Court will soon be adjourned for the Mark-Paul Gosselaar drama, Raising the Bar. TNT has decided to cancel the series after two seasons but, there may still be more to come.
From executive producer Steven Bochco, Raising the Bar revolves around a group of law school classmates who work on opposite sides of the courtroom. The drama’s cast includes Gosselaar, Gloria Reuben, Currie Graham, Melissa Sagemiller, J. August Richards, Jonathan Scarfe, Teddy Sears, Jane Kaczmarek, Stacy Hall, Natalia Cigliuti, Paul Joyner, Wayne Lopez, Jon Polito, and Angel Oguendo.
Back on September 1, 2008, the series premiere attracted 7.7 million viewers. That set a record for TNT as the biggest audience for a new series launch on regular cable. Unfortunately, much of the audience didn’t return for later episodes which averaged 5.5 million. Despite an early decline, TNT renewed the series for a second season.
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On June 8th, season two of Raising the Bar attracted just 3.6 million and shed half of the audience of its lead-in, The Closer.
As a result of the low ratings, the cable channel has cancelled the legal drama. Via a statement, a TNT representative said, “Everyone at TNT had a great experience working on Raising the Bar with Steven Bochco and the rest of the show’s terrific cast and crew. We’re proud of the series and appreciate the efforts of all of the creative people who were involved. Unfortunately, ratings for Raising the Bar’s second season did not reach the levels required for TNT to renew the series.”
TNT had opted to split the second season into two parts. The first dozen episodes finished airing on August 24th. That leaves three episodes on the shelf. It was expected that they would air in early 2010 but they haven’t been given airdates yet.
What do you think? Are you upset that the series has been cancelled? Why do you think that Raising the Bar failed — acting, storylines, or something else?
Image courtesy TNT.
I am very disappointed that Raising the Bar is going off the air, I really appreciated the show and the characters. I get tired of the television networks taking good quality programs off the air only to add raunchy ones in their place. Raising the Bar I felt had a substance to it that series like Saving Grace which could have been a great show had they left out the million different naked , sex scenes did not. I am sad to see it go especially with leaving certain story lines unfinished.
This was one of the best on TV! How could those dummies cancel it? I was one looking forward to its return. When will they ever get it together. My newt tv book gives the address to write or call, here it is: TNT: 1010 Techwood Drive, Atlanta, GA 30318, 404-885-4538 or tnt.tv.
I guess I will never understand why really substandard shows like The Bachelor, or Lost, or something else gets broadcasted by the big networks in prime time—and this great, fun show is cut!
Get lost producers……we all loved it……..Get it?????
Pat
What a shame…..a really great show with a heart !! I wish it would be brought back & better advertised, to get a better audience. Everyone I told about it had started watching it & enjoyed it.
I really liked this show. But I could never remember when it was on! I was searching for it to see if it was coming on again now that it’s summer and discovered it has been canceled. I can’t keep up with all the strange times some shows come on anymore… new shows in the summer…new shows in January… new shows in September… the scheduling on all networks makes it difficult to keep up with any show, let alone those that are new and still finding an audience. Bring it back please or take it to NBC. They need a… Read more »
Two GREAT shows from the men who brought us NYPD Blue: Raising The Bar (Bochco) and Deadwood (Milch) have come and gone just as they were at the top of their game. (at least HBO wasn’t the one who pulled the plug on Deadwood. Milch quit). These were two of the BEST shows on ANY type of television. Why can’t someone find a home for quality programming ….somewhere? It’s like they tease us with high quality shows only to replace them with garbage. Junk is cheap I guess. NBC destroyed L & O: Criminal Intent with cost cutting measures. As… Read more »
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20391026,00.html
I too really enjoyed Raising the Bar, and was so disappointed when it was cancelled. I just found an article (see link above) that mentions Mark-Paul G’s new TNT legal series (and his separation from his wife). Too bad TNT couldn’t just stick with Raising the Bar — a little promotion would have really helped this show.
I am so disappointed. I saved the last seasons on my Cable TIVO but lost them to overcrowding. I can’t believe that you are cancelling one of the finest legal shows I have ever seen. Please notify me when the final 3 episodes will air. DARN!
I have loved Law shows since LA Law in the 80’s, then Law and Order SVU and CSI Miami. Raising the bar was excellent – my absolute favorite. In the court room and in the round table discussions after work they addressed serious legal issues in the US -(1) fines being a percentage of income instead of fixed monetary amount, (2) lawyers filing suit on behalf of a victim and then taking ALL of the judgment in legal fees. My favorite scenes where (1) when the Public defender boss threatened to expose the mean husband’s drug habit if he didn’t… Read more »
I agree with all of the above statements. This program portrayed real life drama. One does not usually see programs centered around public defenders. I have watched the program since it’s inception and would have continued to do so. I really wish TNT would reconsider or at least bring the drama to an end and not just leave it hanging.
Have been waiting for it’s return, very sorry it’s not coming back.
I watch and recorded it from the begining it was more true to life than some of the other programs. It seems that anything good these days doesn’t make it and they keep the crap
on and disappoint the millions that did watch.
I guess the young people in charge think of only money, it’s a sorry world today
Hoping they change their minds
Ahhhh I just found out … 6 months late of course. I thought the show was doing well. The only problem was the day and time. I mean I was hooked from pilot to finish. In fact the only reason why I found out it was canceled was because I had excepted another season and wanted to watch season 2 again. Went online searching for episodes and saw that TNT canceled it. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Maybe it doesn’t cut it on cable channel TNT but NBC FOX CBS could easily rock it and make bucket loads. Glad I was able to watch… Read more »
I agree I am very disappointed that this show canceled, I watched this as well as The Closer. This show was full of excitement and Drama that could easily be real life, which makes it all the more interesting. Not a good thing to stop this show……
This was one of the best dramas on t.v., what is the matter with TNT. Please bring it back, or Mr. Bochco, please find it a new home!
I CANNOT believe it!!! Why? This show had so much more to deliver and I was waiting for it’s return so that you guys could bring it to me. Ackkk! I am so bummed. It was one of a few shows that I still watched TNT for. Please say it isn’t so. Bring it back. I’ll be waiting.
I really liked this show. I started watching becaused of Paul Mark Gosselaar who I loved from NYPD Blue. But Raising the Bar was really good, even though it seemed to be populated with only the extremely beautiful. It could have evolved into a really great show with the character development that was happening in the second season.