And we have a winner — or a loser, depending on how you look at it. NBC has announced that they have cancelled The Playboy Club after just three episodes due to low ratings.
The new TV series revolves around patrons and staff of the Playboy Club in Chicago during the 1960s. The cast includes Amber Heard, David Krumholtz, Eddie Cibrian, Jenna Dewan-Tatum, Laura Benanti, Leah Renee Cudmore, Naturi Naughton, and Wes Ramsey.
The show debuted on September 19th to a very disappointing 1.6 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 5.02 million viewers. It was a distant third in the timeslot. The following week, Playboy Club dropped 19%, to a 1.3 and 3.97 million.
Per the fast affiliates, last night’s episode dropped further still to a 1.2 rating and just 3.39 million.
The Playboy Club and NBC have been hit with sharp criticism from the PTC but ultimately it’s the ratings that did this series in. NBC has announced that they are cancelling Playboy Club effective immediately. They’ll fill the timeslot with repeats of Prime Suspect, the peacock network’s under-performing Thursday night drama. On October 31st, NBC will premiere Rock Center with Brian Williams in the Monday night timeslot.
It’s believed that seven episodes of Playboy Club have been produced but it’s unclear if the production team will be allowed to finish the 13 episode order or when/if NBC will release any of them.
UPDATED: You can follow all of the cancelled or renewed NBC shows here.
What do you think? Are you sorry that Playboy Club has been cancelled? Why do you think it failed to attract a bigger audience?
Image courtesy NBC.
NBC just lost a viewer as far as I’m concerned!!!
I am really bummed they have cancelled this show!!! I was hooked from the first episode, and started taping it on DVR. I agree with an earlier comment that it was more about mystery, crime, etc. I loved the fact that it was a glimpse into a bygone era. It seems to me that cancelling it after only three episodes is so unfair. I thought the lead male character was so charismatic and charming, and the whole feel of the show was extremely tasteful. This is ridiculous!!!
It actually was not that bad, started with a sort of interesting story, as you wondered, would the mob/PD find out what happened, etc, and I enjoyed seeing the girls (I hope Amber Heard is in something else soon, she’s beautiful), but as other posters have said, it was basically DOA because of (a) the idiots in the audience that ASSumed, just because it was called “The Playboy Club” that it would have naked women, or whatever, and (b) most importantly the idiot network, who, as other posters have said scheduled against the two shows on the other network that… Read more »
Great show, wrong night! NBC will never have anything because they do not let it run long enough to see if it will be a winner or loser. Everything is a loser if it is not given a chance or told it is a loser as soon as it leaves the gate. Go figure… NBC should just go out of business if this is the way it is going to run its business. This is the reason CBS and ABC are the winners for the night. If NBC had wanted the show to be a winner they would have aired… Read more »
I really liked the show from day one. It was different and catchy. I know its a show, but it shows that even the playboy bunnies can do something else with themselves besides being labeled as ***** or centerfolds, you can see that their just trying to fit in…
All of you must be dreaming if you think “The Playboy Club” will ever be released on DVD.
Now, some bootleg DVDs … that’s different.
It was a mob show set in the Playboy Club in Chicago.
None of the coveted demographics of 18-49 would give a hoot about this.
No surprise at all although I did think the series might make five episodes.
Bummed they cancelled the show, I was really getting into it. I loved the 60s era it was taking place in and thought it had a great story line. Hopefully they release the rest of the episodes on DVD so we can at least finish the season. I find it funny people are complaining that the show was too controversial. I thought it was great that although it was a show based around the Playboy Club, it actually didn’t have anything to do with what it was about. Put it on HBO or Showtime, I’m sure the ratings would go… Read more »
I just started getting into this show and it’s leaving my at the edge of my seat. I need to know what happens! I’m so upset.
I can’t believe the people who just assumed that this show was about sluty woman and pornoo, before it even aired! It’s a mystery/drama with a great plot and talented actors. I hate NBC for canceling the Playboy Club. Their lucky they got SVU and Whitney. Please think of us fans and finish the season.
I loved this show!!! So upset they cancled it! Hopefully maybe they’ll finish filming and sell it for dvd release. Now I have nothing to watch on Monday nights! Was really looking forward to seeing what happened with the story.
What a big surprise! NBC puts on a new show at the same time as two of the most successful shows on the other two networks (Castle on ABC and Hawaii Five-0 on CBS), and then are surprised (nay, shocked!) that they didn’t get the highest ratings of the night! It must be nice to live in the ‘reality-distortion zone’ where the network executives live. It must be a happy land with pink fluffy clouds and clear skies. At the very least, you could compare your ratings against some reasonable expectations, not believe that your new and previously unknown show… Read more »
No surprise here. The truth is, the concept sucked from the beginning. You CAN’T have Playboy bunnies without letting them show their assets.
I do not believe they have given the show enough time to develope a audience.Change the date it airing . I have enjoyed the show reminds me of my youth . Its a far better choice than PanAm and some of the others that are airing. NBC give it a chance.
I actually was surprised that I liked it considering it was based what I thought was a “Playboy theme.” I was interested in the storyline and thought the lead actors were gorgeous and would have liked to have seen more, so I’m disappointed.