It’s been a rough road for Mitch MicDeere. Now, it’s come to an end — at least on NBC. The Firm has been cancelled after one season of 22 episodes.
The Firm picks up years after the young attorney (Josh Lucas) made his deal with the mob to take his old crooked law firm down. He and his family have come out of hiding but their problems haven’t gone away. The show also stars Molly Parker, Callum Keith Rennie, Juliette Lewis, Natasha Calis, Tricia Helfer, Martin Donovan, Shaun Majumder, and Paulino Nunes.
The series represented one of NBC’s biggest launches of the season but it misfired right from the start. The two-hour premiere brought in a dismal 1.4 rating in the 18-49 demographic with just 6.32 million viewers.
When The Firm moved to its regular timeslot on Thursdays a few days later, the numbers got even worse. Week two dropped 29% in the demo and the ratings kept falling in subsequent weeks. After hitting an embarrassing low for a primetime show — a 0.8 demo rating with 2.97 million viewers — NBC sent it packing to Saturday nights.
 Loading ... |
The numbers have been awful since that move — even for a Saturday night show. It’s frequently outperformed by movies and crime drama reruns on the other networks.
To date, The Firm has an average of a 0.7 rating in the demo and 2.10 million viewers. On our NBC Ratings Report Card, which measures the relative demo success of shows on the network, the show has a “D-” grade — even after low viewership is taken into account.
On the positive side, 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 eOne 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.
Not surprisingly, The Firm won’t be back on NBC (according to TVWise) because the network has opted not to renew its deal with Sony and eOne. The series could continue to be produced for other markets however and even possibly be picked up by a cable channel here in the US. There’s been no word on the show’s fate beyond NBC so, for now, we’ll have to wait and see.
There are 22 episodes in the first season of The Firm and tonight’s marks the 17th. Right now, the finale is slated for June 23rd. If a second season isn’t going to be produced, hopefully the last episode will supply enough closure for the few million faithful viewers who’ve kept watching.
What do you think? Are you sorry that NBC isn’t continuing the show? Would you watch on another channel or purchase season two on DVD?
Image courtesy NBC.
I hope they change their minds but NBC does’nt I hope that one of the cable channels does this the best show on TV!!!!!! I feel that NBC kept moving it around so some people got lost plus u don’t see any commericals about the show and when it’s showing!!!!!! Come on TNT, FX, USA, TBS, ION please pick this show up!!!!!!!!!!
Absolutely I would continue watching and would even purchase the DVD. If NBC is stupid enough not to renew it, then I hope another cable show picks it up and runs with it. It is a great show that leaves us hanging and anxious for the next weeks show!!!
i love the firm! my whole family watches it! KEEP IT ON PLEASE!!!
I wish they would give The firm a chance I think it is really well done and just hasn’t found it’s audience up against strong programming that has been around a long time. Please give a chance
Yes I would love if the firm comes back for a season two! I think it’s a great tv show!! Or I would buy the season two if doesn’t come back on another channel! I SO hate when you guys cancel tv shows just like that :-/
This is perhaps the fifth comment that I’ve left over the last year regarding network shows that I’ve watched faithfully only to see them canceled. The River, A Gifted Man & Missing to name a few. Maybe its just me, and I just pick the losers, but the winners seem to be so dreadful that I wouldn’t waste my time. I hadn’t, t watched a single network show in over twenty years, then for some reason, I began watching a few over the last year. This is the final straw for me. I”m going back to strictly watching Cable shows,… Read more »
so say I this is why I have tried not to get involved in these network shows any more. They put this out at a time when it was up against established programing. Then they wonder why it does not take off. When I did watch it I was so enthused I spent 2 days on the cables “ON DEMAND” channel just to catch up. Now they cancel! I think I will have to stick with CNN & Bill Maher.
I really love the Firm. I would definitely watch another season. So would lots of my friends. Sad it’s been cancelled. 🙁
Come on really!? This is one of the better shows out there. Keep it going! Maybe if they kept it on the same time/day it wouldn’t have such poor ratings. Don’t keep us hanging! This is the first show I’ve gotten into for a long time because everything else on tv is crap
I agree
This show stinks. It’s very clear why the network dropped it like a bag of dirt. Peeyoo.
Plz keep the firm it’s my favorite show!
The four major characters are just fantastic. Great chemistry, unbelievable actors.
Yeah, too deep for anyone without a brain (the American public).
And the flaw of the ridiculous time-shift style and a few overly-cliched episodes stained an otherwise fantastic series.
Would be awesome to have a second season. Hoepfully the actors have not yet been released to find outher jobs.
Ok NBC what is the deal?? Why are you cancelling shows that are really good without giving it a chance to create a following? I love this show and the actors are awesome. I would definitely watch a second season of the Firm!
I’ve watched it from the beginning. It dragged on way to much, took to long to get to it and
the acting was awlful. I watched it only because there was nothing else on. When exactly is the mob going to go after them? That was the most interesting part of the show and they never addressed it. I would love to see a show with that as an actual story line. Too bad this one didn’t get around to it. Oh well.
So sad to Firm is canceled. This was in my top 5 weekly shows. Hopefully a good cable networks like TNT, USA, or FX pick it up. Simply stupid they dropped yet another good series.
So sad to see The Firm is canceled. This was in my top 5 weekly shows. Hopefully a good cable network like TNT, USA, or FX pick it up. Simply stupid they dropped yet another good series.
Please do not cancel this show . . . yes, cancel “Awake” but not “The Firm” — this program is JUST as good as “Scandal”. If it does get cancelled I hope USA (or TNT) Network picks it up. Look at “Southland” as it is doing well on cable when it was dropped by the major network. What the ABC/CBS/NBC should do is take off some of these ridiculous reality shows. Enough already! I’d rather watch old reruns of “Perry Mason” than watch some of the network programming.
Loved season one and so did my wife and son. Would definitely watch on another cable station or buy the second season on DVD. With the onslaught of mindless comedies that magically get renewed…it is refreshing to watch such a fast paced and well created series. Bring it back!