NBC cancels J.J. Abrams' 'Undercovers'

Espionage dramedy has three more scheduled airings

By Daniel Fienberg Thursday, Nov 4, 2010 4:10 PM

Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Boris Kodjoe of 'Undercovers'

Credit: NBC

NBC has pulled the plug on the spy dramedy "Undercovers," from executive producer J.J. Abrams.

The cancellation comes in the form of the network's decision not to give "Undercovers" a back-nine order, an unsurprising move that comes two weeks after NBC picked up full seasons of every other one of its new scripted shows, with the exception of the already pulled "Outlaw."

At the time, NBC ordered several additional scripts for "Undercovers," scripts which will never go into production.

NBC still plans to air "Undercovers" on November 10, November 17 and December 1. That will leave three remaining episodes without current airdates.

The "Undercovers" pilot, one of the fall's most expensive and most heavily promoted, was written by J.J. Abrams and Josh Reims and directed by Abrams. The first network pilot ordered to series last spring, "Undercovers" starred Boris Kodjoe and Gugu Mbatha-Raw as a pair of former spies drawn back into the world of espionage and out of their gig as event caterers.

The show premiered to low numbers, specially in the coveted 18-49 demographic and only continued to fall. In its most recent airing, "Undercovers" averaged only a 1.3 rating in that key demo, along with under 6 million viewers.

NBC attempted to sell "Undercovers" on the Abrams name, although the "Star Trek" director hasn't had a mainstream hit since "Lost." ABC cancelled "Six Degrees" after less than a season and "What About Brian" after two shortened seasons. "Fringe" is in its third season on FOX and while that drama has a devoted following, it remains a niche success, rather than a smash.

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Daniel Fienberg
Executive Editor

A long-time member of the TCA Board and a longer-time blogger of "American Idol," Dan Fienberg writes about TV, except for when he writes about movies or sometimes writes about the Red Sox. But never music. He would sound stupid talking about music.

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Mahala

You sure do like the word "niche."
November 4, 2010 at 4:19PM EST Reply to Comment
- dan Mahala - It serves its purpose. Especially when describing things that are niche-y!
  
  -Daniel
  November 4, 2010 at 4:22PM EST
Biloxi

It was a good show with a good cast but I hated the jumping around. 4 days ago, 2 hours ago. It made the show overly complicated and would have worked a lot better without that nonsense.
November 4, 2010 at 4:30PM EST Reply to Comment
- bobbie Biloxi -- I hate that as well. He used that in Alias far to often. That also made me not watch The Event. As soon as we jumped 3 times in about 15 minutes, I was done.
  November 4, 2010 at 4:37PM EST
Lake

Fringe is great! That's all I have to add =0
November 4, 2010 at 4:37PM EST Reply to Comment
Ryan

I watch Undercoversâ€¦ mainly because it's rare there's a weekly show about covert operatives on TV. It's slick, fast-paced, features exotic locations and the cast is easy on the eyes.

Michael is not an active agent on Burn Notice. Chuck only uses the spy stuff to advance the larger plot (these days, it's really a show about relationships with a little spy stuff used to glue it all together). And USA's Covert Affairs started fairly strong and then sort of fizzled out.

At least we got exposed to some new acting talent. I'm wondering if actor Carter MacIntyre (Leo Nash, the smart-alecky CIA operative) will be able to make the jump on to something bigger and better. Aside from the two main leads, heâ€™s the breakout star in my opinion.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0532868/

November 4, 2010 at 5:14PM EST Reply to Comment
Guest

I never felt these characters were in any jeopardy at all. I know they wanted "light" spy banter. But this was too light, too slick. If the audience never believes the characters are in any danger whatsoever, why would they care about the people? With the aforementioned "Alias," we knew Jennifer Garner wasn't ever going to be killed - it's TV, rarely does anyone die. But at least there was EMOTIONAL jeopardy and pain for her - her fiance died and her dad was a liar. This made me care about her. With "Undercovers" they gave me nothing to hang on to.
November 4, 2010 at 5:19PM EST Reply to Comment
Marc

But this was the first show JJ created, wrote and directed since LOST. Six Degrees and WAB were just from Bad Robot. He never wrote or directed an ep of either of them. They had other creators. This was his first show since LOST that he created that was greenlit to series and flopped. (His ABC pilot THE CATCH from 05 (post LOST) was never picked up). SO while yes there have been other "JJ Abrrams series that were cancelled after a short time", they came under the BAd Robot banner. ALl the shows he has created and wrirten and directed for (Felicity, Alias and LOST) all ran at least 4 years. His current one FRINGE is on year 3. I believe he only co created and co wrote that pilot and never directed and ep, but This does stand out as his first flop as a co creator and co writer. Not that it diminishes his talent. He still has an amazing track record.
November 4, 2010 at 5:48PM EST Reply to Comment
- dan Marc - I assure you that viewers can distinguish between shows that networks say are "From J.J. Abrams" that he had nothing to do with other than a production capacity, shows that are "From J.J. Abrams" where he co-wrote the pilot and multiple subsequent episodes before bailing entirely and "Undercovers," which was advertised entirely as "From J.J. Abrams..." where he directed the pilot and co-wrote a second episode before bailing entirely. Both "Alias" and "Felicity" were short-term phenomena -- "Alias" a season and a half and "Felicity" a single season -- that then coasted to the fourth years on fumes. And I'm certain you don't need me telling you that with the exception of one random later episode, Abrams had nothing at all to do with "Lost" after the first chunk of the first season...
  
  His track record is mixed.
  
  -Daniel
  November 4, 2010 at 6:00PM EST
- Marc Dan,
  
  I appreciate your response, but my point was his involvment in Undercovers was from the creative process with Josh Reims, not at all like What About Brian which Dana Stevens wrote and created and brought to him or Six Degrees which followed a similar path. The writers on those two shows werent even former ALIAS writers like Applbaum/Nemec. All other shows that he was involved with at this level have lasted far longer. Undercovers was a colassal flop. We can debate how big a hit ALIAS was after its 2nd season. I think it had far more impact after 1.5 seasons. In fact at the `1.5 mark was the Superbowl ep. (It's 4th season after LOST was far from just a timeslot hit). Also I'debate the running on fumes idea. Alias in its 4th season was far more compelling than the 12 million dollar pilot for Undercovers. My point was his track record as a creator/producer is pretty damn good. Is is perfect? absolitely not. His shows (outside LOST) might not have been blockbusters, but they were all cultural and niche hits. Undercovers was neither. That was my point.
  
  I also think you are giving the audience far too much credit to know what exactly his fingerprints are on. The only people that really know that are the uber fans and we all know it takes far more than them to make a show run longer than 13 eps (Joss Whedon).
  
  November 5, 2010 at 11:09AM EST
Crow3711

Fringe is niche. But its a damn good niche, and luckily, FOX know sit. We are DEVOTED. Everyone I know that watches Fringe is devoted. And the show rewards us by continually getting better and better, season to season, ep to ep. Its a great show. A niche show, but probably the best kind of niche a studio can hope for.
November 4, 2010 at 6:20PM EST Reply to Comment
- dan Crow3711 - No question. "Fringe" has a steady audience that FOX can count on on a night where the network always used to get utterly annihilated. It's a small audience, but FOX hasn't gotten to the point where that audience isn't appreciated... And the show is definitely in a good place creatively (a place that has almost nothing to do with JJ Abrams, of course)...
  
  -Daniel
  November 4, 2010 at 6:27PM EST
Lamps8

Parks & Rec Wed at 8??? DO IT!
November 4, 2010 at 6:42PM EST Reply to Comment
chudleycannonfodder

ABC tried to sell Undercovers? Shouldn't it be NBC?
November 4, 2010 at 10:57PM EST Reply to Comment
David D.

Note to Alan Sepinwall: In Entertainment Weekly's article about this cancellation, they've announced that "Chuck" is still on the air pretty much single-handedly because of Michael Ausiello. And Subway. Just sayin'...
November 5, 2010 at 9:19AM EST Reply to Comment
Dave P

The show was cancelled because the show was weak. Not bad, just weak. I'm black, and I tuned out pretty quickly. The show is pretty, the actors give both me and my wife someone to look at, but that's just not enough.

As I'm still tuning in to Nikita, I think I figured out what's wrong with the basic premise of the show. There's no urgency or purpose to what they are doing. Nikita has a dead lover and dead family and is mad about how Division works. Jennifer Garner had a dead lover and missing mom. Even Chuck has a missing and or dead father. Also Chuck didn't choose the life, the intersect was placed in his brain. He has no choice. Hell, every basic kung fu movie has someone avenging a family member. Boris and Gugu have no reason to get back in the life other than they're bored. At any moment they could just go back to being caterers. If they have no investment, why should we? They're not even being blackmailed by the gov't or something. They're getting paid tax free checks. I really can't get excited about what they do in their part time moonlighting job.
November 5, 2010 at 11:29AM EST Reply to Comment
Lynn

I'm so tired of having good shows cancelled before they are even given a chance. A few episodes "does not a show make." I've pretty much given up on checking out new shows now. Every time I think "here's a fantastic new show" it ends up cancelled. Who are the brain dead people behind these stupid decisions? Oh yes, of course, the ratings people, the ones who dwell only on the 18 to 49 age group. Those of us who are over 50 don't matter one bit. "Undercovers" was one of the best new shows to come out this season. Instesd, they keep renewing stupid reality shows (which I refuse to watch). Could someone tell me what is interesting about people eating bugs, getting trapped in a house with a bunch of ugly, bitchy people, swapping wives, living in a house with a hoarder, looking for ghosts in a haunted house, etc... It just goes on and on. It is truely sad that there are so many shows wasting air time. All these reality shows are created for people with no brain cells to work with. But that's ok, I just order more and more movies and shows from Netflix now. Plus I have more time to spend with my family doing "FUN" things that require using a portion of the brain, like board games, puzzles, and such. Thanks for providing me with a place to vent my frustrations.
November 20, 2010 at 8:04PM EST Reply to Comment

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NBC cancels J.J. Abrams' 'Undercovers'

Espionage dramedy has three more scheduled airings

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NBC cancels J.J. Abrams' 'Undercovers'

Comments

Mahala

You sure do like the word "niche."

dan Mahala - It serves its purpose. Especially when describing things that are niche-y!

-Daniel

Biloxi

It was a good show with a good cast but I hated the jumping around. 4 days ago, 2 hours ago. It made the show overly complicated and would have worked a lot better without that nonsense.

bobbie Biloxi -- I hate that as well. He used that in Alias far to often. That also made me not watch The Event. As soon as we jumped 3 times in about 15 minutes, I was done.

Lake

Fringe is great! That's all I have to add =0

Lamps8

Parks & Rec Wed at 8??? DO IT!

chudleycannonfodder

ABC tried to sell Undercovers? Shouldn't it be NBC?