First, FOX cancelled Lone Star and then, ABC cancelled My Generation. Not wanting to be left out, NBC has now cancelled Outlaw. The Jimmy Smits series has ceased production but viewers will still be able to see the remaining episodes.
Outlaw follows a Supreme Court Justice (Smits) who decides to step down and go back to being a lawyer in order to fight injustices. The NBC series also stars Carly Pope, David Ramsey, Jesse Bradford, and Ellen Woglom.
The series debuted following the season finale of one of NBC’s biggest shows, America’s Got Talent, and could only attract moderate ratings. In its regular Friday night timeslot, Outlaw’s ratings have gone from bad to worse. This past Friday, the show hit a new low in the 18-49 demographic with a 0.9 rating and fell to just 4.10 million viewers. It was in last place in both categories.
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As we previously reported, NBC shut down production last week, supposedly wanting to wait to see if viewership got better in later weeks. If that was actually the case, they didn’t wait very long. Outlaw has been cancelled and the cast and crew won’t be returning to production.
For the time being, NBC will fill the 10pm timeslot with an expanded edition of Dateline. The four remaining episodes of Outlaw will be seen on Saturday nights starting on October 16th. An episode won’t be seen on October 30th because of a previously schedule Shrek special. The last episode of Outlaw will air on November 13th.
What do you think? Are you sorry to see it go? Why do you think it didn’t attract a bigger audience?
Image courtesy NBC.
This show is (was) great. I never would have watched it on a Friday night because my son plays football on Friday nights; but, I could not wait to watch it on the internet on Hulu. I probably wouldn’t have been able to watch on most Saturday nights either. Now that there are so many ways to watch TV other than sitting in front of it at the “scheduled” time of a show, the networks are going to have to figure out a better way to find out which shows are being watched by the viewers. If I were one… Read more »
This has to rate about 9.95 on the stupid programming decisions meter. Ok, so since ratings are down on a new drama that is having a hard time building an audience in all the cable noise, we will cancel it and replace it with another tabloid TV show episode.
And if the advertisers are demanding it, they are dumber than the TV execs. This is why we TiVo or web source about 90% of our television these days. Good bye networks, hello alternative media.
Jimmy Smits is terrific and this was a great show. The plots were very interesting and it was much better than some other new shows. If you were targeting a younger audience, Friday night was a bad night to air the show–most of them are not around on Friday night. I think it was a good show for the 35+ crowd and hope you will reconsider.
This is a great show!! What’s wrong with you people!!!!
I will miss Outlaw. I don’t think the network has given the show enough time to build an audience. Can’t the network suits give us a few more episodes in a decent slot with some press coverage and see what happens?
NBC has made a huge mistake in cancelling “Outlaw”. They placed it opposite “Bluebloods” and someone had to lose. “Bluebloods” is beginning to weaken, in my opinion. Too much religion and too much “family”. “Outlaw” needs a chance on another night. I value this show because it dares to address issues that are hot buttons in politics today. This week’s show addressed the well known discrepancies in educational opprtunities for children all over this country. I think it may have even MADE PEOPLE THINK. NBC, please undo this programming mistake. Think “Leno debacle” and continue the show.
What do you move a show like Outlaw to weekends. That is a death knell to any show.
If there were creative problems, figure them out and fix it.
That is called the creative process. Give a new show a chance.
This is why the networks which we all grew up with, are struggling! You produce a show to make us think about situations we are seeing everyday, in our own surroundings. And you cancel it! Don’t have enough viewers in the younger age brackets? Well, you tell me, where are they on a Friday or Saturday night? Out kicking up their heels and doing stuff that young folks do….having fun! I think the worst planning was to put it on a weekend night. Try it in a slot during the prime times, and see what happens! And get Cyrus in… Read more »
I am so sorry to see Outlaw taken off the air. I find the topics relevant and love the free spirit of the show. Jimmy Smits and the rest of the cast do an excellent job. Friday night has always been an iffy time slot. My DVR saves the day on that one. More Dateline doesn’t cut it for me. Put Outlaw back on and give it a chance on a better night.
In our opinion Outlaw is one of the best dramatic shows we’ve seen in a long time – it includes actual social injustices going on today and how a strong honest man can demonstrate human warmth and stand up for what is right. How refreshing!!! Personally I’m tired of watching negative shows and comedy shows with no comedy – only smutty remarks and mindless topics.
Put Outlaw back on!!
Great show, superb acting, intellectually stimulating dialogue, intriguing plot…how did it ever get on the air in the first place? I should have known it was too good to be true. The network never even gave it a chance. I thoroughly enjoyed and looked forward to each episode. I only hope its cancellation will be reconsidered.
I really liked this show — the basic premise and cast of characters were excellent!
However, Smits’ gambling addiction and the truly sophomoric dialog between Pope and Bradford were serious distractions from otherwise well thought out plots.
I loved the show. Finally something that wasn’t same plot and predictable lines. If NBC had ran the show consistantly every week, the show may have better ratings. I had to DVR the show it would be on for two or three weeks, and not on for a week or two to run something lame. The network will probably replace it with another police show or reality tv. Any more dance shows or reality yv and I will cancel my cable. Let’s see the ratings then. Jimmy Smits is still real hot(just saying!!)
I DON’T KNOW WHAT IS WRO NG WITH OUT LAW. IF THERE ARE PROBLEMS, YOU SHOULD CORRECT THEM I AND MY FRIENDS LIKE THE SHOW.
Come on NBC. You put worthless programing like The Event, Chase and Jay Leno’s show in prime time and then cancel a great show like Outlaw. What are you thinking? Get over all that crap and get back to real television.