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.
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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.
This is a prime example of why cable/satellite shows are more of what people watch. The Firm has a plot and substance. I will watch if it is picked up and would buy season 2 if it was made
I don’t watch TV in prime time. I’m not in your target demographic either. I liked the Firm and mostly watched it on HULU.
This was my favourite show this year. Great characters and constant action. It became my replacement for “24” and is equally as good.
Yes i will watch the show on another channel if continue, its superb!
I love this show! I always watched it taped since NBC gave it such a terrible time slot. The story line and acting was great. I hope it shows up on another network. I definately want to keep watching!
Agree with Mchelle. ALso oulddefinitely purchae sason 2 o…to bad NBC is lsing a grt show
Always recorded it so I didn’t miss it! Will be very disappointed if there isn’t a season two. Enough of the reality TV already! This is a really good show and cast. I hope someone picks it up.
Such a smart show. Incredible writing. Kept you interested. Didn’t want to miss a minute that could seem small but an important detail. Sad that coupled with some of the best dramatic writing and such talented “A list” of accomplished actors that normally would be found @ the cinema, is even available on Television. If this show is cancelled then someone in NBC administration is doing a lousy job. The best outcome for this show is to move to cable where shows of real substance & the highest caliber are appreciated. Face it the major networks only care about talent… Read more »
It was the ONLY network show we recorded to make sure that we didn’t miss it. The acting was great, the story engaging and we always wanted to see the next show. So sorry that something good on TV is going away. Guess we’ll have to rely on the food network.
Yes please bring it back. I think that the reason not that many people watch the show is cause its so under the radar. Put out some commercials and stuff. I started watching halfway through and was hooked.
I really enjoyed watching this show !!!!!! i would watch season two without a doubt!!!!
i hope another network picks it up! i would also buy season two!
This has been a well thought-out series with excellent acting. I would like to see it continued! Thank you for considering this as an option.
I loved that show and will be sorry to see it off the air… Wish it were staying – it was filled with suspense and thought… A great show…
My husband feels the same.. Hope someone else takes it over… Would rent the DVD is season two were done… real shame.
I agree. NBC has been going down the drain for a long time now. For the last ten years, the only thing I’ve watched on that channel was Sunday Night football. I love the Firm, and NBC needs to get its act together and start marketing it better.
The quality of the show is not the problem. Its the marketing and NBC.
Our entire family loves this show!!!!! But it makes sense that when something well thought out, follows a plot, respects viewer like they have an imagination and intelligence would be dropped. Its a real bummer! No one wants to think anymore! Can’t we have one show that the minority absolutely loves??? One show that isn’t T n A but real substance!!!! Ok I will beg….PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!