The peacock network recently premiered a new mystery series for the summer called Persons Unknown. Will the series last? Will viewers get answers to their questions or be left hanging?
Persons Unknown revolves around a group of strangers who wake up in a strange hotel and find that they’re in a ghost town and unable to leave. They see security cameras observing them and their unknown captors create mistrust among the group by offering freedom if they hurt the others. The cast includes Chadwick Boseman, Lee Purcell, Jason Wiles, Andy Greenfield, Daisy Betts, Tina Holmes, Alan Ruck, Kate Lang Johnson, Sean O’Bryan, and Gerald Kyd.
The NBC mystery series debuted on June 7th to very disappointing ratings. The premiere attracted a poor 1.4 rating in the 18-49 demographic and just 4.38 million viewers. That represents a distant third place for the timeslot and is an even worse performance than last year’s I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!.
In week two, the numbers dropped to a 1.2 rating and 3.52 total viewers. Episode three’s ratings dropped even further to a 1.0 in the demo and only 2.87 million viewers. How much lower can the numbers go?
The network is promoting Persons Unknown as a mini-series and say that all viewer questions will be answered by the end of the 13th episode. There have been talks that if the show is successful, it could return for a second season (like CBS’ Harper’s Island). The series was created with international buyers in mind so if it’s successful in other countries, year two could be forthcoming (ala The Listener). However, with ratings like these, NBC wouldn’t likely have an interest in buying it.
Actually, the peacock network could pull the show off the air before all of the current episodes have even aired. NBC has moved it up to 8pm for the next couple weeks, trying to attract a few more viewers. Hopefully, the network will let all 13 episodes air and allow faithful viewers to see the story reach its conclusion. At this point, a move to Saturday nights or forcing people to watch episodes online wouldn’t come as a surprise.
What do you think? Is Persons Unknown worth watching or would you just cancel it before all the episodes have aired?
Image courtesy NBC.
I have really enjoyed the 3 episodes of this show I have seen. Of course, I did not see the 4th episode as I tuned in at 10pm Monday evening to be greeted by some worthless piece of inanity called Last Comic Standing or sitting or squatting or something like that. I guess NBC decided to move it to 8 pm and keep its intentions a secret. You know…things that can really help a show’s ratings. I even checked my local newspaper’s tv listings for Monday in Monday’s paper and it had it listed for 10 pm. If NBC continues… Read more »
I love the show, and want to see it to its conclusion. Of course, the networks care more about advertising dollars than about viewers like me. Let’s face it, this is a profit-driven business, and advertising rates are dictated by how many people might be watching the ads. What we as fans need to do is to put on all the TV’s in our houses to the program in question and that will cause the ratings to go up.
Yes! Air ALL episodes, just air them at the time listed in the tv guide! NBC is so big on watching shows “as they air” – why would they move it from 10:00 to 8:00 with NO NOTICE of the scheduling change! It really is a good show, hope NBC doesn’t do its’ notorious “cancel it before we know anything” routine! If they do cancel it, the only things I will ever watch on NBC are “Chuck” and “Parenthood”! The rest of the programming will be dead to me! And I will make sure that I tell everyone I possibly… Read more »
I just realized that in my comment I referred to shows other than the ones cited in the article. I loved The Listener. I was sorry to see it go. Harper’s Island just never gripped me, not even for a hottie like Christopher Gorham. At least he’s turning up in “Covert Affairs.” 🙂
I’m amazed that the ratings have steadily declined. I was intrigued by the commercials and after the first episode I was hooked. Each week I’m left wanting to know what happens next. I’m enjoying it just as I enjoyed Kingdom Hospital. My only trepidations are that it could turn super gross like the Saw movies or that it could, God forbid, end with a whimper like Lost.
Could not stand “The Prisoner”. Could care less whether it airs all or not of this show.
THE SHOWS BEEN ON FOR 4 WEEKS ALREADY AND I HAVE NOT SEEN ONE PROMOO FOR IT. I LIKE THE SHOW. LETS HOPE NBC DOESN’T PULL AN ABC AND CANCEL IT EARLY
Keeep !
I’m really keen on this tv series.
Do us fans a favor.keep it on for all 13 episodes or however many.keep it interesting and satisfy us at the end unlike my used to be favorite show lost did to us.that was horrible.good show keep it up.maybe advertise more like the other guy said
I would like to see it to the end.
The networks have no one but themselves to blame for shows like this getting poor ratings. People don’t want to watch them and get into the story only for it to be cancelled before any resolution is reached. It has happened so many times before: The Nine, Invasion, Happy Town, Flash Forward,etc. And the neworks anwser is to move it to a diffrent time? Well guess what I want to watch this show and I just got home it’s 9;30 on Monday night and I just found out I missed it. So now a good percentage of people who are… Read more »
YES! They should air all the episodes! It’s a great show. I agree w/Jeremy, advertise it more! It’s a great story, please don’t just cancel it & leave me hanging!!
The 18 to 49 year olds aren’t watching tv in the summer. They are out partying !!! It is a great show . Leave it on for those of us who watch. Thanks
Yes they should air all the episodes, unlike flash foward this has kept my interest from week to week. Their actually seems to be a story here that could be a good conclusion, instead of wasting time and putting in as little as possible like ABC did in flash foward. (Good ridance canceling that) Move it to another night or something, but do NOT just do nothing and cancel it. Advertise it more or something. That would be much appreciated.
More Than likely NBC Network will follow what ABC Network ended up doing Our beloved Happy Town, that show was a mini series also for the summer, the ratings started dropping like dead flies each and every week they only have two shows left to conclude the series. So what ABC Network decided to pull the plug on the show. They been showing it all of these weeks what difference two more weeks would have done. They could have even put the last two shows on for a two hour Finale to get it done and over with. But that… Read more »