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. 
WHAT! Smith was cancelled. Unbelievable that it had low ratings, why not put in on another night instead and switch up. That was a well written show and I was happy to see Ray Liotta back on the screen again too, along with the other actors. Too many shows are on Monday and Tuesday nights all vieing for prime time and ratings, yet, fridays suck for programing. HINT HINT
I can’t believe they cancelled this show. It was a great show. I really loved it because it was DIFFERENT! I just found out they cancelled it. I have it on Tivo so I would miss it. I just thought that they had something else on in its place last week, but this week I went searching. I couldn’t even find it on cbs.com. They don’t even have it mentioned on the site. Who ever runs this channel doesn’t know what they are doing.
I was a Boston Legal fan and did switch to CBS to watch SMITH. I’m in total shock! I converted several co-workers to watch SMITH. I converted several more co-workers to watch this show instead of the popular Boston Legal. I’m very upset!! Please put SMITH back on!!!!!
Finally a show that doesn’t show repeated murders and rapes of women and suggestive scenarios, but instead “Smith” has been canceled. TV is so boring anymore, and consists of stupid sitcoms or serial killers. Surely there must be some imagination left in the producers, or maybe they gave up or just let their mind rot too.
well, since the CBS dummies out there haven’t grown a pair and cancelled the best show they’ve had in years, i’ll go back to watching the Discovery Channel and FX. No wonder i did’nt watch CBS TV much.
now
This was easily one of my favorites of the new line up. I can’t believe they cancelled it. What are they thinking? Why don’t people like it? I have a hard time believing people don’t like this show…
Smith must have been cancelled due to censorship issues.
The cancellation of “Smith” proves the point that no show which allows the bad guys to win will be allowed to succeed on prime time television. The included the murder of an innocent victim by the main characters of the series.
CANCELLED??? NO WAY! It was just getting good.
Please bring it back!!!! I loved everyone on it. Cancel the reality shows and bring back SMITH!!!!!
I was very disappointed when the series Smith was cancelled. I would really like to see how the show ends. I thought that it was really getting interesting and was going to prove to be a good show.
I can not believe this is the show they decided to cancel. I had looked forward to this show for months during which the previews were shown. Anyone I knew loved this show. The first episode I watched was great, far better than the other new shows.
I had to work the second episode. When I tried to watch it the next week, nothing. What the heck is going on??? Do they really think Ugly Betty has something over this great show??
I am so upset that Smith has been cancelled. What about all those ridiculous reality shows that are aired??? Get rid of them.
I thought, finally, a great suspense series with a great cast. What’s wrong with you guys???
Reconsider, please reconsider..
SMITH is a great show!!! Bring it back now. This was far better than anything on now. Last season, you give Threshold 4 months, and that show was horrible. But a great show like Smith is cancelled after 3 episodes? Come on CBS, this isn’t China or North Korea, we have a constitution to protect us. Don’t let government pressure make you do this to your loyal viewers. Sponsors and the public put $$$ in your pockets, not President Bush and his cronies.
I loved smith. I love ray in all his movies thats why i watched it. He is a great actor. Favorite movie all time “goodfellas”. anyway , I am very disappointed they canceled the show . if people did not like it. watch something else.
What a shame! This show was awesome and it was just getting started. What a privilege it would have been to be able to watch Ray Liotta everyweek. You don’t find this type of star power on television. There is a reason why he has always been on the big screen. He’s the actors’ actor. This show had a great future — it just needed some time to find it’s audience!!!