A couple weeks ago, the peacock network finally started airing their new Friends with Benefits sitcom. The pilot for the TV show was developed for ABC but they passed on the series and NBC picked it up. Now that the show’s debuted, is the alphabet network regretting their decision or will the sitcom flop and be quickly cancelled?
Friends with Benefits revolves around a group of friends who live in Chicago and their relationships are complicated to say the least. Ben Lewis (Ryan Hansen) is on the hunt for the perfect woman who can meet his impossibly high standards. His best friend, Doctor Sara Maxwell (Danneel Harris), just wants a compatible man and to raise a family with him. They end up turning to each other for both moral and physical support as they wait for their mates to come along. Others in the cast include Zach Cregger, Andre Holland, and Jessica Lucas.
The NBC sitcom debuted with a pair of episodes on August 5th. The first one brought a terrible 0.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic and only 2.34 million viewers. It was third in the timeslot, tying with a repeat of Bones on FOX. The episode that followed at 8:30 dropped 14% to an even worse 0.6 demo rating and 1.96 million total viewers.
The following week’s installments fell again to a 0.5 rating and an average of 1.84 million. They were in fourth place in the timeslot, only beating a repeat of The CW’s Nikita. Last Friday’s episodes didn’t do any better.
Friends with Benefits is easily the worst performing original series on NBC. To put it in perspective, Minute to Win It is doing terribly but still gets about twice the ratings of Friends with Benefits. The peacock network execs obviously didn’t have much faith in Friends with Benefits which is why they delayed it until summer. Still, just how badly the show is actually doing is likely still a shock.
There is absolutely no way that NBC will be renewing this sitcom for a second season. If anything, they’ll pull it before all of the episodes have aired. For right now, episodes 11 and 12 are scheduled to air on September 9th. That will leave one remaining installment but, with ratings like these, the network hardly has any incentive to want to find a spot for the season/series finale.
But what do you think? Do you like Friends with Benefits? Would you like to see it renewed for a second season or just quickly cancelled?
Image courtesy NBC.
i lahv this show bring it back even tho me writing this wont make a difference but still!!!
This is a really good show, I think if you give it some time it will be really good.
BRIINNGGGGG IT BACKKKKKK I WANT SEASON TWOOOOO 🙁 !!!!
maybe it’s not the best show in the world, but I really like it. Honestly, it has NOTHING to do with HIMYM, I don’t knwo why you’d even compare the two of them. I’m surprised it’s performing badly, I think it’s quite entertaining actually and I really hope they keep it on. Besides, the bottom line of the two movies that came out on friends with benefits is that those relationships don’t work because you are bound to fall in love. This tv show has nothing to do with that sort of message. Just putting it out there.
LOVE IT!!!
this show is awesome and people can learn from it, alot of people can relate to it
bring it back its an amazing show
It’s an AWESOME SHOW! Make more Adds for it and bring it back! It should NOT be cancelled!
Ehhhh. I watched the show and it was mediocre at best. It felt & looked like a carbon copy of How I Met Your Mother. The main character even sounds like Ted from HIMYM. It came out on the heels of two movies with basically the same premise so I’m not surprised it didn’t last.
keep it! more episodes please
KEEP IT
“Friends With Benefits” is the most mindless drivel I’ve ever seen on TV. NBC is mindless, too, if it renews this show. Indeed, this show is easily the worst performing original series on NBC…or anywhere else, for that matter. ABC was wise to pass on it.
I love this show I think its funny and i enjoy watching it. Please bring it back NBC
i heard thhis show might be cancelled. i’m incredibly upset. it NEEDS to be on television! or at least send me the scripts so i can read them to myself!
PLEASEE bring thiss showw bakkkkkk :'(