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.
Being back the show. We love it!
Please do not cancel The Firm. It is a great show and I can’t wait for the following week for the next show. I love every one of the characters. I really do not understand why you want to cancel one of your best shows. I don’t care what night it is on, I will be watching it.
I can’t believe that The Firm ended with a teaser for another season. Have some guts and at least give us a ending to the show that makes sense.
Goodbye to a great show…… what are “THEY” thinking?????????? Harry’s Law another show that makes you think. Cancel some of those realty shows……. I guess they like to focus on people who don’t like to think … And there are some of us who are over the 18 to 50 and over 60 who still are able to watch TV !!!!!
Dont cancel The Firm please
I love the show, don’t take it away!
No cancellation!!!!!! My husband and I love this show. We dont like all the reality shows that on nowadays…its crazy. BRING BACK THE FIRM!!!!!!
Save The Firm: What is it with NBC cancelling a great show? I am sick to death of the stupid reality shows currently showing.
We finally found a show we really like!!! We watch it on demand if we miss it in the week.
We would be very disappointed if it was cancelled…
Is it me? I don’t watch reality shows, no poker, no singing, no fighting on islands, no racing thru foreign countries. Now we have swamp people and alligators, pawn brokers & haunted highways. A good entertaining show comes along and I’m left with stuff like people in the dark, petting mice, or smelling dirty socks! The Firm is entertaining and the characters are great. It is by far my favorite. Maybe one day we will get back to real talent on television, and not tattoo artist contests and smelling peoples butts. Why does everything have to be a fight/contest. Save… Read more »
Best show on TV (in a long while!) Hope some other network brings it back (if NBC does not come rto its’ senses!
I strongly agree with everything all the other fans of the show have said. Enough of the reality shows, I hate them with a passion but love the storyline and writing of The Firm. Please do not cncel.
Rodger
This is one of mine and my husbands favorite new shows to watch together. It has so many twists and keeps you thinking! I love Josh Lucas and the entire cast! We are pissed about the cancellation and sincerely hope that another network picks it up. If not I guess I’ll be buying the book. I can’t just be left hanging like this!
R u joking?? this show is the best why would you cancel it?
Its true what everyone is saying…ENOUGH WITH THE REALITY SHOWS!!!! Its killing real shows like this one!!! cant believe you ended it like that!! smh
Please rethink this!! My husband and I love this show!! And especially Molly Parker. She is a fabulous actor! Juliette Lewis is a wonderful addition! Love her!
noooo!!! no cancellation!!!!