NBC has cancelled the Thursday airings of their low-rated legal series, The Firm, and sent it packing to Saturday nights at 9pm beginning February 11th.
The Firm follows attorney Mitch McDeere (Josh Lucas), his wife Abby (Molly Parker), and their daughter Claire (Natasha Calis), as they emerge from the witness protection program after 10 years. They relocate to Washington, DC to restart their lives but problems from the past quickly resurface. The show’s cast also includes Callum Keith Rennie, Juliette Lewis, Tricia Helfer, and Shaun Majumder.
NBC had high hopes for the legal drama but it stumbled in the ratings right from the start. The two-hour premiere of The Firm registered just a 1.4 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 6.32 million viewers. The numbers got even worse once the show moved to Thursday nights and, for the past two weeks, has only mustered a 0.8 rating with fewer than three million total viewers.
It’s no surprise that NBC is banishing The Firm to Saturday nights with ratings like these. Grimm repeats will fill the Thursdays at 10pm timeslot for the immediate future. Starting March 1st, the peacock network’s new drama Awake will take over.
While it looks highly unlikely that NBC will purchase a second season of The Firm, it seems certain that viewers will get to see all 22 episodes of season one.
If The Firm had been a typical network show, the episode order probably would have been cut down to 13 installments because of the low ratings. However, NBC’s deal for The Firm is unique and a bit more like the one the network had for Merlin, the supernatural drama produced by the BBC.
Sony and Entertainment One partnered to produce The Firm, primarily for the overseas market. Thanks to pre-sales and Canadian production tax credits, the cost of producing the series was already paid for and NBC was able to pick up the show for a greatly reduced licensing fee, just like any other secondary buyer.
If The Firm had been a big success, NBC would have made quite a profit on the series. As things worked out, the network may still be making some money on the deal or at least hasn’t lost much.
Will there be a second season? That depends on Sony and Entertainment One, not NBC.
What do you think? Do you like The Firm? Do you think it should continue?
Image courtesy NBC.
Great Show. Much better than those insanely unintelligent reality shows. Hope that it’s not cancelled.
Love The Firm and Josh Lucas! Give it a chance, please!
This show is terrific! Please don’t cancel.
I love this show! Finally a good drama that is worth watching. Please dont cancel this show
I would have loved the show except for 2 things. Why was someone with such a speech impediment (lisping) get the lead role. Also, why are so many of the new shows made with such loud background sounds and music. It always sounds like they’re in a tunnel and I find it almost impossible to hear the dialogue. I can’t follow the story line at all.
I love the Firm! I hope they don’t cancel it, I’m getting tired of getting into these shows then they just disappear, leaving the audience hanging. And as much as they promote these shows (I’m usually sick of them before they even air), I feel like they don’t even get a chance to gain any momentum before they’re cancelled. I think The Firm has a lot of potential, more than a lot of the shows that are 0n right now. I hope they renew it for another season, or at least let those of us that like it see all… Read more »
Sooooo glad to hear we will at least get o see all 22 episodes!!! Thank you Canada!!!!! It’s a great show with great depth. Please give it a 2nd chance.
We have loved it!! Hope it continues.
I love this show!!!! Love John Lucas! I love Te story line and the ongoing story! Don’t cancel!
One of the few really good shows left. Didn’t think it would match up to the movie, but it’s even better. Who needs Tom Cruise or Holly Hunter when you have this cast. Probably a little too intelligent for the average American tv viewer who would rather watch “Survivor”, “The Voice”, or “Jerry Springer”. Won’t surprise me if it’s cancelled. “Lights Out”, “The Event”, and now this. Thank God for TCM and ESPN—-otherwise no need for a television.
Just discovered this show. NBC has to find a way to get this show in front of more eyes. It will take off if they do. Love it.
I loved this don’t cancel. You can’t leave people hanging, on what is going to happen.
Great show, definitely should not be cancelled.
LOVE the show! I can’t believe noone is watching it… it’s very smart and I think they did an excellent job casting some real life people… Josh’s wife is not too pretty and perfect and the brother and sister-in-law are very real NJ peeps…maybe people are looking for the same old plastic looking, generic people and a storyline that’s not too hard to follow?
I hope that at least I get to watch all 22 episodes… do wish they’d make more seasons.
Intelligent. Engaging cast. Great plots. A wonderful show. By far the best new show of the year. If NBC cancels it, I hope some network’s decision-makers with intelligence and taste pick it up — or somebody puts it on DVDs. I’ll certainly buy them.