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.
Bring back The Unit!! There is so much garbage on TV and on CBS. The Unit was the only reason to watch CBS…I will no longer have a reason to watch that network.
I can not belive they took off the unit my husband & I love that show, and lwave on some of the stupid ass reality shows it seems like all of them abc, cbs, nbc, fox are catering to the idoits of the world and taking off the shows that are wotrh watching. T V has gotten so dam stupid with everything the silly ass shows they air and the stupid ass commericals they air I mute them all CBS if you have any sense you will bring the Unit Back
The Unit has been cancelled. Visit http://renewtheunit.com/ for news and updates. Sign the petition here: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/renewtheunit/ if you want to see it back on TV.
Thank You.
Renew The Unit!
In my estimation THE UNIT has been the finest military series since the original A-Team. Dennis Haysbert is the “Hannibal” and Bob Brown is the new “Face”. I think alot of this cancellation is due to the slap in the face Stephen Cannell gave this “better” crew and staff with the release of his new gay looking A-Team. A movie with this crew learning that the previous A-Team has been helping them, and the mission in this movie would be a slow discovery/meet-and-greet that the remaining A-Team are now a next level of elite ops. And that “Jonas” and his… Read more »
My favorite time of year (at least used to be). I always looked forward to what “The Unit” story line would be each week, while also keeping up with Fox’ “24” offering. I’ve been an avid viewer of both since they both started, and “The Unit” had actually supplanted Jack Bauer in terms of my “can’t miss” show. I was shocked to hear the show was cancelled!!!! I’m only 40, and even if the average viewer age is 55, don’t baby boomers make up a significant portion of our population? I’m thinking that ad revenues from industries such as big… Read more »
What!! Cancelled? Un-believable ! I thought I was just waiting for a new edition. PLEASE bring this show back.
This show was the most authentic military show ever produced, as close as it can get to the real thing. I know, I am an ex-recon. Pleae bring it back
I am absolutely amazed that decision makers for CBS do not poll their audiences BEFORE cancelling a show. I have no idea how you rate a show when you put it on in a very undesirable time slot and move it around continuously. This is probably one of the best shows on TV. I am an avid watcher of CBS because you have CSI’s, NCIS’s Criminal Minds, Medium, Ghost Whispererand a couple others. I kept looking for the new series of The UNIT and OMG I find you cancelled. You people just don’t get it; you need to put an… Read more »
Please bring back this show. Bad enough that the Shield got cancelled a while, it would be a shame to cancell one of the only shows worth watching in the evening. All that is on now are forensics shows and the rest are black sitcoms and I’m not black!
Wise up CBS or you will lose more viewers
I’m sick and tired of watching and falling in love with shows like the Unit and there just cancelled with no finale this is bullsh** makes me not want to watch any new shows
I can not believe they cancelled it without a Finale! We could at least get a series finale, dang! Just leave the viewer hanging like this aint cool, and they didnt even say anything about it until it was ready to come back on. Boo, CBS!
I am in my 40’s and I love this show. CBS Please bring this show back. I agree with some of the “viewers” above. No more reality shows, or Forensic Shows, or comedies that do not have anything to do with REAL life. And Unit left us all hanging with what is happening with the characters. This is one of the TOP shows ever. You have at least 10 million viewers, how many do you need? CBS if you cannot handle such an outstanding show as The Unit, and give it the right time slot it needs for the right/enough… Read more »
tv today is reality, medical, or forensic shows. the unit was something different. I do not watch cbs anymore since they took off the unit because all the shows pretty much have the same stories just told differently(bad person kills and good person puts them away) . Talk about the variety cbs has, ABSOLUTELY NONE!! the unit actually gave the viewers something new to watch. I can see why the ratings were so low, Cbs was stupid to air it on sunday nights in the latest time slot. On sunday most people are getting ready for the work week and… Read more »
sorry i had a typo. the sentence of the 55 year old should have said: On sunday most people are getting ready for the work week and don’t watch tv except the 55 year olds. they’re retired so they have the time to watch it on sundays.
Please bring this show back. in our day it is hard to find good show especially when we have several of our loved ones in the army. Someone needs to amke a executive move and make the decision to bring this show back.
Bring this show back!!! I do like looking at Scott Foley I have to admit. He was great on Cougar Town. But I want ALL the characters from “The Unit” to be together again!