Why was Tommy canceled by CBS after just one season?
Tommy is one of a group of freshman shows canceled by CBS. Why did this series face the chopping board compared to so many others on the network?
We are at that point in the year when we find out some of our favorite shows will be canceled. Sadly, Tommy has become one of the casualties at CBS. It won’t get a second season, and naturally, many fans want to know why.
I get why a lot of people are angry about this decision. We had a lesbian in the lead, a story point that wasn’t used in the promotion of the series. The main focus in the initial promotion was all about how she was the first female chief of police in LA.
So, why did CBS choose to cancel the show? I don’t think this was anything personal. It was all business.
The show just didn’t perform well
Sadly, Tommy was just one of those shows that didn’t perform well. Now, it could be the timeslot. Apart from Young Sheldon and Mom, CBS has struggled to succeed on Thursday nights for some time. SWAT struggled in the 10 p.m. timeslot for two years and Evil didn’t have the greatest success (although was renewed). Tommy continued to see trouble in that hour.
At first, things seemed to go well. While the show was one of the lowest-rated on the network, the live ratings were climbing week on week, according to TV Series Finale. Then lockdown happened. For many shows, this meant a jump in the ratings and a stronger performance live. For Tommy, it meant a drop in the ratings. As the show got closer to its finale, the ratings continued to drop. This would have been a red flag for CBS.
To grant a second season, the networks need to know their shows will be watched. If ratings drop each and every week, there’s the opinion that people won’t tune in for the second season. Instead, it’s better to risk a new show than to take on a dropping audience for a show’s sophomore year. From a business point of view, it’s safer to do this with a freshman show than an established show, especially right now.
In fact, the renewal and cancellation decisions by CBS are telling. Only Man With a Plan was the established show canceled on May 6, according to Deadline. Previously, Criminal Minds, Hawaii Five-0, and Madam Secretary ended, while God Friended Me has been the only other cancellation. With pilots unable to film, CBS probably doesn’t want to take a risk with too many established shows and canceling freshman shows is the lower risk.
Could another network pick it up?
Will someone else pick up Tommy? Could Netflix or Hulu step in to save the day? Considering the series is a CBS show, it’s unlikely. Maybe it could have moved to PopTV or even CBS All Access, but it looks like CBS just doesn’t have the faith in it. I don’t hear that it’s being shopped around, so I do think it’s one and done for the female-led cop drama.
What did you think of Tommy? Were you surprised by the cancellation? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Tommy is available to stream on CBS All Access.
How can you not love Edie Falco in ANY role she should choose? This was no ordinary cop show with busty women and lusty men barely restraining their sexual urges while they chase the bad guys. Edie was building a character … a smart, wise, exceptional woman who uses her brain, rather than flashing her cleavage. Bring Tommy back. Intelligent women need one TV series about an intelligent woman.
So totally agree! Tommy needs a second season!
I didn’t care for it after just the first two episodes! I was very excited to see Edie Falco in this role. It just didn’t get juicy enough! I think after Hill Street Blues, NYPD Blue, SouthLand and especially Law and Order…you have Cop based shows that deal will SERIOUS issues and get really RAW! Tommy just didn’t go there. I felt contrived to me! It definitely didn’t let Falco’s amazing talent Fly! After Sopranos( to me her role was the greatest actress of all time) and Nurse Jackie….her character was too SAFE. Maybe we all expect her to become unhinged but keeping it together. Plus her costars were BORING! It was like…she had the only amazing talent and had to carry the whole show! She might had needed stronger costars.
I loved the show! It was a fresh concept with great and different storylines. I just do not understand why CBS wouldn’t consider moving it to a new time slot and give it another chance in a second season. CBS screwed up canceling this one!
I really liked the show. I wished they would have given it another time slot instead of throwing in the towel on it. I was really looking forward to a season two. It had an exceptional cast that brought the show to life.
Our entire family loved that show. We are so disappointed that it has been canceled. Quite frankly, we would watch Edie Falco cross the street, she’s so good. But the other actors, for the most part, were equally good and the writing clever.
I love the show the one I rushed home to watch after work. Cbs always seem to take a show off the network and used the excuse that it wasn’t doing good in the ratings, but we know that not true. Some probably asked a question that made them feel uncomfortable or a actors wanted more money because the show was doing great. Or maybe a male was upset because he wasn’t in the lead roles. This is my opinion. I don’t mean to offend you.
As usual a series that is good from the start is cancelled and uk viewers not taken in to account
I loved the show. I couldn’t wait to see it each week . It’s disappointing to say the least.
I would have enjoyed watching a second season of this and am disappointed that yet another good series is cancelled I don’t think it has been given a chance to grow
So annoyed they cancelled it.
Very plausible storylines, excellent characters and actors.
Nothing that Edie Falco stars in is bad: in fact she is the main reason for watching.
Shame, shame…..
I loved the show and was so looking forward to 2nd season. Just disappointed.
Tommy was a terrific show with great potential. DUMB MOVE CBS..!!!
Loved the show. Smart writing. If they had to take it off network, why not move it to CBS All Access?
JTommy was a terrific show and Edie Falco was terrific. I hope another outlet will pick up this show maybe Netflix
I loved the show Tommy and Edie Falco can play anything and it will be GREAT. PLEASE bring it back. Tommy was definitely my favorite show……………
I truly hope more people will ask to bring Tommy back…………………I miss it soooo much
I thought it was an excellent series with strong characters I was watching in the UK and I find that American channels seem to have low attention spans as they cancel shows at the drop of a hat.
So disappointed the series was cancelled. It wss the wrong move.