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.
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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.
It was to enjoyable and unfortunately has joined other good CBS programs like “Without A Trace” and “Cold Case”. That just leaves CSI Miami on CBS that we will watch. Sad times
Numb3rs is one of those rare shows that we all looked forward to. In fact, it has probably been our favorite show for the last six years. Pl3as3 bring it back.
I love Numbe3s…….I stay home Friday nights to watch it. I’m very sad to hear of the show demise…..
It’s too bad they’re going to cancel one of the more intelligent shows on this network. I like the cop shows, but this one was really different and intriguing. I’ve been completely unimpressed with Miami Medical so far, won’t even watch it now. I can definitely find something better.
Perhaps the reason the ratings & viewers have been reduced this past season is because of the mandatory Digital TV of the stations. I have not been able to watch CBS at all since we were forced into this TV format. I have the correct antenna, converter box & even a signal enhancer, but cannot get CBS at all. Maybe someone should address this problem.
CBS executives should have watch there shows every night strapped to a chair !
Numbers was a good show !!!
I have enjoyed Numb3rs from the first episode, the writers are fantastic, and the Direction is awsome, and I love the actors, ALL OF THEM! Why do they always **** can the best shows, they run for a few years, and just when people feel like they’re part of the family, some IDIOT decides to do some off the wall show, I’m so tired medical shows, but one of the finest, is Hawthorne , but most of the others seem to have the same writers. NCIS, & NCIS LAS ANGLES , are some fantastic shows also, but I’m waiting to… Read more »
That’s sad… It’s fun to watch and it (in my opinion) helps get people more interested in mathematics/physics and how it can apply to ‘real world’ situations (such as my wife). It’s a well written show. Very intelligent. Almost an exercise for the mind without you knowing it! There are just not enough intelligent shows on anymore these days and it would be a shame to end yet another one of them.
im so disappointed that the series will be cancled,I’m from the Philippines and loved numb3rs so much its not just about solving crimes its about how they value thier family and friends.To me it not just entertaining but its also inspiring.
Num3ers is the only piece of television fiction that truly challenged my knowledge-base EVERY WEEK.
None of us need another medical drama, or lawyer drama, or sitcom. They’re cheap and easy to produce and require very little from pre-fab writers. Sad.
I completely agree with this, you look at CSI Miami and CSI whatever else, there are 3 shows that keep on getting played over and over again, just re runs.. I think that Numb3r’s is something that appeals to the minds of intelliectuals and i think it should be put into at least one last season.
I am very disappointed that Numb3rs may/will not be back next season. We enjoyed watching a show that was creative and not blood and guts gory like most of the other crime shows now on TV.
Pam and Murry
Austin, TX
I love the show and have gotten family members and friends to watch. Excellent writing,
ingenious premise and superb cast. As for the, I guess replacement, I am not interested in the fifty seventh hospital drama, and that is not counting soaps, on the air. I was interested in a show that was unlike other series, and got better every week.
ellen, chicago
This is one of the only shows I actually looked forwaard to. It was a good clean show with drama ,comedy and good writing. CBS is making a mistake. I hope another network will pick up this show.
I have enjoyed this show. I am sorry to hear it is probably canceled.
My husband and I get up in the morning to watch the re-runs. We were so looking forward to the new series. We are very disappointed to hear that it has been canceled.
They will be missed.