In July, production on NBC’s Parenthood was delayed due to Maura Tierney becoming ill. She eventually had to drop out of the project and Lauren Graham stepped in.
Because of the backstage issues, NBC delayed Parenthood’s Fall premiere and replaced it with a series that was scheduled for midseason, Mercy. Some wondered if having two new medical series might cause one to suffer. It turns out, Mercy and Trauma are both in critical condition.
Mercy follows the lives of three very different nurses at Mercy Hospital in Jersey City. The cast includes Taylor Schilling, Jaime Lee Kirchner, Michelle Trachtenberg, James Tupper, Diego Klattenhoff, Guillermo Diaz, James LeGros, James Van Der Beek, and Delroy Lindo.
The series got off to a mediocre start on September 23, 2009. The premiere attracted a 2.3 rating in the all-important 18-49 demographic and 8.25 million total viewers. That put the debut in fourth place for the demo and in second place for total viewers.
The second episode fell to a 2.1 rating and 7.35 million. The third installment dropped again to a 1.8 rating in the demo and 7.29 million viewers. Not good.
Though the show’s ratings could hardly be called strong, NBC gave Mercy a full season order in October. The rest of the network’s schedule was performing poorly and the order likely had most to do with the fact that NBC just needed original programming. It didn’t hurt that the series is a co-production of NBC’s corporate sister, Universal Media Studios.
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Meanwhile, Trauma struggled from the very beginning and NBC pulled the plug after 13 episodes. But then, based on the need for more programming, the network ordered seven more installments. That show returns on March 8th but is a big longshot for renewal.
While Mercy was initially the better performer, the show’s ratings have now reached Trauma-like levels. The most recent episode of Mercy hit a series low with a dismal 1.4 rating in the demo and just 5.86 million viewers.
NBC’s Primetime Entertainment President Angela Bromstad recently said that she still loves the drama creatively, but she also noted that the show’s ratings need to rise for it to survive. She made that statement before Mercy fell to its most recent low.
The network has commissioned 18 pilots for the 2010-11 season and Bromstad has acknowledged that they’ll have to essentially rebuild their schedule from scratch.
With the ratings as poor as they are, it’s highly likely that Mercy will be cancelled and won’t survive to see a second year.
What do you think? Would you be sorry to see Mercy cancelled? Is it worth watching? Is there a reason that more viewers aren’t tuning in?
Image courtesy NBC.
If you could have a show like Ghost Whisperers on for a few years, I am sure Mercy can work if you do it right. Maybe someone wanted it to fail.
Don’t cancel Mercy..It has to end with closure and May 12th episode didn’t do that…I like the show and would like to see another season.
My daughter is a nursing student and we both love this show. The cliff hanger must’t be the end! It’s a great show, great talent and great writers, actors, all of it! We want to see Chloe become a doctor! And poor Mike and poor Chirs! Don’t leave it like that! As for ratings, why not put it up against something really stupid?
Mercy is a great show, but they changed the time slot a couple times without really advertising it so after the first few episodes I assumed it had been cancelled because it never came on when it was supposed to. When I realized that it was moved I noticed that it was moved to the same slot that Modern Family/Cougartown air and I like those 2 a little bit more than I like Mercy. It was best when Mercy aired at 8:00 (Eastern). Although I dont watch it on Wednesday nights, I do watch it on hulu every Thursday.
MERCY IS MY FAVORITE SHOW. ALL THE ACTORS ARE GREAT. IF NBC CANCELS IT THEY WILL HAVE ANOTHER UPROAR LIKE WITH LENO AND O’BRIEN!!!
Don’t cancel Mercy it is a great show and you can’t leave it like the ending.
DONT CANCEL MERCY!!! I DILIGENTLY WATCH THIS SHOW EVERY WED. I GET EXCTIED WHEN THE WEEK STARTS BECAUSE I KNOW I GET TO WATCH MERCY! THIS IS THE FIRST SHOW THAT I CONTINUE TO WATCH AND AM ANXIOUS TO WATCH EVERY WEEK! I WOULD BE SO DISAPPOINTED IF I FOUND OUT THAT THIS SHOW BECAME CANCELED. LET SEASON TWO BEGIN!!!!
Great storyline! Shows you that doctors and nurses are real people too, and have the same problems as other people. As othere have said, everytime they put a good show on, it cancels on you. Tonight I was unprepared that I was watching the final episode of Supernatural. I watched that from the start and this was no season finale. It was the end. I almost cried. Now, Mercy, Trauma, and Happytown…all going? Unbelievable how they hook you and then just fade away.
DON’T CANCEL MERCY!!!!!!
PLEASE don’t cancel Mercy! They don’t seem to hardly advertise it, they kept skipping weeks of showing it and yet they complain when the views are low. Thats the most dynamic show that I have seen in years, give it some TLC and keep it!
please dont cancel Mercy! I love this show and all its stories. I am a big fan of House and when Im not watching it Im watching Mercy. i need to see more!!
Bad writing
THe show is great you should not cancel Trauma and Mercy they are great shows and it would be a mistake to be cancelled.
YOU CANNOT CANCELL A SHOW WITH AN ENDING LIKE THAT. I WILL NEVER WATCH NBC AGAIN IF THEY DO. MERCY IS AMAZING!!!
DO NOT CANCEL MERCY! I love Mercy and all its drama! : ) KEEP IT!