Last week, ABC aired the first original installment of The Whole Truth in five weeks, since October 27th. The ratings-challenged show was bumped from the November sweeps schedule and cancelled in late October.
The Whole Truth’s ratings were anything but positive last Wednesday with it ranking a distant third place in the timeslot. Opposite Law & Order: Los Angeles and The Grammy Nomination Concert special, the legal drama attracted just a 0.9 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 3.65 million viewers. That represents a new series low for the Rob Morrow/Maura Tierney drama.
ABC had intended to burn off at least four more episodes throughout the month of December but this poor showing has convinced the programmers to change their plans. The Whole Truth has been pulled from the schedule and replaced with repeats for the immediate future.
On December 8th, Modern Family and Cougar Town repeats will fill the slot. On December 15th and 29th, Cougar Town encores will take over. And, on December 22nd, ABC will rebroadcast the CMA Country Christmas special. It’s unclear what will air on January 5th but a new drama, Off the Map, will debut on January 12th.
There are seven unaired episodes of The Whole Truth left on the shelf. It’s unclear when or if ABC will decide to air them at some point in the future.
What do you think? Will ABC get around to airing the rest of The Whole Truth episodes? During the summer, released online, or never?
Image courtesy ABC.
What a shame, I really liked this show and our family talked about every episode. I hope that another network picks this up.
That was a great show. Should give the show a chance.
I haven’t watched Off The Map yet but I am disappointed that the smartly written, acted and directed The Whole Truth was replaced with Modern Family and Cougar Town. Not to say either of those shows are bad but they are not on the same block as The Whole Truth. Maybe, just maybe ABC will provide a slot for this fine series.
My post was not complete…the last of it was… surely someone at CBS, NBC, FOX , OWN, etc has some sense and will pick this up. – leaving ABC execs scratching their heads wondering what happened!
Hopefully the rights to The Whole Truth will be made available to other networks to pick up this show – like what happened with Medium. If The Whole Truth had been given half a chance, it would have been a success. It is not the fault of the viewing audience – it is the network. The scheduling alone was terribly mishandled. Not everyone in the nation is too stupid to enjoy a good drama if we can find them. Lots better than shows like: Better With You, or Wipeout, or Supernanny, or Desperate Housewifes…to name a few. Come on –… Read more »
This is another sad result of network executives being unable to commit to building a customer base. No, too busy desiring immediate gratification. This show DID have a following, it did appeal to those that are not ready to surrender their brains to the so called comedy “MUSH” that many of networks continue to spin out. It is PATHETIC that the networks are short sighted, They’d rather wait for a real life TRAGEDY to play over and over again vs developing and committing to intellegent writing, producing and acting.
The episode in December had low ratings because no one knew about it. ABC didn’t publicize it at all. I didn’t know about it. Like someone else said, it’s as if they wanted it to fail. This is a good show that was stuck with some stiff opposition and was not given a chance to succeed.
I’m 60 years old and wonder why we aren’t considered important in your demographic study. This is one of the best shows I’ve seen in years. Something both my husband & I could enjoy together. The endings were so clever! Half the fun is trying to figure out who dun it. On most shows you can usually figure it out in the first five minutes. This one actually kept you guessing. Please don’t cancel it. How can we see the unaired episodes?
Yup, I had taped the episodes, too. And the last one I had was preempted by the hour long sobfest about the Brazilian miners so I didn’t even get to see that one. I’m reading more since there is nothing on except those dumb “geared to the teenage manbrain” realiy shows..OH and awards’ shows.
I am really sorry to this show leave. It seems that any shows that make you think a little don’t make it. The mindless reality shows, i.e. The Bachelor, Big Brother, etc. continue to be renewed. What does that say about TV viewers mentality?
This was a law program with an unusual angle. I always looked forward to learning “the whole truth” at the end of the program. I will miss it.
I am so tired of finding a TV show and having it canceled. It is ridiculous that a whole slew of shows are thrown at as and just as we are finding what we like we find that they are gone. I had taped the shows so I could watch them when I had time and found I really liked it.
I am going to just quit the TV shows because I am never given a chance to find out about the show before it is too late.
At the last paragraph above–SAKEKY=SAFELY.
Next typo-needs a Question Mark(?) after modern family.
I miss it already. Happy New Year.
Thanks for you attention.
WHY???? THEY DIDN’T ADVERTISE! THEY DIDN’T EVEN PUT IT INTO THE GROUP, ON LINE, THAT POPS UP AND ROTATES ON THE FIRST PAGE. I HAD TO GO TO THE SECTION FOR “ALL SHOWS” TO FIND IT. SOMEONE WANTED THIS TO FAIL!!! THE ACTING WAS GRITTY AND FUNNY. THE END, TO SEE THE TRUTH, AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER, NO OTHER SHOW DID THAT, GREAT! LET’S KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED THAT TNT OR USA PICK IT UP. PLEASE TNT!!!! ABC-YOUR FIRED. SO DISSAPPOINTING!!! HOW DOES THE MIDDLE STAY ON? JUST BECAUSE IT’S SAFEKY BETWEEN MODERN FAMILY. SOLUTION-CANCEL THE MIDDLE (… Read more »
Unbelievable! I can’t believe they have cancelled another intelligent show! Give us a break! First, only air a few episodes, expecting an already confused public to “find” these shows, then stop airing, then show another episode, then cancel! It’s ridiculous! There are so many former hit shows that would never have made it in today’s ADD television executive boardrooms, because they took a little time to be discovered. If you go on vacation and miss 2 of the only 5 episodes aired, you may never actually find a great show! And with 5000 channels to watch and no clear launching… Read more »
What she said. I would KILL to see the missing episodes and am terribly disappointed to never get a chance at a show I was falling in love with! I guess it’s back to HGTV and Food Network for me. THey may not have the smart writing and strong acting I crave, but at least they don’t insult my intelligence like reality television or this god awful trend of look- alike non-actors taking off their shirts that passes for entertainment!! As for low ratings on the return…of course it did! I just found the re-release by accident, and I was… Read more »