The fans of The Unit collectively had the rug pulled out from under us today; the CBS drama was officially cancelled and will not return for a fifth season.
Is there one exact reason why Season 5 is a no-go? At the most basic level, it can be inferred that The Unit wasn’t pulling its weight in the ratings department to justify another go-round. It’s average viewership was somewhere about 9 million, but that tended to skew on the older side, a group less attractive to advertisers. And a lot of its performance issues could probably be chalked up to the fact that the network did minimal promotion, shipped it to a late Sunday night slot and aired new episodes sporadically. It’s damn near impossible for a show to get any kind of traction with that airing schedule.
You’ll also hear that the show cost a pretty penny to make and, on top of that, was produced by another TV Studio (Twentieth Century Fox, with CBS licensing the rights to air it). With a high caliber cast and crew (that all probably wanted raises as the show matured) and very ambitious on-location shooting, each episode cost a small fortune to bring to the tube each week.
And it’s a shame too, because The Unit was quite a unique show for network television today. In its stead will probably be some mindless drivel; either some ridiculous reality competition or another forensics crime show.
But that’s it: no more awesome tactical missions. No more homefront drama. We’ll never get to see any resolution between Jonas and Molly. We’ll never get to see new leadership of the squad as Colonel Ryan was promoted without a successor. There was so much more story to tell and a 5th season could’ve served to creatively end the series, the right way. But those 69 episodes will live on in syndication (rumor has it) and DVD so at least we’ll be able to relive the good times the show brought us.
It would be childish to claim this act to be unfair, but this little ranting will help me through the ‘denial’ stage of grieving. A solid thanks goes out to the cast and crew of the show, who brought us one of the most exciting and engaging shows we’ll ever see. RIP The Unit (2006 - 2009)
I loved,loved,loved this show!!!
PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BRING THE UNIT BACK!!!!!! ME AND MY WIFE FEELS EMPTY WITHOUT
This show was the sh!!, Our men overseas looked forward to the Unit. I loved it. It was exciting, sad, funny and cool. Everything people are looking for in a show or movie. Bring it back, PLEASE. Please dont replace it with some stupid law show or some reality show or some doctor show, we have enough of that crap on tv already. I turn on the tv every night, When the Unit was on I had something to watch, now its Law and order or Law and order! Come on! Theres no point in having cable anymore, nothing goods on.
I wont be watching ANY of the other crap that comes on TV these days. The Unit was a wonderful show that shined even when everything around it was terrible. Kinda makes me angry that the best show on TV gets canceled when the story hadnt even been completed appropriately. Such a shame!!
I would like to see The Unit come back on
Thanks
Gerald Johnson
Aston, PA
Una de las mejores series que he visto. Me parece estupenda y serìa una verdadera pena que no hagan la quinta temporada, pues dejan a los espectadores en la incertidumbre.
F Tagle M.
I loved to watch the Unit. I was hooked on it ever since I came back from Iraq. Dont think im a POG and didnt do anything. I served 7 years in the infantry. Im sad to hear that the show will not run for the 5th season. The writer of this article was right when he or she said about what might replace it. R.I.P Unit
thats terreble bring it back to finish the stories that we have been watching
Bring THE UNIT TO A END FOR THE VIEWERS…..ONE MORE YEAR!!
This is stupid. im not old and the unit was the most amazing show ever! WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WITH JONAS AND MOLLY!!!!!! and sam needs to work it out with bridgette. AT LEAST ONE MORE SEASON. or like add 3 episodes to number for so it has a resolution.
I really enjoyed this show and watched it faithfully. I’m really disappointed that the network would cancel a show with 9 million viewers attached to it, just because it may have cost a little more than other shows do. Good dramas are few and far between. The networks think that we may be entertained by some “mindless drivel” such as CSI Miami, CSI NY, CSI etc…. or by some “banine” comedy or perhaps we need some more carefree happy go-lucky “reality” crap like Big Brother that teaches everyone the good values that those types of show present to its viewers. Bravo to the networks… Television used to be fun to watch because there was variety. Variety in the terms of the networks isn’t variety… its boredom… Thanks a bunch.
What a shame!! You have a good show something 2 watch on Sunday and take it away.
I am a male in my 20’s and I always watched The Unit. I guess that’s not the demographic they are concerned about. Bad move CBS! U suck
BRING BACK THE UNIT! DEXTER SUCKS! WE WANT THE UNIT, WHATS WRONG WITH CBS, PULL YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR KEASTERS AND PUT THE UNIT BACK ON NOW!
Networks seem to be totally motived by so-called reality shows, and talent shows. Let’s get a new survivor show. Drop 50 civilians on a remote, uninhabited island, with the clothes on their backs. Have a real Delta Team armed with paint gun weapons. The last person shot, or the first one to make it 100 miles away to a check point without being shot, or captured, wins 1 million dollars. Of course, if caught, you must get to encounter simulated interrigation techniques used by our enemies (none of whom follow the Geneva Convention). Something like SERE training for those in the know. Those of us who know better know, the 1st season of this show was awesome and realistic, and a 5th season was warranted to correct the horrible 4th season.
I am so dissapointed in cbs for canceling te unit. I was waiting for it to come back and I just can”t believe the ratings were bad, it was a great show,I really cared about the characters and to just cancel it without and ending is wrong,you even gave GL an ending,there is so much crap on tv and you got rid of something really good.shame on you!!!!
IF THEY ALREADY MADE SEASON 5 OF THE UNIT THEY SHOULD STILL PUT IT ON DVD.
OMG!!!! IAM SO PISSED!!!!!!!!!!THIS WAS MY FAVORITE SHOW NEXT TO 24. HOW CAN CBS DO THIS. I HAVE WAITED ALL SUMMER FOR THE NEW SEASON. THEY EVEN ADVERTISED ITS RETURN ON SEPTEMBER 30TH. WHAT IS WRONGWITH YOU CBC.
Did I hear that Fox is picking up the Unit or are they just reruns. I love that show, as good as 24 if not better!!! CBS sucks!!!!!
This Sucks and so does CBS for cancelling this show. They took Jericho. The Unit. What’s next NCIS. Thank God I have HBO/CINAMAX/The Movie Channel… CBS YOU SUCK!!!