Pete Kaczmarek and Nick Morelli consistently get themselves and their clients out of some pretty big jams. Unfortunately, there’s one that they can’t escape. Their TV series, The Defenders, has been cancelled by CBS after one season.
The Defenders follows a pair of Las Vegas lawyers who will do just about anything for their Sin City clients. They often take on cases no one else will touch and try to keep their sanity while doing it. The TV show stars Jerry O’Connell, Jim Belushi, Jurnee Smollett, Tanya Fischer, and Gillian Vigman.
The TV series got off to a decent start with a 2.9 rating in the all-important 18-49 demographic and 12.17 million viewers. In weeks two and three, those numbers started to tumble however with the demo falling 14% and then another 12% in weeks two and three. Airing on Wednesday nights, the ratings kept falling and hit a low of a 1.5 in the demo and 6.8 million.
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Because The Defenders was already registering poor numbers, CBS decided to try it on Friday nights, an evening with fewer viewers. If most fans followed and the show could sustain the Wednesday numbers, CBS would likely have been satisfied.
That didn’t happen and the remaining six installments fell even lower, hitting a 1.1 in the demo. That was a much worse performance than the timeslot’s previous occupant, already-cancelled Medium.
While The Defenders was supposedly still in contention for a second season until recently, most knew it was a long shot at best.
Word is that CBS has now cancelled The Defenders. All 18 produced episodes have aired. The series finale ran on March 11th.
What do you think? Are you sorry that there won’t be a second season for The Defenders?
Wondering where the rest of your shows stand? Check our CBS cancel/renew page.
Image courtesy CBS.
I am upset with CBS for canceling this show, what on earth are they thinking? They have the best TV shows by far, but now, with this maybe I should just switch back to ABC and leave it at that.
This show was the favorite for my husband and I. We are very upset with CBS for canceling it. It was a good family show that even our grandchildren enjoyed. Please bring it back or put it on another station. I know that there are a lot of families that would love to have it back.
I loved this show, bring it back.
No wonder people are turning more and more to cable. Keep it up and you will be out of business. M
What is wrong with these networks? They have a good entertaining show and they cancel it! I also just heard that Bluebloods and CSI-NY are also on the bubble. Maybe the rating system has to be revised as these shows are all great! All on CBS to. Wake up CBS!!!!!!!!!
Pissed! One of the best shows nobody is watching. We need more commitment by these networks. In today’s world Seinfeld would have been canceled! I mean give the shows a chance. And moving a show around NEVER helps. Promote the damn show! The Defenders was a GREAT show with a GREAT cast that had amazing chemistry that really showed on the screen. BRING IT BACK!!!!
Fun and entertaining show, great banter between 2 leads….sorry to see it go…hopefully another network will pick it up…….I am in the male 24-49 demographic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One of our favorite shows! We missed a few because we didn’t know it moved! Geez
I loved this series and I feel it’s a big mistake that it has been cancelled. There are so few good series on these days, I feel this series should be given a second chance. It should be put back on Wednesday nights instead of Friday nights when few people are watching TV.
Jim Belushi is so great in this series.
This really upsets me I love this show bring it back!!!
We enjoy the lighthearted exchanges integrated with the serious lawsuits to create an entertaining show, please bring it back.
The demos kept tumbling but for how long? It had tough competition on Wednesdays and I had no clue that it switched to Fridays. Viewers are out and about on Fridays since most are boomers or gen-X that are doing stuff early evening. Great show and should be saved.
Gord » It aired for 12 episodes on Wednesdays and went from a 2.9 rating down to a 1.5 rating.
We are on episode 7 in the UK and I love this show. I am really pissed off that this show is cancelled. Just as big a joke as when Eli Stone got axed. Do you Yanks not know quality TV when you see it??!!!
My family loved the show.
Bring it back! Family loved the show.