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.
WHAT!!!!
I have been waiting and checking the NBCs website for the second season of the show for what seems like forever; decided to dig deeper after so long only to find that NBC has lost its rockers. I would absolutely follow the show to another network, even cable channel. What poor judgement on the part of NBC execs.
Write me for a boycott of the network if anyone’s planning.
I love the firm!!! I,m very sad with your canceled!!!!
The Firm was a great show! I can’t believe it’s over!! My wife and I are so upset. We would totally watch on cable or on DVD!
I can’t believe this show was cancelled. It was one of the best, well written on the network. The cancel this but keep all the other trash. Just who are they pandering to anyway? Bring back The Firm!
This was one of the best, well written shows. I can’t believed they cancelled this and then left all the other trash on the network. Bring back The Firm!
It’s sad when an intelligent show comes out and it last only a few weeks. I say that because it was bounced around so much, to different time slots, and times that those that followed it never knew when it was going to be aired. Please give it another chance and put it where people can find it.
I loved the Firm!!!
I loved the Firm. I would certainly watch it on another network. At first it was a little
hard to follow, but it didn’t take long to figure out what they were doing. Loved it! They take everything good off the air…What’s up with that?
This was an awesome show, my husband and I love it! I’m sad that it has been canceled. I would gladly watch it on another network!
Sooo saadd..loved it..team of actors ..perfect
Liked the show a lot, but really did not like the actresses who played Mitch’s wife and daughter — horrible casting choices. The storyline with the wife’s addiction and visit with her parents was dull, too drawn out, and poorly acted. Re-cast the wife and daughter roles and the show will have a better chance. Perhaps a wife who’s easier on the eyes.
We loved The Firm. What a shame! !!!With such garbage and this was cancekled-too too bad? We loved it site
So disappointed!! I have been waiting for the return of this show.
This was so far the best show produced recently.
It’s a shame the ratings were that low. I personally think it wasn’t enough marketing, but the serie was great.
I hope other channel decides to continue it.
I’ll be waiting for season 2!
The Firm was my favorite show!! Another network has to bring it back