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.
Please do not cancel the Defenders. I love it’s charm and vitality as much as I love NCIS with Mark Harmon’s crew. Friday night is a bit tricky for me since the week end clicks in but I really manipulate to see this Defenders. Thank You. AA
This is a great show and needs time, and a better time-slot to draw an audience. I hope it is not canceled.
The defenders was one of the best shows on Television. I think the problem was they kept moving it around and those of us who are fans had difficulty finding it.
Don’t cancel the show, we love it
the Defenders is a fun show and well cast and written. The only reason it was moved to Friday was to assure it would get low ratings and be a target for cancelation. It is clear that the tv execs do not want the show to succeede. Give The Defenders a chance.
It would be a shame if the show gets cancelled, it was a well written and fun to watch show. I love Jim belushi and the cast was good together. CBS should have done a better job of promoting it and put it on in a better time slot
Finally have a fun, decent show and now you want to cancel it. The chemistry between all the cast is great which certainly helps make it a top-notch show. Stop bouncing it all over and stop running other programs in its time slot. I believe the network had already decided to get rid of it. Why else did it get bounced it all over?
The Defenders is a great show–please don’t cancel this show! We end up with “Shark”, all the reality shows, terrible shows that we have to endure. You finally get a great show, and like “Chase”, you cancel it! What is wrong with you?!
We loved the show and looked forward every week. Don’t cancel it. PLEASE.
Please do not cancel this show! Clearly there are loyal fans of this show. The programming geniuses apparently don’t care that some of us are not 13 and do not want to watch the ratings-crushing American Idol (especially this year with their new line up!) but a normal decline in ratings against it should be expected since it has happened consistently for the past 9 seasons! Put is back on Wednesdays before Criminal Minds and simply ride out the American Idol ratings drop. You haven’t EVER had a show that’s beaten it. Canceling this one which is very good adult… Read more »
we love the show. its something we really enjoy. please, please
The best show on tv. Enough reality ****. The defenders is great entertainment. Most people got better things to do Friday nights. Any night of the week is better! Ok not Saturday nights either!
My husband and I love this show!! We DVR our favorite shows to watch later – minus the commercials – so the fact that it is on Friday night doesn’t bother us. However, you have to see a show to know if you like it and Friday night is the night shows go to do die. The execs need to move to another night with good shows preceeding it and PROMOTE IT!!!
We enjoy watching The Defenders. Please do NOT cancel this show.
The Defenders is wonderfully entertaining—I love it. I agree that Fridays is a poor night, thus ratings would drop. The rating systems needs to take into consideration that many many people dvr these shows. If that it considered, I would bet that the numbers would be much higher. The stars have a great chemistry and I would hate to see this show cancelled. Please please……