USA Network has filed for divorce from The Starter Wife, citing irreconcilable ratings.
When the Debra Messing-fronted Wife debuted in 2007 as a six-hour miniseries, it attracted more than 5 million viewers and went on to earn 10 Emmy nominations. However, ratings for its 10-episode first season averaged just 2.4 million viewers — a decent number by most cable standards, but not for USA, where its top shows (Burn Notice, Monk) regularly pull in around 6 million.
In an exclusive statement, USA called Starter Wife a “critical and creative success,” and added that the Dec. 12 season finale served as a “satisfying conclusion” to the franchise.
Do you agree? Did Wife’s climax satisfy you? Are you grateful you got those 10 bonus episodes, or should it have just remained a miniseries? And, putting your agent cap on for a moment, what do you think Messing should do next? Sound off in the comments section!
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I’m kind of bummed. I liked it as a fluffy Friday night show. I don’t pretend that it was mind blowing entertainment, but it was fun for what it was. (And the ending was not satisfactory, Joan on the run?)
didn’t it end with joan actually fleeing from the police, no one knowing who killed her husband and molly breaking up with zach?? that is not a satisfying conclusion…!!
Thank goodness I won’t have to feel guilty for enjoying this show ever again.
I agree Karen. Are they serious? crappy ending. Its no wonder I don’t bother watching any of USA’s other shows. BOOOOOOOOO
It should have stayed a mini-series. I lost interest as soon as members of the original cast did not return.
I thought the show was really coming together and I enjoyed it. Debra Messing was terrific.
I’m kinda bummed too…I liked watching the repeats on Saturday or Sunday mornings.
i didn’t watch this show, but my mom said it was really good. I’m still made @ lifetime about the cancellation of that show about the chick who breaks off her engagement and starts a love affair w/the cell phone dude (i forgot the name of it), but i loved both it and the cast. JP from 90210 was on it as well
made should be mad…”i’m still mad @ lifetime”…oh, and Rita Rocks, well, it rocks!
Seriously? That’s how it’s going to end? The least they could do is make a final episode & finish it right.
The mini-series was way better. The replacements cast members didn’t hold a candle to the original cast.
I hope Debra Messing finds something new, she is much too talented to not be working.
That kinda sucks. I agree that it didn’t exact reach new heights of originality but it was a fun friday night show I’ll certainly miss. Debra Messing was terrific in that role. I guess looking back though, the finale wasn’t as much of a cliffhanger as I thought it was at first.
To USA Network: This sucks! (for lack of a better word).
The season finale (series) was not a satisfying conclusion! I loved this show and looked forward to it.
Debra Messing will get another show soon, she is way too good not to!
Maybe Lifetime will pick it up, they would love 2 million viewers.
Really? Joan relapsing in a bar while on the run from the cops is satisfying? I must be missing something. (Though I will admit to being relieved that I will never have to see Rodney’s heart get broken.)
Joan had slipped her husband sleeping pills so she could get off the boat without a scene and when he woke up he was still groggy and fell overboard.
Good riddance. Liked it as a mini-series and never watched it as regular series.
Gonna miss it. Love Debra Messing
maybe now debra will have time to guest star on ‘trust me’, starring her former ‘will and grace’ co-star eric mccormack (will). that would be great. the two have such great chemistry. maybe they could be friends on the show? though it would be hard to forget that they were not will and grace if they acted together on the show.
WTF! This sucks. SW was such a fun show. Stupid USA!
I actually liked this show. It had fun story lines. I am giving up on new shows – they all get canceled! It bums me out and I think that is why networks are losing their viewers.
Not a fan but, it just sucks that another show has to bite the dust!!!
I know! Bruce Campbell didn’t guest star as a smarmy studio exec! That alone would have gotten a rating of 6 million! Seriously, I enjoyed this frothy show & it sure left us hanging about Joan, the breakup w/Zack,the mystery of Pappy’s death,not so much satisfaction.
The show want bad at all, Debra Messing is hot and awesome in the show. I hope NBC, CBS, or ABC picks it up and find a time slot, even if its on Saturdays
This was a great show to watch at some point during the weekend when you just wanted to be entertained for a bit. Debra Messing was really cute in it. And I agree with those that said the ending was completely unsatisfying!
This was one of the most boring shows I’d ever seen. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
this show was awesome. Maybe not quite as good as the original mini series…but still very good. The biggest problem was trying to find the show every week. No wonder there werent as many viewers! Try putting in in a regular spot and then keeping it in the same time period every week!
Terrible ending! Just shows that USA doesnt care about viewers at all.
i will miss watching chris diamantopoulos half naked every week, that’s for sure.
I loved this show. I am totally disappointed they have chosen to end it.
I’m really bummed by this news! This was a cute frothy little show, and a great piece of “escapism”. I agree with a previous poster that it was HARD to find, though. I think they changed the night and time several times during season 2. Is there ANY chance that another cable network might pick it up??