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.
NBC sucks…best tv show in television just got cancelled…what a disappointment
My husband and I are sooo diappointed to hear that the firm might not come back for season 2. We absolutely love this show. We look forward to watching it every week. We love the characters. There isnt a show like this on TV. We are hoping so much that it gets pick up by another network. I just dont get how NBC keeps some horrible shows on, but they let something like this go. It makes no sense. We want there to be a season 2, esp since they left season 1 with a cliffhanger. We LOVE The Firm!
Yes!!! We are sorry to see the show end and would love to continue watching.
NBC keeps junk & gets rid of good shows like The Firm. I hope another network gets smart and picks the show up for a 2nd season. The cast, story and actors were outstanding!
Can’t believe NBC is letting this one go! There are so many shows out there for idiots (most of the reality shows for instance). Really people… That is NOT reality you’re watching! I truly hope somebody picks up The Firm, or even put it on DVD. It’s a show that made you think… Maybe the world isn’t ready for that! Too bad for NBC…
My wife and I are very upset over the cancellation of The Firm. We enjoyed each episode and think it is a bad move on the part of NBC to cancel the series. We hope that another network or cable channel picks up the series.
I would to see the firm picked up for at least another season. I would like to see an ending to the trial and about the russian mob and the morolto family. Then the network can think of giving us closure. you started another story line and I would like to see how it ends.
The casting is excellent (major kudos). The story is excellent. The production is excellent. Oh, wait! I wrote that in the present tense, but it has been cancelled. NBC, you made a “bad”. I hope enough people write you encouraging you to resurect it. We looked forward to it every week (one of only a handful of talented offereings) and recorded it if we wouldn’t be home. We’d watch a season 2 where ever it is – even if it is projected on the face of the moon! Meanwhile, WRITE NBC FOLKS!!
This show keeps me on the edge of my seat. I can’t believe it was cancelled. I hope it gets picked up by another network. I would like to see what happens next.
Truly hope the firm is picked up by another channel!! I can’t believe NBC would cancel it! It’s the best show they have!!!
Both my wife and I have enjoyed The Firm. It is suspensful and the actors do a great job. I am on this website now to learn that it will not be coming back. We have been watching it from the beginning. I agree with the other comments that the final show did little to bring closure to the story. I am sorry that it is not coming back. I find I am watching less TV with so many “dumb shows” in prime time. It is a real treat to find a show like The Firm.
I’m very sorry to see The Firm not return in the fall season it was one of mr favorite
programs. I hope AT&T Uverse picks it up on cable. The finale left you hanging on
wondering what happened. I really would like to see it continue.
I was a little apprehensive when I heard it was going to be on TV. I was riveted from the first episode. With most shows on television I have the entire plot figured out within the first few minutes, but this show leaves me guessing each and every week! It saddens me to hear that NBC is not renewing The Firm for a second season. It is a smart show. It is well-acted and action packed. It is ridiculous that anytime a good show finally comes to the network, it is canceled. My husband and I looked forward to watching… Read more »
Awesome show! My wife and I are so upset it was cancelled. We’re hoping it will be picked up by another network.
I hope The Firm gets picked up by another station. I usally had to DVR the program but I still watched it faithfully. I agree with the other comments, a good show worth a hour of my time and it is canceled.
So disappointed that this was the final episode
of The Firm! Stuck in a terrible time slot didn’t
give it much of a chance. And – it ended with
no answers to anything! Hope another
Station picks it up in the fall!! Come on!
I love The Firm. I hope it’s picked up by someone.