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.
I LOVE The Firm. If they cancel it they need to have their heads examined. It’s a quality show and it allows me to use my brain once in a while. NBC needs to keep it going, but if they haven’t got the integrity to do so, perhaps HBO could pick it up and add it to their list of shows worth watching.
I really enjoy the Firm and trying to find out when Episode 11 will be aired.
I really love this show it is the only show I was willing to stay up late for. The story line and actors are great. I too am looking for Episode 11 – it doesn’t appear to be on tonight.
I really liked this series and agree that it far better than any reality show that is on. Want to get to see at least all the episodes that were made and am finding it very hard to find when it is on now.
Fun show to watch. I hope it sticks around for a long time.
[…] you need proof that The Firm is doomed to be cancelled by NBC, you just have to look at the show’s ratings. Not only did the new legal series bomb […]
Better then the REALITY CRAP
The Firm not a hit?! Impossible!! I dont believe it!! I think it got mixed up in other great programs your producing thats all. I swear im into like over half your listings line up. In fact it so many we have to set our DVR to record. BTW, does this rating calculation include DVR recordings? Eitherway, The Firm is AWESOME! You should give it a second chance, with a second season, IN a better slot!! This series is Sooo full of suspense and action! On top of that it John Grisham! Hes like the best author,and best read EVAR!… Read more »
Series was a nice break from the boring Reality Shows. very surprised to hear of the cancellation. Great Plot nice surprises , The way NBC rates their shows doesn’t make sense. pretty soon won’t be anything left on TV decent enough to watch. NBC keep up the crappy decision making on dropping great shows. I always have the choice of changing channels .
I LOVE The Firm!! It is one of the few shows on network t.v. that I look forward to watching. The cast is tremendous! The writing and storyline make for a very entertaining hour. I really hope it gets renewed.
I like the firm, it keeps me on the edge of my chair! NBC needs to keep it and give it another chance. They shouldn’t try to air it in rival times, rather they should air it after the NFL season ends on Sunday nights. I would love to see this show continue! Love the foreshadowing and the characters! If NBC cancels it I hope a cable network picks it up! I am with the previous comments, I hate “Reality Shows”
[…] start for the new series but Awake still outperformed the premieres of (essentially-cancelled) The Firm, and (cancelled) The Playboy Club, and Prime Suspect. If the show can stay at this level of […]
Sorry I missed the first few shows, but am catching up fast and LOVE it! Can’t believe they are cancelling it …. a unique legal show that incorporates good writing, great acting and likeable characters—oh wait a minute… that’s right…..duh…. it’s not full of dumb acting stupid young thirty somethings that insult your intelligence! I for one am tired of the “reality shows” and the silly – no real plot- shows that the networks seem to be stuffing down our throats. Shame on them.
I personally like the Firm! It’s much better than some of the other rubbish that stays on tv!
I personally liked this show. It is better than some of the idiotic shows that they keep.
They need more mature shows like this one, not the unreal or shows that are geared to the pre-teens (they have their own time slots). There are too many shows that are being axed that have potential (but I guess its all about money).
I can’t believe that this show (The Firm) would be cancelled. Give it a chance, I loved the series and look forward to seeing the remaining episodes. Hopefully NBC will see that it should continue. Personally I turn to cable shows after 10:00 PM, but when this came on I became hooked. Please keep it going!!!
Susan