Will this be the last season for Numb3rs? With the order cut to 16 episodes and what sounds like fairly expensive production costs for a show in its sixth season, the end does seem near or at least nearer…
Are “Numbers’” days numbered?
CBS has opted to cut back the order for the veteran crime procedural from 22 to 16 episodes.
Friday nights have taken a big ratings hit this fall, and “Numbers,” now in its sixth season, has been no exception. Last week, the drama starring Rob Morrow and David Krumholtz averaged a 1.7 rating/6 share among adults 18-49 and 7.9 million viewers overall.
I think the show is done, sadly
And I think if Ghost Whisperer continues its rating decline, it would be in danger to eventually. Maybe not this season but next season.
Looks like my fear of Friday being the next Saturday is getting nearer.
Wow Numb3rs may be done actually. Looks like it may end early to make room for The Bridge. If Cold Case and Numb3rs end then the oldest dramas will be the CSIs and NCIS.
Ghost Whisperer wont be in danger for a while, CBS may need the Ghost Whisperer/Medium combo for 2010-2011. If Numb3rs is axed CBS could move The Good Wife to 10pm fridays for 2010-2011 should the series be renewed.
Bring back Flashpoint on Fridays!!
CBS can’t catch a break just when they had a suitable show for Fridays at 9pm, then the over all Friday ratings drop. I think GW and Medium ratings are still good enough to last another season. Maybe FlashPoint will fill the spot when Numb3rs end.
I just feel sad that a former Friday powerhouse is falling. Oh, Friday night.
Interesting news about Numb3rs, it wasn’t rating badly, I’m guessing The Bridge or Flashpoint will go into that slot. Cold Case is likely to run 22 episodes then CBS will not renew it.
Jon – Cold Case will air all 22 episodes in the slot (possibly move to 9) then CBS will axe it. Flashpoint could return to sundays when Three Rivers gets axed. Once Numb3rs finishes up, Good Wife could move to Fridays at 10 around April-May and Miami Trauma could air Tuesdays at 10. I dont see The Bridge airing until summer 2010. Its not that Numb3rs was doing badly, it just slipped a bit and is getting very expensive for CBS.
Forg – Im hoping Flashpoint for sundays and CBS moving Good Wife to fridays around April so possibly for 2010-2011 CBS can have Ghost Whisperer/Medium/The Good Wife. 3 female led series for fridays.
I just noticed I spelled ‘Flashpoint’ on my earlier post as “FlashPoint”, blame it to FlashForward LOL.
Dan, The Good Wife is a good fit for GW and Medium, and it might do well or at least on par with the two shows, maybe 2-2.2 demo.
With the cut down of Numb3rs, I think its like that Cold Case ep order will also be cut down especially with the low ratings they have
Having Miami Trauma on Sundays make sense as it would simply be replacing Three Rivers but Tuesdays at 10 would make sense and would benefit from having NCIS LA as a lead in and is more compatible compared to The Good Wife.
According to Ausiello
http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2009/11/04/this-just-in-cbs-trims-numb3rs-episode-order/
I’m hearing Flashpoint will likely take over the Friday 10 p.m. timeslot in February, although there’s been no official confirmation of that.
In related news, CBS has upped the episode orders of How I Met Your Mother, NCIS, NCIS: LA, CSI: Miami, and Two and a Half Men from 22 to 24, while requesting one additional episode of Criminal Minds, CSI: NY, The Big Bang Theory, The Good Wife, CSI, and The Mentalist, bringing their totals from 22 to 23.
Thats good news, Flashpoint should have returned to sundays but now I wonder what will. CBS cant possibly air all of Three Rivers.
those extra orders (particularly on the 1 hour dramas) are very surprising to me, given how well those shows do in repeats for CBS.
so when shows are given a 13 order or a 22 order and there’s a big announcement… this isn’t ever set in stone is it? The network can really cut shows, etc anytime they want
Aren’t the extra orders standard for established shows if they are doing well, interesting that CSI: Miami is getting 24 episodes while CSI and CSI: NY get 23 but it could be upped at a later date.
Adios, Numbers.
I’m happy HIMYM got two more episodes but a bit surprised that Big Bang just got one additional order especially now that Big Bang is the top sitcom in the demo? Hmmmm….
Also glad Good Wife got another one ep order, it’s a good sign of confidence from CBS.
I wonder if one those shows that got two additional orders gets the post Superbowl slot
Kyle, all that means is that the Network has agreed to pay for 13 or 22 episodes (which ever they order.) But that doesn’t mean that the Network has to air those episodes.
Jon, indeed for CBS on a quick scan that appears to be the case!
Excluding the strike year, recent history is 23-25 episodes for a lot of the scripted dramas. NCIS has never had a 22 episode year, and last year it had 25 episodes.
Last season, I think for CBS anyway a lot of shows had an additional episode to make up for the shortened season before although CSI remained at 24 while Miami and NY had 25, the season before it was 21 a piece for Miami and NY while Vegas got 17. Not sure if it the fact that they film earlier than Vegas.
Wow, the extra episode order for The Good Wife is really good news for the show. I guess CBS is happy with it after all…rightfully so.
Wow, the extra episode order for The Good Wife is really good news for the show.
And the drop in the order for (and likely cancelation of) Numb3rs could be good for The Good Wife’s chances for a second season. With 3 Rivers and Cold Case guaranteed to end this year, that leaves 3 open spaces. If Good Wife does better than the mid-seasons, I think it has a really good chance for renewal.
Speaking as a Numb3rs fan, this is very disappointing news.
“With the order cut to 22 episodes and what sounds like fairly expensive production costs”
err, looks like a typo there Rob
Really hate this… the family dynamic really made Numb3rs different from alot of other procedurals. OTOH, the stories this season have really felt like the writers were wrapping things up for the Eppes family, so I’m guessing they already knew…
Sigh.
Looks like Rob’s comment near the very end of last weeks episode had more to it than most people thought… anyone else catch the “context”
at the end, last week ? !
I may be off base here but I have a sneaking suspicion that the loss of Diane Farr took a lot more out of the show than perhaps most people thought. It seems the show has lost a lot of its luster since her departure.
I used to like Numbers but they never went anywhere with Rob Morrow’s character, no real development over time. So I’m not too surprised, the show started to seem like it was on autopilot and you can’t get away with that for long.
I don’t mind Numbers and Cold Case getting canceled. I love both shows but they run their courses. 6 and 7 seasons are a dream to most of the scripted TV-shows – including really good ones like Pushing Daisies, Dirty Sexy Money, Eli Stone, Moonlight, The Class, Popular, Privileged, Veronica Mars, Everwood. Although the latter two still lived relatively longer than a lot of shows, they still had a few seasons in them when they got cancelled – and Veronica Mars and Popular didn’t get a proper closure which still hurts after all these years.
phantom,
Veronica Mars ended perfectly, if inadvertantly… Closure and things working out okay for the hero would be out of place in a teen-noir. It ended the best way it ever could have… but yeah, it had a few years left in it. Popular is the real offender there. Rewatching it for fun with my roommate and I’m surprised just how good it really was, especially for a teen show. So much good satire… It’s a shame it didn’t catch on with a bigger audience. It was a real gem.
Numb3rs sounds like it was sort of running out of steam so it’s probably time. It’s the weakest of the 3 friday shows as well. 18 is enough to get another dose of syndication out of it. I suppose if they work on a more lucrative syndication price for additional episodes I could see it getting a pick-up for next year, but I doubt that will be the case. It’s likely done after this year.
Good Wife would be a good fit after Medium. Flashpoint is also a smart idea. It’s funny CBS didn’t bump up Medium and Ghost Whisperer — I’m guessing if they were doing 2.5-2.7 range on average (like prior seasons of Ghost Whisperer did…) they’d get an additional episode, but they are both doing just okay (and they’re often the highest rated of the night…).
It was a bummer Popular ended on a cliff hanger, back in the day when I watched it on TV, I was not yet aware of US TV industry, so I was waiting for months for new episode to no avail. Oh well.
GW and Medium are doing okay but since both shows are aging thus getting more expensive, a 2.0 demo might not be able to justify its cost in the future. I hope they could improve their numbers eventually.
I’m sad for the end of Numb3rs as well.
The comment earlier – I do miss Diane Farr. All the other female roles do not compare.
Angie, you can catch at least some glimpses of Ms. Farr on the current season of Californication.
Between Navi Rawat seeming more scarce due at least in part her role on FlashForward and now what appears to be a diminished role for Peter MacNicol as Larry Fleinhardt, it looked like they were already attempting to cut costs to me.
And it even seemed like there was less Judd Hirsch than normal in a couple of episodes this year, though I could definitely be wrong about that.
Shame i love numb3rs i dont think theyll find another show thatll perform as well as numb3rs in the 10pm slot on a friday might find a cheaper one which means probable would survive with less ratings.
and to Rob Navi Rawat has appeared in all the episodes so far
if not all most of them anyway.
Steve, there was one episodes she definitely wasn’t in at all whether she got a show credit or not. I think it was the one on 10/23, but it might have been the one on 10/16. But in even a few of the ones she has been in, she had a more limited role than normal. She had a big role last week though, but no Fleinhardt!
I think next season they will try Good Wife after Medium. and possibly flashpoint at 10 on tuesdays or a new drama. most likely a new drama.
I’m surprised CBS only uped Big Bang by only one ep.
Tony – Yeah Big Bang couldve gotten another ep. and I agree Good Wife may actually be renewed and placed after Medium fridays for 2010-2011. Anyway this is basically an early confirmation that Numb3rs is dead. Anytime an episode order is cut its never good news and usually means the show is at the end (should the series be a veteran). Id figured that all of the shows that got upped to 24 episodes (save for HIMYM) were already at 24 episodes. Does anyone know how many episodes Old Christine and Gary Unamrried have. Christine has 22, but Im nnot sure if Gary has 13 or 22.
I don’t watch the show but I know that CBS doesn’t like aging dramas even when they’re doing okay in the ratings. I remember many years ago how the cast of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman was taken aback when they didn’t get picked up after 5 seasons, CBS citing progressively declining ratings (though they got some wrap-up tv movies).
it is the last season
wouldnt surprise me if it was its last. they could put another show after medium and do the same numbers and if not then you just renew it for another season, not really a bad part of the deal
It would be a good opportunity to air The Good Wife after Medium should CBS give it a second year. A three hour female block should draw attention.
The Good Wife would do horribly on Friday or have people forgotten the fate of Canterbury’s Law.
I hope this doesn’t spell the end of Numb3rs. CBS is lucky that this show has its own fanbase that continues to tune in in this rough timeslot. This is one of two CBS shows I watch. I don’t think they’ll just get another show that will succeed in that slot.
And really don’t see them moving The Good Wife there. I don’t know why people get this impression that having a female lead in a drama somehow means shows have the same appeal. I wouldn’t watch Medium in a million years and Ghost Whisperer holds no appeal either. But I’m really enjoying The Good Wife. And last season I didn’t watch Ghost Whisperer but did watch Ex-List and Numb3rs.lad Medium fits so well with Ghost Whisperer but that’s not going to apply to any drama with a female lead.
Robert, I don’t know why you think that Navi and Judd have been on less this season. I disagree, they’ve been on as much as they always have. Maybe its perception but I’ve tried to consider it objectively and don’t see a diminished role for either of them. And Navi not being in one episode really isn’t evidence of that given she hasn’t appeared in all episodes and she wasn’t in at least one episode last season too.
chrisjozo – Different network. FOX does horrible fridays, CBS does well. However since January 2005 CBS has only aired Numb3rs in the slot. Before that, Dr. Vegas did badly on the slot. Nevertheless, The Good Wife moving to the slot for 2010-2011 may be beneficial to CBS. The female oriented Ghost Whisperer and Medium may help out The Good Wife as well.
Now I truly believe its the end for Numb3rs. I never thought CBS would actually cut the order but they have. But CBS cancelled two veterans last year (Without a Trace and The Unit) and they can this year. I can see headlines for CBS’s May upfronts
“CBS has cancelled veteran dramas Cold Case and Numb3rs, both of which were on the bubble for a while”
Here’s a potential 2010-2011 CBS schedule
Sunday
7:00 60 Minutes
8:00 The Amazing Race
9:00 The Mentalist
10:00 NEW DRAMA
Monday
8:00 How I Met Your Mother
8:30 NEW COMEDY
9:00 Two and a Half Men
9:30 The Big Bang Theory
10:00 CSI Miami
Tuesday
8:00 NCIS
9:00 NCIS LA
10:00 NEW DRAMA
Wendesday
8:00 Rules of Engagement
8:30 Gary Unmarried
9:00 Criminal Minds
10:00 CSI NY
Thursday
8:00 Survivor
9:00 CSI
10:00 NEW DRAMA
Friday
8:00 Ghost Whisperer
9:00 Medium
10:00 The Good Wife
Of course all of this is subject to change but if I ran CBS, this is the schedule I would have for 2010-2011 and I think if CBS moves the established Mentalist to lead 9:00 sundays (In place of axed Three Rivers and Cold Case) and moves The Good Wife to fridays at 10 (In place of the likely axed Numb3rs) They have 3 open slots for new dramas all at 10:00, which I think is a good slot to launch a drama.
Its also likely that Accidentally gets let go (do to bad retention), and CBS finally axes Old Christine (so ABC can save it).
Why is The Good Wife a nice match for Ghost Whisperer and Medium? Because it has a female lead? What else does it have in common? It is insulting that people keep thinking that anything with a female lead belongs together, like its the only draw of a show. Its ridiculous reasoning.
The crime aspect of Good Wife is compatible to Medium and Medium’s Ghost aspect is compatible to Ghost Whisperer. The fact that its three shows with female leads helps the trio out more. Its not a bad thing, its actually good for the network.
Isn’t Numb3rs the spiritual guide/mascot for a website called TV By the Numbers? Perhaps to complement the awesome bingo cards, a spinner is in order to determine what fast-food sandwich product needs to be purchased to save our honorary show.
At this point its doubtful Numb3rs is worth saving. CBS dramas stay cancelled once they get axed, and it seems unlikely that another network would pick the drama up. Hopefully the writers will think of a good finale for the series.
In related news, CBS has upped the episode orders of How I Met Your Mother, NCIS, NCIS: LA, CSI: Miami, and Two and a Half Men from 22 to 24, while requesting one additional episode of Criminal Minds, CSI: NY, The Big Bang Theory, The Good Wife, CSI, and The Mentalist, bringing their totals from 22 to 23.
Thats no surprise all those shows do really well. Though Im surprised Big Bang Theory, Mentalist and CSI havent been given 24 and also that Good Wife got a 23rd episode. It could mean good news for season 2. From that order it seems only the soon to be cancelled Cold Case and friday night dramas Ghost Whisperer and Medium are the only dramas not to have their numbers upped. While comedies Gary Unamrried and Old Christine havent been upped, though I believed those to only have 22 a piece.
As long as we’re talking about episode orders, did anything ever come of that story about L&O being given another four episodes, or is that still a rumor?
Friday night is not going to became the next Saturday. I don’t know why people are saying that. Yes Friday is a mess for all the network all of them are pulling terrible ratings but c’mon it’s the busiest night in the week. All my shows are basically on Friday. Monk, White Collar, Stargate Universe, Sanctuary, Smallville, Ghost Whisperer, Medium, Dollhouse, Ugly Betty.
Andrew, I received no response from an inquiry to NBC press on the L&O story.
I heard rumors that CBS might move Two and a Half Men to Sundays at 9, Big Bang Theory to Mondays at 9, and drop one of the Wednesday comedies (along with Rules of Engagement) into the Sun/Mon comedy lineups, bumping Cold Case to Wednesdays at 8.
Looks like I’ll be losing two of my Friday shows. Numb3rs & Dollhouse. Good thing we have cable. Loving White Collar & Psych.
@Robert: “And it even seemed like there was less Judd Hirsch than normal in a couple of episodes this year, though I could definitely be wrong about that.”
You’re not wrong. There’s been considerably less “Alan” (Judd Hirsch) and “Amita” (Navi Rawat) this year. Alan only ever seems be in Charlie’s house talking to Don, while Amita seems to be an afterthought until Charlie needs a second opinion on something for Don. So with the loss of Larry (Peter MacNicol) too, Numb3rs seems to be really focussing on the FBI guys this year. And even then, Liz and Nikki seem to be in one episode and not the next, although David and Colby haven’t missed one so far, I think.
But as someone who’s been with Numb3rs since the beginning, it’ll be sad if (when?) it does go but I do agree with so many people here, it does appear to have run out of steam. So maybe, if this sixth season is the last, then I hope they end it right with Charlie and Amita getting married, Don most likely becoming ordained and Alan maybe getting his own place and/or back with Millie (who apparently still works at CalSci but hasn’t been seen for a few seasons).
And finally, if Numb3rs does end – bring back Megan (Diane Farr) for the finale, maybe even a two-parter. I’m sure Californication can spare her for a very special episode.
I think Good Wife is more likely to end up on Sundays than Wednesdays or Fridays next year, to be honest – B&S is only getting older, AND CBS knows GW skews way female – what better to use against SNF?
*Assuming, of course, that GW doesn’t continue to drop / CBS likes other pilots more. I don’t consider another year of GW a lock by any means.
Err, more likely to end up on Sundays than Tuesdays or Fridays, I mean. Shouldn’t post before I get my coffee in!
It always surprised me when I come into these chatrooms and people talk as if The Good Wife is on life support and needs to either be moved to another night and that its chances for renewal are slim.
Is everyone aware that The Good Wife Consistently makes the Top 20 in total viewers and that it is the second highest rated new show of the season? Its current slot is a good fit , cbs doesnt have a reason to move it nor does cbs have a reason to cancel it. The Good Wife will be renewed for a second season, I have no doubt.
^ I like The Good Wife and I’m hoping for the show’s success, the total viewers is great but the 18-49 demo for the ranges from 2.7-2.9, which is good but since this is CBS, they could afford to cancel this show because the demo is not that spectacular compared to the rest of their line up just like Eleventh Hour last season. Yes it’s too early to tell but there is good reason why there is a bit of worry of the show’s chances for a second season
Kim – Thats not going to happen. Whered you hear that about Two and a Half Men.
Forg – I initially believed that The Good Wife could be axed at the end of the season but with Numb3rs soon to be axed along with Cold Casr it gives more room on the schedule, which actually gives Good Wife a chance. O ould still say 50/50 but now Im leaning toward it being renewed.
The Good Wife has Emmy potential from Julianna Margulies and others and out of NCIS LA it’s not doing badly although it skews older. I hazard a guess that either NCIS LA or TGW move to another day or if CBS wants to be brave and have 9-11 as new shows which would be unlikely.
This reduction in Numb3rs episodes could just be to make room for their Canadian acquisitions to air on Fridays.
Of course, I think people said the same thing when Eleventh Hour was cut back for Harper’s Island.
—-
“Is everyone aware that The Good Wife Consistently makes the Top 20 in total viewers and that it is the second highest rated new show of the season?”
Total viewers don’t matter, and it’s not the second highest rated new show of the season.
If an hour-long drama’s below the network average it’s in danger. The Good Wife is.
The show could be saved by the Emmys, but only if it doesn’t fall below the bubble.
OK, one word: “Wedding.” A inter-continental cultural war ensues as Amita’s parents revolt and you have a revived program. It could even be renamed “Days of our Numb3rs” or “The Guiding Numb3rs Racket.”
Better yet, after Charlie marries, then becomes addicted to the horses as an escape from his overly-calculating wife?
I’m thinking the plots have become stale.
I have never watched this, but I’ll miss Judd Hirsch anyway.
It wasn’t Dianne Farr leaving that turned Numb3rs from a must-see to a maybe-see for me. It was having to suffer through all of Don’s incredibly boring love interests. I’m not opposed to Don having a love life, but the storylines they gave him were generic and dull.
Jon – I believe for next season, NCIS LA will stay at 9pm after NCIS.
Mumbo – Eleventh Hour was never cut back, it always had an 18 episode order. Usually if a series gets a smaller than usual order or gets the episode order cut, theres virtually no chance of the series getting another season. Rare examples are Fringe which got 20 episodes instead of 22 and Gary Unmarried which got extended to 20 intead of 22. However that episode order cut wasnt that great, and the additional episodes ordered for Gary last season were really close to a full year.
I’m sad. Numb3rs is a good crime drama for those of us who hate autopsies and like more of a character focus. It was one of the few “procedural” shows that got the mix between story and character right for me. And they never resorted to cheap stunts like killing people off to achieve “drama.”
I hope they bring Lou Diamond Phillips’ character back once more. He was one of their best recurring characters.
When a network uses the excuse that they’re cutting your order because they don’t “have room” for the episodes they ordered, you know your days are numb3red.
(Yes, I’m looking at you too, “Past Life.”)
And how tacky of CBS. They certainly seem to have room for several extra episodes of “CSI,” “CSI: NY,” “CSI: Miami,” “The Mentalist,” “Criminal Minds,” “Two and a Half Men” and “The Big Bang Theory.” You know, the extra episodes they ordered on the same day they took six episodes away from “Numb3rs”…
Fridays are notorious for bad ratings though, and no network is exempt. CBS wins the night in scripted dramas EVERY GORRAM WEEK, so there is NO FRAKKING REASON for this cut.
@Lynn: Lou D Phillips already filmed another episode! I love his character as well!
And yes, I am a hardcore NUMB3RS fan. Been a hardcore fan ever since the first episode. I grew sadder and sadder as the math was pushed to the background, tolerated love interests that felt flat to me, and groaned and griped about the directing when it was bad. But I believe with all my heart that NUMB3RS is worth the trouble, and am deeply saddened by CBS’s decision.
Riff Rafferty – Well the shows that got the extra order have no chance of being moved or shuffled by midseason. Despite the fact that Ghost Whisperer and Medium havent gotten more episodes both are safe for fridays in 2010-2011. Cold Case and Numb3rs will be cancelled by May and Accidentally on Purpose is likely to suffer the same fate as Worst Week and The Class. Despite syndication, Old Christine will have 89 episodes which is good enough to be sold (shows like Still Standing and Everybody Hates Chris had around that number). ABC could pick the series up so Old Christine isnt in as much danger. Three Rivers will be axed soon and Miami Trauma may not have a good chance of surviving if it gets stuck with a bad slot. Does anyone know how many episodes Gary Unmarried will have for Season 2??
Here’s my guess for cancelled by May
Cold Case
Numb3rs
Old Christine
Accidentally on Purpose
Three Rivers
Miami Trauma
Guess this means the prodigal son, Rob Morrow, can finally return to Northern Exposure.
But it’s got great live+100 day ratings.
Hopefully Three Rivers will end soon..what a dog. Wonder if CBS can admit they were wrong and bring Alex back to his show Moonlight. They made as big a mistake dumping ML as Fox did with FireFly.
CBS will not, I repeat not bring back Moonlight even if they like Alex O’Loughlin, it’s not like Firefly which had sufficient DVD sales and even then Serenity didn’t set the Box Office alight. Vampires may be hot at the moment but that doesn’t mean CBS should bring back a show that was underperforming and wasn’t own by them. CBS brought back Jericho which all but flopped and they are unlikely to bring back another dead show.
Elaine, if you’d just worked Jericho into your comment it would have been a disgruntled fan trifecta!
^or an allusion to Arrested Development
Any story about about a quality show having its season order cut is an allusion to Arrested Development.
Well at least the producers of the show is already preparing a a closure for the likely final episode
http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2009/11/06/exclusive-numb3rs-fans-can-count-on-closure/