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 is the best series on t.v. It was actually better this past season than ever before. Please don’t cancel this series.
CBS needs to get a clue. It keeps mindless and unfunny comedies but cancels a great show. What else is there to watch on Sunday night at 10:00? Great characters, great stories, good acting. Now that I see it was cheap to produce, it makes me even more angry to se it go. Greta job CBS, pick up a lame show (Medium) from the 4th place network instead….nice work. Idiots.
It’s no surprise. CBS doesn’t care about its viewers. Just awhile back they Cancelled Jericho, another good and well written show.
This was one of the last good shows on television. I’m done with CBS after this one.
C.B.S.
you guys are nuts, i cant believe you would cancel a show that cost less to produce.
You guys screwed up when you moved the show to Sunday night . I still watched it, but couldnt understand why you would move a solid show to Sunday night.
You guys had Tuesday night locked
Well i guess i will be shutting my cable off and yes i truly mean that. You can send me an email and i will fax you proof that i did.
C.B.S. you suck swamp water!!!!!! I have officially boycotted C.B.S. over the unit cancellation. I say how about Shawn Ryan continuing the show on dvd??? Steven Segal, J.C. vandamn, and Wesley Snipes keep making movies on dvd that never appear in theaters. Why don’t the shows that get axed from the networks keep up this tradition?? IF they would sell the seasons on dvd for around $20-25 dollars a season I bet a lot of people would pick them up, I would, Plus they could rent them out on netflix Or better yet how about download purchasing like amazon. Come… Read more »
I can’t believe they cancelled a great, engaging and SCRIPTED show. Shame on you CBS.
CBS has NO clue. Cancel the good show and leave garbage. Oh well, I was tired of watching network TV anyway.
******* surprise!!! Easily one of the best shows on t.v. so what does CBS do cancel it. After reading above about how cheap it was to make per episode it really pisses me off now. It was alright when they moved it from Tuesday to Sunday because I got to end my week watching my favourite show. How can you cancel a show this good and with that same staight face pick up the show Medium. I just can’t wrap my head around it. BRING THE UNIT BACK TO SUNDAY”S YOU PRICKS!!! Someone start a petition so I can sign… Read more »
Once again – disappointment!!!! One of the few shows I look forward to watching every week. Is this another slap in the face to our military since this is a show concerning pride/protection of the USA by men/women in uniform?? How sad. I hope FOX continues with the show. It’s getting where I rather watch cable (TNT, USA) than the standard regular 3.
The Unit was one of the best shows on TV, network or cable. Well written, great acting & a lot of action. An all-around asset to CBS. I own a business myself, I know that if I have a product I want to sell to my consumers, I ADVERTISE IT!!!!!! If it’s not selling the way I’m presenting it, then I change what I’m doing. If they didn’t like the audience share they should have moved it to another time slot – maybe [gasp!] put in place of one of the mindless reality shows or comedies. Anything but cancel the… Read more »
I like the others here thought The Unit was/is a great show that never got a truly fair chance, competing with sports over runs specials, almost nothing in the way of promotion, etc. The lead actor Dennis Haybert seems to be on TV every time I watch a commercial, and CBS thought it still couldn’t make a go of this show? Hmm. It is my hope that FOX or NBC ,which could use another good action drama with its otherwise limited offerings at present, or ABC, or maybe a basic cable network will pick up this show, promote it, and… Read more »
Unbelievable! My husband and I love this show. It was the ONLY show I watched on CBS. Big mistake!!!! Rethink this decision and bring it back.
This was the best show ion TV. Well written, well acted very exciting and intersting. Cbs treated it poorly with the time schedule being ignored and with little or no publicity for the show. I also will boycott CBS now.
I cant belive they cancled the Unit. My family and I will not be watching any shows new or reruns on CBS anymore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I aslo agree with the other statements, the lack of promoteing it, and the time being different every week made it real hard to watch every week. I to hope another station pick it up. They will have a new viewer. I say cut Cold Case and keep the unit.
I can not believe CBS would cancel one of the best shows on TV – The Unit and keep that piece of CRAP CSI- Miami on the air-my cat can act better than those people.
I guess money matters more to CBS than an actual good show with great plot and superb actors. Thanks CBS – you really suck.
If it wasn’t for NCIS I would never watch CBS AGAIN – just to protest this stupid decision.