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.
No offense intended Jill Donaldson, but this ‘version’ of “The Defenders” is not a remake. It’s just a show that has the same name as another show from way back when. Aside from being about lawyers, the similarities stop there. The other show was about father and son legal team. I don’t see any comparison between that show and this one
I LOVE THIS SHOW!!!! Please don’t cancel this show, it is not a reality show that I am so sick of seeing on TV. The show is great because the actors and writers are great. Put it back in a time slot that works for when people are watching, not on Friday night. CBS needs something more than CSI, give me a break plllleeeeaaassseeee!!!!!!!
Come on CBS, you gotta give The Defenders another season, a second chance. It’s a terrific show! I have never missed an episode. With each one the characters and storeis got better and better! I worry that so many viewers have the attention span of a gnat though…frustrating…all the new shows that are worthwhile aren’t given a chance.
Love the show, hope CBS listens rather than just measuring. CBS has so many franchise shows (CSI, NCIS, Criminal Minds, etc.) that you have to change the channel just to get a little variety. The Defenders and Blue Bloods are both refreshing new stories that need a little time to develop a following. Sending them off to Siberia (Friday nights) doesn’t give them much of a chance.
I think it is a funny and entertaining show… both Jim & Jerry do a great job… shame on CBS if they cancel it
My wife and I always watch the show. It would be a shame to cancel this series that has a great mix of humor together with interesting plot lines and characters that work well together.
I really enjoy the Defenders. I watched the original Defenders back in the 60’s but I think this new version far better. This new series offers drama and humor which makes it well worth watching. Please don’t cancel it we need more shows like this that are so enjoyable to watch. I am not in the 18 to 49 demographics I am 65, but we have so much happening in todays world that we need a nice break and have shows like this that are enjoyable.
The network moves show around, Friday at 8 not good choice. Then blame the show, if it did better originally, leave it on that day and time slot. IT IS A GOOD SHOW with solid characters.
Love this show, don’t cancel!
Dont cancell!! great show!
This series is intertaining and fun to watch please do not cancel this is one program that my husband and I both enjoy watching together. CBS has canceled so many good programs lately that I realy enjoyed. So take off the reality programs and leave the good ones.
This show deserves at least one more season, it’s great! I don’t know that it was marketed correctly (or at all, I don’t watch much CBS). Moving it to Medium’s spot was bold and didn’t work out. Unless, of course, these numbers don’t reflect those who record the show and watch it later, which is what we do.
The show has just gotten better over it’s run. Too bad more people didn’t keep watching.
The characters have really evolved into a great team/ensemble. Hope somebody at CBS has the foresight to give it another season.
This show really grabbed my attention initially. It was one of only a couple programs I looked forward to viewing each week. Something toward the end turned me off, however. I can’t even put my finger on what is was. I don’t know if something in the character development didn’t quite progress accordingly. I don’t know if maybe the mode of acting by all the characters in every episode became repetitive and generic. The feeling for me was what could have been a great series ended up feeling flat and lifeless. I know it wasn’t the actors themselves.
We Want Season two!!! we love this series!