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.
The Firm a good series and one I have enjoyed watching and had hoped for a season two. I agree one gets tired of all the reality shows that are now produced. The TV companies start new shows and one gets involved with them like The Firm and then they suddenly axe them. I t’s getting to a point when one has to decide if it is worth spending time watching a new series as you never know if all of a sudden they are going to cancel.
I love The Firm. I am so sorry it’s been cancelled. Hope it moves to another channel. There are soooo many reality shows please…. NO MORE!!!!
i do like the show as well
It’ come on global I was able to see episode 23, so even if NBC doesn’t carry it any more at least Global does which is good.
But it’s different from a lot of shows, and I like it. To many of these shows are pretty much the same and here comes a different show and NBC ready to dump it. Oh well once some other station picks it up and faithful viewers watch it and I can get to see it as well that’s good
G
Slims » There are only 22 episodes. Global and NBC both only have 22.
My husband and I are so sad the series is canceled. We loved it!!! It was so much better that all the sex and trash that is out there. We use what few decent TV shows are running sort of like date nights since movies are so expensive. We are watching less and less TV since so much of it it trash. Please, some network pick up The Firm and let us have some decent entertainment!
Worst idea ever, we need season 2! i would purchase the episode if they werent aired, but why would it come to that. it’s a great show, not every great show starts out as strong as it should
This is crap! This is the best show I have ever watched. They leave episode 22 pretty much leading to episode 23..aka season two. If there is no season 2 I will be providing many complaints as it is bull **** to leave this show on edge like the producers did!
It’s bull ****. The dumbing down of America just continues. Everyone loves to watch a reality show because it’s blunt obvious entertainment. No one wants to use their brain anymore. And these reality shows, most of which, are watched because people are being humiliated on live television. It’s cruel. I heard somewhere and I aggree that our reality shows are our Roman Colosseum, where gladiators fight to the death. Also all these redneck animal catching shows are being watched to make fun of the characters, not the educational value.
*agree
This was one of the best and most entertaining shows on television and they left episode 22 with no conclusion and us viewers wanting more!
Don’t cancel it!
It’s really a shame that this series didn’t get more viewers. The characters were interesting and the story lines always exciting.
Such a shame, I hope another network picks it up. Edge of your seat drama!
Amazingly good show. Too good for the average retarded reality show suckers in the us. Hope a cable channel it up for another great season.
I am so upset that NBC cancelled The Firm, it was such a great show and couldn’t wait to watch the next episode every week! This was how I felt about 24 and The Sopranos back when they were on and now a death to another great show! What is NBC thinking? So very disappointed. @ Ralphie I agree with you 100% ! Uuugh so aggravated! Idk why I have Cable, only thing on now are Reality Shows & they’ve become pitiful!
Love the Firm, so sad it was canceled. I hope someone picks up the show. Seems like the networks are to quick to take shows off the air. I am sick of all the reality shows!
My wife and I really enjoyed the show. It stands to figure, most of the dismal crap goes on and on and the ones we like get cancelled. Other examples of good shows that got cancelled are JAG and The Unit. I hope it get picked up somewhere.
great acting, great story line. Hard to believe such a great written show is being cancelled.
I hope someone else will pick it up.
This show along with “Harry’s Law” were 2 great shows that got cancelled. I agree with all those who say can the Kardashians and keep these intelligent, thought provoking, entertaining shows on the air. I guess ” smart shows” are not too desirable in TV land.