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 love this show and watch it every week!!!! Can not believe NBC pulled the plug and hope someone picks it up or NBC looks at how meny people watch this show on online and bring it back.
What the f*ck is NBC thinking? The “Real Wedding Crashers” my ass. Another contrived bs reality show based on a lame movie about people blowing people under the dinner table. oooh quality tv! Bring back the Black Donnellys! NBC do the right thing for a change!
This was a good show. Hard to believe the viewer ship dropped off like that?! Fishy! Very fishy…
I think the biggest slap in the face for viewers is the fact that it has been replaced with “The Real Wedding Crashers.” Who thinks up this stuff?
Put The Black Donnellys back on the air
This was a great show why did u have to go and cancel it. It gave me something to look foward to all week. The reason that it didnt get many viewers was because you started airing it during college basketball and at such a late time. You should make it earlier so more people can watch it and maybe even a different day.BRING BACK THE BLACK DONNELLYS
What a shame??? This is a real show, not one of a million reality shows. This show had a good cast, real chemistry, and a well narrated story. When will the networks realize it take time to build a viewer base and a little buzz. It’s hard to get high ratings on a show that is character driven and needs time to build up the characters in a logical manner. I used to really look forward to watching Heroes and the Black Donnelly’s back to back. At least, we can see it online. I really hope they bring it back… Read more »
do u think we could make a vote between wat show we want 2 air between BLACK DONELLEYS and the dumb show dere r replacin it wit.
This show was really good, maybe spend more time and money on promotion and not on a mindless, due for dead reality show like the one that has replaced Donnelley’s.
There is an online movement to save the Black Donnelly’s. follow the link and sign the petition. tell everyone you know to sign the petition. We are at 30,000+ signatures lets try and get to 100,000
http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/Donnellys#sign
The black Donnelly’s was the best show I have seen for a long time. My boyfriend also thought so. Someone please put it back on air!
This is just so stupid of NBC this and heros was a perfect match I hope someone else picks it up i would love to see this on HBO or SHOWTIME.
What the heck is NBC thinking! This was the best show on TV.
Now that I got hooked, you jerk it out from under me.
I can’t watch the last episode on line, I still have dial up!
Put this show back on!
PLEASE, I’M BEGGING HERE!
Keep sending emails to nbc, persistence will pay off, also if we can get a list of their sponsors and write to them it would help a great deal. This show is too good to vanish. I agree with Kevin in marketing, someone with vision will pick this show up.
This is unbelievable. Reality tv! Give me a break. The networks get away with paying nothing to produce this garbage and people actually watch it! I was just gaining back some respect for network tv after seeing the clever writing of The Black Donnelly’s and Studio 60. I am saddened at the stupidity of our culture.