Last May, NBC announced that it would be adding two new medical shows. Trauma would begin airing in the Fall and Mercy would come in early 2010. That plan got messed up when production on Parenthood, another new show, was delayed, and Mercy was brought in early to take its place.
With two new medical dramas on the network, many suspected there was going to be one too many. A few months later, one is struggling to survive and the other has been effectively cancelled.
Trauma revolves around a group of first responder paramedics in San Francisco. The high-action series is populated by an ensemble cast that includes Derek Luke, Cliff Curtis, Anastasia Griffith, Kevin Rankin, Aimee Garcia, Billy Lush, Jamey Sheridan, and Taylor Kinney.
The drama has had problems attracting viewers from the beginning. Its premiere only attracted 6.68 million viewers and a 2.2/5 rating/share of the 18-49 demographic. The following week, the numbers sank to 5.36 million and a 1.7/4. The numbers have been rising slowly since then but not by much. Monday’s episode hit a post-premiere high of 5.77 million and a 1.9/5, putting the show in fourth place for the timeslot.
To no surprise, NBC has decided not to order additional episodes of Trauma. While all 13 episodes of the series will be aired, the network won’t be ordering any more. It’s unknown if the cast and crew will be able to give the show any closure by the last episode.
What do you think? Are you disappointed that Trauma is ending or should it have been cancelled awhile ago?
UPDATE: Trauma returning with new episodes.
Image courtesy NBC.
Here we go again, another one of the shows I watch is going to be cancelled…Give me a break…I really like this show.
This is awful. How could they cancel Trauma? I mean with all the other crap that they have come up with this season, Trauma and Mercy are the only ones I like. I look forward to watching it each week and it has replaced ER for me. Look at all the other shows and notice that this is the only one about emergency responders and not doctors. Why do they have to get rid of the shows that are actually good?
Well, its about time; what a fiasco this was. What do you expect when you’re paying for the most expensive new drama- $3-4million per episode and getting a rating just above the toilet bowl? It had potential, but the writing was bad, the directing mediocre, the editing horrible, the characters unloveable, and the medicine absurd. They seemed to forget that the most important thing about a good drama is to tell a good story. Telling a good story is more important than shock value, special effects, and a choppy style that makes you think more is going on than there… Read more »
What a travestry! Trauma and Mercy are two of the best shows on TV right now. We looked forward to watching them religiously…even DVR’d them to make sure we knew what was going on. THIS SUX!
i really liked trauma, it filled that 9 oclock slot, and worked well for me, although on a different station i found my monday night was complete with house and trauma, now what the hell am i supposed to watch? ugh.
Trauma was one of the worst shows I’ve seen in a long time. Horrible acting, silly plots and boring characters were too much for me. Won’t be missed.
I’m very sad to see Trauma go, in the past SAVED with actor Tom Everett Scott was also cancelled because the ratings were so bad. Even Journeyman was great. Trauma is not like any other medical draumas I’ve, and I’ve watched everyone. ER, Chicago Hope, House, Strong Medicine…The characters of Nancy and Rabbit is really beautiful, there is obvious friendship, and the characters of Tyler and Boone are more of a kind of playful brothering love. I don’t see how there is any bad acting here, I cried at least once in every episode so far, it’s heart felt, the… Read more »
I think it is a total shame this show was cancelled. It had all the elements, action, TRAUMA, and emotion. Hello people, this is TV it isn’t real, please quit comparing real to acting, my gosh, it is suppose to be entertainment, something that you can watch, interact with others, enjoy or jaw jack amongst others, but quit killing all the shows. After all the bs that is going on day to day in the news, balloon boy, Iraq, etc. my family and friends enjoy watching a show like this to just sit and jaw jack back and forth. If… Read more »
I think TRAUMA is GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i’m so sad that it’s cancelled.
really liked the pilot, the opening was strong….the last couple shows have been a bit weak but I still like watching it….
Give the poor show a chance to gain an audience….
sometimes it takes a little patience and belief, don’t give up so fast NBC…
I’m planning on watching the remaining shows, maybe the network will change it’s mind by then and pick it back up for the back 12…..
I’m disappointed to see Trauma go. It isn’t a great show, but it was pretty decent. Just watching the episodes and looking at the ratings, I knew that it wouldn’t last past a season. I’m hoping for a DVD release of the run. Hell, they gave The Philanthropist a DVD release, why not this?
I am glad it’s going, just another typical over the top unrealistic piece of sh!t3, Mercy isn’t any better but if it’s a choice then Trauma has to go…
Trauma was actually beginning to grow on me. It had a Third Watch feel to it. I agree with everyone else – Mercy blows! Trauma had a little more edge to it while Mercy showed us nothing new. NBC does nothing to help their shows mature anymore. They cancel stellar shows like Southland while greenlighting lame shows like Community (possibly the dullest sitcom ever made). I say axe the exec’s at NBC!
Gave Trauma one ep but never returned. Nothing there to grab me, no characters to root for, nothing special about it, just big bunch of meh!!
Mercy on the other hand – love it. (said this before) but it is like Nurse Jackie Jnr, or Nurse Jackie with Friends – and that is definately NOT a bad thing. Catch it each week and am most pleased that there is more to come 🙂
Trauma is a great show. WAY better than Mercy. The only problem is that it spent it’s first episodes competing with Dancing With the Blahs, CBS’s comedies (some of the best on TV) and a lead-in (Heroes) needing life support. I think if Trauma had the 10 o’clock, it would survive as the great series it has the potential to be.
Oh, wait, that’s right, NBC gave up it’s testicles and went with the cost-effective yet dismal Jay Leno show. Brilliant, NBC, way to give up trying!