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 AM PISSED YOU CANCELLED WITHOUT A TRACE! IT WAS SO MUCH BETTER THAN COLD CASE AND NUMBERS! YOU NEED TO BRING IT BACK…IT WAS ONE OF THOSE SHOWS THAT YOU NEVER KNEW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT! IT WAS REALLY STARTING TO GET GOOD AND THEN YOU CANCEL IT…BIG MISTAKE!!!!!! PLEASE BRING IT BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am so upset about the cancelling of Without a Trace. It is my favorite television show. When I looked at the fall line up I became frantic when I didn’t see the show listed. Then when I saw that CBS canceled the show. It is the best show ever. With all the trash that is on TV how can you justify saving money and giving the viewers garbage to watch. Bring back this show CBS, or I’ll will not watch CBS at all anymore. I am going to spread the word to friends who were all Without a Trace… Read more »
I SERIOUSLY CANNOT BELIEVE THAT YOU PULLED WITHOUT A TRACE… THAT IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE SHOW EVER.. YOU HAVE TO BRING THIS SHOW BACK.. I’VE BEEN WATCHING THIS SHOW FAITHFULLY… IF ANYTHING THERE WERE OTHER SHOW THAT SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN THE AXE INSTEAD OF WITHOUT A TRACE… THERE STORY LINE IS AWESOME AND IT’S DIFFERENT FROM OTHER SHOWS, THIS SHOW ACTUALLY HAVE HAPPY ENDINGS… SO PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE BRING THIS SHOW BACK .. NOT ONLY HAVE I FALLEN IN LOVE WITH THE SHOW BUT WITH THE CHARACTERS AS WELL…
YOU HAVE TO RECONSIDER BRINGING BACK THE SHOW
I can’t believe you took Without a Trace off the air. I loved this show. If you want to do cheaper, so be it. Looking how others feel, CBS made a mistake. There other shows that are not that good that should be taken off the air and then you can pay for the better shows. I won’t watch CBS like I did. Bring back Without a Trace.
I think CBS would have better luck with there viewers if they could air the shows on time. I must have missed 30 minutes of each episode of Without A Trace and Cold Case last season.
Now, That really SUCKS! I have watched Without A Trace from Episode 1! Piss on you CBS!
Very, very disappointed that Without a Trace is not returning for another season. Your decision is wrong and I hope the network reconsiders. Your viewers don’t deserve this! Bring this show back!!
I am shocked! Without a Trace is a great show. Has CBS lost their minds? Is this because of the Jay Leno show? Well, the show is as boring at 10pm as it was at 11pm. I turned it off when i saw Kanye west and will not watch anymore bring cbs shows.
WHAT ARE YOU GUYS THINKINGABOUT! CANCELING THE BEST SHOW THAT I WATCH. IT HAS THE BEST PEOPLE ON IT, THE STORY LINE WAS GOOD.
DEBBIE
I am truly stunned that this happened. I am curious as to what shows they kept that are : cheaper and more cost effective? This was in my opinion one of the worst decisions made by a network. When a show ranks high on the list the last thing that you want to do is cancel it. You should have given it one more season to bring it all together. I think fans would have appreciated that more. What is left is reality crap which is has no merit. I thought you were one of the better networks. This was… Read more »
Why would you cancel Without a Trace????? Cold case is ok but WOAT is so much better. To make matters worse we can only get reruns in the Cinti area very late at night like now 5;17 am. If this great show is cancelle I WILL be watching any other channel except yours even if it is all night news!!!!!!!!
Why would you cancel such a GREAT show? There were good story lines, plus the actors and actresses were great!!! Don’t you watch your own shows?? Please bring back WITHOUT A TRACE
Bring back Without A Trace, it was one of the best shows on TV.
PLEASE DON’T CANCEL WITHOUT A TRACE. IT IS A QUALITY SHOW WITH QUALITY PERFORMERS..
What have you people done? I can’t believe it’s true… Are your decision makers really paying attention? This makes poor sense for the millions of loyal television viewers of Without a Trace… Without a Trace, is without any doubt, the best show on TV…followed by Criminal Minds, The Unit and Eleventh Hour, all of which I ALWAYS watch!!! I also religiously watch Cold Case, CSI, CSI Miami, CSI NY and Numb3rs…and guess what…they are all on your network. Now, for a change, I’ll get an opportunity to see what else is showing on the other networks, since my favorite shows… Read more »