It looks like the axe has fallen for the Paul Haggis/Bobby Moresco drama The Black Donnellys. But does it have to be replaced by a reality show?
The Black Donnellys follows the story of four young Donnelly brothers — a clan of Catholic Irish-American siblings who are involved in organized crime in New York’s infamous Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. The story is told by unreliable narrator and Donnelly childhood friend named Joey “Ice Cream” while being incarcerated. The series stars Jonathan Tucker, Thomas Guiry, Olivia Wilde, Billy Lush, Michael Stahl-David, Kirk Acevedo and Keith Nobbs.
The series debuted on NBC on February 26, 2007 and took the place of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip on Monday nights. The series’ initial half hour did well (10 million) but viewership fell off significantly in the second half hour (6 million). The series’ initial hour ranked #50 for the week. The subsequent episodes lost viewers and attracted as few as 5.5 million.
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While many hoped that a Donnelly dismissal would mean the return of Studio 60, NBC has other plans. The Real Wedding Crashers will debut at 10pm on Monday nights beginning April 23rd, just in time for May sweeps. It seemed like the Crashers reality show would air on Sunday nights but, NBC execs like the series enough to give it the benefit of a post-Heroes debut.
Unless NBC pulls the series even earlier, only eight episodes of Donnellys will have aired on network TV. The series’ third episode, entitled “God is a Comedian Playing to an Audience Afraid to Laugh,” was considered too violent for network TV and was released as an NBC.com exclusive.
The network has ordered 13 episodes and its unknown at this point what will become of the remaining four segments. They may air over the summer or could be released as online exclusives.
Whether we get to see the rest or not, it looks unlikely the series will be back for a new season in the Fall. NBC will announce their Fall schedule next month. Stay tuned! 
UPDATE: NBC has now pulled Donnellys’ last scheduled episode due to low ratings. The unaired episodes will be made available on NBC.com, presumably on a weekly basis.
I’m an African-American viewer, and I have to say that BD was what kept my DVR working after 24. BD was more than interesting. It was exciting to watch and guess how the next episode would turn out. At least they could have warned me about it, instead of just pulling the plug.
this is such an amazing show!
=( it sucks how it cant even finish the series!
too bad nbc is pulling out quality television
I am truly saddened to learn BD will not be renewed for next season. It was the only drama that didn’t involve lawyers or CSI:Everywhere. NBC didn’t give it a chance to develop a fan base.
NBC is seriously losing my support, this was by far my favorite show on TV and they had to pull it. The really sad thing is they pulled it for a completely horrible show~
the black donnelly’s was a wack ass show. Always so fake and full of bull sh*t. it was no where near the sopranos. All u people who like this show are just ignorant.
this was the only way i would watch tv on monday 10pm…that other show csi/miami was getting me sick…the lead (“H”)character is so arrogant, narcissistic, ego driven, unable to look at people with a straight face (what’s with the crooked head?), always need to hang his hands in his pants pocket (showing off his badge or some piece of his body??)drapping his jacket back..too much to go on…guess i’ll just retire at 10pm for now .. at least till thursday for ‘Shark’!! only wothwhile tv for this 55yo survivor od the 60’s…was BD, ncis (tuesday), smallville/shark and used to be… Read more »
You have got to be kidding me with this… Thank God you’re here and the real wedding crashers over the black donnellys… NBC has lost their minds with this decision the show was just getting good and people liked it so lets pull it off the air and put on some B list washed up actors pretending to do improv and than let’s follow that with another show that’ll be like a low grade punk’d… good call
Yet another show I enjoyed on NBC cancelled. How many viewers do the other shows have such as The Apprentice, Deal or No Deal, Scrubs, etc. These are tired old shows. Usually I would watch NBC shows but after this move not anymore. CBS and ABC are looking better and better
bring the black donnellys back on
My husband and I really liked BD we where hooked and then it was gone come on NBC please give it back we beg you.
I’m in denial that this show will no longer be on, it just CAN’T happen. I like Hero’s, I even watch ER, but I absolutely LOVE The Black Donnellys. If that gets axed I probably will stop watching NBC altogether, I won’t support a network with no taste.
This is a so stupid. Come on!! Finally a good show other than Heroes on NBC and they get rid of it. Spike please pick this up!! NBC is not loyal to their viewers. Everytime they get us started on a show they cancel it. I won’t watch another new show on NBC.
Hello! Black Donnelly’ rock! What, because it’s not exclusively an Italian mob show, it’s not good enough? Bullcrap. What’s with the ****** shows they are putting on. Wedding Crashers? Why not just air America’s Funniest Animals.
We CAN’T believe that our FAVORITE show has been canceled. I am so disappointed! We really looked forward to seeing it each week & couldn’t figure out why it just dropped from the line up. I hope someone else will pick up this great show!!!
Another great show… and they pull the plug… watch episodes online.. thats bullcrap… I can’t stand this… NBC.. You have lost your flipping minds… Truely a waste…
Wedding Crashers… please, insult our intellegence once agian!