Network: Showtime
Episodes: 40 (36 half-hour, four hours)
Seasons: Four
TV show dates: August 16, 2010 — May 20, 2013
Series status: Cancelled/ended
Performers include: Laura Linney, Oliver Platt, John Benjamin Hickey, Gabriel Basso, Phyllis Somerville, Gabourey Sidibe, and Reid Scott.
TV show description:
This TV series revolves around Catherine Jamison (Laura Linney), a suburban wife, mother and history teacher in Minneapolis. As the story begins, she’s looking forward to the summer and making some changes in her life. For one thing, she wants a pool for the backyard. Catherine has great childhood memories of perfected her “banana split and dive” and wants to share experiences like that with her uninspired teenage son, Adam (Gabriel Basso).
She also wants to tell off the mean old lady, Marlene (Phyllis Somerville), across the street and to get an obnoxious summer school student, Andrea Jackson (Gabourey Sidibe), to drop a few pounds. These are big stretches for quiet Catherine and her loved ones have understandable doubts.
Her brother, Sean (John Benjamin Hickey), is homeless and traded in his business school degree to rage against the machine outside the local big box store. Catherine’s husband is Paul (Oliver Platt), a big kid who routinely gets drunk and plays video games with his friends.
What they don’t know however is that Catherine has been diagnosed with stage-IV melanoma. She finds it difficult to share her news with anyone, continuing to put others’ needs before her own and suffering in silence. Her ally and confidante is her handsome oncologist, Dr. Todd Mauer (Simon Kassianides), who encourages her to break her submissive habits.
Episode 40 —
Cathy gets a visit from her estranged dad, Bud (Brian Dennehy). Sean develops mixed feelings about his impending kidney surgery after he meets the recipient of his goodwill. Andrea receives an opportunity of a lifetime from Isaac Mizrahi (playing himself) and Adam surprises the whole family by fulfilling one of Cathy’s wishes and earning his diploma early. Paul returns home with flowers to find that Cathy has quietly passed away alone.
First aired: May 20, 2013
What do you think? Do you like The Big C? Are you sorry to hear that the show has ended?
Why!!!! Was this show cancelled , man this sux
So sorry to hear they cancelled this show!! It was truthful yet fantasy like..whenever anyone gets this diagnosis..they want to go crazy for awhile..nothin wrong with that!!
The only reason I get Showtime is to watch this series. I love it!!
[…] late July, Showtime revealed that they were ending The Big C with an abreviated fourth season. They’ve now announced that the drama will end with four […]
I give up!!!!!!!!! Cancel dish and put up an antenna!!!!!!!!!
Will it be back this season or not?? Would lke to have a feeling of “closure” on at least one of the shows I was waiting for this year! How bout it Shotime?!
I love Laura Linney. She is amazing in anything she appears in. ‘The Big C’ is no exception. I did begin to feel the writing of the last season was not as strong as the 1st season. This doesn’t surprise me.
Why are they cancelling a show that has an incredible actress and Oscar winner such as Kathy Bates?\
Why are they cancelling a show like ‘Harry’s Law’ that has a score of 7.79 million viewers? …and with an incredible Oscar winner actress suh as Kathy Bates? Please bring back this show ! Veronika