NBC had high expectations for their new Thursday night action drama, The Player. Unfortunately, the ratings have not been good and the network has now cut the show’s episode order. Has the series already been cancelled or does it still have a shot at being renewed for a second season next year?
Set in Las Vegas, The Player follows a huge game in which world events are predicted, gambled upon and influenced by a shadowy elite. Controlling the game is the “The Pitt Boss,” a mysterious Mr. Johnson (Wesley Snipes). “The Dealer” is Cassandra (Charity Wakefield) and she recruits rogue FBI agent Alex Kane (Philip Winchester). As “The Player”, Alex is driven by the need to find out who killed his wife. Damon Gupton also stars.
Debuting on September 24th, The Player got off to a poor start in the ratings, averaging a 1.16 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 4.86 million viewers. The second episode’s numbers were even worse with the installment drawing a 0.95 in the demo and 4.58 million.
Week three’s numbers were worse and then the series hit new lows in week four with a 0.74 demo and 3.99 million. Last week’s episode did a little bit better but the numbers were frankly still terrible.
To be fair, The Player has had to contend with tough competition from NFL football games and ABC’s highly rated How to Get Away with Murder. Unfortunately, NBC doesn’t seem to be cutting this series any slack. While NBC’s Blindspot has received a full season order, the network has cut the The Player’s order down to nine episodes.
They’ve also already committed the show’s timeslot to other programming. In the new year, the Thursdays at 10pm timeslot will be taken over by new series Shades of Blue starring Jennifer Lopez and Ray Liotta.
Though NBC has not officially cancelled The Player yet, the ratings are so bad that it’s as good as cancelled. Barring a miracle and sudden upturn in the ratings, there’s just no way the network execs will want to order any more episodes.
But, what do you think? Have you been enjoying The Player TV series? Do you think it should be cancelled or saved and given more time to prove itself?
This is a great show!! Please give it a chance!!! Try a different time slot! This always seems to happen with the good shows they don’t get a chance in a different time slot!
Love the show… Give it a chance….. Please
I have been enjoying “The Player” and hope it won’t end up on the cancellation pile. There is a lot of potential here, and it could use a better time slot. However, I really think that sometimes shows are pretty much set up to fail…and this could be one of them. Hope not though.
The show had a shaky start, but was interesting enough that I kept watching it, and I’m really glad I did. It’s gotten better with each episode, and the bean counters should give it more time to find it’s footing. To replace it with Jennifer Lopez who is well past her sell by date as far as being bankable or watchable in anything, even sharing the screen with Ray Liotta, would be a disservice to the viewers and the cast and crew of The Player, who have done a good job. Maybe instead of cutting and running when a show… Read more »
Every time we start to get attached to a NBC show, they cancel it!!! This show has a lot of promise. Give people a chance to get into it!
Stop cancelling every good show you put on!
I agree that its a great show and i really don’t want it cancelled there moaning about ratings but putting it at such a bad time and day what do they expect they could put it on a Saturday night and it would do better than the thursday night i mean look at doctor who in the uk it shows most saturday evenings at 8pm and its still a highly watched show let theres nothing really on with the seasons and think they’d be surprised at how many people would tune in the watch it.
Are you kidding me!!! I love this show! Why do you always take off the good shows and leave the stupid shows?
Agree 100%
I love this show and I never watch NBC. This is the first show they have cast that is worth watching. I really think they screw themselves when they put the best shows in a time slot that competes with NFL Football in its first season. The only suggestion I would have with the show itself is to get Wesley transitioned into the role he should be playing. That is kicking butt along side Alex. If they cancel the show I will go back to not watching NBC again because the majority of their shows suck..
I hope you don’t cancel the show it’s just getting going I watch it and every show is getting better and better give it a chance and the public will show you its worth renewing it.
Not again, I really enjoy this show,
Love the show. It did get off to a slow start but the last two weeks with more interaction with Wesley has really raised the show level up. Don’t kill it!!!!!
I don’t understand. They put a new show up against how to get away with murder and expect people to know about it and tune in? It makes no sense. I like the player! I watch on roku. NBC had fit to give it a real chance and put it in a slot where preproduction can get to know it.
I think they should give it another chance. All networks are so quick to cancel shows & they don’t give be them a chance to develop
Susan
Been enjoying the show since episode one. The action is second to no show on television currently and wesley snipes is an ultimate badass. This weeks episode was the best yet. I really hope this show gets a second chance.
I enjoy the show, and think they should try it in a different time slot. It’s an intelligent show that doesn’t talk down to the viewers.