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’ve just recently found out about this show and now I’m hooked I’m former military so this show was close to home for me, and to find out it was canceled broke my heart. They can cancel lye to me that show is boring even thou the unit was non fictional show still hit on alot of real life situation that our soldiers have to go through every day so in a way the show acted as a voice for those who can’t speak on what they go through on a everyday bases. I hope, no pray that they reverse… Read more »
What a shame…………I am sad that they are not producing any more cause it beats csi and any other similar programs hands down. Seriously they should of kept it going because its a fantastic series. UK Fan x
I am trully disappointed to learn then the unit will no longer be produced. That is on show that I followed religiously.
Atleast the do season five, the final season. You left all of us hanging and that is really not avery good feeling.
BRING BACK THE UNIT
We love this show. These networks aren’t fooling anyone by having these cheap game and reality shows to save revenue. That isn’t entertainment. The Unit was very intelligent, well-acted and visually exceptional. And just exciting. Of course, no one would think that had any redeeming cqualities to keep in on TV. I often think when networks move shows around on different days and times that no one can find them. Sometimes it takes a few seasons for them to add to their loyal viewers, because networks just don’t promote enough. But then they promote the heck out of Jersey Shows.… Read more »
I can’t believe that a program with the qualitys that The Unit have has to be taken off the air. Networks made this mistake before with a little low budget show several years ago called Star Trek, you may have heard of it!!! I make sure I have the TVO set to record all episodes of the show when I’m not at home. This show has superior performances from it’s entire cast, both the men and the women. Todays audiences are tired of the lame CSI type shows. Come on Networks continue The Unit, a show with drama that deals… Read more »
Lesser shows then the Unit have been cancelled from major networks such as CBS and have been reived on TNT,USA,Bravo,ect. Someone needs to write these networks and get this show back on. There are a ton of us that would love to see this show continue for at least one more season.
Bring The Unit back!!!!! This is a great show!!!!
You really messed up when you cancelled The Unit. I kept hoping that you would finally come to your senses and put the program back on the air; and the age gap that you placed on the average person watching this show is extremely underestimated. I am in my 30’s and my husband and all our friends watched this show religiously. All of us own all 4 seasons of The Unit, and the book Inside DELTA Force. I hope that you are still receiving emails on this show; because it is the biggest screw up that Fox has ever done.… Read more »
bring the unit back!!!!!!!!!!! i badly want to know what happens with snack doc and his marriage and with the unit since tom ryan became a general!!!!!! bring it back!!!!!!!!
i hate u CBS why why why do u have 2 cancel the unit . u cold cancel CSI lame
CBS your lost. I don’t watch any of the shows you have on. The unit was the one show I’d watch religiiously. I hope it goes to another channel.
LOVED the show The Unit and miss it very much.
It was really different, exciting and gave us some worthy heroes instead of just trying to see how much you can humiliate other people. That seems to be what so many of the other programs are doing.
The men were awesome and the wives strong and courageous.
They moved it around, made fans hunt for it, and then just took it off.
Bad decision.
Bring back The Unit.Its the best TV show ever.
CBS you really sucks
I do hope you bring back the show, everyone is anxious to know what happened with the wedding of betty blue and the marriage of snake doc. At least this show has common sense unlie prison break shoot, they keep coming back inside the prison.
I do hope Dennis Haysbert will fight for this show.
Thanks
PS
If you want a bigger budget email me.
Bring Back The Unit Please!