Call the FBI. There’s another victim of the cancellation axe over at CBS. The network has cancelled long-running crime drama Without a Trace.
First airing in 2002, Without a Trace follows an FBI team that’s tasked with finding missing persons. Each episode follows the search of an individual and tracks the time that they’ve been missing. The series stars Anthony LaPaglia, Poppy Montgomery, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Enrique Murciano, Roselyn Sanchez, and Eric Close.
The series averaged 15.09 million viewers in its first year on the air and grew to a high of 18.68 million for season three. The show’s ratings have declined over the years and season seven has fallen to about 12.2 million. Like many shows on CBS, the drama tends to skew older.
As part of cost-cutting efforts, CBS put Without a Trace and Cold Case on the bubble this time around. Both Jerry Bruckheimer series have become expensive over the years and the network insisted on cuts in salaries and production costs. Both have had an upsurge in the ratings lately but CBS was leaning towards renewing Cold Case.
And then, Cold Case was renewed for season seven at the beginning of this week. As of Sunday, it was looking possible that Without a Trace could still return for a midseason run but the network has now decided against it. Costs and an abundance of new and cheaper shows are contributing factors.
Coincidentally, the series finale of Without a Trace airs tonight. The episode is called “Undertow” and revolves around a man who disappears after a late night dive. Oscar winner Martin Landau (Mission Impossible) guest stars as the father of Jack (LaPaglia) and Danny (Murciano) and Elena (Sanchez) take their relationship to another level.
Image courtesy CBS.
I love Without A trace! I do not watch very many shows, but this is one of my favorites.
Without a Trace and Cold Case Files are two I make an effort to watch. I have never been bored enough to sit through a reality show.
Let’s see: The New Adventures of Old Christine and Gary Unmarried OR Without a Trace???? Hmmmm. Is there really a big decision to be made? The first two shows are silly, embarrassing (I would imagine) for the actors forced to play their roles, and a bit off-color from what I’ve heard from friends who watch. And they’re on when kids are still watching. I can’t understand why a smart, intelligent, show like Without a Trace would ever be cancelled. I’d leave CBS were it not for the CSI’s.
I can not believe that CBS is canceling “Without a Trace” because of finances. It is one of the best programs on TV & will be sadly missed.
Sad another quality show has to bite the dust to save money. I’m sure what ever replaces it will have a short shelf life, & the same thing will happen to the next show.
CBS is making a big mistake, at least give it one more season to tie up lose ends.
I am upset over the network pulling Without A Trace. So many of the good shows are being taken off the air, and crappy shows replace them. I am getting more and more where I don’t like to get too interested in shows just do to the fact once we’re interested, the networks pull them.
I SURE HATE TO HEAR THAT YOU ARE CANCELLING A GOOD SHOW, I LOOKED
FORWARD TO WITHOUT A TRACE EVERY WEEK. REALITY SHOWS STINK WHY
NOT TAKE SOME OF THEM OFF THE AIR.
I cannot believe that CBS is cancelling Without a Trace. It is a great show with wonderful actors and I am very upset over this and the cancellation of The Guiding Light. Also The Unit is a great show too. I hope another network picks them up as I will follow the shows if I can.
Please do not cancel Without a Trace. It’s a great show. It is one of the few shows we watch, because tv in general has gone downhill. With the cancellation of Life on Mars on ABC, and now Without a Trace, there are very few shows left to watch.
please dont cancell Without A Trace this show is excellent. Who can we write to about this?
Please do not cancel such a great show!! Without a Trace and Cold Case are the best shows out there, please re-consider and continue the show!!!
I am sure millions of fans would appreciate it!!!
With the economy in such a rut tv is the only escape for some, with all these great shows being cancelled it leaves us nowhere!!
why not cancel so many of the crappy series that are currently on and that have ratings of 5% and lower? WAT has so many fans due to its great story lines.. and like mentioned above, there are still so many loose ends to be tied up!! get rid of reality shows instead!!! so fed up with the cancellation of good shows this year!!
That sux horribly. WAT was one of my fav shows on CBS. The economy has reared it’s ugly head and is leaving it’s destruction in TV land.
Without A Trace was a really good series! I can’t believe it was cancelled, right when everything was getting good! I don’t feel like all the loose ends have been tied yet! I looked forward to Without A Trace every week… It wasone of the better shows on TV!!
Without a Trace being a victim to the economy. Very sad. Good series. They just got good at developing personalities. Please reconsider. Sick of REALITY SHOWS.