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.”
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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.
If the network has any sence they will relly consider bringing back the show for one more season. this is not right in any regard to seek out fans and when they are loyal in their peek to just kill the show without a proper ending. where do you thing ratings come from. grow some balls and bring it back.
My husband and I would have dates and special dinners while watching the UNIT! PLEASE BRING a 5th season! It really needs a proper ending
Seriously best show ever…with no Ending? What’s with that? Please please please bring it back once more… I’m a military wife and it helped to know what other wives are going through when our husbands are away, no to mention it was just a great show with 2 stories at once. Please bring back season 5!
There need to be an ending i have many questions bring the unit back! plz
A great shame this show is gone especially when you know the storyline for season 5 (over on IMDB if you’re interested)
I cried when i heard the show was cancelled ! This was the BEST show ever on tv to date.
Give the unit what it deserves!
an ending!
Let the 12 million of us tune in and fill your station with viewers!
Who knows. We may bring friends!
def want more than 5 seasons of the unit
I am 17 and have recently enlisted in the U.S. Army. I say this not to brag but to prove a point. This show had a rather large impact on my young mind as I believe it first was shown when I was in 6th grade. The Unit contributed greatly to both my decision to join the Army and my MOS selection. Watching this show was one of the only things that my Ranger father and I did together. This may seem strange to some of you out there but this show actually brought us closer together. 12 million people… Read more »
bring the unit back, doesn’t matter what negative **** people say about the unit, i know this unit is the ****. please bring it back.
Bring the show back! it is a great show compare to all the junk that are on air. I am all for it!
It seems what the “Big Wigs” sitting in cozy top-floor corner offices with beautiful view of the ocean, leather chair, custom built desk, and assistants to bring fresh $14 Starbucks coffee (If its still coffee at this point) at ring of a bell, fail to realize is what is actually contributing to a “declining viewership”. The best way to explain this is through an example; I have this great new series, lets call it “The Window”. It airs this September on “Insert Station Here” with a prime time slot. There is huge hype behind the show, everyone’s talking about it,… Read more »
amen! and what they cancelled it for and put in its place didn’t last a season. I don’t watch cbs anymore. I know watch cable channels
I love all the Units!
Please, make the 5th the Unit !
Bring this back for S05!!!
please,someone step up and keep this show going