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 was the best show on television. Reality shows are ridiculous. Are television producers smarter than a fifth grader? Bring the Unit back.
Like everyone else, I am deeply disappointed to learn of the cancellation of ‘The Unit’. It was one show my husband and I really looked forward to each week. The perspective it brought to the American people was unbeatable and the cast was awesome! I have watched every series Dennis Haysbert has been on and ‘The Unit’ was undoubtedly the best. He is an incredible actor and seems like a truly nice person! I agree that there is so much trash on TV now, that it isn’t even worth watching. All the really worthwhile shows always get cancelled in too… Read more »
Bye bye watching CBS. I watch very few shows. No more CSI ( I will stop watching survivor) the only show worth watching was the Unit.
My family and I are said to see The Unit yanked from our viewing pleasure. This is one of the few shows that we watch as a family which ranges from 50 to 10 in age. I know it would be a long shot at this stage for The Unit to return but I sincerly hope it does it is a great show that shows (as most of you know) the struggles that a soldier and there family faces. Not to mention the missions. I hate all the reality shows so if one more gets put on the air, especially… Read more »
I don’t know why but as usaul any shoow worth watching gets canceled and replaced with some other dub reality show. Show was great I always looked forward to watching it. sorry to see it go.
What a damn shame to see the unit cancelled. One problem was moving it around too much. It was such a quality show compared to the weak, brainless, wimpyass waste of time shows that pervade TV. Good work to the staff. It was the one show that I would never miss.
EV
Damn it. All of the good shows are going off the air. I really really hate reality tv. I want good old fashioned tv shows!!!!
The cancellation of this series is truly unfortunate. It seems every series currently on the air involves crime, medicine or worse, is a reality show. A unique show comes along, with great characters, especially strong women characters, and wide open story lines and it gets canceled after four seasons. Additions to the fall CBS lineup include “Three Rivers” (medicine) and “The Good Wife” (crime drama). I would love to see the statistical ratings for “ThMedium” or “Ghost Whisperer” Get rid of one of the three CSI shows and bring back “The Unit”! I guess it does not achieve the necessary… Read more »
Somehow I am not surprised. Seems to be the way in America these days Lets all lean to the left and feed garbage to the American people . Put on another doctor show!!!!!
Well I sure will miss the unit I did not know it was even cancelled until I have been faithfully checking to see when it will be on. Well I guess it’s history now but it sure was good while it was.
My husband and I have been waiting for The Unit to return this fall, and are very disappointed to find that it’s been cancelled. It was definitely one of the best shows on network tv, and we looked forward to it every week. It seems that every time a program is introduced that isn’t meant for morons, it becomes a network casuality. Bad move CBS.
I agree with everyone else, this show shouldn’t have been cancelled. The networks keep all those stupid reality shows on.
ANOTHER bad move by the networks! Get a show on the air that is NOT trash, that people WITH a brain can watch, is REAL, the women were also tough!! NO, they have to pull that for more trash,reality,that makes me glad I have cable. And, I’m a horrible “liberal” who has many loved ones in the military, I support our troops, and our President. Are you kidding me-WHY ALL THE HATE??? I LOVED the Unit, and everything about it!! CBS BRING IT BACK!!!!!!!
WOW what a disgrace!!! In the post 9-11 society we live in, this show gave great perspective on some of the real threats the civilized world faces. This show, aside from being entertaining, also could have really taught us alot about remaining vigilant, and what our elite operators are up against. These people are on the front lines, and many times behind enemy lines, ensuring that your kids, and mine, remain safe from the people that hate everything about us. It also gave great perspective into the family life of our soldiers, and the sacrifices they make to defend us.… Read more »
My husband have been looking for since the season finale to watching this season of The Unit, and now we find out that it’s been cancelled…..can you say ‘BIG MISTAKE’…CBS what can you offer us to watch now. I don’t know where you got your information from but we are under 55 years old and we aren’t even in the military, but we loved the show, it’s story lines, action and the acting. I think you should rethink your decision and listen to the people. PUT IT BACK ON….