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, what are you thinking? Why do you cancel all of the great shows? Where are you getting your ratings from?
Sad, sad, sad. Great shows go away and reality shows stay. Guess its all about the money.
I really hope another network that values great shows brings it back. You suck NBC.
I can’t believe they cancelled this show?????? Maria Bello and cast were awesome!! Great casting and storyline! Whoeverade that decision to cancel is an idiot!!!
I loved this show. Great strong interesting characters and good story line with just the right amount of personal interest offshoots. Pity NBC couldn’t pull this off, probably why all the shows I now watch aren’t on NBC. Loved Maria Bello in her role, maybe they should move to Showtime or even TBS, TNT or Fox.
Loved the show. Sad it’s gone.
I hate you NBC
I really enjoyed this show. Sorry to see that it has been cancelled. Maria Bello was excellent in the lead role. She was a combination of tough and tender and very funny without meaning to be. She did a great job. A good show for one of the cable stations to pick up and carry on.
If women had a chance to find this show, I think they would like Jane. Likeable with real skills and relationships—not a mom role for a change. Very smart, lots of texture.
There’s got to be a place for this kind of show….how many times can the public watch weeks of weight loss?
NBC just totally messes up their shows; moving them around without prior notices and we love this show, maybe if they sent it to BBC America it would be a hit, because I love this show & hate that didn’t even advertise that it would be shown on a Saturday, good thing I had series recording set up so it caught it. NBC Order another season & put it on on Sundays at 8pm. Maybe you should give me a Nielsen box & see how much better your shows would do. NBC did the same with L & O; L&… Read more »
Good series, too real for primetime, no support to build a fan base.
I just watched the last episode that I had on the DVR. This is a great show -not as good as the BBC version, but Maria Bello is really good and I certainly hope another network picks it up.
I cant believe that NBC has cancelled this show. Prime Suspect was one of my favorites that I would not miss. Really NBC what are you thinking! sorry, but youre not helping your ratings any by cancelling the good shows you have/had. maybe another network will get smart and pick it up–Ill be switching channels anyway to watch something better than the Firm–really don’t care for Grim either. think you need to thing twice before cancelling some shows
Was a great show, nice too see a women playing a cop and kicking ass. Great comadree between the cast and believable. Never gave it a fair chance. Keep it on tv for people to find it and watch. Nothing on tv any good. When they do have something good they cancel it. what is wrong with people we want good television shows like Prime Suspect on.
This was a great show, you want the truth, you can’t handle it. Wish cable stattions would take it on.