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.
I had no idea The Unit was cancelled. What crap! Just last night I was looking on my Tivo trying to locate it to for the new season that I thought was scheduled. I found it strange that no matter how I searched for it, no results came up. I come online to see if I can get some clues on when it would start to ultimately find out that it is cancelled! This is very disappointing. My husband and I tivo’d The Unit every Sunday night. I am very sad to see such a great show cancelled. CBS, PLEASE… Read more »
It figures that the show was cancelled, it had nothing to do with any kind of dance or talent, loss of weight or dating reality which seems to be the norm these days. Not to say that the networks keep changing the days and times shows come on or they are gone for two weeks or more and you never know when they will be on. I blame the networks for most of the poor viewership and get of the reality shows, so far I’ve seen nothing that’s reality in 99% of those shows. Oh, and how many dancing and… Read more »
I’m so incredibly upset that The Unit has been canceled! My husband and I both always looked forward to this show and have been waiting for the new season to start. It just shows that CBS and networks in general wouldn’t know good TV if it kicked them in the face. Instead of this great show we get another version of NCIS and more reality crap? How many CSI and NCIS shows can you have before you go crazy? By the way… both my husband and I are under 30 (nowhere near the 55 age they claim was the problem)… Read more »
One of the best shows on TV – I can’t believe CBS can’t tell when they have something good for their viewers. I agree other that commented that when networks start moving shows around to different nights and pre-empting them, it is bound to have an impact on the viewing audience. BRING THE UNIT BACK !!! I watch the Allstate Insurance commericals just so I can see Dennis !
I really enjoyed this show. The reason why ratings probably dropped because they would not tell the viewers that the show was not coming on the following week and people just got tired of CBS doing that. I know I did. I would get all excited to watch the show get my popcorn and beer ready just to be disappointed.
Well CBS has done it again. Instead of showing loyalty to fans of the network, they decide to look at the bottom dollar. For once I found myself looking forward to a particular night for tv, even if it was sunday and at a horrible time slot. Instead of intriguing characters and a well thought out plot, it looks like more reality is on the way. Great…
I must say that I was just disappointed when I just read that THE UNIT has been canceled. I was browsing through the web looking for season 5, and saw the upsetting news. My friends and I look forward to Sunday night at 10pm… the story lines were great and action is off this world… nothing can replace THE UNIT…. I hope they would bring it back!!!!!!!!!!
Why not cancel the show? After all, there’s no cheesy cheap sex, canned laughter, and female skin! The studios need to keep up their standards.
CBS HAS REALLY DROPPED THE BALL THAT WAS ALL I EVER WATCHED WAS CBS, BUT NOW THE UNIT IS GONE GUIDING LIGHT AND SO MANY OTHERS ALL I CAN SAY IS CBS HAS BE CAME A SECONDARY CHANEL FOR ME THE DROP SO MANY SHOWS!!!!!!
we watched that show for four years, and was looking forward to watching the unit this year we kept wondering when it was coming on, and kept looking until we found this website. I would like to know why you cut this program. It’s not fair to let someone get interested in a program like that, and then just cut it out. It seems like to me yal want to cut out the good programs, and keep the bad. The unit was a good show that didn’t show a lot of bad things. I wish you would change your mind,… Read more »
In a world of televison programing that shows mostly dumb sitcoms ,crime shows with the same name or really dumb reality shows it would seem there would be a place for a one of a kind show that is in truth more of a reality show than most. It also wouldn’t hurt to have something on television that portrays the USA as a country that is good and does good!
Bring back The Unit! It’s the best freakin show on tv today. I am so tired of these reality shows that half baked people love to watch. This show actually had great story lines and was extremly patriotic in such an important time for our country. Bring it back and reduce your salaries!!!!!
I can’t believe they stopped this show! It was one of our two favorite shows on Sunday evening. We have always watched ABC’s Desperate Housewives and Brothers and Sisters. When the unit moved to Sunday evenings we stopped watching Brothers and Sisters and watched The Unit. Now that they stopped production, we are DONE with anything CBS airs including our local news station. I hope everyone else does as well and maybe CBS will smarten up….they should bring it back. I am tired of getting into their shows that are actually good and then they stop making them!
CBS cancelled the last decent show on TV. I knew The Unit was going to be in trouble when they kept changing the schedule, what seemed like every two to three weeks. That show had depth, believable missions, and stellar storylines for each of the characters. Take off some of those stupid reality shows that aren’t even reality. It was bad enough when you cancelled Moonlight. CBS is giong back to the dogs as far as I’m concerend. Hello, ABC now. There’s nothing on CBS I care about watching. The CSIs have changed so with the cast and the crimes… Read more »
This is the best show ever, bring it back!!!!