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.
BRING MERCY BACK!!!Never missed an episode
I thought that mercy was a great show! it was interesting and funny at the same time. I would be very upset if it was fully cancelled and not given another chance. There are a lot of hospital shows on, but I think this one is very real life and it deals with things that happen to those nurses everyday.
I am curious if those of us who record it on dvr are also included in the “viewer list” for rating purposes. I have to admit that I didn’t miss one episode, but due to the timing of the program, I wasn’t able to ever watch it in real time. Perhaps others never had the opportunity to experience it because of the time it was on. Try switching to a different time slot and see if it survives, or like someone else said above, air one more episode so you don’t irritate the world with the cliffhanger. It really leaves… Read more »
PLEASE KEEP THE SHOW ON!! I want to see what happens with mike and all that good stuff!! come one it is a really good show i look forward to watching it every week!
If they cancel Mercy and just let it fall off the face of the earth we will be very dissapointed. Maybe the fact that is is not on every week at the same time, same slot etc. makes it very hard to find it. When ER was on we knew where we were going to be on Thrusday nite. Just like Biggest Loser etc…..Maybe execs should try not to put every good show just opposite of an equally good show on CBS. Spread them out.
This was a great show! Quirky, touching and very very real. The characters are fantastic. I sincerely hope that someone picks it up.
Don’t cancel it – it’s one of the better shows on tv!
I am very sad to see Mercy will be cancelled. I am just in Shock…I wanna know what happens
I LOVED IT PLEASE DONT CANCEL IT!
It is one of the best shows on air!!! Bring it back please!
Haven’t missed an episode and the end of season 1 left off on a critical note – must know what happens next. I don’t think a lot of people heard about the show yet.
They can’t cancel it, the show was left on such a huge cliffhanger
I’m so upset Mercy was cancelled! Truly was one of my favorite shows….in my opinion better than most medical shows!
If the show is cancelled at least they should do a special to properly end the show. I hate it when there is a cliff hanger and then the show is cancelled.
I’m really upset about hearing that Mercy may be cancelled. I have never missed an episode and hate to see it go! I love the show and it was one of the best on TV during its time! I agree with everyone else about reality TV shows, the are rediculous and I don’t care about them. The season finale of Mercy was good. I really want to see what happens next season!