Though the Monday night drama was declared “cancelled” back in October, NBC made a surprising move and ordered three additional episodes of Trauma a few weeks later. Is this a sign that the show’s not dead yet? Executive Producer Jeffrey Reiner hopes not.
Trauma follows a group of San Francisco first responders as they try to save the lives of those in need. The cast includes Derek Luke, Cliff Curtis, Anastasia Griffith, Kevin Rankin, Aimee Garcia, Billy Lush, Jamey Sheridan, and Taylor Kinney.
Networks will rarely admit that a TV show has been cancelled, especially while they still have some unaired episodes on the schedule. Still, NBC essentially cancelled Trauma when the network acknowledged that they wouldn’t be ordering any more episodes. If you don’t make any more episodes, the show’s over.
Reiner tells the Mercury News, “The obituaries were piling up. A lot of people naturally thought we were dead… And NBC did nothing to counteract those reports.”
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But Reiner says that he and his collaborators didn’t take the news lying down. With some episodes still left to produce, they cut more than $500,000 from the show’s production budget. They also started focusing more on personal stories and less on expensive special effects. He mused, “There’s definitely less adrenaline and action-figure stuff… We’re not a soap opera, but we’re getting a feel for who these characters are and I think viewers are becoming invested in them.”
The cost savings, coupled with the hope that ratings will get better and the network’s need for a bit more programming, likely caused NBC to order three more episodes. Unfortunately, it doesn’t likely change the show’s chances of getting a second season. The show would need an infusion of viewers for that to happen. Reiner said, “We’re barely hanging in there, but at least we’re in the hunt right now… And that’s all we can ask for.”
As devoted viewers have surely noticed, the show’s not currently on the schedule. It’s on a lengthy hiatus, a programming move that’s not likely to help the show’s ratings improve. NBC hasn’t said when Trauma will return but the remaining six installments probably won’t air until February 2010 at the earliest.
Still, Reiner refuses to give up hope and likens it to his experience working on Friday Night Lights, a show that was always on the verge of being cancelled, “Heck, we thought we were dead every year, but we lived to fight on. You just concentrate on doing the best work you can — and wait with bated breath.”
What do you think? Is there still hope for Trauma? If the show doesn’t come back, how would you like it to end?
Image courtesy NBC.
The series opener of Mercy was so bad I had a hard time keeping quiet while my girlfriend (a nurse) tried to watch it. By then end, she stopped the annoyed glances at my squirming and had to agree it was completely trash. It was some of the worst writing we’d seen on prime time show in a while. It was a paint by number of platitudes and false emotions. The series open of Trauma had me on the edge of my seat for most of the show. We both felt like we are already knew a lot about the… Read more »
NBC needs to get a whole new set of execs. First the mess up the Leno thing and now this. Trauma is one of my favorite shows, right up there with NCIS. NBC doesn’t seem to know a good thing when they see(have) it.
It’s just about the only show I truly enjoy anymore that is on TV. I hope people try to watch it more to make NBC change their minds. It’s really good.
This show is great! Every episode is exciting. The character development improves each week! We need dramatic tv shows. People are sick of cheesy reality tv!
I really would love to see TRAUMA on air again for a 2nd season and as far as that goes i would love to see it have many more season. I say if NBC doesnt keep it lets find a netwrok that will. I dont know about some of you but if NBC cancels TRAUMA i will never watch NBC again. Another way to bring up the rating is if you have more than one tv in the house turn them all on NBC when TRAUMA is on. The more TVs that has TRAUMA playing the better the ratings. PLEASE… Read more »
I love Trauma. My husband and I watch it together and we never watch tv together. Please keep trauma on!!!
This show NEEDS to get a second season!
please dont cancel this show!!!!! i love it!!!!
KEEP THE SHOW ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! …………EVERY TIME YOU GET A GOOD SHOW IT GETS CANCELED. NOT JUST YOU BUT ALL CHANNELS!
Trauma is one of the best new shows this fall. The actors are amazing. Please save this show. If NBC promoted the show as much as Keisha does..I believe we would average about 15 million viewers a week. SAVE TRAUMA.
I forgot to add if you want to help promote the show and fight to get it the 2nd season it deserves you can join us on Facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&gid=347929985713 and if you don’t want to join us, but want to help promote it anyway check this post http://traumatics.tumblr.com/post/269376598/fight-to-keep-trauma-on-the-air-and-renewed-for-a-2nd
i came on board expecting just a shamefully loud and expensive hour of tv. and it was loud, flashy and expensive. several episodes later, i love the characters and subtextual stories that carry over to the next episode. be patient. it DOES grow on you. i hope NBC doesn’t screw this up like FNL which was and still is arguably the best thing on TV. boneheads.
Keep Trauma ALIVE!!! I’m lovin’ this show!!
I Love Trauma, and they’re going to have to drag me away from promoting it kicking and screaming. I really believe it’s a great show that hasn’t been given a fair chance. I think they have a stellar cast, and great scripts, and really good character development, and more to come. I think the show needs to be given time to find it’s audience. It’s a great show, promoting our unsung heroes paramedics and EMT’s and it definitely needs to stay around. 21,000 Facebook fans and 5.6 viewers every week can’t be wrong! we love Trauma and we want it… Read more »
I as well as most of my friends are medics. All of us love Trauama! We have our families dug into it as well as our friends. Please don’t cancel it! We wasnt more episodes and for sure more seasons! Come on guys!! If NBC doesn’t want to pick it up lets find another network.