DeathWatch Watch

No “Justice” But Lots of "Lights"

November 13, 2006

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After it pulled in a 1.9 rating this past week, “Justice” was pulled from the air. The show, starring Victor Garber and Kerr Smith struggled to find an audience on Wednesday night, was moved to Monday nights, and then finally moved completely out of the schedule.

Fox says the show will produce the entire original 13-episode order, and that the rest of the series will air in December. We’ve listed it as “in a coma.” Prior to the news from Fox, the show was ranked number 7 on the DeathWatch, with odds of cancellation at 27:1.

In other DeathWatch news, NBC has placed a full order for "Friday Night Lights." The small town football drama has struggled to find ratings (a pitiful 2.7) against big ratings winners like "Dancing with the Stars" in its 8pm Tuesday timeslot. NBC has said that they will be sticking by the show, while they continue to find an audience for their other ratings-thirsty show, "30 Rock."

Before the full order was placed, "Friday Night Lights" was ranked at Number 4 on the DeathWatch, with odds of cancellation at 14:1.

Comments

TVTed wrote:

I though this show was great, particularly the " What really happened" end piece. Last week came close to showing that the defendant actually did the crime that the defense team just got him aquitted of committing. Every now and again the L&O franchise team lose a case, but I'm still waitng for the Defense Attorney show where the guilty guy gets away with it.

Once again I think the Network pulled the plug too early.

posted at November 13, 2006 05:46 PM

Mike wrote:

How terrible!!! Justice was one of the new shows this season that really grabbed me...it's really sad to see it go. And what is NBC thinking keeping Friday night Lights on the air?

posted at November 13, 2006 06:04 PM

Stephanie wrote:

It is so frustrating to watch crime dramas and stereotypically act the way their character is written. I loved the endings. It was a well written, fast-paced show that moved like a roller coaster ride and it is a shame to see it pulled. NBC killed it too soon, that is a real crime.

posted at November 13, 2006 07:07 PM

Edgeoforever wrote:

And I wanted to vote for it this week (as I did before) but the option wasn't there (so, can I get my prize anyway?)
Note to Fox: next time, when you want the fans of the lead in show to stay on and support the ledee, don't make it public before airing it that come January, the new show will take their show's time slot...
Prepare for Vanished to be announced soon as well.

posted at November 13, 2006 08:40 PM

Nuttlers wrote:

I really hate to see this show go. This was on of the new shows that I really liked, especially the endings, showing who actually committed the crime. I hope Fox will reconsider and give this one another chance.

posted at November 14, 2006 01:20 AM

Kelly wrote:

Dang this was one of my new favorite shows of the season. Why do they bother putting new shows on the air, when other shows come one for 2 episodes the go off for 3 or 4 months. I wish they would have given this show more of a chance

posted at November 14, 2006 01:22 AM

Dan Steinmiller wrote:

Dear FOX,

As a somewhat loyal fan over the years you've both enticed me with your programming and pissed me off more than any other network on the air. I have seen so many great and underrated shows fail due to both your cowardice and hypocritical methods. Many years ago, your network made it clear that you wanted to break the mold and make original out of the norm tv shows.. yet 85 percent of the time you chicken out and cancel them before or as their just finding an audience. This past tv season, I was hoping for a change from the predictable and for a few months it seemed as though your network finally stopped acting like a spoiled rich kid and gave the viewers what they wanted for a change. The best new show, for me, on your schedule was "Justice" - because it was taking an old tv formula(Law & Order)and perfecting it with a mixture of the new(CSI), creating a very entertaining legal drama. So, it fails to surprise me that you would pull it from the schedule - great show: Cancelled, bad show: Stays on the Air. Here's a hint from me to you: Stop removing great programming(Justice)from the air and go after the real garbage(The War at Home).

posted at November 14, 2006 01:24 AM

chip wrote:

Why does Fox start shows get us interested and then take a month off for baseball? Do they really expect us to wait around for them to come back and not look for something else to watch in the interium? I really liked this show but once again FOX has plugged the plug on another show of theirs that I enjoyed. I think I will just have to quit watching Fox all together.

posted at November 14, 2006 06:58 AM

brutony wrote:

First of all, one of the best new shows airing this fall. For Chip, the answer to your question about Fox premiering new shows and taking them off for baseball is, that they tried to delay their openings 'til after the World Series, but by Nov, they found it was too late for debuts, and most of the audience was on to other programs. Anyhoo, I really liked this, even tho I'm not a big fan of L&O or CSI's, and the last 5 minutes, when they revealed the true story of the crimes, certainly made this show work! Why does Fox whack great new shows early-such as Skin, another Jerry Bruckheimer show like Justice is-and keep faded has-been vets like The Shitsons-I guess they prefer the recent troop-bashing eps that this way-beyond-its-time shitcom presents! Come on Fox, get with the ball!

posted at November 14, 2006 10:50 AM

SSEXYBACK wrote:

You know, FOX...I am PISSED OFF...Not only did I rush out of work...rushed to the mall...then rushed home to be PISSED off when I turned on my TV just in time to watch JUSTICE and I freakin (really would like to use another word) saw HOUSE. What the H#LL are you thinking. I really am getting tired of FOX...I had not watched your channel in about a year and then I fell in love with Vanished...You moved that to Friday and I was pissed, but with that move I found Justice in it's place...I fell in LOVE...so, not now I was hooked 2 nights a weeks. You were winning my heart. But like a freakin man, when a women start to let her shield down...you decide to do something stupid and break her heart! So, true to my fashion until you make it up {BRING BACK JUSTICE} I don't want to see you anymore. O' by the way I can't stand YOU!! Take a chance in awhile, STOP destroying your relationships before that get started!! Because I was looking forward to a healthy relationship with you...But you went and DID this!! My Heart Hurts!!!

posted at November 14, 2006 11:03 AM

Susan wrote:

I love this show it's fast paced, exciting, and more original than most of the grap that's being aired. A show that's really mentally stimulating and you pull the plug. Not all veiwers have a five year olds attention span.

posted at November 14, 2006 11:36 AM

RM wrote:

This was one of the best of the new crop. Watching a trial from inside the defense was most interesting, and the reveal at the end really made the show. My wife and I were frustrated as we had to chase it around the schedule, and this couldn't have helped the ratings at all.

posted at November 14, 2006 12:02 PM

Mel wrote:

NOOOOO!!!!! I love Justice. I hate you FOX. Is anyone going to give a legal drama a chance to make it? ABC's Injustice was cancelled (loved that one too), then WB's Just Legal (liked the writing, hated the cast), now FOX's Justice. Maybe other networks should take a page from CBS's book--they actually allow time for viewers to get hooked on their shows--Shark is going to make it and probably become popular like CSI and the other "crime" dramas. Perhaps that is why CBS has become my favorite network, because I can count on them to not yank a show before giving it a chance. FOX had something great with Justice, it is unlike any other show--specifically the "what really happened" thing--and would be a show I'd watch forever... I hope they keep Standoff! I think Justice has (or had) more promise than Standoff for the long run, but I just LOVE the cast on Standoff.

posted at November 14, 2006 12:34 PM

Ronald Rickard wrote:

I THINK YOU ARE STUPID FOR CANCELLING JUSTICE.
EVERYTIME YOU HAVE A GOOD SHOW YOU CANCEL IT OR LEAVE IT OFF FOR SEVERAL MONTHS SO PEOPLE LOSE INTEREST. THE WAY YOU SCREWED AROUND WITH OC IS PITIFUL. NOW IT WILL PROBABLY BE CANCELLED TOO.

posted at November 14, 2006 04:38 PM

Shane wrote:

Noooooooooooooo!!! I love this show. FOX needs to do something and keep this show on.

posted at November 15, 2006 04:38 PM

jim wrote:

I hear the 'i hate fox' comments, cuz they've cancelled some pretty good shows over the years. Justice, though, for me was a show that had to go. It was host to some really poor writing, overacting, bad acting, and some really boring plot-lines that seemed too much like CSI in a courtoom. I'm glad this one got the axe.

posted at November 16, 2006 02:55 AM

Rita Peron wrote:

Well I agree with most of you - I liked Justice - can't believe the harsh treatment it got - but that's TV today seems like - and not just Fox - it's all the networks - personally I think CBS is the worst. If it is totally stupid (big, fat, ugly, total idiot who has a really good paying & responsile job, guy/pretty, slim wife who slept with half the town prior to the marriage) & equally stupid kids etc. or really disgusting idiot "reality" shows like Survivor & Big Brother (which only strive to show as much skin/sex & mean spiritedness as possible)they will keep them on the air.......but if they are truly good, entertaining &/or educational in the least (God forbid they have a moral to the story or even a story line at all) then they get cancelled in very short order...I think it is all relative to the "Dumbing Down of America". Out with the GOOD in with the BAD....that's the motto of all the networks...

posted at November 16, 2006 10:53 AM

Mark Jeffries wrote:

Rita:

You talk about the "dumbing down of America" and you can't even write a post with proper spelling, capitalization, punctuation, usage and grammar.

Why don't you practice what you preach, illiterate moron?

posted at November 18, 2006 05:58 PM

Rita Peron wrote:

Ahhh - but I can, Mark, the only problem with what I wrote is that I tried to write it so it could be understood by all the idiots. Obviously, you got it.......

posted at November 19, 2006 04:34 PM

megan wrote:

That so so sux I really liked this show. That goes to show you if you like a show it wont last and if you dont like a show it will.

posted at November 19, 2006 10:36 PM

Jen wrote:

JUSTICE is coming back with new episodes on Friday, December 1st, at 8/7c

If you really want the show to stick around, watch that night and give it some good ratings!!

posted at November 19, 2006 10:40 PM

prklug wrote:

I was very disappointed in FOX for using this fine series as a time-slot pinball. I thought it was perfect behind Bones, and our family enjoyed the final scene reveal. Victor Garber and Kerr Smith worked well as philosophically-opposite lawyers, and we hope that it can find an audience mid-season. It is doomed on Monday nights because of Heroes and CSI.

posted at November 20, 2006 05:59 AM

Switchblade wrote:

Justice will be back on fridays starting december first according to fox.com it's waking from its coma!

posted at November 21, 2006 12:35 PM

Chip Ramsey wrote:

This is the best and most enjoyable legal show since the first season of Murder One.

If I were the programmer at Fox, I'd put it on right before House.

I hope the show will be saved. It's awesome!

posted at November 27, 2006 05:35 PM

Tamara wrote:

Can someone please tell me if they are just showing the remaining episodes, or if they're really going to try to give this fantastic new show a chance to be saved. Thank you.

posted at November 29, 2006 10:57 AM

IslandEsquire wrote:

This is a tragedy in the way of legal dramas. Justice was, by far, my favourite out of all of them. I don't know if we are just seeing the end of the first season, or if they have revived the show, but Fox screwed up by letting this one go. Bruckheimer should stick with CBS - this would have been the perfect show to go in the timeslot of that idiotic show Smith - now that was some crap.

posted at December 9, 2006 02:10 AM

Michelle wrote:

What are you thinking. Justice was the best legal show out there. You didnt even give it a chance. I watched every week and had it to record on my DVR. How dare you do that to all of us who are looking for great TV instead of all the reality crap.

posted at January 29, 2007 11:03 PM

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