There’s another casualty on network TV. CBS’ military drama, The Unit, has been cancelled after four seasons on the air.
The Unit revolves around an elite military unit and their civilian loved ones. The series features the talents of Dennis Haysbert, Regina Taylor, Audrey Marie Anderson, Robert Patrick, Max Martini, Abby Brammell, Michael Irby, Scott Foley, Demore Barnes, Alyssa Shafer, Danielle Hanratty, Kavita Patil, and Rebecca Pidgeon.
Created by acclaimed director and writer David Mamet, the series debuted in mid-season 2006. An average audience of 15.5 million viewers ensured a second season for the drama but year two didn’t go as well, attracting 11.1 million viewers. The show has continued to decline in the ensuing years and season four has averaged an audience of 9.67 million. Though the overall viewership isn’t too low, the series does skew older. The average age of The Unit’s viewership is about 55.
The series has been “on the bubble” for awhile and many took it as a bad sign when showrunner Shawn Ryan signed on to helm FOX’s Lie to Me. Ryan however maintained that he would continue on both shows if The Unit was renewed. He’d previously performed double duty while working concurrently on The Unit and The Shield.
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Like most of the networks’ actions these days, the decision to renew or cancel came down to finances. CBS had asked for all of its shows to reduce their budgets. The Unit is actually already cheaper to produce than it looks. Shot primarily in Southern California, it costs less than $3 million per episode to produce. That’s about half as expensive as other primetime dramas.
A couple weeks ago, Haysbert told the LA Times that he was unsure if he wanted the show to come back if it meant making too many creative and salary concessions. He said, “There are a number of factors that go into whether I want it back or not. It’s been a great ride and, if I don’t work with these people again, I’ll certainly play golf with them.”
In an age when the networks and studios have to watch every dollar, they’ve all been favoring renewing shows that are created by sister or in-house production companies. Since 20th Century Fox TV produces the show, the network wouldn’t benefit if the show went into syndication.
Prior to the cancellation news, Gary Newman, chairman of The Unit’s studio, said, “For the CBS viewer, this show is unique. The audience may not be huge, but there’s going to be enormous disappointment if it goes off and it’s replaced with one more procedural or forensics show.”
Image courtesy CBS.
“The Unit” one of the few shows on broadcast t.v. worth watching and I believe the only one from cbs, it is gone and so am I. You wonder why your viewership is down it is because you have no shows worth watching.
I left message #195, but have a few thoughts to add. I noticed that many of these responses here are from the over 50 viewing audience. THAT should say VOLUMES to you big wigs at CBS. I’m a 52 yr old female and SICK of reality & forensic shows!!!! I agree with some of the other comments, that the Sunday night time slot was awful! The Monday night slot, where the Unit began, was MUCH better, although it aired opposite DWTS. Helllllllllllllllo CBS? PLEASE reconsider your decision by recognizing the desires of your over 50 audience. “Reality” isn’t all it’s… Read more »
I am 29 and I absolutely loved the unit. It was a like a smart action movie every week. CBS needs to give this a better chance.
i cannot believe that they have been so short sited to cancel this show. I always made sure that I saw it and when I didn’t I downloaded on itunes.
It probably would have helped if they had put it on and left it on one time. I hate having to figure out where they are putting shows next.
BIG MISTAKE HUGE DISSAPOINTMENT!!!
I am one of those over 55 viewers-just shoot me!!
Don’t the youngsters have enough reality shows to watch? I hate to tell you but there are a whole lot more of us than them.
Well CBS you did it again another great show gone you morons bring it back maybe we should start a nation wide boycot of CBS let them hurt for a change
I only watch NCIS,THE UNIT, ARMY WIFES, Two and a half men,Numbers,and The Mentalist. Thats my week on the T.V. Seems everytime I really like something you guys cancel the show. The Unit is a good show with a good bunch of actors,men and women.
Don’t let them cancel.
No wonder the show is going to be cancelled. Every time Obama gave a speech or a football or basketball game went overtime, the show was delayed. Even setting my DVR to record an hour of news after The Unit was often not enough extra time. Put the show on in prime time during the week and watch the ratings soar. The Unit was our favorite TV show (I am 54.) I think we even looked forward to it more than to episodes of “24.” Which is a natural segue into this: Hey Fox TV…Why not pick up “The Unit”… Read more »
I can not believe they have cancelled The Unit – one of the best shows on TV. What will they replace it with? Another reality show? I’m totally disappointed in this decision. It’s one of the few shows I looked forward to each week.
I am one of the “over 55” viewers of this show and am sorry to see it get cancelled. I was certainly more entertaining and better written than some (all) of the c**p reality shows that appeal to the younger generation. But I guess they buy more than we old f**ts and therefore dictate what is available for us to watch. To paraphrase – “Money talks and quality walks.”
I agree with all of you, seems to me like just about every major network have **** for brains nowadays…god damn liberals “our kids need more reality shows” they already have those damn video games and porn,ipods,cartoons,and other stuppid ****, cmon CBS have some balls and be different from the other yahoooos have something good on the tube for a change…******* ****** kids have a sayso on this network? theyre idiots…who think video games are real.
Come on CBS……Where is your logic? The Reality shows are a joke…..My husband and I loved the Unit….The cast was great and the storyline kept getting better. Please…….all of us who are writing on this site….let’s try and get another network with some brains to pick this show and make it happen again. Look what happened to JAG…..
CBS sucks the life out of the vietnam vets and their families by trading in yet another beloved show. God forbid that they would prefer to cater to the young morons of our society than to the loyal generation that has been their audience for so many years. I don’t know nor care who makes your decisions………………. you’re all idiots in the entertainment industry. Money is everything for you people isn’t it. I was finally proud to watch CBS again. Well that’s gone now.
Yet, they have put that crap, Big Brother, back on. I pay a fortune for cable, yet it’s one reality show after another because they are cheap for the networks.
I left message 137 also. I am still begging… I am curious…if it is so reasonable (3 M) to produce The Unit and over 9 million watch it are we just chopped liver so they say? I think that is quite a substantial number. How many need to watch to make the dumb butts at CBS happy? they sure have a lot and i mean a hell of a lot of crap on and take off the only one i watch on their channel. FREAKING IDIOTS1111111111111111111111111
Why is it all the good shows get canceled? I’ve never been a fan of CBS (didn’t like a lot of their shows) but, I loved the Unit. I watched it faithfully. Canceling the Unit just reaffirms why I DONT LIKE CBS!!!