Fans of the Motive TV show won’t find the series on the ABC schedule this summer. The US network has decided to drop the Canadian police drama after two seasons.
Motive revolves around a strong-willed Vancouver detective (Kristin Lehman) who’s also a single mom. At the start of each episode, viewers are shown the killer and victims. As the criminal investigation progresses, details of what led to the crime are revealed via flashbacks. The rest of the cast includes Louis Ferreira, Lauren Holly, Roger Cross, Brendan Penny, and Cameron Bright.
Produced in Canada, ABC licensed the show to air in the US during the summer months. Though it has some devout fans, the series’ ratings were pretty poor. The first season attracted an average of a 0.9 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 4.96 million viewers. Last summer’s second season drew a 0.8 rating with 4.07 million.
While ABC has “cancelled” the series here in the States, the show will continue to air in Canada. It was renewed for a third season in May 2014 and those episodes are currently running on CTV. The network has just announced that Motive has been picked up for a fourth season and will resume production in the fall.
It is possible that another US channel could pick up the series since licensing a show costs much less than producing original programming of their own. Cable channel ION picked up imports The Listener and Flashpoint after they were dropped by NBC and CBS respectively.
What do you think? Do you like the Motive TV show? Should ABC have dropped it? Would you watch seasons three and four on another channel?
Yes, when I saw that Motive had 3 seasons, I searched to find it on Netflix and Amazon – not there. I don’t get Ion so, please Netflix, why not you? It’s great.
It’s on Youtube – search Motive Season 3.
I’m not at all surprised….. It was on abc… the crap network. I was already totally finished w/abc when they cancelled FOREVER…. now MOTIVE as well? ABC SUCKS! Just stop watching all the garbage they give us to watch on that station. It’s all we can do to get the message to the sponsors. I’m miss Motive, too.
Come on, ION! Make our day! Pick up Motive!
Motive was a Good program. I would like to see it on another network.
Motive needs to come back to the USA!!!!! It’s a great show! They have canceled all the good shows and kept the crapola!! Please bring it back please!!!!!!!
I am SOOOOO sick of these networks dropping such wonderful shoes. I LOVED Motive, been waiting for it to return all year. PLEASE…..PLEASE…..SOMEBODY, license this show so it will be aired on American television. It’s a great show and extremely well-acted, the characters are fully fleshed out and yet, a bit mysterious.
Missy
Columbo back in the 70s followed the same format; you knew who did it, but it was terrific watching Columbo unravel the crime….
So ABC is saying Canadian viewers are not as picky as US viewers? Canadian TV doesn’t have all this reality show crap on it….can’t understand these guys…
Hopefully, we will be able to watch Season 4 on YouTube.
This is such a fabulous show! Not happy with this news. Hmmmm…ABC powers that be…don’t understand them! Sure hope ION picks up this show! Have watched Listener and Flashpoint — every episode on ION.
SOB!!!!!! ABC why would you Dump such an Awesome show!!!!!! This was the Beat Crime Procedural Show on in the Summer I wished it was on during Regular TV Season!!!!!! You Suck ABC!!!!!!
I agree with you. ABC sucks. The powers that be have no clue. Maybe that’s why I don’t watch much on the ABC network. I hope someone else picks up Motive in the US. This show was really good and different from all the other crime drama shows. Also, I loved the actors.
Too back for you US folks. Season 3 has been awesome!! It’s the first time that a case from the 1st episode is on-going ….So glad that in Canada, it’s been renewed for season 4!!
Love he show!!!!RENEW, RENEW, RENEW. The concept was great. Knowing who the killer was made viewing fun, intruiging!!!
Once again, anything halfway decent is cut so that we can continue to watch fake “reality” shows. I happened to watch a show that comes on ABC and caught the very end of the bachelorette the other night. They were discussing one of the men’s balls hanging out. Yea, that’s what I want to spend my evening watching. NOT!!!!!!!!! I’m so sick of the BS they put on TV that I’m about ready to go back to books. ABC execs are idiots. Keep it up and all you will have left watching are Jerry Springer guests. I cannot contain my… Read more »
First they dropped Forever, now Motive – ABC you suck big time and I no longer have any reason to watch anything on your network! BYE BYE abc…………..
That is do true ! I really loved both those shows!
FYI – you can watch season 3 on youtube – I just found it listed under Motive Season 3, looks like all of the shows are there, haven’t watched any yet so not sure of the quality. Bless whoever put them there!
Thanks! At least we can watch it now. And thank you to the person who put them out there!