As fans continue to campaign for the return of cancelled Harry’s Law, one of the show’s executive producers doesn’t believe there’s reason for hope. In a recent interview, Bill D’Elia talked about the cancellation and the current “save our show” campaign to send NBC old shoes in protest (a reference to the fact that Harry initially operated out of a shoe store).
He says, “There was never any point when it was going to be renewed somewhere (else)… Other than the groundswell of support that we’re grateful for, there was never one moment that anyone talked to us about (renewing) the show… It’s moot on NBC. No matter how many shoes NBC gets, I don’t think it will be on NBC again.”
D’Elia found the search for ratings frustrating, saying, “On Monday night, we did well in the demo. We had our large audience, and we had a decent demo number. When they moved us to Wednesday night, we were told they were hoping our audience would go with us… We were able to hold onto our formidable audience, but we lost our 18-49… When we moved to Sunday night at 8pm, remarkably, that audience followed us — and got older!”
He’s not mad at the network though, noting, “I blame the advertisers, not the network… People over 49 years old have a lot of disposable income, and children, and grandchildren. It stinks.”
Had Harry’s Law been renewed for a third season, D’Elia relates that, in another attempt to attract younger viewers, Kathy Bate’s character would have become more of a “den mother” to the rest of the cast.
What do you think? Do you agree with D’Elia’s assessments? Would you have watched season three?
What if Cathy Bates starts having a MISERY moment because of this ? BEATLES CUE THE MUSIC !
Harry’s Law was just about the best show on TV in the last couple of seasons. I wouldn’t change anything about it, and NBC’s nuts to cancel it. It was the only reason I tuned into to NBC, so I guess it’s their loss. I am 43 and far from being a grandmother yet and I was watching it, and I have a lot of friends my age who were watching it too, so that line of reasoning is a load of crap. 8.8 million viewers can’t be wrong. We are all very disappointed that it was cancelled. I just… Read more »
I’m a really “Big Fan”, of Harry’s Law, it was the only time, I tuned into NBC. I followed this program/show, as it was bounced from one time slot to another. Please sell this show to another network, or perhaps let’s get other sponsors. It made great watching and made sense, the writing was, “Superb”. Perhaps this is a program/show for OPRAH Network.
The biggest reason for the cancellation of Harry’s Law is simple. Political. The show was well written, well acted and MADE THE VIEWERS THINK!!! And it didn’t fit into NBC’s political agenda. NBC is so far up Obama’s butt that anything that may provoke a personal/political thought other than their own (NBC’s & Obama’s) is shut down. I’m afraid that’s the way the main stream media has gone for the past few years.
best show on tv please some network pick it up. bring it back to all us folks who enjoy good writing and acting no.1 fan of good tv
I hope another network and other sponsors who appreciate mature viewers and their purchasing power picks up this wonderful show.
We are very upset that this show was canceled. It was one of the very best, ever, on TV. When they changed it’s night, we new it would take a while for the folks who watch it to catch up (like us), it always does. What a sad situation~
John
Every time a network puts a new show on, they give it 1 season to see it it will work. If that happens, they give it another season. Problem is, when they give it another season, they change the night it is on, and people don’t follow that. It always presents problems when they change when it’s on. For example, Human Target was on FOX. They did well in the first season and it was given a second one. However, when they aired the second season, there was conflict in the scheduling of other shows and events that they were… Read more »
Harry’s Law was the only program I watched on NBC. I’m sorry to see it cancelled. I guess there will be nothing for me on that network in the future. That was such a tongue-in-cheek comedy/drama. All the characters will be missed by me.
There is no wonder why NBC is last in the ratings, Harry’s Law was the only real great show on their network. All of the other crap they show is not worth watching and is unfit for the age group that they are trying to attract. NBC must have children running the place. NBC deserves to be where they are in the ratings, at the bottom!
NBC has been dead last in the “ratings war” for years and they cancelled a well-written and well-acted show with high ratings just because the audience is TOO OLD?? It appears that the advertisers’ primary goal is to target younger viewers with cheaper programming that includes “reality” programs that have very little to do with REALITY and sitcoms which target the lowest intellectual capacity of viewers. And as far as NBC Entertainment President Robert Greenblatt’s comment that the older audience “is just harder to monetize” maybe you’ve lost touch with “reality”. The majority of older people still have purchasing power… Read more »
Please return Harry’s Law to the viewing public! Kathy Bates is just about perfect in her role on that show. If NBC won’t continue the show, then I hope USA or TNT will continue the program. I’m a bit surprised that the stalwart thinking channel of NBC has let this series go in favor of a whole of lot of crap.
Harry’s law is truly entertaining, every role is played brilliantly by the cast, the dialogue is well written and said. The closing arguments are inspiring, full of morale and humane, I can’t accept that the show does not come back, there are so many other shows that don’t deserve any audience, of whatever age group they may be. Harry’s Law is the best law suits series.
I would like to see another network or cable channel to pick up Harry’s Law. I thoroughly enjoy the writing as well as the actor’s and actresses portraying. Please revive the show. I love it!
I really enjoyed watching the show, I made it so I could record it every week and keep up with it. I would like to see another network pick it up please. There are only 2 shows left on NBC that I will watch now and Fox has dropped too many of their good shows as well, There is to much reality TV crap and the networks don’t think about the viewers that would just like to watch a good old fashion great show like Harry’s Law.
Further proof why NBC is the lowest rated network. We hate NBC and hope Harry’s Law gets taken in by a cable channel.
And yes, we are grandparents with money to spend on our collective five children, their spouses, and 9 grandchildren. Believe me, none of those folks are watching this show, much less spending a great deal of money on anything besides basics for their families.
NBC sucks! So find another station for Harry’s Law.
Bring Harry’s Law back – the way it was originally written. No den mother stuff!
The best show on the whole network and it gets cancelled? How dumb can
the execs be!