ION? Are you excited about the new episodes?
Image courtesy CTV.
I have watched Flashpoint since it started, their shows were always different, involving all sorts of crimes, family, friendship, putting their lives on the line! It was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen on CBS and thank God ION is picking it up for the re-runs and hopefully will bring the show back for many more series. I also watch the re-runs of Monk whom I thought was a wonderful character with all his phobias, but his figuring out the truth about who dunnit was astounding! I don’t watch CBS much because most of the programs are boring… Read more »
Dang, I thought Flashpoint had been cancelled, and those were reruns on Ion, how dumb of me I loved this show now I have really missed out…..
Flashpoint is one of the best shows on TV. Please don’t end it! You could start the next season focusing on Team 3 since Sam is now their leader!!
Thank you ION for picking up this exciting drama!!! I love this show from the characters to the storylines. I have watch this show since it started on CBS. I still watch the reruns and now I have gotten my family loving the show. I am glad and ready for the new shows, but I still will be watching the reruns too.
Have been recording every episode that comes along. My wish has come true new shows.
i believe in competitive efficient markets, this is a very well produced series, its composed of well thought plots, violence is guarded with a very conservative intelligence, criminal justice, psychology and personal reality integrates in the lives on a well integrated team. it should be let to compete with old boring without a trace episodes, escalating bloddy violent sadly criminal minds. anyways it does have a community service police point of view with a psychological turn. criminal minds is FBI and without a trace is NYC . Lets have diversity of plots and creative productions and they should compete the… Read more »
I am so hooked on this show, i have watch all 4 season, twice. can’t wait for season 5.this show is made to stay on ,please show at early time, and you will have more viewers. it was meant to be>
can’t wait for new episodes. very happy to hear. i will be looking forward to watching. who knows stranger things have happened. it wouldn’t be the first time that they cancelled a program and then brought it back. look at the program JAG! nancy g.
I sure do hope “Flashpoint” is not cancelled. It’s hard to judge what people think because it is on so late at night. Give it a fair chance when it starts to run at 10PM and try not to have it on against a very success show. That will make people have to make difficult choices. Love the show. Am tired in the AM. But I try to watch as many shows as I am able.
Love “Flashpoint”…CBS was crazy to give up on it. Great conflict…great plots and realistic interpretation of the actual response unit in Canada. I will eecord and watch any episode produced…thanks!!
Can’t wait!! I have always loved Flash Point– CBS did a horrible job of letting us know when it was coming on. So glad it’s on ION!! Watching DVR episodes, now!! Season 5, 6, 7… Yes, please!!!!
Can’t believe CBS dropped such a terrific show. So grateful ION has picked it up. Flashpoint presents the reality of police work. It shows strong, positive role models for kids (tough to find today). It appears honest, well written with very high quality acting.
How do we promote creation of a season 6? Thanks so much.
Flashpoint is the one really great addictive series I’ve ever watched, and it not being renewed is just plain stupid. All the crap shows are being brought back but the most refreshing show that tells a story, shows what team work really is, will not be renewed? An earlier time would be great I will be watching.
My family and I love watching ION-we have really enjoyed watching Flashpoint. We never knew about this series until we watched in on ION. I hope that ION will continue to air this excellent series-as well as air the fifth season.
yes i will be watchingt
To bad, it’s a great show that tells a story that most police shows don’t; I think a different time slot would have been a better idea. I will be watching on ION.