After being called the “worst new show of the season” by USA Today, the Ray Liotta series Smith has come up in first place. Unfortunately, not in the way the show cast, creators and fans would like. Smith is the first new show of the season to be cancelled, after just three episodes.
Smith starred film actor Ray Liotta as Bobby Stevens, a man leading a double life. During the day, Stevens plays a typical suburban family man while at night he’s an expert criminal who pulls off elaborate crimes with a crack team of thieves. Other series stars included Virginia Madsen, Simon Baker, Amy Smart, Johnny Lee Miller, Franky G and Chris Bauer. The series was the brainchild of ER creator Frank Wells.
Though CBS hasn’t “officially” cancelled Smith, the show has been pulled from the Tuesday night line-up and it’s not likely to return (especially as we enter the November sweeps period). The third episode garnered a low 8.4 million viewers, a significant loss from the number of viewers that watched the episode of The Unit that aired before it. Smith garnered a decent 11 million viewers at its debut on September 19, 2006 (nearly tying Boston Legal) but, has been losing viewers each week since. Networks know that when that “slide” starts, it’s unlikely to reverse itself.
For the immediate future, CBS will air a rerun of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation in Smith’s place on Tuesday, October 10, 2006. Repeats of Criminal Minds will take the slots on October 17th and 24th. No word if CBS will “burn off” the four unaired episodes of Smith but at this point, it looks unlikely. All mentions of Smith have been deleted from the CBS homepage (though you can still reach the Smith pages here.).
CBS will debut the new 3 lbs. series in Smith’s old space starting on November 14, 2006. The Stanley Tucci show was supposed to debut as a mid-season replacement series but has been moved up. The House-like show centers on the relationship between a rising-star brain surgeon (played by Mark Feuerstein) and a brilliant but unpredictable surgeon (Tucci). The network is reportedly pleased with how 3 lbs. is looking and has just ordered four additional scripts. 
I can’t believe they did this! We REALLY looked forward to Smith. People need to write, write write, and let them know how much we all enjoyed this show.
What the heck are they thinking?
We finally get a good series out there, one that made you want to come back for more, and it’s gone.
What idiots.
i just want to say how much of a relief it was to sit down and watch a show like “smith” without having to hear any medical mumble jumbo or horney housewives bitching about there so called “problems”. CBS needs to do a 180 on this show and see that this is what the public wants and what we need. Its our relief from there so called “hit” TV shows and unfortunally this is our only way to express it. I loved the show from the very beginning, and i am really upset this happened, i need this to change,… Read more »
I was absolutely ticked off after finding out that Smith will not be airing tonight. This is outrageous. I really liked that show and just like that, the show is cancelled. Why don’t they try moving it into another timeslot? Maybe bring it back in January with the other mid season shows. This is one of the greatest shows ever brought to CBS and it would be a huge let down to fans if they cancel this show. Please bring this show back to life.
Interesting – I didn’t think it was ‘fantastic’, but I was getting into the plot.
Not sure where it was going though, the plot was a bit shaky.
Better than watching reruns – does this mean reruns make more money?
i am very upset that hiis show is cancelled. what i am going to watch now on tueday. could they pls air the rest of the shows. pls bring this show back.
Nobody will listen! This show has 2 go to pay cable.. FX or somethin!! Like The Shield & Sopranos!! Censorship would eat it alive
I think CBS’s pulling of SMITH is absolutely absurd.
I guess they think we need something more realistic like Survivor. Yeah thats right, tv programming has spiraled dowm the toilet bowl. Screw CBS!!!
After looking at the Tuesday night lineup and seeing that a rerun of CSI was on tonight instead of Smith, it dawned on me that Smith may have been cancelled. I am saddened by this. Tuesday night TV on all channels kind of sucks and Smith was the only show I cared to watch. Does that not account for anything? Are we not getting bombarded with the military based tv shows and the crime scene investigation shows as well as the FBI oriented series? I thought it was rather exciting to watch a show that was about a theft ring,… Read more »
I am so mad. I was searching all day yesterday for it to see what had happened. I looked on both ctv and CBS sites and found nothing. How can they just pull a show after people have gotten into after just 3 episodes? What a load of B.S. Why at the end of the last eposide did they say next week and show the preview. I was so looking to forward to it. How disappointing. Finally a good show, starring a great actor and it’s pulled. Can’t believe what t.v. is coming to.
Go to CBS, bottom of the page, Feedback, and ask that the unaired episodes be put on the web or released to the DVD market in a season 1 package. Ratings? Do they count DVR’s and actual viewers or still a sample taken from those who have the whole Neilson ratings setup, etc. I have a since that the Smith watchers are those that would tend to watch in all ways. – but whatever. Bottomline, they had/have a hit series. So send it to retail or premium cable and let the rest of us enjoy what invest cbs did make.… Read more »
LETS SAVE SMITH OR LETS TRY. TO ANYONE WHO IS READING THE POSTING GO TO CBS.COM FEEDBACK FORM AND SELECT THE SHOW SMITH. GIVE AQUOTE WHY IT SHOULD COME BACK. ALSO GO TO CNN.COM AND TYPE IN SMITH VOTE FOR IT.
I agree. I just found out it was cancelled when I was looking to tape it on my DVR. Bad move….maybe if it aired at 9PM on a different night it might take off. I am really upset that it is over…..would love to see the unaired episodes. CBS Sucks!!!
It is very upsetting that smith tv show was cancelled! this was the very best tv show ever and ray liotta is the best actor on tv and movies!! if cbs reads this PLEASE put this show on tv!! there is alot of people who enjoy smith and ray liotta! He is a great actor he is my favorite person on tv and movies.
Is there anyway I can download his movies or tv shows on the internet??
It seems Smith was canceled because of the content of the show- the US Governement cannot abide a show in which thieves are able to break into a National Guard Armory, steal a 50 cal. machine gun, then use it in a heist.
Smith is an intelligent, edgy, star filled show.
There is now was it was pulled over “low ratings.”
This was censorship.
i am so mad that they cancelled smith. i have a call into the programming office at cbs. does anyone know if it is possible to watch the unaired episodes anywhere on the internet?