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.
Is CBS that stupid to cancel the Unit? It was one of their better shows. I can’t stand all of the reality garbage. Bring back the unit or I am going to cancel CBS.
Wow can’t wait for the new episode of Gary Unmarried and new adventures of old christine. These are by far superior shows to the Unit, and can completly agree with CBS’s choice in programing. Bravo on your amazing insight to your viewiers CBS execs!(of course said with the upmost sarcasm)
I am sadden to learn that the Unit series has been cancelled….I don’t get it… the Unit is well written , showcase excellent talent via it’s cast and provides seat of your pants suspense and action packed drama The unit is intelligent and just plain great TV.
I hate reality shows. If I want to watch dysfunction, I need only look in my own family, or better yet just go to work and watch co-workers and the
The Unit is a well written show given a poor time slot. I wish the programmers would stop canceling the good shows and then replacing them stupid reality shows.
Dear CBS
It appears you have significantly altered your corporate vision by lowering the demographic profile you once sought. I refer specifically to cancellation of THE UNIT. What a shame you have thrown under the bus a thoroughly compelling, well written, superbly cast, intelligent, well worth-watching program. A shame you couldn’t have given FOX all the rights to it (including cast and writers) as the shows airing on FOX are significantly improving in quality while yours are dissolving into a mucky mire of unfunny boring waste-of-time sitcoms.
You messed up CBS. The Unit was never given a good time slot. It aired at ten o’ clock on Sundays and during the football season, it would not come on until close to 10:30 due to overprogramming. How are you going to kepp viewership, when the program doe not even start when its supposed to? Had this show been given a different day with a different time slot, you would have had more viewers. CBS needs to manage the TV schedule better. BRING BACK THE UNIT.
keep the Unit on TV, its one of your best shows, just who are the programmings dummies that cancelled the show, THIS IS A BIG BIG MISTAKE
CBS as of now I will be boycotting you and all of your sponcers for canceling The UNIT.The best show going and axed for more dumb reality tv, like we need more people showing how dumb thay are.I’m all for getting a petition started to git this show back on the air.CBS Sucks.Post #42 hit it on the head “the liberal networks don
CBS Why did you let such a good show with some meaning to it “the unit” go. Bad move on your part. I want this show back .Please.
The Unit is a show that is realistic, without overdramatization and without making Americans look like they have to destroy to win.
My husband and I LOVE to watch “The Unit” and we look forward to seeing it every week. Why do some shows get the hatchet when they are actually QUALITY shows? Sunday night was not the best time slot either, so CBS did not help the situation. (By the way, I was talking to my brother who lives in a different city and he watches The Unit, also!) Not that it matters, but we are all college graduates who enjoy the fact that The Unit actually has a story line based on a PLOT!
CBS sucks we need to get a petition started. I love The Unit I never watched it on sunday I just rented it on dvd thru netflix like so many folks. So the ratings are incorrect you have 9 million viewers plus the additional folks that rent the dvds out thru the video stores. CBS is making a mistake…
i loved the show can’t believe they cancelled it. maybe nbc should pick it up like someone is doing for medium.
Good show CBS REALLY SUCKS!
The Unit was a unique and intelligent series and should not be cancelled. It was more interesting than those stupid sitcoms and reality shows. Without A Trace was also an excellent show. I am really angry with CBS.