Last night, NBC burned off the final two episodes of Prime Suspect. The TV series has been ratings-challenged right from the start and, in November, NBC acknowledged that they wouldn’t be ordering any installments beyond the initial 13 episode order. The official word was that they would re-evaluate once all of the episodes had aired but everyone knew that it was really being cancelled.
If there was even a glimmer of hope that Prime Suspect might see a second season, the ratings for the final episodes didn’t help. Prime Suspect’s numbers continued to dwindle in the latter part of 2011. Last night, following a month hiatus, the finale registered a new series low.
Prime Suspect has been all but officially cancelled by NBC and its replacement, The Firm, is doing even worse. Last Thursday’s episode registered a 0.9 rating for its fourth episode. It took Prime Suspect 10 weeks to drop that low. Fortunately for fans of The Firm, NBC purchased 22 episodes up front. It remains to be seen if they’ll all air.
At the recent TCA press tour, NBC execs noted that, had Prime Suspect been on a premium cable channel like Showtime, it would have been declared a hit and would have been quickly renewed. Maybe but we’ll never know.
What do you think? Are you sorry that this was the end of Prime Suspect? Why do you think it didn’t catch on? Would it have been a hit on HBO or Showtime or even on a basic cable station like TNT?
Image courtesy NBC.
Rats. I’d heard id-season that this show was on the bubble but was really hoping it would pick up viewership. This show was well written, well acted, and had a very good ensemble cast, so of course the great unwashed/unthinking masses are ignoring it. Shame.
I liked this show. Sorry to see it go.
I didn’t even know it was on Sunday night, but then so were the football playoffs. At least I could have taped them. PS was one of the few new shows I enjoyed watching. I will miss it, but life will go on. Since the tube is getting so bad, at least I’ll save electricity on not having it on.
I have a public access channel where I live and they show the UK “Prime Suspect”. I’m not going to compare the two but I find I enjoy the British version a bit more.
I stopped watching the show, because the characters were not interesting. I just didn’t like Jane and Reg who were the main characters in the first few episodes. I had the same problem with the character of Mary Shannon in In Plain Sight.
I was almost jumping up and down last night when I realized Prime Suspect had two episodes back to back on NBC. Of course, I didn’t realize it was the LAST TWO SHOWS…
I didn’t just like this show, I absolutely LOVED THIS SHOW !!! It took me back to Hill Street Blues and NYPD Blue… The actors weren’t gorgeous or handsome — they were actors portraying real people who just happened to be COPS.
What a shame — I’m totally disappointed. DAMN !!!
Well isn’t that the $1 question? Yes!!! Any show is better off not being on nbc. The network is doomed.
Prime Suspect was my favorite network TV show. I am extremely disappointed that it is being cancelled. As for the latest episode having lower ratings, what do you expect when you take it away for an extended period and then slip it back in with no fanfare? If I knew it was on last night, I would have watched it. Hopefully some cable channel will realize how good this show was, and will pick it up.
I think if a show does not catch on within the first few episodes, the cancellation talk starts and it’s hard to stop. It didn’t help that the UK version was different with the female star in charge, but it was going up against some stiff competition. With so much on TV these days, a show has to capture an audience right away or risks being shot down before Xmas.
I love this show. It isn’t a soap opera, the characters are smart, funny and not all sleeping with each other or thinking about sleeping with each other. It’s just a good cop show. What a shame.
I thought this was by far the best of the new shows in this TV year. It’s a shame NBC didn’t give this the chance it deserved. Solid performances from all of the cast and interesting stories meant this should have been around for a while. My only complaint is I don’t understand why it linked itself with the UK “Prime Suspect”, the links between the two shows is tedious at most. Perhaps under another title this show maybe would have succeeded. Such a pity, really sorry to see this one go.
I agree with you about the title, it didn’t need to be linked to the UK show.
don’t cancelt he show, we love it!
I think the days of the gritty police drama may have passed, at least on network TV. Detroit 187, a similar show, failed last year on ABC. It took cable to get people to watch Southland, which I think is the best cop show since Hill Street Blues.
i think detroit 187 was one of the best shows on tv. the dialogue, acting and plot lines were all fantastic. it really upped our standards for new shows. prime suspect is one of the few that comes close. such a shame that another one bites the dust.
I will be VERY disappointed that this show is not getting picked up. With all the trash on TV.. it was a beacon of hope. It reminds me a lot of NYPD Blue (wish I miss). It’s a hard hitting cop drama with a strong, intelligent, flawed female lead and well developed characters… what’s not to like! The only reason more people didn’t pick up on this show is it was aired in a horrible slot.. opposite tons of other popular shows. Does the watcher measurement take into account DVR recording? I think if they gave Prime Suspect a chance… Read more »
I watched and enjoyed every last moment.
I hope someone picks it up. TNT would be a good choice, it’s too quirky for USA’s formulaic story telling.