Going into the fall season, CBS’ Vegas series was one of the new TV shows with the most buzz. Many people were expecting it to be one of the hits of the season. Has it measured up? Should it be cancelled or renewed for a second season?
Airing on Tuesday nights, Vegas takes place in the Las Vegas of the 1960s and revolves around Sheriff Ralph Lamb (Dennis Quaid), a former rancher, and his clashes with Vincent Savino (Michael Chiklis), a Chicago mobster who moved west to set up his operation. Others in the cast include Carrie-Anne Moss, Taylor Handley, Sarah Jones, and Jason O’Mara.
The show debuted back on September 25th to a 2.5 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 14.85 million total viewers. While the viewership was strong, CBS was likely expecting a much better demo number — especially considering the show’s high-profile talent, positive reviews, and the show having a strong lead-in like NCIS: Los Angeles.
In week two, the ratings dropped 20%, to a 2.0 rating with 12.11 million. In week four, they dropped another 20%, to a 1.6 rating with 10.8 million.
The numbers have remained fairly steady since then and the 15 episodes that have aired thus far have averaged a 1.7 demo rating with 10.9 million viewers.
While that demo might be enough for a show on NBC, it’s not likely good enough for CBS. Right now, Vegas is one of the network’s lowest-rated weekday series in the demographic which advertisers favor. Vegas has a lot of total viewers but so do many other CBS shows.
Last season, Unforgettable occupied the same timeslot and performed better than Vegas — averaging a 2.3 demo rating and 11.3 million viewers. It was cancelled.
The network ended up making a deal with Sony TV to bring Unforgettable back for a short season this summer and both sides likely made some financial concessions to make that happen. Word is that most of the supporting castmembers have been dropped. A deal like that is not likely to happen with Vegas.
Unless the ratings start to climb, it doesn’t look very likely that Vegas will be back for a second season.
On the positive side, the series will be back on March 19th and there are seven new episodes yet to come.
What do you think? Do you think CBS should cancel Vegas to make way for a new show? Or, should they renew Quaid and company for a second season? If you were running the network, would you change anything try to attract higher ratings?
It is very disappointing that CBS has decided to cancel Vegas, a high quality show. This is one of my favorite series. Hopefully, the series will be picked up by another network.
SHAME on you CBS for cancelling this popular show.
Its totally unbelievable that CBS would cancel this show. It was the only show that I looked forward to viewing on a weekly basis. With great actors like Dennis Quaid and Michael Chiklis.
What’s next another stupid Reality show on CBS. No wonder people dislike CBS. Hopefully another Network like Fox or FX pickup the show.
I live in Las Vegas and it appears that CBS doesn’t care about LAS VEGAS at all . Shame on you.
Vegas is the first quality show with TWO great actors (Dennis Quaid AND Michael Chiklis) that tells a great historical account of early Vegas with excitement and adventure! In this time of overkill with too too many so-called “REALITY” shows saturating every network…there was finally a well-written series of Sheriff Lamb and the early mob played out very realistically with a great cast and interesting storylines that seemed to get better and better–though very disturbingly shifted around to different nights and pre-emptied repeatedly as if it was purposely sabatoged! I know people across the country loved the show and it… Read more »
Vegas definitely deserves one season to prove if viewship will pick up!!!!
DO NOT cancel Vegas. Love the show and so does my son!
LOVE this show! Should NOT be cancelled. CBS messed with the time slot, which might account for the drop in ratings. They should at least pick it up for a second season. Please keep Vegas on the air!
I, for one, hope the show is not canceled. Thanks.
I really hope they do not cancel Vegas. This is one of the only shows I really enjoy watching that is on primetime television. I has everything viewers can ask for. This is typical, find a good show and they cancel it because the ratings are not high enough!!!! I guess this is I try to not watch ANY primetime shows. I guess I better hope that Burn Notice remains!!!!!!
Love the show; when they cancel the only CBS show I will be watching is The Good Wife which probably has only one more year and then… Not surprising that ratings kept going down as CBS did not support the show and moved it around then bumped it for several weeks.
No it should not be cancelled. Love the show.
I was miffed (to put it politely) when Vegas was replaced by Golden Boy on Tuesday. I watched GB once. What a ridiculous story line! I never watched it again.
And then – Vegas disappeared for a month or so – – – WHAT THE HECK???
Was there some sort of conspiracy against the Vegas???
Keep Vegas on the air!!
It is a good series that covers the period when Las Vegas was new –
The cars, sets, and other period items are fun to see.
They always cancel the good quality shows in favor of crap!! I love this show. It has everything you could want: cop show, cowboys, casinos and gambling, the mob, love, murder, period piece, vegas, younger and older cast members which appeal to numerous viewers….it offers viewers so much more than the other shows do!! Keep it!!!!
Vegas is great! It should not be cancelled. Love Denis Quaid; the storyline and time period is great for us older viewers.
Please keep Vegas on the air. All different ages of my family enjoy it. In fact, we look forward to the show every week to find out what is happening. We finally get a show that the whole family likes – not necessarily young children – but those who are in their teens and onward, and then it is taken off. That’s what happened to Prime Suspect and Harry’s Law!