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?
Please don’t cancel a creative, action packed show with great acting! WHAT are you thinking? Even Blindspot would struggle in a timeslot with NFL! Those of us who don’t partake of football appreciate having a quality show as an alternative. God forbid we have to endure another CSI version…at the rate things are going, we’ll be shutting off regular programming forever…..!
Love the Player. Please don’t cancel. Give it a chance. Loved the lead actor in Strikeback, but that series has ended. I was happy to find him employed in another series. My co-workers are watching now and thoroughly enjoy it. My DVR is set to record so I don’t miss an episode. Please don’t cancel!
So we older generation like a little action and why is it our shows get cancels.? Give it a chance. Let the word be passed around and bring back. ty
Please, please, please do not cancel The Player!!!! This is an excellent show, which just fell victim to a horrible time slot (Thursday night football and How to Get Away With Murder). Just give a chance in a different time slot, I’m sure the ratings will be better. This show is full of action and suspense and different than any other show that’s on right now. Give it another shot!!!!!
We like the show a lot and hope it gets more of a chance to succeed.
Please don’t cancel this show. Both my husband and I love this show.
Networks are to quick to cancel shows. This show is up against shows on other networks. We tape this’s this show a chance show as we do all our favorite shows. Just so we don’t have to deal with the commercials.
So please, give this show a chance.
Paula Hunsicker
Good Lord already. This show has a great story line, plenty of drama, a gorgeors female lead, and it’s way too early to throw in the towel on this. If not for Thursday Night Football and the MLB playoffs, the ratinfs for this show would be really good. NBC does this to me every freaking time they put out a show I like. 2013’s Deception ring a bells, or last year’s State of Affairs?
Give it a chance at a different time. These actors are worth watching.
Please NBC don’t cancel this show it’s a good show one I can’t wait to watch each week. Move to another time slot if it’s not working at that one or put it on at 9;00 and The Blacklist on at 10 since that already has a good following love both shows…. but don’t cancel..
Love this show! Had 6 episodes on the DVR before my husband saw a commercial for it and wished we had known about it. He was pretty happy when I told him I had been recording it since the beginning. Good thing too, because WE LOVE IT. Sure hope they don’t cancel it.
Great show, super action-packed. I am also a huge fan of Strike Back, was stoked that both Phillip and Sullivan got picked up on NBC. I like The Player better than Blindspot. They need to change the time slot for this show!
Yet another great show these idiots cancel it!!! I hate that every time I find a decent show…the stupid networks cancel it! They would rather leave us with this dumb reality crap that turns Americans’ brains into sludge than give us something appealing…smh. and they want to know why people don’t watch television. Go figure…smh.
Please do not cancel!!! This show is awesome! I’ve been telling people to watch it!
LOVE the show!!! Please do not cancel it! I’ve been telling people to watch it. Filled with action and yes Wesley Snipes as the Pit Boss is a HIT!!!
Wow! I actually find Blindspot so contrived that it’s been stacking up on my pvr. Whereas The Player gets watched right away. I’m a HUGE fan of Strikeback and while I’d still rather watch another season of it over either of these shows Winchester is keeping my attention far more than the often pretty silly Blindspot, as much as I’d like to love it. Yes, move The Player to a better timeslot and spend a little more on advertising it so its audience can find it!!! We have been inundated with ads for Blindspot here in Canada but barely a… Read more »