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.
How dare you cancel this show. It is one of about 3 shows that I make a point of being firmly in front of the TV for. I’m tired of shows about fat people losing weight, people doing stupid stuff just to get on TV and all the other reality crap that we get thrown at us these days. When this crap is on the TV goes off and I pick up a book. Then you taunt us with a great drama like The Firm only to cancel. I haven’t seen any empty advertising slots and you can still sell… Read more »
WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THE TV STATION DOING. ARE THEY ABSOLUTELY CRAZY IN TRYING TO CANCEL THE FIRM? EVERY WEEK I TRY TO WATCH THE SHOW BUT YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT THE TV STATION IS DOING OR WHEN IT IS AIRING THE FIRM. TONIGHT I STAYED HOME JUST TO WATCH THE FIRM AND I COULDNT FIND IT AGAIN. SHOCKED WHEN I SAW THAT IT MIGHT BE CANCELLED. YOU AIRED OTHER SHOWS IN ITS PLACE AND TIME SLOT ON SATURDAY, MOVED IT FROM SUN TO THURS TO SATURDAY. NO WONDER YOU ARE GETTING GOOD RATING NO ONE CAN FIND WHEN… Read more »
PLEASE KEEP THE FIRM!!! It is a very interesting and suspenseful legal drama. It actually requires you to think unlike other shows! Give The Firm a chance to shine!
I don ‘t know what NBC is doing, but I am really fed up with their choice of cancelled shows. The firm is a great show and I looked forward to watching it every Saturday. This show has it all, intrigue, humor, great story line and superb acting . It really kept me in suspense every week and I couldn’t wait to see how the story was going to unfold. Please renew this series as there is nothing worth waiting for on Sat. Nights on NBC. Please listen to your viewing audience and keep the good shows on .
I’ve only seen 2 episodes & I want to watch all of them!!! I hope it continues to a second season!!!!!
I love it. Smart and keeps your interest!
Yes, I like The Firm & think it should continue.
The last episode left us with enough possibilities for a 2nd season.
To Whom It Might Concern:
Yes, We Feel It should be continued for a 2nd Season, hopefully with CBS or ABC or Maybe FOX! new or continuing-older-shows seem to be well-followed there!
It appears NBC has had poor Program-Receptions with almost everything They’ve tried!!
Regards, Donna & Bruce Whitson
I absolutely love this show. Please don’t cancel it….:(
liked it very much. hope a cable network picks it up. oh come on, it was better than the
witness protection program series. Much better
I loved to watch this show. I never missed a show from day one. So sorry it’s been cancelled. Great plot!!
The Firm is well written and suspenseful. I enjoy the characters and hope to see it return for a second season. As the series progressed it just kept getting better and better. Please don’t cancel the Firm.
Keep The Firm going … we love the show!!
I have been following this show! I really like It! Why do they have to cancel the shows that are really good?
Please don’t cancel The Firm. It is a really good show.
please don’t cancel the show it’s very well done. Love it
I really have enjoyed the “Firm”. It is well written and the acting is great. Putting the show on Saturday made it difficult to gather a following.