Today certainly wasn’t a good day for fans of The Unit. CBS cancelled the show after four seasons on the air. For producers of the series however, today’s dark cloud also had a silver lining.
Though there won’t be any new episodes featuring Dennis Haysbert, Regina Taylor, Robert Patrick, Scott Foley and company, the show will return to the airwaves next year.
The show’s studio, 20th Century TV, announced today that the military drama has been sold in syndication. According to the Hollywood Reporter, The Unit has been cleared in 56% of the country, including Fox and CBS stations. It’s sold in all 15 of the top markets, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Dallas.
Because only 69 episodes have been produced, the stations are likely to run episodes only once or twice a week. While several series have been saved recently because of potential syndication profits, there’s seemingly no interest in continuing The Unit. This likely stems from the fact that hour-long dramas aren’t as popular in syndication as half-hour sitcoms.
The series launches into syndication beginning in the Fall of 2010.
Image courtesy CBS.
Anyone who doesn’t think politics didn’t have something to do w/this is not thinking clearly. The Unit had a constant subtext of the idiocy of the decisions and policies of the politicians (mostly liberal) and the “real world” rationale of the military men whose feet are on the street. Sad to say, it’s probably going to take another 9/11 to wake this country up to the abomination they have put in the White House. We can only hope those who actually comprise real life “Units” can keep that from happening. As for Fox picking up the series, yeah, I’d go… Read more »
why you put some shows on and don’t give them a chance i don’t understand. the unit is one of the best shows on tv. we don’t care about all these reality shows. the unit was different and give people a look into the real world that soldiers face.the actors are great on the show.dennis haysbert is wonderful to watch as are the others. please don’t cancel.
I can’t believe they cancelled The Unit. It was an awesome show and I really enjoyed it! I think it would have done much better if it has been on at another time thanSunday evening. Very, very bad timing. I’m sure people got really peed off as it generally got pushed back to 10:30 or 11:00 because of sports programs,etc.. Dennis Haysbert is a great actor. I really enjoyed him in 24 and was really disappointed when they cut him loose. There isn’t any competition. Haysbert is high competiton when it comes to Sutherland. Jack has really done his thing… Read more »
former military here:
I love this show! Please dont cancel it! I know people who actually joined the army after watching the UNIT!
Maybe USA can pick it up? They were able to revamp L&O: CI
BRING BACK THE UNIT! GREAT SHOW, WELL ACTED AND WRITTEN. PRETTY PATHETIC WHEN THERE IS ONLY GOING TO BE ONE CHANNEL WITH SHOWS WORTH WATCHING ……TNT. IT HAS CROSSED OVER INTO AMAZING SHOWS, SAVING GRACE, THE CLOSER, ETC. WATCH OUT NBC, CBS AND ABC….PRETTY SOON YOU TOO COULD CANCELLED BY YOUR VIEWING PUBLIC IF YOU DON’T START LISTENING TO WHAT WE REALLY WOULD LIKE TO WATCH.
Anyone still have the address of that peanut company? Team up Snakedoc, Dirtdiver, et al with Jake Greene, Robert Hawkins and Major Beck. Cause that was where The Unit was heading. Make one hell of a mini series.
Who the hell cares about syndication? Fox should pick up the show – it would have a great 1-2 punch with 24.
CBS needs to review their Cancellation Policy. Canceling the UNIT is UNFAIR, especially when over half the season’s shows were PREEMPTED by football or other sports. How can they get GOOD RATINGS when the show never starts on time. TRY a NEW NIGHT,
they have to rethink their decision, who else can we contact at CBS?
t
racine, wi
so disappointed that the best show on tv is canceled. it should at least move to a new network like lifetime that has the show army wives. bring this great show back!
Unbelievable!!! I’m so tired of the drivel (reality shows) the networks produce and at the same time remove viable, enduring entertainment such as The Unit. That was a great series!
Guess the only solution is to solicit the help of the avertisers. If CBS puts on a lousy show to replace The Unit don’t watch it.
one of my favorite shows is gone………u suck cbs!
I don’t know who makes the decisions for CBS but they have canceled the UNIT which is the best show on TV. Once again, I am forced to view other networks such as TBS and TNT instead of the major networks who have gone crazy with reality shows! YUK!!!
I do not know what the people behind controlling what stays and what goes on TV these days are thinking! To keep the uninteresting shows like a lot of reality shows and not funny comedy shows, is down right irritating! The Unit is one of the best shows that I have ever watched and to just let it go without at least some kind of closure, is, well, just criminal. I wish I could sue the people who make these decisions for wasting what precious little time that I might have left. I am disabled and watch a lot of… Read more »
Hey TU fans ,let’s approach FOX about picking up The Unit for Season 5 !!
CBS doesn’t get that TU was a great show and I’m not giving up on a Season 5 on another network.