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.
This is a great show, even though I’m not a fan of Jim Belushi. Jerry O’Connell carried this show.
Shift to another night and see what happens.
Best new show in years. The characters are perfect and we agree that it’s Belushi’s best role ever. He’s terrific. Please don’t cancel this show. It’s great family entertainment with lessons learned instead of all of the moronic reality junk.
please do not cancel this show. my husband and I love it. Maybe if they stop switching it around from one night to the next it would build up a better audience. This is a wonderful show!!!!
The defeneders is a very good family show and I hope to see it air next season. There are very few good t.v. shows these days. Sick of the reliatiy shows, cancel them. I feel the time slot for the show could improve and moving it to friday nights was just plain dumb. My husband and I are defending The defenders.
I thought Defenders was excellent. It was Belushi’s best role ever. His humor that was shown in every episode just made the show. They kept putting this show against Blue Bloods. Why can’t they put the show against loser shows so this show could get its audience? I sure hope they renew this show.
Please do not cancel The Defenders. It is a light hearted show to watch.
I really think TV Stations got it all wrong if they’re only looking for live audiences…
Personnally I almost never watch TV shows when they originally broadcast, I watch them at my convenience and / or purchase them on iTunes to fit my schedule and also to skip all the publicity that way for each one hour show I save over 15 minutes….
My point is that tv stations should also check with those facts before making dumb coporate decisions.
Please don’t cancel this show. It is a great show but CBS needs a better time slot for it and better commercials to promote it. I watch criminal minds but you don’t need two types .. I think that it could work before criminal minds. Please dont cancel my show!
I really enjoyed this show. I am surprised it did not go over. I think it is funny. I enjoy all the characters.
PLEASE DO NOT CANCEL!!!! The show is wonderful. I love Jim Belushi in this show. Give it another chance.
Please do NOT cancel the Defenders. We love the show and never missed. It is refreshing with superb talent.
PLEASE DO NOT CANCEL ”THE DEFENDERS”!!! KEEP IT ON, THIS IS A GREAT SHOW. THE ACTORS ARE AT THEIR BEST…THE SHOW TIMES SHOULD BE ON ANY WEEK DAY BUT FRIDAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
This is a great show. It is one of my favorite new shows. I would watch whatever night it came on. But I thought the Weds. line up was much better. It is a lot lighter then Criminal Minds, which I find very disturbing sometimes. This show really lightens that up. But now with Criminal Behavior, a similarly disturbing show following it leaves you with a dark mode. You need something to lighten the mode. I like Criminal Minds but the subject matter is very dark. The Defenders had good story lines and was very entertaining. Please, Please Please DO… Read more »
Do not cancel this show!! Its one of my absolute favorites!!
Please do not cancel, great show. Took a couple episodes to get hooked, but absolutely love it. Doesn’t matter what night it is on I can tivo it.