The peacock network has decided to cut their season order of The Cape from 13 to 10 episodes. Production of the TV series will shut down this week, the latest sign that the show will be cancelled.
The Cape follows Vince Faraday (David Lyons), an honest cop who finds himself framed for a series of murders and presumed dead. Fueled by a desire to reunite with his family (Jennifer Ferrin, Ryan Wynott) and to battle the criminal forces that have overtaken their home city, Vince becomes “The Cape” — a vigilante and his son’s favorite comic book superhero. Others in the cast include James Frain, Keith David, Summer Glau, Dorian Missick, Martin Klebba, and Vinnie Jones.
The series has been a disappointment for NBC in the ratings and Monday’s numbers were the worst so far. The TV series debuted on January 9th with a special two-hour event that attracted a decent 2.6 in the 18-49 demographic and 8.45 million total viewers. Eight days later, episode three of The Cape dropped a huge 30% in the demo, to a 1.8 rating and 6.22 million. Episode four’s ratings fell another 11% to a 1.6 demo rating and 5.84 million viewers. Monday’s hit a new low with a 1.5 and 5.343 million.
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The show currently averages a 1.9 in the demo and 6.46 million viewers. After just five episodes, it’s become one of the lowest-rated scripted series on the network, tying with Chuck.
For months, NBC has had The Event slated to return to the Mondays at 9pm timeslot on February 28th. When that happens, only eight episodes of The Cape will have aired. Word is that the network is considering delaying The Event for another week to finish off The Cape’s season. If that doesn’t happen, it seems unlikely that NBC will find a place to air the leftover pair of episodes.
It’s even more unlikely that The Cape will be renewed for a second season or end with any kind of resolution.
What do you think? Is The Cape doomed to be cancelled? What could have been done differently? Is it better than The Event?
UPDATE: NBC has delayed the return of The Event by one week. Episodes nine and 10 of The Cape are expected to air on February 28th, finishing the season.
Image courtesy NBC.
I enjoy the show. It’s kind of like batman. I have only watched 3 episodes and can’t wait to watch the next.
Why I continue to watch every episode is beyond me. I think The Cape is pretty terrible; guess I am just desperate for a superhero show since Heroes is gone. The writing is poor and the logic of the characters is not sensible. I knew this was doomed from the pilot.
I was really impressed by the pilot. It needs a better time slot and more time. I watch the shows on hulu since I miss it on TV…I think lots of others do the same.
I love The Cape!!! It is really the only show I look forward to since Heroes was canceled. I don’t watch much TV, so The Cape is the only thing I get excited about during the week. I hope NBC or some other network will continue the series.
save The Cape… I love this show… its good and its different. Its not a boring show about CSI’s and bad guys. It’s not predictable, and I like the new “villains” coming in every once in a while. Crime scene shows are a dime a dozen, they have the same plot, the same basic cast, and the same ending to every episode. Maybe it would be a good idea to have a little variety?
DONT CANCEL THE CAPE THIS SHOW IS AWESOME
My wife and I watch this show every week. We have friends that we know in the neighborhood that are also watching it. I think it’s extremely short sighted of NBC to cut the show short (or even cancel it). If they do cancel it, I will be sure to block the NBC channels from our tv viewing in protest!
I really love the show. Don’t cancel it!! I actually don’t hate Mondays that much anymore. Btw Chess and Summer Glau definately do carry the show.
It follows too closely on the Hereos debacle and its carnival plot. The lead chartacter is too wishy washy, his wife has no presence, his son is too sulky, the chief of police bad guy cop just stands around in his scenes has yet to do anything I mean anything. Summer Glau’s Orwell and Chess carry the show. The bad guy with lines on his face gave it more life then Faraday.
Should have given Glau the cape and made Vince Faraday the good cop helping her get Chess.
This is a fun show that should be given more of a chance to survive. The networks kill off shows too quickly to really give them a chance. I hope that one of the cable networks will be smart enough to pick this up. The major networks have been dropping in the ratings for years and years. I have not watched a show from the “three major” networks in a very long time. This was my first effort to make watching a prime time “big 3” show in years. I still remember when Beauty and the beast was canceled because… Read more »
He does not have powers. His suit is not super powered either. It’s just made with spider silk which is 10X stronger than steel. He also uses alot of magician tricks tought to him by Keith David’s character.
The show is campy fun nothing to serious. NBC 4 at 9 Pm is a bad time for it. It should be on SyFy and ideally would be on Saturday afternoons at 5 along with all of those shows from years ago like Mutant X and Relic Hunter and both Highlander series
It’s the only thing worth watching at 9 oclock. Keep it up.
I have been enjoying The Cape and hope it will be continued. Too bad it has such a terrible time slot opposite The Bachelor and with low rated Chuck as a lead-in. The show is imaginative and fun, and emphasizes doing the right thing. That should count for something with the programming idiots at NBC. It is a show that all age groups can watch together. Guess “family values” is just a catch phrase after all. I’d much rather see an entertaining show like this than one that glorifies rudeness and bullying like the Apprentice. Please give it a little… Read more »
I think this show is great. I like the humor part of it. I did think the last show was a little weaker than the others but it’s a fun show.
The show is okay, but you really need to be a comic book fan to get into the show. Kind of weird that he does not have superpowers, but his cape does? It is super campy and reminds me of the Batman series of the early 90’s. I have watched all the episodes because nothing else is on that I like so this is better than an infomercial.