It looks like Unforgettable is joining Reckless on the casualty list this week. CBS has decided to cancel Unforgettable (for the second time) after three seasons on the air.
Unforgettable follows Carrie Wells (Poppy Montgomery), a police detective who has hyperthymesia — a rare medical condition that gives her the ability to visually remember everything. Unfortunately, the one thing she can’t remember is what happened on the day her sister was killed. The show’s cast also includes Dallas Roberts, Dylan Walsh, Tawny Cypress, James Hiroyuki Liao, and Jane Curtin.
The series debuted on CBS in the fall of 2011 and the first season averaged a 2.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 11.3 million viewers. That wasn’t good enough for the network and they cancelled it in May 2012.
Sony Pictures TV (which co-produces with CBS TV Studios) shopped the series to other outlets like TNT and Lifetime. Ultimately, CBS ended up reversing their cancellation to pick it up for a second season of 13 episodes for a Summer 2013 run. They later renewed it for season three and another summer run.
There’s no denying that the numbers have been inching downward. The second season averaged a 1.0 rating with 7.06 million and the third, which wrapped a month ago, averaged a 0.9 rating with 6.09 million.
Talks had reportedly been underway for a fourth season order but, for whatever reason, that’s not happening on CBS.
There are currently 48 episodes of Unforgettable — not enough for a syndication package. However, Sony TV has a history of finding a way to keep shows alive. Though there’s been no word of efforts to find another home for the show yet, the studio has incentive to get more episodes produced for a syndication package.
What do you think? Are you sorry that Unforgettable has been cancelled again? Would you watch a fourth season on another channel?
That’s a shame – I enjoy this show, it’s quirky and humerous and an easy watch after a long day without the mega darkness and deviousness of so many other shows of this genre
No wonder I think the so-called “execs” @ CBS are a bunch of brainless clowns. Sure, Unforgettable was not going to earn any Emmy’s, but it was still an entertaining, engaging show, and the actors were extremely real and likeable. But why listen to the viewers who actually invest themselves and their time in these shows, only to have them unceremoniously cut off?
Sorry that CBS doesn’t care about people over 49 that watch their shows and buy PRODUCTS that the younger people don’t. Time to stop buying products that are shown in commercials
Why do you have to cancel these great shows……. I love Unforgettable and I love Poppy Montgomery……
I kind of saw it coming, but yet I’m still disappointed. It was a great show, just like Lie to me. Both original shows that got axed too early.
11.3 million viewers and a 2.3 rating in the 18-49 age group meant nothing to CBS. I don’t understand why when almost all their top tier shows average 10 million or more. So they cancel it the first time, but don’t even have the decency to bring it back to the same night or time slot. Of course it wasn’t going to produce the same numbers. Then they stall the last few episodes of the second season and delay several of the third season episodes causing more people to not watch the show. Way to kill a show CBS. ION… Read more »
I like the actors, i think poppy is a good, strong role model despite being a little rough around the edges, and the writing is solid. My only complaint is that the relationship between Carrie and Al is a little schizophrenic, or maybe incestuous. It’s hard to tell what the feelings are between them from week to week.
I think CBS is losing some of its luster this year and several of their older shows are losing momentum. I’m thinking mid-season this series is going to be looking pretty good to them again.
I would definitely watch a 4th season on another channel. I’m disappointed it was cancelled.
My husband and I enjoy watching ‘Unforgettable” WHEN WE COULD FIND IT…..we loved that rapport between the two main characters and enjoyed the chemistry between the two.
It figures it would be cancelled….why? Because we like it, of course!!! Even though the series episodes are not up to date…Netflix is looking better and better.
Why is it the good shows are cancelled and the crappy shows seem to survive? I’ve watched this show since the beginning and look forward to it coming back on. Please don’t cancel what works. Some of us like to watch good programming unlike those who seem to only follow the “reality” shows that are staged to increase viewing. Reality my @$$!!! I’m tired of getting into a show and then someone decides it’s not getting the viewers they think it should have. Who ever makes these decisions truly has there head in the sand. Don’t cancel!
CBS is getting on my nerves with these cancellations of perfectly good shows and the fact that all they care about is the 18 – 49 age group. I guess the rest of us should just kick the bucket since there won’t be much left to watch that is good. Reckless, Unforgettable, what’s next? Soon no one will be watching CBS because all the good stuff has been cancelled.
Wake up CBS!!!
one other thing, when did 6 million viewers not become good enough for a summer show? It still confuses me.
cbS is on a high from Thursday Night Football right now. Wait till that goes away, they’re going to start scratching their heads trying to figure out what to do to replace the 12-18 million people who were watching football. All of those people will be going to ABC, NBC, AMC and especially FX .
They’ll rue the day they scorned us, I tell you!
Hopefully another network will pick up both Unforgettable and Reckless. I would much prefer these two shows instead of the risqué or Sci-Fi that will likely replace them.
I was surprised when they renewed it after the first cancellation. I did enjoy the show but will expect CBS to replace it with a great show. Unfortunately, that’s usually not the case.