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 really don’t understand the cncelling of this really good show. The writing, the acting, the whole presentation is so well done.
Is it true that this past Saturday’s show (July 14th)was the last?
This is the one show that has been a MUST see for my husband and I. We really hope it will be renewed. We love the drama and the personalities of the characters.
I hope The Firm is picked up by another station. Reality shows are taking over and they’re not even entertaining to watch… it’s nice to have a drama show that keeps you on your feet and waiting for the next week show.
I love the actors and the plot … it would be a shame not to see this on TV again!
My wife and I look forward to watching the show each week. We hope if NBC cancels it, someone else will pick it up.
I really enjoy The Firm. It had a slow start, but has gotten better. It’s gotten much more complicated in the story line. Every episode has gotten better & a more deeper in the story line. Every episode now leaves me waiting eagerly for the next. I sincerely hope another network will pick it up.
This is a great show – please do not cancel it. Too many terrible reality shows on TV and will not watch them. Please give us a show that is well acted and interesting – keep the FIRM
My husband and I watch very little tv because there is so little worth watching ! We were really enjoying The Firm and were really disappointed to hear it was cancelled. We would love to see another season.
I love this show. I wish they would reconsider and bring it back or maybe add it to the line of shows on one of the other networks such as TNT or SYFY???
This is a great show. Has me on the edge of my seat each episode. Networks these days SUCK!!!! They put on great drama series shows, get you hooked, only to cancel it and replace it with yet another crappy reality show. Let real actors work and leave shows like this on. This is the second show that was well written and cast that Molly has been in only to see it canceled. Why should we even watch new shows? Why not just wait for the 1st season to conclude, see if the suits order another season, and then catch… Read more »
We really love the show and always look forward to the next episode. I would really hate to see it cancelled. It’s one of the few prime time shows I watch on NBC.
I absolutely love this show! I can’t believe they would even consider canceling it!!! NBC PLEASE DON”T CANCEL MY SHOW!
I absolutely love this show. I love the acting, the plot line and that is doesn’t insult one’s intelligence. If ratings aren’t good enough yet, give it a better slot. This is a quality program! Please don’t cancel it.
WE LOVE THIS Show!!!! If they cancel the Firm, NBC has lost its mind. It is the best show that has come along in a long time. Maybe should put it on a different night but don’t cancel it, PLEASE! It is so suspenseful. Terrific show.
You can’t cancel the Firm. We’ve watched all of the shows and love it. You left it hanging tonight right in the middle of things. If NBC cancels it, they really stink. That’s why cable networks are getting all the good shows. The networks have been going to all of the reality shows. Bring it back and finish the story.
Oh… and NBC sorry!!! Keep The Firm the air, Please!!!