Status: Cancelled
Aired: 2015-16 (1 Season Totaling 22 Episodes)
Network: CBS
Starring: Jake McDorman, Jennifer Carpenter, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Hill Harper
Series Website: www.cbs.com/shows/limitless/
Description: Limitless, based on the feature film, is a fast-paced drama about Brian Finch, who discovers the brain-boosting power of the mysterious drug NZT and is coerced by the FBI into using his extraordinary cognitive abilities to solve complex cases for them. Working closely with Brian in the major case squad in New York City is Special Agent Rebecca Harris, a formidable investigator with a dark past, and Special Agent Boyle, a former military officer and Rebecca’s confidante. They report to Special Agent in Charge Nasreen “Naz” Pouran, a canny manipulator of the reins of power. Unbeknownst to the FBI, Brian also has a clandestine relationship with Senator Edward Mora (Academy Award nominee Bradley Cooper, recurring), a presidential hopeful and regular user of NZT who has plans of his own for his new protégé. Fueled now with a steady supply of NZT that enables him to use 100% of his brain capacity, Brian is more effective than all of the FBI agents combined, making him a criminal’s worst nightmare and the greatest asset the Bureau has ever possessed. CBS.com
Why Was It Cancelled? CBS, know for a good reason as the sci fi-averse network, basically worked against this show. While the series pulled only moderate ratings in the Tuesday 10 PM EST timeslot, the ratings slide really began when CBS started preempted it and running repeats on a regular basis beginning in December. Despite that, it still had good delayed viewing numbers and was one of the few broadcast network shows that saw a significant boost in its standings based on DVR gains. Limitless was actually the eighth ranked scripted show on its network when you factor in those stats, moving up from the twelfth ranked based on the Overnights. CBS boss Les Moonves has said multiple times that the overnight ratings are “meaningless”, but if that is true, why was Limitless cancelled? He also previously stated that all five of the network’s freshman shows would be renewed, but in fact three of the seven(math skills are apparently not required to be a network boss) were cancelled and one (Supergirl) was shipped off to The CW. CBS apparently made a halfhearted attempt to shop the series around, but found no takers (likely because the price tag was too high). Limitless followed a very similar path to ABC’s Forever last year and represents yet another promising show cut down by poor network decision-making.
Season to Date (StD) Ratings Results:
| Air Date | Airings | Live+SD Rtg | StD Avg | Tot Vwrs (M) | Live+7 Rtg | Cancel Alert |
| 9/22/15 | 1 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 9.9 | 3.2 | Low |
| 9/29/15 | 2 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 9.7 | 3.1 | Low |
| 10/6/15 | 3 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 9.6 | 2.8 | Low |
| 10/13/15 | 4 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 8.0 | 2.6 | Low |
| 10/20/15 | 5 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 7.9 | 2.6 | Low |
| 10/27/15 | 6 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 7.5 | 2.5 | Low |
| 11/3/15 | 7 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 7.9 | 2.6 | Low |
| 11/10/15 | 8 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 7.1 | 2.5 | Low |
| 11/17/15 | 9 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 7.5 | 2.5 | Low |
| 11/24/15 | 10 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 6.5 | 2.2 | Low |
| 12/1/15 | Repeat | 1.1 | 1.5 | 4.9 | n/a | Low |
| 12/8/15 | n/a | Preempted | 1.5 | 4.9 | n/a | Low |
| 12/15/15 | 11 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 6.6 | 2.3 | Low |
| 12/22/15 | n/a | On Hiatus | 1.5 | 6.6 | n/a | Low |
| 1/5/16 | 12 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 7.3 | 2.3 | Low |
| 1/12/16 | n/a | Preempted | 1.5 | n/a | n/a | Low |
| 1/19/16 | 13 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 6.3 | 2.4 | Low |
| 1/26/16 | Repeat | 0.8 | 1.5 | 4.6 | n/a | Low |
| 2/2/16 | n/a | Preempted | 1.5 | 4.6 | n/a | Low |
| 2/9/16 | 14 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 6.4 | 2.3 | Moderate |
| 2/16/16 | 15 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 6.0 | 2.2 | Moderate |
| 2/23/16 | 16 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 5.9 | 2.1 | Moderate |
| 3/1/16 | n/a | Preempted | 1.4 | n/a | n/a | Moderate |
| 3/8/16 | 17 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 5.4 | 2.1 | Moderate |
| 3/15/16 | 18 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 5.6 | 1.9 | Moderate |
| 3/22/16 | 19 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 6.6 | 2.2 | Moderate |
| 3/29/16 | n/a | Preempted | 1.4 | n/a | n/a | Moderate |
| 4/5/16 | 20 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 6.1 | 2.0 | Moderate |
| 4/12/16 | n/a | Preempted | 1.4 | n/a | n/a | Moderate |
| 4/19/16 | 21 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 5.6 | 1.9 | Moderate |
| 4/26/16 | 22 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 5.6 | 1.9 | Moderate |
For the latest updates on the current and upcoming shows, follow Cancellation Watch and the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site
Buy the first season of Limitless from Amazon Instant Video:
The show was cancelled because was showing reality and was an eye opening. People that rule this world dont want u to be aware of what is happening with the world and this show was showing exactly that. Some seriously powerfull people got involved and pulled strings to cancel the show. Thats the whole truth.
I loved this show.
Can’t stand any more this stupid networks that cancelled show’s with no strategy to close story lines and leave you hanging in the air, the show was great quick pace , enjoyable to watch good acting good quimestry between characters ,100 times better than all those stupid reality shows…give me a break…..
I just read the news that Limitless has been canceled. Not a big surprise, considering how CBS treated it: bad time slot, preempted often, and definitely not promoted correctly. People can’t be blamed for not tuning in– or for abandoning it early on–when the only ads I saw made it sound like a pale copy of a so-so movie. This show was so much more: funny, creative, quirky, and with very likeable characters. For me, it’s now another in a long line of shows that were abandoned by their networks too early, before they could find the right audience. I’m done trying the new stuff. From now on I’ll stick to shows like Fargo (where you know you’ll see a complete story) or just re-watch my DVDs of Firefly and Wonderfalls… and have more time to read.
It’s not cancelled yet according to this: http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/cbs-limitless-shopped-drama-series-1201777796/
But it may just be barely hanging on at the moment. Stay tuned for updates on this one over the next few days.
I hated the movie but I love the show. You root for Brian and see what he comes up with. The Ferris episode had me laughing so much. I like that it has its serious moments but throws in comedy like the Ferris stuff so that it’s easier to watch. There are so many shows that are so serious all of the time, it’s nice to have a change. I just saw they renewed Life in Pieces which was horrifyingly bad and survives because of the Big bang Theory Lead in. I hate liking shows and having them taken away because they are fabulous like Wonderfalls. Please keep this.
I want the show back on air I was searching for it cause I have it set on my dvr. The only thing that was quirky was the cartoon show. However it is very entertaining and was searching everywhere and could not find it. Please bring it back. I have 4 shows I look forward to coming home to watch when I get off work and that is Limitless, The Voice and the Blacklist and don’t tell anyone the Young and the restless lol. I did not already reply.
Thanks
The scheduling of this show was lousy. They aired 6 weekly episodes and then they began putting two weeks between episodes. I think in one instance they left 4 weeks between episodes.
I love the show and was frustrated at times by the scheduling. It could not have done anything but hurt the uptake of this show which is a shame.
Yep, the scheduling has definitely hurt this show’s chances of building an audience and if CBS cancels it they have no one to blame but themselves. By the the way, H.R., how’s Witchy-Poo doing these days?
My husband and I love this show, We have been telling all our friends about it. We record all our shows, because of the commercials, but if it means this will be cancelled, we will start watching on aired day. I know my sister always tapes limitless.
LOVE this show. PLEASE renew it for more seasons. Quirky, smart, funny and lots of great tension and drama.
LOTS OF FANS OUT THERE WHO DON’T WATCH THE NIGHT OF THE SHOW!!!
We fans need to show support so the network renews it.
PostPostPost
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I’m tired of cop shows. It is better that it has a scifi element to it but jesus christ enough is enough. Limitless a decent movie about a smart pill. Cop show! Lucifer, God’s favorite little birdy cast out for his pride and rebellion. Cop show! Damien. Boo hoo I’m the devils son maybe. Lets see it from the perspective of a tormented cop looking into him!
Whats the next great concept to get the burden of badge? Mankind makes contact with a race of nymphomaniac 3 breasted aliens who hold the secrets of the universe and have a 5 billion dollar cgi budget. Thing is though, they are actually galatic cops here to put an end to mankinds smug pollution. Try to dodge a meteor meatbags. Corporate hillarity ensues as they must justify the meteor shootings to a squid face in a sith robe.
Someone in charge of production at major networks has a serious fetish for cops. Would some kind cop please make an arrest and place a baton up their rear so they can get off and hopefully over it. I’m sick of everything being ruined by their obsession. Imagine every word everyone speaks to you begins or ends with for cops. I’d turn that person off were it not “for cops”, but I’m not going to accept it from fantasy entertainment . If I wanted to be tortured I’d put jumper cables on my nipples.
The female lead of Jennifer carpenter kills this show for me. Aside from the obvious reality that she is not ‘easy on the eyes’, she can’t act a lick. And her character was created for the TV concept, it didn’t exist in the movie. Maybe if they ‘the suits’ and the showrunner kill off her character, the show might make it…
I like this show because Brian is truly good. He is sacrificial in so many areas, putting others in front of himself. Rebecca is very entertaining as well as her facial expressions effectively convey her sense of wonder and amazement with Brian’s capabilities. The other supporting actors are great, too. Sands is fantastic, Mike and Ike are good and Brian’s family is good as well. It is my favorite drama since the X Files.
Please do not cancel this show. It’s funny, it’s interesting, and I love the main characters. I will quit watching TV if you don’t have a third season.
I genuinely hope Limitless does not get the Firefly treatment. It’s a fun, quirky, and intelligent show that is mostly family friendly.
I love LIMITLESS! I began watching cuz I liked the concept of the Bradley Cooper movie. But I have stayed–seen every single episode–because I’ve grown far more interested in the characters of the TV show than I ever was in the 2hr movie. Please don’t cancel this visually gorgeous show with its wonderful writing and acting. FWIW, I’m a female Baby Boomer, not your expected demographic. But we BBers aren’t aging as our parents did. Lots of us enjoy a visually stunning show with wonderful quirky characters, held together with a turn of the Sci-Fi screw. Please give LIMITLESS a chance at another season! And look at all its loyal audience.
Many years ago there was a show that later became a cult favorite called “The Prisoner”. Much of the flavor of that show is present in this one. After each episode I wind up without closure, as in “What the hell was that about!?” It’s a show so much more than chewing-gum for the eyes. It requires that you bring to it much more than a body seeking to be numbed. It requires more intellect than a chimp with a remote! I would hate to see it go.
I’d like to thank all the open minded people who have found an intellegent way to take the show as it “assumes” to know the answers. We living in the REAL world take it for what it is not what we WANT it to be.If you can’t tell a TV show from reality take a step back and enjoy the show , if you think Buffy ,Walking dead, Star trek, the list goes on and on. People just help keep some decent show to survive. Oh by the way Barnabus Collins is at the door , if you don’t know don’t ask………..?
I just watched the April 6 show. (I was watching the entire Dark Matter series on Netflix Tuesday and Wednesday). I like the show but the April 6 episode felt like the episode was a series finale. Too bad. It is really funny to me how networks move shows around, routinely preempt them, and show as many repeats as new material and expect the audience to keep watching. They have over the years killed so many shows that way. When they preempt people look to other channels. A lot of us care nothing for shows like the Academy Awards, Victoria Secret, or whatever else. We switch to another channel, see something that is mildly interesting, and after watching a few shows suddenly have gotten interested in the other story so split interest with most recent winning. Well that is my two cents, now off to watch the Firefly series again.
Hedging bets is not the way to go! the way the episode was written and the way the last episode ended showed that there was not enough commitment to the show. I really enjoy the show. Rebecca had no business taking the drug. It would have been interesting to see her have to find a way to deal with the side effects of the drug. Brian was too nice and should have found a way around the situation. while I realize you can’t please everyone, if you must write a show in which a drug makes you a genius, make your lead character a bit more farsighted and inventive. theshow could have been on for many more years.
Great show, have not miss a episode. Have to keep this show on. Good to see a show with good story, action and humor. If this show is canceled i will be done with regular tv. Nothing but garbage on anymore.
We LOVE this show! Far, far better than the movie. Creative, fun, funny, ….great cast…. this is one of our favorites! Different…..it’s awesome!
I am very much enjoying Limitless. I find it very disconcerning that shows like Limitless, that make you think, get cancelled. If left to play out there is enough material that could be played out to get at least 5 strong years out of this show. I Record it so I don’t miss it. It is different and compelling enough that I rewatch episodes. Cancelling it at this point would be VERY short sighted!!
My concerns are what was left to the viewer’s imagination for in the episode’s closing. Brian has jeopardized his safety and access to the drug antidote that permits him to continually take it without deadly side affects to help his FBI gal pal find the truth about her father’s death. This means he can no longer stay safely on NZT for the long term. Either he is going to bargain with Sands to stay alive and go completely to the ‘dark side’ or with his temporary genius figure out a way to duplicate the formula for himself. In any event it appears he arbitrarily abandoned his post with the FBI. The show could go either way (cancel or continue) and I really dislike it when writers are instructed to leave deliberate plot holes for this very purpose because the execs are waiting for demographic data, empty time slots in programming and commercial sponsor airtime interest.
Except now we found out he’s immune forever, so yay! Plus he has a bag of NZT from his night out with Grover…
Love the quirky humor! Mike and Ike papier mache dolls or were they clay. I enjoyed all the wacky personal touches (post-a-notes, strings to connect clues) to Brian’s office. Last night’s episode with the Etch-a-sketch was fun as well – low tech. I hope the show’s renewed. Not many good sci-fi shows out there. Most are actually fantasy genre with lots of blood, guts and gore.
We love it. Clean, clever, intriguing and funny all at the same time. TV is supposed to be fantasy. Please let it remain on the lineup.
Interesting concept. Would be interesting to solve a problem by just taking a pill. Light entertainment, a break from the usual
guns, death and torture you usually see on tv. Enjoy watching this program, hope they bring it back.
How many shows never get the chance to survive? If your intelligence isn’t high enough to challenge the shows assumption of what it’s like to be THAT smart or ever wonder what is or isn’t possible? I love this show and like it the same as everyone else watched the movie. You watch wondering how and we never get a chance to see the logic come out of it after 1 season come on Stephen Hawkins was giving just one chance what would we know? Just my 2 cents.
I don’t watch anymore husband does but fast forwards through most. We are sick of Brian coming back from a “mission” and doing drugs. No Need for that crap. His handler has to just let the extra crap go and they use Brian’s brain to help the country or save a life. It can go
Weed is a plant not a drug. Grow up. You were lied to.
This show is a yawner, unbelievable , just like the other failed attempt , Inteligence . This show’s days are numbered.
Did you watch past the first few episodes? They weren’t any good (and I hated the movie) but the show has become a quirky wonder. I completely love it. It has its flaws but is definitely not a yawner.
This show is very very good. Definitely not a yawner as previously described. It is funny fast paced and very intelligent scripts. The actors on the show are very good and compliment each other. With all the crappy reality TV that networks keep renewing I hope they don’t cancel something that is so fun and entertaining. I wish they did not give all the crappy, sickening reality TV good time slots. Seriously do people really watch all that reality crap. I pray for the day reality TV ends.
Alot of people think intelligent things are boring because they can’t understand them.
So true! I loved this show.
You must have limited unintelligence. It’s only a yawner if your only concept of mental stimulation is shows such as ‘The Dukes of Hazard’. While enjoyable in my teens not a lot of intellect involved.
Dan, you’ve got that same opinion that so many of those others who long for “Dukes of Hazard”. How do I know that? “Intelligence” is commonly spelled with two “Ls”.
honestly, dan I think you watched the pilot and gave up on it but what people like you don’t understand is that watching 2 to 3 episodes of a show is not truly enough to grasp the feeling and intrigue of a show it’s honestly pretty sad that people like you think that way, but who am I to judge get back to your reruns of supernatural dan………..
This quirky show is a great follow-up to the movie that we have all grown to love and rewatch again and again. It’s cool that Bradley Cooper makes appearances too. I don’t particularly care for all of the joking all the time, but it appears that NZT does that to its users. LOL.