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.
I loved that show! Don’t cancel it!
Love the Defenders. We watch it or dvr it every week. It’s smart, funny and sophisticated. Please keep it on the air!
I watched the first episode of the new Hawaii 5-O and thought it was ordinary so I needed a show to take it’s place and I found the Defenders. I like LV and also the banter between the two stars. I know a show’s life depends on ratings so I just don’t know what the answer is. I love the show.
Love the show better the hawaii five-o and that’s saying alot since im from hawaii!! Hope to see it in the fall!!
It’s a great show. Don’t cancel it. I have read that the ratings suck but I don’t get it? The show is good and has good stories. My wife and I have watched every episode and love it.
Don’t cancel The Defenders! Love it to death and it always cracks me up! Great dialogue, chemistry and plot lines. Since my husband works Friday nights we watch it OnDemand later, which apparently means my household isn’t counted. So this is my voice since the box isn’t doing it’s job. It is the best show people aren’t watching IMO. Since first reading it may get cancelled, I always end the show laughing and thinking “They can’t REALLY be thinking of cancelling this, can they?”. It’s a fun show with lovable characters and beloved actors.
This was THE BEST show to hit TV in years…one of our can’t miss shows. It’s characters are great and it’s pure entertainment…never a dull moment. We need more ‘feel good’ shows, not another crime gory story. Please bring it back. We tape it because you have it in terrible time slots.
I thought the show was good. But CBS switched the nights with Blue Blood and it was hard to find when it was playing. For a few weeks I missed both shows because I couldn’t find it on the TV. Both are great shows and should be left on for another season
This show wasn’t given a fair chance. Once the NCAA tournament started, they really got screwed. I love this show and I don’t like very many — please keep it on!!!
Bring the show back. I thought that Jim Belushi, Jerry O’Connell and the supporting staff were entertaining and (usually) even believable and their courtroom drama was as clever as any — generally speaking. I also felt that the show had good timing and “chemistry” in character development.
love this show……. don’t cancel it…. we watch it every week!!!!!
I really loved the show and it was a lot better than any reality show
Don’t cancel. I am fan of Jim Belushi. Get rid of some of those moronic reality shows.
Defender is a great show leave it be please……………
I’m with everyone else. I’m a big James Belushi fan and would hate to see this show cancelled. It’s well written and has some nice, original plot lines. Oh, well, we need room in CBS line up for some omethging more original – like a reality show.