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.
One of the best shows I’ve seen in a long time…right up there for me with Revenge. NBC did not put this show on the right night for ratings. Please, someone else pick up this show! Maybe HBO or Showtime…then the show can even be more thrilling like the Sopranos. There hasn’t been anything since on cable like The Sopranos, The Firm could be the next BIG ONE!
I watched all eposides of this show. I love it. I hope it will be given a chance to air its Season 2.
My husband and I are very disappointed that this show was cancelled. We’ve watched it from the start. The initial episodes were confusing with the back and forth timelines, but its improved greatly now that the timeline is more linear. We would definitely watch season two if it was another channel.
I love this show. Have watched every episode. I really hope a cable network picks it up, or USA, I love the shows on USA. I am older then the demographic as well and I have money to spend as well. Please let someone pick up this show.
this is just a bunch of crap. for example i am only 16 and i love this show. they better renew it or else….
So Sorry to hear that “The Firm” is not being renewed and continuing to be carried on by NBC The Saturday nite time slot stinks. No wonder the viewer count was low. The writing is excellent and each show leaves you wanting more. I can’t imagine what is going to be the cliff hanger for the season final. This show is so much better than a lot of so called “Reality Shows” Is there something that a view can do to bring this series back? I’m thinking it’s a time slot issue. Yes, it was on a Tuesday night for… Read more »
This is a great show! I hate when you watch an entire season and then they cancel it because there are not enough viewers! One season is hardly enough time to even know about the show! My husband and I watched an entire season in about 1 week thru NBC’s website. What about the millions of viewers who were faithful to NBC and watched?
I’m really disappointed that this show didn’t make it as a network show … but I’m hoping it will continue on cable. It seems that the storyline is really getting going, and I’ll feel “gypped” if it isn’t picked up by a cable network. I just can’t figure out how a John Grisham-based show hasn’t been a success! I’m not sure how the viewer numbers are determined — I’ve never been asked to take part, and I’ve lived all over the country. I do hope that Chapter 22 is not the end — I’d love to see where else it… Read more »
It’s always the same. When there is a good show on TV, the idiots won’t watch it because they have to maybe think or pay attention.
Someone spoiled the finale for me, but I sure hope a cable channel picks it up!
I loved this show. I can’t stand all the reality shows and this reminded me of past TV seasons when it was entertaining. I hope this gets picked up by cable. NBC really missed the boat here.
Love the show hope someone picks it up. I really want to know what goes on in the life of Mitch.
I hope that a cable network picks it up, like USA did with “Law & Order: CI” and TNT did with “Southland” … Both of those networks are part of the NBC/Universal family – which also includes Bravo, Style, Oxygen, E!, SyFy, A&E – so it is entirely possible.
My wife and I watched it every week. We loved it. We recorded it so we could watch it when we had the time. We loved the writing, drama and actors. NBC has no clue. They are bound to put on something like another reality show, or something that appeals to 16 to 18 year old boys. I am older than their 18 to 49 demographic, but I watch TV and I have money to spend.
I love The Firm – well acted, exciting. Why is it going off? I even DVR it if I’m out. The massive number of reality shows are just plain boring and repetitive; at least this show has some imagination and suspense week to week.
TV powers that be – please keep it going!!
My comments … best show on TV … any network that drops a show this good has rocks in it’s head .. go figure …