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.
It took awhile to get into but it really got exciting and it would be really sad if were to be cancelled. Please keeP it going.
Would definitely purchase season 2 on DVD.
I love this show even though I was frustrated with the back and forth business in the beginning. That is probably why the show tanked early on but for those of us who stuck with it, it has become a great show. I’ll be sad to see it go and will look for it on other channels or see if my Canadian relatives can get it.
Sick and tired of them keeping truly stupid shows and cancelling series that have depth, meaning and great writing! I would definitely watch a 2nd, 3rd, and 4th season!…and purchase the DVD! Come on…think about it….OKAY?
I totally agree joan, the reality shows have taken over so many are tasteless and lack morales…..BRING BACK THE FIRM!!!
We love the firm and would rent a second season DVD
We love The Firm !!!! Hope it finds it’s way to another cable channel! We are so tired of those mindless reality shows!!
VERY upset The Firm was cancelled. We DVR it, since it’s on Saturday nites, & watch every episode. Maybe it was a little bit hard to “get into” at first for some people because it kept skipping ahead and then back in time. But it was well worth the “confusion” once it got going. I agree with most of the other comments that it’s very well written and acted and keeps you guessing.
We would definitely watch it on another channel and/or DVD!
Awesome show! Too bad NBC did not do a better job to market it on tv!
I would watch a second season but not purchase it on DVD.
My wife and I enjoy the Firm very much. We are sorry it hasn’t been renewed by NBC and would surely watch it on another network or even buy season 2 on a DVD.
I love The Firm. It is hard to keep up with it though, because NBC keeps changing the day and sometimes it is not even 0n for some reason.
Please keep it going.
I would purchase Season Two on a DVD. Go for it.
What a shame that a well writen and acted series goes by the wayside and aLL these silly realilty and sit-coms stay. What is wrong with those of us who enjoy to be challenged by a series that keeps your mind active and has you guessing as to the outcome? For that reason, all I usually watch are college sports and those dramas that stimulate the mind. It reminds me of the fate of Friday Night Lights, as that series was well acted and had all sorts of interesting characters and it didn;t last that long either. Come on NBC,… Read more »
I have enjoyed watching this show and I’m sad that it was cancelled. I would definitely watch it on another network. Please continue THE FIRM!!!!