The Will
Encyclopedia
The Will is an American
reality television
series on CBS
that lasted only one episode, shown on Saturday, January 8, 2005. It centered on the "Benefactor", a multi-millionaire from Arizona named Bill Long. Ten of his friends and relatives competed in a series of challenges to win the right to inherit his "prized possession", a huge Kansas ranch.
The show was created by Mike Fleiss
, who produced The Bachelor for ABC
. The Will is one of only a handful of series in American history to be pulled after one episode.
In the case of The Will, cancellation was due to very low ratings. Despite receiving a heavy promotional push from CBS, the program averaged only 4.2 million viewers during its 8:00-9:30PM ET
/PT time slot, which made it CBS's lowest-ranked show of the week. The following Saturday, the network replaced it with a re-run of Cold Case, a crime drama.
The quick cancellation of The Will was lampooned on an episode of the ABC
late night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live
with a montage of clips from the show, and the message "Will Miss You--January 8, 2005 - January 8, 2005."
Although it was initially reported that the five remaining episodes could appear on an American cable network, they were never aired in the United States. The full series did air in New Zealand
beginning in December 2005; in the final episode, Long's wife Penny (widely seen as the show's villain) became the overall winner.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
series on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
that lasted only one episode, shown on Saturday, January 8, 2005. It centered on the "Benefactor", a multi-millionaire from Arizona named Bill Long. Ten of his friends and relatives competed in a series of challenges to win the right to inherit his "prized possession", a huge Kansas ranch.
The show was created by Mike Fleiss
Mike Fleiss
Mike Fleiss is the creator, producer, and writer of The WB's Superstar USA, The Bachelorette, The Will and High School Reunion. His first reality TV romance show was Who Wants To Marry A Multi-Millionaire...
, who produced The Bachelor for ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
. The Will is one of only a handful of series in American history to be pulled after one episode.
In the case of The Will, cancellation was due to very low ratings. Despite receiving a heavy promotional push from CBS, the program averaged only 4.2 million viewers during its 8:00-9:30PM ET
North American Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
/PT time slot, which made it CBS's lowest-ranked show of the week. The following Saturday, the network replaced it with a re-run of Cold Case, a crime drama.
The quick cancellation of The Will was lampooned on an episode of the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
late night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC.The nightly hour-long show made its debut on January 26, 2003, following Super Bowl XXXVII. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is produced by Jackhole Productions in association with ABC Studios...
with a montage of clips from the show, and the message "Will Miss You--January 8, 2005 - January 8, 2005."
Although it was initially reported that the five remaining episodes could appear on an American cable network, they were never aired in the United States. The full series did air in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
beginning in December 2005; in the final episode, Long's wife Penny (widely seen as the show's villain) became the overall winner.
Episodes
| Protected Heir | Cut from the Will | |
|---|---|---|
| Episode 1: | (Bill's Best Friend) |
|
(Ashley's Ex-Girlfriend) |
||
| Episode 2: | (Trusted Employee) |
|
| Episode 3: | (Close Family Friend) |
|
| Episode 4: | Josh |
(Penny's Son) |
| Episode 5: | (Bill's Adoptive Son) |
|
| Episode 6: | Sole Heir (Bill's Wife) |
(Penny's Brother) |
(Penny's Mother) |
||
(Bill's Son) |