CBS recently unveiled a new show called The Bridge. Never heard of it? You’re not alone and you just know that doesn’t bode well for the TV show’s future.
The Bridge revolves around a tough and dedicated cop who’s voted to become the police union’s leader. Officer Frank Leo (Aaron Douglas) ends up fighting crime on the streets while also battling corruption on the force. The series features Douglas, Frank Cassini, Michael Murphy, Ona Grauer, Paul Popowich, and Theresa Joy.
The TV show debuted on Saturday night with two episodes. Per the overnights, the first episode attracted an invisible 0.5 rating in the 18-49 demographic and just 2.98 million viewers. It was easily beaten by repeats of Cops and America’s Funniest Home Videos.
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The second episode of The Bridge drew a 0.5 rating in the demo and increased to a still meager 3.51 million viewers. It was trounced by America’s Most Wanted but did beat a repeat of ABC’s struggling Scoundrels.
You know a series is in trouble when, after just a few episodes, it’s sent to a timeslot on little-watched Saturday nights. When a show debuts on Saturday nights during the summer, you can just tell the network has no faith in it and is just burning off the episodes.
The Bridge comes from Canada’s CTV, in a similar arrangement as Flashpoint. It’s much cheaper for CBS than the scripted programming that the network commissions itself. Still, these numbers are horrible. CTV has already ordered a second season but there’s essentially no incentive for CBS to pick it up with ratings like these.
CBS has 11 more episodes of The Bridge. As currently scheduled, they’ll run on Saturday nights through September. With ratings like these, that seems highly unlikely to happen.
What do you think? Had you even heard of it? If so, is The Bridge worth watching? Would you cancel or keep it?
Image courtesy CBS.
I’m still mourning the loss of this G R E A T show. I don’t get it. It was well done and I looked forward to it every week.
All of a sudden, POOF it’s gone???
I’m still hopeful however…
A great TV Drama! Give it a good slot and it’ll sell itself.
bring the damn show back dammit
Loved this show,very disappointed that I can no longer get it!!!
This was the best cop show ever! Leave it to CBS to f**k it up. 10 times better than Law & Order. Seems to me like an inside assassination job to me. Ive never felt so strongly about a show before to actually write to complain. It was on wrong day & wrong time. Bring back the Bridge.Brian & Lynda Vollmer.
I saw one show and was hooked. Please bring it back, it was the only decent thing on television on Saturday night. I saved it on the DVR and would love to see more. The cast was believable, I too thought of Hill Street Blues, or NYPD blue and thought, YES!!!
i just got into” the bridge” and i thought it is great series,i would classify it in the same catagory as “third watch which was a great police series.keep it on!
the best cop show since nypd blue! give it a chance in week day prime time in the fall you’ll see great numbers.
I love this show I hope they don’t cancel it!!!!
Best show I’ve seen in a long time!! I thought I was watching the start of another “Hill Street Blues”
My husband and I LOVE this show. We have had trouble remembering it because it doesn’t get advertised. I’ve been trying to find out when it airs so I can Ti-Vo it. Unfortunately, to give it a Sat. night slot in the summer is not fair. Good show, great. realistic story line. We watch most of the cop/lawyer shows and this one has a refreshing take on so many of the other “canned” scripts. PLEASE KEEP THIS SHOW!!!!
Love the show. How can a good show debut on Sat nite?
I love The Bridge and was so disappointed to hear it was canceled. It just need to debut on a real night — how can a new show survive on Sat nite????