Tonight marks the final episode of The Defenders for the season. How likely is the CBS freshman series to be back next fall with season two?
The Defenders follows a pair of lawyers operating out of Las Vegas. They’ll do just about anything for their Sin City clients, often taking on cases no one else will touch, and try to keep their sanity while doing it. The TV show stars veterans Jerry O’Connell and Jim Belushi as well as Jurnee Smollett, Tanya Fischer, and Gillian Vigman.
For its premiere, the series dominated its timeslot with a 2.9 in the coveted 18-49 demographic and 12.2 million total viewers. That put the new show in first place in both categories and essentially doubled the performance of ABC’s now-cancelled, The Whole Truth.
Unfortunately, The Defenders’ audience slowly eroded over the course of the season and by January had hit a new low of a 1.5 rating in the demo and 6.81 million viewers. CBS switched the series to Fridays in February and, not surprisingly, the ratings got worse. On Fridays, Defenders has averaged a 1.3 demo rating and that’s worse than what now-cancelled Medium was getting in the same timeslot.
If you look at the season averages, The Defenders is one of CBS’ worst performers. Though the network has not officially cancelled it yet, it is hard to imagine that CBS execs would consider renewing it for a second season.
What do you think? Should The Defenders be cancelled? Why do you think the series hasn’t attracted a bigger audience?
Image courtesy CBS.
Love this show. It has everthing- great actors, storyline and scenery. I want it back!
I agree with all the previous comments. This is a GREAT show. Friday night at 7pm is the worst time to put on a show. CBS needs to promote the good shows. I say “give it another chance”
LOVED this show! Hope it gets another chance in the fall. Definitely think the Friday time slot was a mistake for it. It is funny, intriguing and well written! I am personally shocked it had such low ratings. I vote for another chance!
Good drama can be tough to create these days, as people like the reality television shows so much.
This show is awesome. Don’t cancel it, just give it a different time slot. There are very FEW shows I like to watch these days and when this one came out I was instantly hooked.
I vote to KEEP it!
they’d be stupid if they cancel the defenders!!! James Beluchi & Jerry O’connel are awesome together . Great show put it back on wed night!!!!!
This show is AWESOME! Switching to Friday nights is a death certificate and I’m pissed at CBS for doin it.
I think The Defenders is a refreshing show! It is original and the characters are really funny. I never get bored watching this show. I think CBS did a great job–except for advertising this show. It did not promote it. I had not even heard of it until December when I visited my friends. Then I never missed an episode only to find out it would be cancelled.
Defenders is a fun show, enjoyable . I Agree with the previous comment. Changing the days really was annoying . Please bring it back. Belushi and the rest of the group are great together. If the network would stick to a time slot , wednesday being the best . Who stays home at 7 or 8 Friday nites?
This is really a good show–moving it arund timeslots probably is the big culprit in the ratings drop.
Fun, entertaining, not too intense — why can’t we just have an enjoyable show? If the network would quit changing its day and time and taking it off for other stuff maybe it would have a bigger audience. The networks really are their own worst enemies with all the stuff they do to these shows. Give it a chance — I love Belushi!
I say quit messing around with good entertainment. Any time a show is moved to a different time slot it stands to lose viewers. Too often good shows don’t make it because they just aren’t given the right time slot and enough time to build the audience.
My time is at a premium so I’m picky about which shows I take time to watch. The Defenders was a nice surprise. Not too intense, really entertaining. I will be sorely disappointed with CBS if they cancel this show!
Give it the 9pm Monday slot. Belusi can carry this show if given the opportunity. One season stuck on Friday nights is not beneficial to ones longevity.
Give it a shot CBS. What do you have to lose?
The Defenders is a fun, guilty pleasure show. It was doing better on Wednesday nights, so why is the station complaining that it is doing bad since they switched it? Maybe it is doing bad BECAUSE they switched it.