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.
I am only just discovering Numbers-addicted and watching old shows on another channel. Want to see it return.
I really hope it returns. It’s intelligent and it works.
I agree this year was an Olympic years and being that their season was cut short what more can they ask for? I mean they pretty much signed a death certificate for the show due to this season being what it was.. I think it is one of the better shows on tv i hope cbs brightens up and brings NUMB3RS back for another season..
Leave it on. One of the better shows out there.
I really disliked it in the beginning but now it is one of my favorites. It a unique take on the way overdone police agency team of crime fighters genre.
I really enjoy all the LA spots and it gives a true glimpse of what living here it really like.
Keep it on!
Great show. Leave it on.
oops meant 7th season, not 8th.
I really hope that CBS brings back Numb3rs for an 8th season. I have watching this series from the very first show. I love Numb3rs and really hope CBS is able to cut off some of the the shows that shouldn’t even really be on and bring back Numb3rs for a 7th season.
It needs to stay. The only 4 words executives need to hear.
Absolutely, leave it on! There are not enough shows on t.v. that show men doing their best to be good men. Too many of our children are being raised without good male role models. Some children have so little contact with their fathers that t.v. provides them with the only examples of how men behave. Unfortunately, not every male character on t.v. is someone you’d want your son to emulate. The characters on Numb3ers, however, show that men can be tough, brave, honest, smart, intuitive, and still have the natural struggle to define themselves and to try to be better… Read more »
If this show cancels, I will be heartbroken!
keep this show on the air; I really love watching this show on Friday nights & love the cast. I am tired of networks cancelling great shows, so they can make room for new shows, that usually don’t make it.
Numb3rs is one of the only original shows on T.V. I love the cast and the relationships, although changing, still have a lot of room to be explored. I hope they renew this show. It’s one of the only things I watch on Fridays.
Numb3rs is one of our favorite shows. It provides a refreshing, intelligent alternative to all the nauseating reality shows clogging the airwaves. KEEP IT ON, CBS!
Keep Numbers on the air. Intelligent, witty, good TV. Not a chance it stays