Tonight, Numb3rs finishes off its sixth season with episode 118, “Cause and Effect.” Will the show be back next season? A decision hasn’t been made yet but lots of people are betting that it will be cancelled.
Numb3rs follows FBI Agent Don Eppes (Rob Morrow) and his genius brother, Charlie (David Krumholtz), who helps the authorities solve cases with mathematics. The cast also features Judd Hirsch (as their father), Alimi Ballard, Dylan Bruno, Navi Rawat, Aya Sumika, and Peter MacNicol.
The series debuted in January 2005 and has long been a successful player for CBS on Friday nights. In season one, Numb3rs averaged a 3.2 rating in the 18-49 demographic and about 11.1 million viewers. They went up in season two, with an average of a 3.3 rating and 11.7 million viewers. Viewership has fallen since then however and last season, Numb3rs scored a 2.2 and 10.2 million.
This season, Numb3rs’ ratings have dropped further still — averaging a 1.8 rating and 8.26 million viewers each week. As a result of the decline in ratings, CBS (which is having a very good season) decided to cut back on the number of episodes and reduced their season order from 22 to 16 installments.
 Loading ... |
The official reason for the decrease is that CBS had too much programming and needed space to try out new series. Next week, Numb3rs’ timeslot will be occupied by a new show, Miami Medical.
CBS has maintained that the fate of Numb3rs hasn’t been decided yet but, considering the series’ production costs and ratings, it seems fairly certain that the show is done.
In fact, ABC and FOX are betting on it. The networks have already cast Morrow and Krumholtz in new pilots.
Morrow will star in a dramatic pilot called The Whole Truth for ABC, opposite Joely Richardson. He’ll play a fiercely competitive and successful defense attorney who is close friends with his equally talented courtroom adversary (Richardson). Whole Truth is being produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.
Meanwhile, Krumholtz has been cast in a comedy pilot for FOX called Tax Man. The project’s being produced by Ron Howard and stars Krumholtz as an IRS Agent who’s trying to find nobility in his work. Judy Greer recently joined the cast.
If CBS does decide to bring Numb3rs back for another season, both Morrow and Krumholtz will be obligated to return. However, the other networks wouldn’t cast them in new pilots unless they felt it was a very strong possibility that Numb3rs would indeed be cancelled.
What do you think? Would you like to see Numb3rs return for a seventh season or is it time to say goodbye to the Eppes?
Image courtesy CBS.
ABC and Fox would be better off to pick up Numb3rs than to take the leads for shows we won’t watch!
I was left wondering why the show ended so early this season, that is until today when I googled for the pooo-scoop. I have read all of the comments to date and totally agree that the show must go on. There are very few evening programs so sophisticated and intriguing. It is very well scripted and avoids repitition. I love the weekly scientific challenges, most of which are hard to fully grasp but make perfect sense. Charlie, his wife, brother, dad, and Larry are all such earthy characters. Don’s co-workers are equally likeable. Please do not cancel the show. And,… Read more »
Numb3rs has everything going for it, wit, intelligence, class, great characters, actors worth watching in any media, growth of (rich, charming, smart, flawed, alive and growing) characters, a smart way to address topical/news/cultural subjects, it’s sexy & adult. I love the relationships between all of the characters, have been quite impressed with the non-regulars and must admit a partiality for Larry/Peter McNichol. I relate to the folks! Please do not cancel the show. If Numb3rs goes on Friday nights, I guess so will I. I schedule to be at home Friday nights at 10, and have since the first season.… Read more »
please dont cancel it!!!! i LOVE this show.
I have enjoyed this show since it first aired. As has been said before- it has a continuing story line. It is not 2 dimensional; each member of the cast had their own story line. The only regret I have is that Larry and Megan didn’t get back together after she went after her
graduate degree. I guess if it does really end- this is the place to do it with all of us wanting more!
Numb3rs is one show that our whole family loves and we span the demographics of Millenials to Baby Boomers. Before we started watching Numb3rs we never watched anything on CBS. The reality is that viewers are only aware of other shows on a given network if the network can get their attention with the first one. We knew every Law and Order etc. on NBC but had no idea that CSI even existed. Because of Numb3rs we now watch more CBS shows than anything else. I am really surprised that CBS would replace a unique show like Numb3rs with another… Read more »
I like Numb3rs, I have been watching it since it started, I do not want it to end.
They can come back from England and go back to teaching, and Don still an FBI agent. I really like this show, I can name a lot of shows that can go off the air but not this one.
This is a very good show. I can not believe they would keep a show like Ghost Whisper and Medium over a good drama show. Put Numbers in Medium’s time slot. It is the only thing on Friday night cbs that is worth watching.
I absolutely love numb3rs. I have been a faithful watcher since it first aired, I would be really disappointed if it was not renewed for another season. I would have to agree with joeb there is nothing funny about the irs and there are so many shows with lawyers (defense or prosecution) to have another one, speaking of lawyer show didnt jerry bruckheimer produce raising the bar on tnt and that show didnt do so well, youd think hed learn from expierence. If numb3rs isnt renewed for another season i agree with ciara i will no longer watch anything on… Read more »
I love Numb3rs-compared to the other shows that are on TV now, it is family-friendly, clean, and not graphic. This is the one show I still watch on CBS. If Numb3rs is canceled, I will no longer be watching anything on CBS.
I love numb3rs i watch many tv shows but by far this is the best intersting plot great cast i simply love the show i love numb3rs and i hope to see a season 7 and more.
I would love to see Numbers return. Especially now that I see what the two lead actors are getting themselves into. Why would anyone watch yet another defense lawyer series? Lawyers are among the most hated people in America. Who cares about their lives or their supposed struggles? And a comedy about the IRS? There is nothing. . .absolutely nothing humorous about the IRS. Frankly, I don’t give either of these shows a chance in hell to succeed. . .and I won’t even take the time to sample them.
We’ve really enjoyed the Numb3rs program and hope that it will return and not be cancelled.
Who evern said Numb3rs was to Mathamatics what Carl Sagan was to Astronomy was right. What a wonderful, gripping show.
Numbers is a very bright spot in the CBS lineup. One of the few shows that depict people with some intellect along with friendship, humanity, and good family situations – not to mention interesting story lines. My wife and I would watch it no matter what time slot. please bring it back for another or more seasons!
please don’t let this show stop…..i truly enjoy it.