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.
I can not believe that they cancelled one of the best shows on TV – I never did like CBS – I only watched because of the Unit. They have now lost a viewer forever (unless they bring back The Unit) I will definately miss this show – it was one of the best written and well acted show out there.
To those at CBS put down the crack pipe and let the people decide what “WE” want to watch. As you can see above this is just a short list or that 9.9 million views who if we had the chance to would leave CBS behind in the dust as you have left us. Next time think of the people!!!
I love the unit. they have a habit of cancelling out of the box good shows. Jehrico and the unit were both very different from the norm and had excellent story lines. But no, we need another csi or some other cop show. csi new york sucks ass why dont they cancell that or how about numbers. No wonder all the best series are on cable they stick with something. True blood, dexter, weeds, sopranos, curb, the shield, etc. I wish HBO or Showtime would pick up a series like the unit. Could you imagine the great show you would… Read more »
I loved that show, what is CBS thinking? again. Unbelievable!! I was really looking forward for the next season
Totally sux!!!! Best Military show on TV. The Medium?? What?? Are you kidding???
I lost interest in “The Unit” when it turned into a domestic counter-terrorism unit. That wasn’t what I was sold in the first two seasons; the change in direction left me out in the cold. My wife had the show on Season Pass on our DVR; she let it slip when its focus turned inward, and we really didn’t miss it.
It was famous series on my cable. Medium? Joke…
This news of the UNIT being cancelled is so , soooooooooooooooooooooooooo sad…We loved this show and never missed it… BAD decision CBS..Hope Fox picks it up !!!
I’m so-o-o disappointed! The Unit is one of the first shows in years that has motivated me to commit to seeing it every week. Great storyline, action packed and good acting. I think it’s a great loss to primetime this year.
Can’t believe CBS kept Medium and cancelled The Unit. Medium put me to sleep so I stopped watching but couldn’t wait for new episodes of The Unit.
Sure hope someone picks it up. It’s getting harder to find shows to watch. At least
we can still choose the books we want to read!
I agree with MJS totally. Well directed and is so real for this time in our lives. I’m a military veteran
I can not believe that CBS would cancel “The Unit.” It truly was a well written and well acted show. It was one of the best shows to come out in the last few years. I have bought the 1st and 2nd seasons on DVD. I take them to work to watch on lunch. Some of my coworkers have not seen the show before (hard to believe) and they are mesmorized at how great the show is. The others are happy to be taken back for a repeat of a good show. It had good ratings when it came after… Read more »
I am very saddened and a little angry that The Unit is not coming back. I could kind of sense that it was going to have to come to an end, but CBS just left it hanging with the way they ended Season 4. The show deserved a better, more blaze-of-glory ending than what it was finally given. Disappointing, to say the least.
What a disappointment. Come on….Medium, really? CBS already has the Ghost Whisperer, how many more of those do we need!!! This was one of the few really good military themed shows since Mash. CBS….thank goodness NBC has Dateline opposite Medium. That is what I’ll be watching until CBS gets it right and brings back The Unit! See ya,CBS.
this was one of the best shows on TV. Please bring it back. Without it I will just
have to watch some other station. I’m tired of the good shows being replaced with
these reality shows that are nothing but trash.