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.
NBC please keep this gripping and interesting show! I love the story line and it keeps getting more & more intense. I love everyone on the show but Juliette Lewis is my favorite!!! It’s nice to have a show on Saturday nights to watch for a night in. I hope NBC has the common sense to keep this show & make it work in their schedule!
Love the firm. I know my opinion doesn’t count since I’m over 49, but my husband and I like a show that keeps our interest and we like one that has a continuous story line. I keeps one tuning in.
I love this show but only watch it on Rogers on demand. How do they tell how many viewers there is of the show if most people record their shows and watch later…or like me what it from my cable suppliers on demand service. No one really watches tv anymore in the aired time slots…unless its a live event.
i agree with you completely:)…i record it and watch it later as well…great question…how do they know?? i also definately enjoyed this show…best to see it from the beginning to follow it completely…but very very good show
I love the show, the premise, the cast… once again NBC is showing me why I best stick to the other networks if I want to commit to a show. Quality production and not you’re run of the mill cops and robbers show.. it’s refreshing and if they’d leave it in one time slot so people CAN catch it and get hooked like those of us here it would help alot!! If you dont want it on the main NBC.. then put it on one of your other 120 channels that you own but KEEP IT… PLEASE. Programming is getting… Read more »
The Firm is one of the best shows on T.V. They better not cancel this show! What a shame of they do.
They keep trashy two and half me but cancel The Firm. Sex sells.
Give people a chance to catch on to this show. It is one of the best on TV and Josh Lucus is an amazing actor. So disappointed you guys could’nt see past the immediate gratification stuff. Go ahead, fill the slot with some worthless show. Shame on you!
I AGREE NBC DUMBHEADS. AWAKE AND THE FIRM HAVE BEEN TWO AMAZING SHOWS YOU GUYS HAVE HAD. I EVEN LIKED THE EVENT AND YOU CANCELLED THAT SHOW, TOO. STOP BEING RETARDS AND LEAVE THESE TWO SHOWS!!!!!!!
I agree with your comments. I love the Firm and Josh Lucus. What are these people thinking??
anyone also pissed that NBC cancelled this amazing crime drama
we need shows like this that are not just mindless reality shows, i’m looking at the voice and american idol
also F*** you for canceling awake, awake was a kickass show
Keep It! This is the best new show that has hit TV in years. Maybe the network needs to do a better job of advertising it.
Please, please do not cancel this show. The actors are great and fit well together. I look forward to watching it. Put it on Monday or Friday’s pr Sat. The writing is great.
Out of all the shows on television right now my husband and I are really enjoying The Firm. Hope they do not cancel it…..
Look forward to the show. Missed it last week. Keeps you on the edge of your seat. Please Don’t Cancel!!!
Hope the show is not cancelled. Would like to see it on Mon. nights .
Please dont cancel. its one of my favorites this season. Even though I watch it online after it airs on saturdays. Dont cancel it. Its a really good show. One that isnt predictable and i love that about it.