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.
great show, terrible there taking it off
this is ridiculous. I will boycott nbc if they cancel the black donnellys. I encourage others too aswell. they want to market to fat loosers who watch reality tv all day.
NBC is the devil. Do you know the difference from your ass to your head?
Black Donnelly’s should be allowed to run the season out.. It is a really good show. Please rethink cancelling it….
NBC you are making a big mistake. their is not a person I know that doesn’t like this show. You need to let it catch a fan base like friday night lights.
THIS WAS ACTUALLY THE BEST TV SHOW ON. HOW THE BLUE HELL CAN YOU CANCEL THE BEST TV SHOW ON TELEVISION. I AM BOY COTTING EVERY SHOW ON NBC NOW. NOT THAT THEY CARE. AND SCREW JAY LENO FOR SAYING BLACK DONNELLYS WAS TORTURE.
BIG mistake NBC…you just threw away a true piece of art! And to make matters worse, now I am going to have to watch the rest of the season on your website! Pathetic. Unless you are offering HD downloads of the remaining episodes, no one is going to be satisfied with watching the Black Donnellys on some sad grainy internet feed. YOU BROKE MY HEART NBC!!!!
NBC is f**king retarded, they can suck my ass
They need to just give us the damn episodes now, nbc is pissing me off and I’m not waiting 4 weeks to see what happens. screw those morons for cutting the Donnellys
The Black Donnellys cancelled?? You have to be kidding!! This was/is one of the best shows on TV. Please re-think!!
Finally a good choice by the TV executives! Get rid of The Black Donnellys – and keep it gone – it’s AWFUL! Bring back Studio 60, I had such high hopes for this show, it has such a great cast. I was very surprised to hear that it was doing badly. Gee – do you think it’s because the network exec’s can’t seem to decide on a show schedule that they can stick with? You never know what’s going to be on, or when. Get with it. Spend some time to develop a show so that the audience will stick… Read more »
This is terrible that they cancelled Black Donnellys!! Oh well, so much for watching NBC anymore. That was the only reason to watch it… Thank god the episodes will be on the internet..!
this is the only show that I watch and just when things were getting interesting NBC cancels the show, some other network should pick up the show it’s entertaining and that chick Tommy likes is hot!
this sucks!!!! i really really really liked this show…..NBC is run by idiots:(
This show had such HEART! I can’t believe NBC is pulling this and leaving CRAP like ER on the air for decades.