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?
My husband and I love this show. Great to watch after The Blacklist. Alex is also very easy on the eyes!
Stunned! The Player is actually a really good show with a unique twist on the same old plot lines we get all the time. NBC made a knee-jerk reaction. This was one of only 2 shows we always DVRed if we were not home Thursday. It was our guilty pleasure. I will take Philip Winchester over Ray Liotta any day.
YES!! SAVE THE PLAYER!!
NBC, you’ve made some bad decisions in our past, PLEASE DON’T MAKE ANOTHER by Cancelling The Player!!!..NBC you made the mistake of putting The Player in the WRONG Time slot!!! Finally a real action show on TV, and NOT on Cable and you want even give it a chance!!!, Its no wonder CABLE TV is doing well. Local networks cant see the forest from the Trees! Just saying
Yes keep it on give it a fair chance it’s a really good show !
It’s a good series
Please don’t cancel it I enjoyed it too much
Yes!! Yes!! Save it!!!!!! Very good show ! Better that most of what is on tv now!!!!
Please DO NOT cancel this show. It has great acting abd storyline. I am an avid football fan and yes watched Thursday nite football but you can rest assured, was watcing the Player on demand.
Yes! Save The Player!
In the past couple years every single show I love gets cancelled. It makes me not want to ever invest in a show. This is the 3rd in about a month that I like. I HATE REALITY SHOWS!!!
I was behind in watching, but love the player an awesome show. my kids love the show as well. why is it that they cancelled really!!!!!
Ratings be damned, it’s a better show than blind spot
It’s a great show wrong time slot watching it now and it’s really good
I think this is a great series and worth another season. I loved it and when I couldn’t find it on the roster for the new year it made me search what was going on. At least give us another season for him to find his wife!!