Earlier this week, NBC announced their mid-season schedule and, not surprisingly, low-rated Prime Suspect wasn’t on it. Supposedly NBC execs hadn’t cancelled the show and would still be “considering their options” until all 13 episodes had aired.
Now comes word that production will be shutting down before the holiday. The cast and crew were reportedly informed of the season wrap on Monday afternoon, as NBC was announcing their schedule. It surely wasn’t a surprise. Mario finishing episode 12 now and will complete number 13 before closing up shop.
There won’t be any more episodes produced for this season, despite the fact that the network ordered another half dozen scripts. Though NBC isn’t officially saying that Prime Suspect is cancelled, the cast and crew have been told that there won’t be a second season.
Theoretically, Prime Suspect could be brought back next season but that would mean that the network would have to put a lot of money into promoting a show that had been off the air for nine months, a show that couldn’t muster strong ratings after a big launch. Thus far the show’s averaged a dismal 1.4 rating in the 18-49 demographic and just 4.97 million viewers.
There’s simply no reason for the network to spend any more resources on Prime Suspect. For whatever reason, most of the network just weren’t interest in this TV series.
What do you think? Are you sorry that Prime Suspect is being cancelled and won’t be back for a second season?
Image courtesy NBC.
I am so disappointed to hear the NBC has cancelled this show. I looked forward to watching Mario Bello and the rest of the fantastic cast every week. It was a cleverly written show with excellent acting. I hope at the very least, another network picks it up. Now I have nothing to watch on Thursday nights. PLEASE BRING THIS SHOW BACK!!!
PLEASE, PLEASE DON’T CANCELL THIS ONE!!! Great show let it roll and people will discover it!
Its great shows and shouldn’t be cancelled, Maria Bello is amazing in this role.
KLPINLV: I agree with those who say Prime Suspect is a GREAT show, with great storylines, and fantastic acting. I looked forward to this show every week and I am sooooo sorry to hear that it is being cancelled. I am 44, my husband is 57. We really will miss this show. I think Maria Bello was absolutely phenomenal. I LOVED her character in prime, I think it really brought out the best in her! I would be thrilled if NBC gave Prime one more try!
NBC learnt their on Thursday night, when The Firm only scored a 1.0 18-49 rating. Bet Prime Suspect doesn’t look so bad now
Prime Suspect can’t be cancelled. This is a great show. Great acting and great writing.
Reconsider. Please
Agree w/all said, coming from apparent disinterested 18-49 group. Don’t get it. Reality sucks. Why do you think we watch tv & movies NBC. To escape reality.
Loved the show. Hope it reemerges somewhere and is a hit!
“Prime Suspect” was one of my favorite shows. Smart, funny, gritty. Terrific scripts and acting. I was so sorry to see it cancelled and hope it shows up again, somewhere. Wouldn’t it be fun to see it emerge as a sleeper hit when it does?
hope tnt picks this show up. it would find audience there for a good show.
I am genuinely disappointed in the reported cancellation of Prime Suspect. This was the first NBC show I had watched in decades, and apart from Grimm, it may be the last.
I will not watch The Firm. The last thing TV needs is the serialization of a movie!
Prime Suspect was a quality show with engaging characters, fine acting, and credible scripting. NBC is doing poorly and decisions such as this one explain precisely why.
I was so as bummed out that Prime Suspect was not on last night. I tired to watch the Firm and changed the channel within 5 mins. Please don’t tell me Prime Suspect has been cancelled. Mario Bello is one of the best female actors around. Bad mistake if you take this off the air. But if PBS picks it up, then I right there watching it. PBS is such a great channel.
Makes sense. Excepting 30 Rock, NBC carries no content worth watching. NBC can duly be judged by the trash on their prime time schedule. No wonder viewers move to cable channels for quality. I have no grief for the writers and actors of this show. Talent can always find its way. The viewers of Prime Suspect will have to move on to search for quality.
Once again NBC has their collective heads up their asses. This is a great show. They cancelled Southland too. Luckily, TNT picked it up. TNT should buy Prime Suspect as well.
As usual, everytime a quality show comes out, it gets cancelled before people barely discover it
TNT NEEDS TO PICK THIS SHOW UP. THE CAST AND STORYLINES ARE TAILOR MADE FOR TNT’S AUDIENCE. NBC HAS **** FOR BRAINS AS REFLECTED BY CONSISTENT BAD DECISIONS FROM THEIR PROGRAMMING DEPRTMENT. SMART, FUNNY WOMEN ARE HARD TO FIND ON TELEVISION, LET ALONE ON COP DRAMAS.