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.
Please keep the show! I ran into the two hour opener by mistake. It caught me right up. I just looked it up to see what it was. I can’t stop thinking about it all week. The show I saw ended with his friend telling him that he had just killed his wife. Gotta see what happens.
Better than anything else on SAT NITE !
Keep It………..
Having retired after 20+ years on the job, I was surprised at how good THE BRIDGE was. At least a half dozen plot points were situations that I recognized and dealt with in my career, though not in the space of two hours! Haven’t seen THE WIRE, but after miserable dreck like SOUTHLAND and ROOKIE BLUE, and once promising misfires like LIFE and THE UNUSUALS, this premiere was the best I’ve seen since THE SHIELD.
My husband and I stumbled across it also. Maybe CBS should have put a little money in promoting a Saturday night show that is an actual TV show, instead of reality dribble.I have enough reality in my own life. We actually Loved the show, it was well written and didn’t have a David Caruso-esque character DIVA. Hope they keep it.
Excellent Show. Well crafted. A bit of “The “Shield” and a little of “The
Wire” about it.
As a Brit it is difficult to appreciated the cut throat nature of ratings in the US.
Summer seasons are difficult for new show.
I hope it gains a following in the same way Southland has managed to achieve.
Having seen Happy Town dumped and the future of Persons Unknown
rather uncertain , it is a shame that such good new drama is so quick to be discarded.
I thought this show was exceptionally good. The writing and acting are both excellent. When I finished watching the first episode, I was wondering why I hadn’t heard of it, and began trying to find out more about it. Have told everyone I know about it and I definitely want to see more of it!!!
I saw the show saturday evening, July 10. I must say it was the most fast paced, exciting, well written two hours of series of series television I had seen in a long time. This show is great!!!!! Keep it on please, give it a chance. This is a bright, shining light among so much of the garbage on network television today. I have also found some good drama on cable this summer including Memphis Beat and Rizzoli & Isles. CBS I may begin tuning you out and tuning TNT and USA in. The Bridge is a great show, keep… Read more »
I watched both and I think it shows a lot of promise. Keep it.
The Bridge has been renewed by CTV. The show has done well enough for CTV that it’s been given a renewal. Can’t see CBS stick with The Bridge, not with the American ratings and a midsummer Saturday night burn-off.
@Cameron A.: Thanks for the info. I’ve adjusted the article accordingly.
Please keep it, A wonderful, show
I loved it. I really hope that it is not canceled. For those complaining did you see it? If so, what didn’t you like about it?
I have to say I loved the first two episodes of the show. Unfortunately any show that is put on the air in the summer is going to have a fight on its hands to strike any kind of ratings numbers. Thought it was a different take on the police side where they had a lot of different storyline arcs that all delved into one. That is not something that happens in a lot of shows. I hope that it stays around cause its definately a very interesting show and good to watch with little compelling shows at this time… Read more »
I happened to see the pilot by accident because it was not listed in my newspaper listing. I really enjoyed the show and will watch the next episode. I hope it is NOT canceled, let us watch something that is new and good during all the reruns this summer. I agree with Patrick Burk about all of the “reality” drivel that is now on TV.
This was one of the most compelling pilots I’ve seen in a long time. The point of view was fresh, and the cast of actors less familiar to audiences, and not anchored by a “name” star encouraged me to believe their characters more readily. It was generally well-written, well produced and bears being given a chance.
I am sick to death of the networks pumping out cheap, insulting “reality” drivel while whining about their declining numbers vis-a-vis the more adventurous cable offerings.
If the focus on union mentality isn’t enough to make you upchuck and you can somehow bear to watch the entire two hours, then the ending is sure to make you laugh – but not in a good way. I kept being reminded of an old cartoon show called Underdog when he would emerge from a phone booth saying “never fear, Underdog is here”.
Of course today’s version of that would be “never fear, the teleprompter is here!”
In case you haven’t figured out my vote yet, cancel this god awful show.