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.
It is such ashame that great shows like Mercy are canceled. This is a fun show that I look forward to every week. I am a little annoyed that they take the breaks they do. As soon as you start to get sucked into a story line they go and take a month long break… I love this show other than that!!! Please don’t cancel it!!!
PLEASE DON’T CANCEL MERCY—IT’S MY REPLACEMENT FOR ER!!!! THIS SHOW HAS TOTALLY GROWN ON ME—MY WHOLE FAMILY IS WATCHING IT!
We watch it religiously every week and it’s set to DVR in case we have something else going. I was really disappointed tonight when it wasn’t on and the game show was on in it’s place.
Another great show. Now the network pulls the show and puts on a game show. Just like CBS, they put on a show that’s really good, then cancel it. Hopefully NBC will come to their senses and bring Mercy back. I’m getting tired of enjoying a show, then it gets whacked.
please do not cancel this program as it is finally really to have substance.
Please don’t cancel mercy I had a thought it was going to be cancelled because it wasn’t on tonight but don’t it’s a very good show better than most crap that’s on so NBC give it a chance.
A game show? Really? Put Mercy back on!! My husband and I finally found a show we both like and watch together and you want to cancel it.
Nooooo! I need my mercy! Stupid game show.
I am beyond disappointed that Mercy is not on; I loved this show, watched each time, and want it back. It was the best! Game show in its place is awful.
I love the show Mercy, and so does my husband. I really hope they do not cancel it. I DVR it and watch it every week.
PLEASE do not cancel mercy!!! It is a great show!!!!!!!!!!
I watch this show regiously every week … so tonight instead of my favorite show NBC schedule a game show???? It just seems to figure that every time I find a show I really really like it gets chopped for some idiotic meaningless show. Sure hope Mercy remains … it’s really a great show with characters that actually resembled REAL people with flaws, and heart, and everything.
I would like to know why they took Mercy off tonight and put a stupid game show on in it’s place.
I would be upset to see Mercy go. I watch it every time it is aired and hate when there is a long break in between weeks. I find it very comical. I think if people gave it a chance they would come back for more.
Somebody finally gets Mary Stuart Masterson in front of a camera and they are going to cancel the show? Bizarre if you ask me. I love this show… agree Briggs is a redundancy. There is enough creative potential with the Irish family, Alzheimer disease, Irag fall out and PTTD stress disorder, assisted suicide , the different back grounds of the nurses, love triangles, good character development, the setting (with the NEW YORK CITY snob factory versus working class, good acting… what is not to love? This show is in the wrong time slot. It is a mature show with mature… Read more »