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.
Ditto to all of the comments above. There is too much “reality TV on now because it is inexpensive to produce. It’s unfortuante that the TV networks think that Reality TV is what people want to watch – what a waste of time. Some of it is totally sick. Please bring back a show that is suspenseful, intelligent, well written an entertaining. There is NOTHING on worth watching in it’s time slot or frankly on TV most of the time. If you want to increase your viewing audience – put it on earlier in the evening. Time to go back… Read more »
This was the greates series on TV. It paid tribute to the men and women that serve us every day. It presented realistic situations and had several great back stories. My wife and I are very disappointed in CBS. They have performed a great injustice to the public, the case and the crew. As many have said, there are plenty of brainless SITCOMS that could have been canceled.
Are the people in charge of CBS programming insane!!! I guess so, cuz’ how could any “TV-decision-making-person” in their right mind cancel THE UNIT … best show on TV, period! Makes no sense. They want to cut the budget and they do it by cancelling their best show? … But yet they go and get “Medium”! SERIOUSLY? Are you kidding me?! Come on! I was sooooo hooked! Sunday night was my favorite night of the week … why you ask? you guessed it! … yup cuz’ of the Unit. CBS has certainly lost a viewer. As a matter of principle,… Read more »
Oh, no! Its Sunday — was checking to see when the new season starts and find out it has been cancelled. It was our favorite.
Did it ever occur to you jerkoffs that the ratings might have been better if you hadn’t constantly preempted and switched nights? Just couldn’t bring yourselves to leave a pro-American, pro-military on the air could you?
I have been waiting all summer for the next season to start. I say take off all the damn reallity shows and let us have a show that is worth watching. If I want reality I would record my on life and watch it. Shows like The Unit is a way for average people like myself to exscape the real world even if it is only for an hour at a time. I have to say that this really bites.
Please reconsider The Unit cancellation. I am so fed up with all the “reality” shows and idiotic sitcoms….please give us the opportunity to watch a show with a plot and characters we love. WE LOVE THE UNIT!
Does anyone read these comments? This show shouldnt be cancelled!! Why is it cancelled for yet another reality show cuz we dont have enough of those on right! TV sucks..Nothing to look forward to!
I love this show! As a military member and a military wife, I enjoyed this show for a lot of reasons. I’m not sure it’s the most realistic all the time, but it was entertaining for everyone!! I’m very disappointed it won’t be back on this season!!! CBS, RECONSIDER!!
I can’t believe they have taken The Unit off I agree with all the others on here you need to get rid of all the other garbage that people aren’t interested in, move The Unit to an earlier time and I’m pretty sure you will get a lot more viewers! BRING IT BACK!!!
i loved the unit. what the show stands for. the stories/ it was all done very well. and of course the cast:) i was so disappointed that is been canceled. give us a brake!
Love this show. It needs to be put back on at 9:00 pm after NCIS. And PLEASE get rid of one of those reality shows instead.
Just another example that CBS is a garbage channel, and all they show is garbage! “The Unit” was one of only a few programs that CBS showed that was worth watching- I really loved the program and the characters and will really miss it! CBS executives really have no clue what people want to watch!! There is nothing but garbage on TV nowadays! CBS, how about thinking of what WE want to watch, rather than what you THINK we want to watch!!
My whole family loved this show, it was patriotic and smart. This show made you feel safe, these were people who do what needs to be done. I want to thank the actors for a terrific four seasons. We will miss you!!
It’s a shame that CBS decided to cancel the best show on TV. To find out that it wasn’t even that expensive to produce is even more heart-breaking. What a great show – thanks to the cast and crew for all the great episodes.