Axe hovers over Without a Trace & Cold Case
Two long running cop shows on CBS come under the gun.
- Published by David Knox
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Two CBS cop shows could be about to get the chop in May this year, unless they find a way to operate more economically.
Michael Ausiello reports that producers Warner Bros. are looking for ways to trim costs on Without a Trace and Cold Case to avoid getting the axe.
“They no longer have the type of ratings that justify the massive overhead,” a network source is quoted.
Both shows may need to convince casts to take salary cuts or at the very least forfeit their annual raises.
Even Nine seems to have lost a little love for these long running procedurals. Both were seen as 10:30 shows by the network this year.
Without a Trace is yet to return with new episodes, with plans for Sunday nights shelved for Underbelly repeats. Similarly, Cold Case started out at 10:30 but was elevated to 9:30 when Nine decided Flashpoint wasn’t performing.
Last night it took 928,000 and 527,000 for its repeat.
Source: EW
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- Tagged with Cold Case, Flashpoint, Underbelly, Without a Trace
9 Responses
I’d be very sad to see “Cold Case” go, but, if any cuts made instead compromise the quality of the show, particularly regarding the use of popular music, I would rather see it axed, because music is so integral to every episode, and is used very effectively to place the viewer into the past, when particular cold case crimes were committed… I absolutely love the show, and really hope every season is eventually released on DVD, as it originally aired on tv, with all the original music, otherwise the show would be ruined… If it can be done for “Miami Vice”, I really hope it can be done for “Cold Case”…
Cold Case is dead. Keep without A Trace 🙂 Its interesting and stars 2 Aussies.
Ruddeger by less orignal music do you music not created by cold case but song by well known singers?
both are great shows, I would be disappointed if they were axed
I could never understand how Cold Case ever got more than a season.
I take away from Cold Case that if the police cannot solve it in the 1st week leave it go cold and it will always get solved latter by yours truly.
This season of Cold Case seems to have a lot original less music in it.I wonder if they’ve already started cutbacks or they’re doing it so they can release season DVDs of it.
That’s a big shame. I love both shows! They seem far more real and down to earth than the CSI’s. However, I guess all good things must come to an end – if they have run their course then it would be time to end them.
Although, if I had to choose one I’d go with Without A Trace continuing as Cold Case, while good, is probably more furmulaic with a bit of sameness to each episode – Without A Trace has more variations in its formula and in a sense seems more relevant today.
I never really got into Cold Case or Without a Trace but like most shows there is all was the DVDs or re-runs on PayTV, hey maybe ch9 could re-run them in full on their 2nd SD channel in future years? Because it will be years before we she that happen.
I’ve always thought Cold Case must be the most expensive show to make, excessive music licensing and for every guest role there’s two actors, not to mention the amount of scenes they would have to shoot with all those layered flashbacks, and their cast is way big – every ep they seem to have about 5 detectives working the one (cold) case, most cop shows I’ve seen have two cops per case. I don’t see how they can cut their budget without losing some regular cast members.