The network had high hopes for Kings, a series based on the Biblical tale of King David. With a large cast of actors like Ian McShane, Christopher Egan, Allison Miller, Susanna Thompson, Sebastian Stan, Eamonn Walker, and Dylan Baker, NBC reportedly spent $10 million on the two-hour debut and $4 million on subsequent episodes.
Unfortunately, Kings failed to attract many viewers for its debut on Sunday, March 15th. The premiere attracted an average of just 6.08 million viewers and a 1.6/4 rating/share of the 18-49 demographic.
After two more weeks of dismal and declining ratings on Sundays, NBC shuffled the series off to Saturday nights. Understandably, viewership continued to fall and the airings averaged well under two million viewers.
While the series found a devoted group of viewers, the numbers certainly weren’t enough to warrant a sophomore season. Sadly, the series finale only leaves loyal watchers wanting more. For those that missed it, it’s been posted below. It’s called “The New King, Part Two.”
Do you have any thoughts as to why Kings wasn’t a big success? Is it purely the network’s fault or did audiences tune out for another reason? In the end, do you think the Biblical relation helped or hurt the show?
Image courtesy NBC.
Kings was an exceptional program and highly original. As with Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, it seems big networks (big suprise) care only for pizaz and high monetary returns. Since NBC and Fox are worthless in the sense that they cater only to mainstream and somewhat idioitic shows like Friends, then why not have a network devoted entirely to drama and theatre? It certainly could allow for shows like Kings to carry on.
Maybe we should all end the NBC crew envelopes filled with all the Kings from decks of card. Or perhaps a can send the Kings from chess sets. Will they listen to our plea for its return then? It happened with Jericho on CBS when the viewers sent the network peanuts in reference to a phrase mentioned on the show.
Please reconsider cancelling Kings. My husband and I love this show and you just left us hanging. Someone pick this show up.
PLEASE KEEP KINGS ON. iT IS ONE OF TH GREATESTSHOWS ON. pLEASE RECONSIDER
I agree that the pre-show advertisements fell short. I just happened to catch one of the shows because there was nothing else on and got hooked on it. I went back and watched the previous episodes and just when I was having family over for Kings night, the show got cancelled. Please NBC…please pick it back up again. You left the loyal fans of Kings hanging with a dynamite finale and NOTHING to look forward to. Give it another chance!
I blame NBC. You never saw any advertising for it. I had never heard of it until I was surfing the IBMD website. I have watched all of the episodes online and love it. I think CBS should try and pick it up. They seem to have better luck with the shows that NBC can’t make fly. Look at JAG.
Can somebody please explain to me how a show like Kings can be cancelled after one great season and Big Brother is still on after 10+ seasons of tripe? It is insane to think that a show so well written, so well cast, and with such a fresh story line as compared to the rest of the trash on TV can be given the ax. I used to love TV, but I guess I grew up. I really hope HBO will pick it up. I guess I’ll have to start to pay for good TV.
I screwed up that last reply. I think if we could get enough people to petition for at least a better ending to the show, (maybe 10 more shows or something) It would catch on to maybe adding another full season (thats about 20 episodes or so). I know this show is more mini-series material then a full multi-season series, but it deserves to be finished out right. Think about it, HBO, Showtime, USA, A&E. You know who you are, you guys who make really great shows out there without the approval of a bunch of teenaged brats stuck on… Read more »
Kings is a great show, it should be picked up by usa or HBO or someone. There is some who be pick up this great show.
“Kings” was mishandled by NBC from the start. The ad campaign had me confused. I almost missed the pilot episode. The religious angle was completely absent from mention – as if they were ashamed. Sigh. NBC is operating like a suicidal maniac. Keeping the roster filled with Reality Schlock and dumping the ten o’clock slot into the crapper (no offense to Jay, but he’s not prime time material) is going to kill it. At last review, I will only be watching two shows – Law and Order, and Law and Order: SVU, and nothing else on NBC. My PVR is… Read more »
Leno must of not liked Kings. Hopefully CBS will come to Kings rescue like it did for Medium
I’m sorry to see this show cancelled. It’s one of the few I watch on primetme NBC. I watch less and less TV as more and more ridiculous reality shows and sitcome take up airtime. There are some adults in the world that like to see a series with good plots, not so much “kissy face bedtime” (as Desparate Housewives, which I could only stomach for about 3 minutes), and the brainless sitcoms. Done with Leno, who was my favorite. Don’t like Conan, Letterman and Kimmel. Wrote off these spinmasters after all the McCain/Palin bashing. Can’t stand the kiss-a** favoritism… Read more »
It is shocking that Kings has canceled. Even so, just as David Shepherd, (I’m being dramatic, of course) I cannot allow it to go on without doing as much as I can to save the Peace, er, show. “It’s just a show,” everyone tells me, and my reply, “Have you watched the show? Have you experienced the show?” Their reply, “When was it on?” What a shame NBC! YOU ARE TO BLAME! Ironically, NBC reminds me of ‘William Cross,’ the way they switched King’s to Saturday with little or no notice to (in my mind anyway) undermine and destroy the… Read more »
I agree. It is a great show. There have been several this year that disappeared, much to my disappointment. Another show I enjoyed was Crusoe!
I blame NBC. This show really lacked nothing. It had excellent writing, plots, characters, and creativity. It was so refreshing to have something new come out that isn’t a police/hospital show that’s just trying to be another SVU or Grey’s Anatomy. The network handled this all poorly from the very beginning. It was barely advertised or given any publicity. How do you expect high viewers of numbers when the first airing is on the weekend when people watch less TV in the first place? And how do you expect to get more viewers by moving to Saturday, which is worse… Read more »