Much to the dismay of the show’s loyal followers, The Unit was cancelled by CBS in May. The series’ viewership had declined in its later years but, despite being preempted several times, still attracted 9.67 million viewers in season four.
The Unit was supposedly being seriously considered to continue in first-run syndication but the deal didn’t work out, likely because of production costs. Sadly, while the military drama and Dennis Haysbert, Regina Taylor, Robert Patrick, and Scott Foley will be around in syndication for years to come, we won’t be seeing season five of The Unit.
It turns out that the writers had a full plan for year five which Executive Producer Shawn Ryan was expecting to be the show’s last. He pitched the storyline ideas to the CBS execs but ultimately they weren’t interested.
At the recent TCA press tour, Ryan shared with The Futon Critic what would have happened. He said, “It was going to be a whole new show in the sense that we were going to be training some young people, Bob was going to be training some people for a whole new organization. Jonas was finally going to be seeing his run end.”
 Loading ... |
Ryan continued, “The final season was going to be, I figured the fifth season was going to be the last… It was going to be a long, sort of final mission for Jonas. He’s not medically cleared, Mac has to go in and sort of change the medical records so that Jonas can keep on [going on missions]. We had a whole thing planned, it was going to be good.”
Of the cancellation, Ryan points to CBS’ last-minute decision to save NBC’s discarded Medium series. If things had been reversed and The Unit “had been owned by Paramount and Medium had been owned by 20th Century Fox, we’d be making the fifth season of The Unit right now. I don’t know how else to say that.”
What do you think? Do the plans for season five sound like a good way for the military drama to finish?
Image courtesy CBS.
All i can say is that this was seriously the BEST TV show that i have ever watched in my entire life. I loved the action in every single episode and the drama that followed. After watching the 4th season i was so excited for the next season because this was actually no way they should end the show. After hearing that there wouldn’t be another series i was actually kind of mad. cbs you suck!
Let me say that ending “The Unit” is a traversty. You have a cast that couldn’t be better and story lines that are flawless. I just started watching The Unit this year and was hooked on the very first episode. Please put this show back on the air with the original cast. You must realize that you have a great show here. I’m retired army and have discussed this program with civilian and ex-military audiences alike. The result was the same from everyone. “Why cancel such a dramatic program as this”? I hope someone will pick this program up and… Read more »
WTF why was it canceled they had the best actors ( Scot Foley, Dennis Haysbert, Max Martini) and one of the best storylines ever! Why would you cancel it CBS? I enjoyed every minute watching it! I guess our only hope is that another network picks it up. 🙁 Please from the Netherlands BRING THE UNIT BACK!!!
very awesome show….i never got bored watching it over and over again.
I can not beleive this show is not on any more. I really liked, every thursday I can see 3 hours of it on TV. CBS sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why? This was a great show i don’t understand why you could not do another season at least?!?!?! I have every season and I do watch them over and over. The Unit was one of the best shows out there!!! Does anyone know what we can do!!!
What are the only 2 things that fall from the sky? Manna from heaven and the ranger airborne!!
“Once in , never out” … me and my dad wanted the unit for atleast 3 more seasons. It was always full of surprises and indeed a great series. We crave for more seasons of this great show.
CBS doesnt know what they are doing…. This was a great show! Eff CBS
Bring back the unit we love it, just think it could turn into an international force?
This show was great! My boyfriend and I may be young but boy did we enjoy it! We were very disappointed to find out that it ended after season four. We are keeping our hopes high hoping that they may decide to do the season five in the future.
While I understand $$$, but the show was not in the dumpster. And like other shows seasons are like waves, but there would have been a new class checking it out. I know I never watched friends in the begining, but once I gave it a chance it was a great show. I would put “The Unit” up there with “MASH” and I own every one of those on DVD, including the movie. Maybe CBS should do a “movie” and hipe it up and see what the numbers are for it. The “Simpson’s” made a movie and it is a… Read more »
CBS SUCKS SHOULD OF KEPT THE SHOW!!!!!!!!!!!
Great Show…. CBS should have continued for atleast 2 more seasons.. Please get the show back.
Everyone on here is right! The show has been off for quite a while and I still miss it like it was yesterday. Once in a blue moon a show comes on that’s this riveting and interesting. My hats off to the writers! In conclusion, CBS you SUCK!!!
I agree, cannot bring myself to watch CBS’s new line up. I lOVED the Unit!!! I am a military wife. my husband is 48 and has been in the military since he was 17. With all our military families have been through in the last 5 or so years HOW can they not see this show as relevant? The story line was awesome, the actors were awesome…. what the crap?!!!!
Very much agree, what was CBS thinking, oh wait they weren’t thinking. And I read the comments about saving the show the “Medium” I never watch that show.