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.
Please bring The Unit back for a brand new season. I wasn’t happy when hammerhead was killed off. I’d guarantee you I huge interest. The issue for me when the show was broadcast, airing times and days changed the last 2 seasons making it hard to follow. With everything going on in the world, this show has plenty of material to use for creativity. Thanks!
Bring it back and finish the series! Great series!
I’ve been binging The Unit and will definitely go thru withdrawal soon. Anyone in the decision process please reconsider this show. I am NOT a tv watcher but love this series. Please please please!
The Unit was one hell of a series. The idea was brilliant. I loved the show. It was so sad it had to end that way. I was a part of the family. I was so heart broken when the series ended. Watching the series was not a waste of time.
I’m so sad this show doesn’t recognize the importance of the lives that were lost and it opens up how important it is to protect the USA gives us hope to no wer being protected in are time of dispare. Are children who die over there should be rembered for the heros they are hope you can run the unit and fine actor’s that were in it.
CBS needs to bring the show back with season 5 the story line needs to be completed. I am watching the unit again for the second time it was a very good running show!
I was addicted to that show back then I binge watched all of them on IMBtv on Amazon prime. I was bummed when it ended at season 4 and it left us hanging on what happened to the characters! There should have been a season 5. This was by far the best show around and more realistic in military style. Dennis Haysbert was awesome and i had the hots for Abbey Brammell
Best show on TV. I liked watching real men who are brave and smart.
I totally loved The Unit! Sooooo sad to see it go! I watched all four seasons in a month! Totally addicted!
They should have died saving the world and nobody knows
I’d love to at least see a movie to wrap up some of the pressing loose ends. A final season would be great, but c’mon, give us some closure on characters. I’m a serial watcher of the show. I love the writing and I feel connected with the characters.
I wish I could of seen the ending
I guess the shows story lines were “too realistic” and those execs got too scared. Compared to all the other shows on the air, this is far better than any ive heard about. This show needs to be continued. I have watched The Unit Seasons 1-4 several times. I can never get tired of watching it.
What a waste. This was such a great show. Better than anything else on tv then and now.
I’m so disappointed not to have season 5 of The Unit. It had so many ways for the storylines to go why stop with season 4? It’s not complete!
Facts im so mad molly walked out left it on a cliff hanger nooooko