NBC Shuts Down Production on 'Prime Suspect'

Adam Taylor/NBC

"Prime Suspect"

When production on NBC rookie drama Prime Suspect ends this month, it may likely be a permanent goodbye for the cast and crew.

A day after the struggling Maria Bello drama was left off NBC's midseason schedule, a source confirms to The Hollywood Reporter that production on the series will indeed close at month's end.

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While the network in October ordered six additional scripts for the drama, a reboot of the BBC franchise that starred Helen Mirren, the series will likely complete its run before the network considers its options.

Prime Suspect thus far has consistently registered a last-place finish in its Thursday at 10 p.m. slot against CBS' The Mentalist and ABC's Private Practice.

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NBC's experiment in samplingPrime Suspect on different nights on its schedule has also not proven fruitful enough. To date, the reboot is averaging 4.97 million viewers and a 1.4 rating following the NBC comedies.

Freshman drama The Firm will take over Prime Suspect's Thursday at 10 p.m. slot starting Jan. 12.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit