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.
NBC is making a big mistake cancelling Prime Suspect. The Firm is horrible so why not bring it back and keep at same time every week. Give it a chance.
Just another example of NBC getting it wrong. They didn’t have much faith in another show my wife and i still watch. House. Maybe fox will pick this show up to.
Also disappointed this show was cancelled. Thought their was some great written episodes and some great laughs with the characters. Think this show would have done better on another network. I saw this was not just a show with Maria Bello but a great supporting cast.
Very disappointed it was cancelled. Thought it was an excellent series. Loved Jane and her character. Will miss it very much!
I’m a cop, and I can tell you this was a well written cop show and with a second season it would take off. It’s too bad… This show was cool.
Best cop show – I cannot believe they canceled this show ! it was a great show now they put other crap shows on !
I dont get it !!!!!!!!Get real people
Mario Bello was great & also the cast
all they want to show are more STUPID
reality shows !!! TV STINKS
There are four of us sitting here right now, all of us in our mid fifties and we are just sick to have learned about the cancellation of this excellent show. It is very sad to think it may be the reality T.V. shows that are going to end up ruling the roost but why not, less expensive to produce and no highly paid actors to deal with. T.V. is getting to be not worth watching.
When is NBC going to stick with the well written well acted shows?! We DVR almost everything and do not watch in real time. A great number of households do this. Are you using these viewings in your ratings? SOMEBODY ii making wrong decisions in programming for NBC.
Great, gritty show with heart. Stupid, stupid placement. Should have immediately followed The Office.
This was a great show! Dang it, bring it back. It was a really was thoughtful. I am bumming.
Really loved the show, even gave up watching “The Mentalist” to see it. Now I’m back to watching zero shows on NBC. Hopefully TNT or USA will pick it up.
I’m really sad to see this show cancelled! I have been waiting week after week for a new episode so I finally checked to see what was up only to discover it’s been cancelled. NBC has made a huge mistake…this show is real, finally a real cop show with an awesome cast and excellent actors. Get rid of the other crap out there, so disappointed. I think that if this show had been given a better time slot it would have really been a hit. I really hope another network picks this show up, it’s too good for this to… Read more »
Sucks, even my husband enjoyed it. Not a chick show. Very good drama.
So sorry it was cancelled, it was the best cop show on tv and seemed to show what a real cop show should be. I think it was confused with Person of Interest and lost its viewers because it was on the same night. Shame on NBC for cancelling it!
NBC finally gets a decent show and they haven’t got the will to stick it out. Prime Suspect was excellent, well written and well acted. I anxiously anticipated each new episode.
It’s extremely disappointed that Prime Suspect has been cancellec. Lets hope one of the cable channels picks it up. It will be a winner away from the network meat grinder.
Boy what a mistake NBC has made. If they had given the show a regular time slot, it would have been a hit. It is a great a great show. Great cast really going to miss it.