CBS Battle Creek series finale: “Sympathy for the Devil”

CBS won’t be bringing Battle Creek back for a second season, so the series will wrap up with “Sympathy for the Devil,” airing Sunday, May 24, at 10pm ET/PT. In the finale, Milt (Josh Duhamel) survives a car bombing and enlists Russ (Dean Winters) to track down his would-be assassin, leading to startling revelations as to why Milt is the way he is and what brought him to Battle Creek. And if you really, really were into this show, then you have our sympathy.

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Photo: Credit: Robert Voets/CBS ©2015 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

19 Comments

  1. I usually don’t care enough about actors or TV shows to read about them. Not the case for “Battle Creek”, however. When I found out it was cancelled, I wanted to know if I was the only one who thought it was an exceptional show that should stay on the air. So I checked it out and discovered that I was not alone in my opinion. Of the several dozen comments on various sites, there was not one single bad review. CBS didn’t give it a fair shot. This has been one of the VERY few network shows in quite some time without the same plotlines and characters as every other detective show. And that’s interesting. And not crude. And not full of cheesy dialogue. And not another CSI or NCIS or reality show or sitcom with a laugh track playing after the same jokes over and over or a cast with no chemistry. The dynamic between the characters was different than other shows–especially crime dramas. Except for one comment on one episode, this is the only cop show I can think of where one, or more, of the main characters isn’t a recovering alcoholic and/or gambling addict.

    It’s not a deal-breaker or any issue of substance, but there is one other thing about the show I appreciate. While I normally don’t care about the unrealistic parts of movies or shows–such as DNA results being available an hour after being collected or characters with a low-paying job, like a waitress, living in a place that would cost $6000 a month in real life and carry $500 handbags, people with perfect hair and make-up having lucid conversations half an hour after waking up from surgery, fights with some serious martial arts action (Everyone involved in the brawls having black-belt level karate moves in and of itself is ridiculous.) and hard punches that leave the fighters with nothing more than a tiny scratch on the forehead, etc. After all, it’s entertainment. If everything was an accurate portrayal of real life, TV and movies would be boring. But there is one thing that bugs me: The shoes women wear. ER doctors, detectives, sales girls and other women with jobs that keep them on their feet all day or have the potential to require running after criminals do not wear five-inch heels (Or inappropriately low-cut tops or mini-skirts.) to work. The female detectives working in the field in “Battle Creek” wear shoes that an actual female detective would wear. It’s such a small detail, but for some reason, makes the show more enjoyable for me.

    CBS messed this up. They should bring back the original show with likable characters and not make yet another spinoff.

    • Ditto. Ditto, ditto. Loved this show, the unique characters, the funniness. Wish you would reconsider!!

  2. Battle Creek deserves another shot – great cast and well written story lines! Surprised CBS doesn’t recognize the potential with this show.

  3. I can’t believe that this show has been cancelled. I’m not a person that normally watches this type of program, but I was hooked right from the start. So now CBS can put a new crap show on in place of a real good program, so disappointed with CBS.

  4. My husband and I are upset that you canceled Battle Creek! It’s one of the few shows that are good clean entertainment (except for the office sex scene).

  5. There are very few quality written shows out right now. Battle Creek was one of the best shows I’ve seen in awhile.
    The show had a different aspect then the other cop shows out there wich made it a special show to watch. The cast had great chemistry together especially Dean Winters and Josh Duhamel. Please reconcider, its such a misteake to take it off so soon.

  6. Bring back battle creek. Is CBS trying to drive us all to Netflix. It seems like I finely, came back and you kill the first good show before it has time to jell, not a lot of reasons to watch CBS anymore.

  7. Don’t cancel. You have a great show. I loved it looked forward to sunday night to watch it.

  8. Battle Creek is a great show – Bring it back!
    Try a different time slot!!

  9. A terrible injustice has been done by CBS in cancelling Battle Creek. Battle Creek was a family favorite! Loved the cast, the writing, the humor. It just kept getting better and better each week. BRING IT BACK!

  10. The show was great!, my husband and I really enjoyed it. If the ratings were bad it was because of the time slot.

  11. WHY? WHY? WHY??? CBS. You didn’t even give the show a chance. Each show just kept getting better. It had a great cast. PLEASE RECONSIDER!

  12. CBS- you guys are terrible. Why cancel a show that you were starting to introduce us to the family. There are too many other crappy shows out there that hasn’t been cancel like the stupid reality shows but you cancel this show with its weirdness, strange chemical of a team. Why because people need to see sex, violence and the use of bad language to keep it on the air? Or because you think people needs to see real crime solving on the air? This show was different and you should have given them a chance. Everyone grew to love Dean Winters as mayhem and every women really thinks Josh is hot. .If you gave them a chance and move their day and time, you might be surprised how popular they will become.

  13. I am not sure what goes on in the minds of CBS TV execs, but it is very different from my mind. Battle Creek started off slowly and at the time, I thought this show won’t last. But it was getting better with each episode and if it had been given more support by the execs at CBS, it might have stood a chance. If I saw a quarter of the commercials for it as I did for The Good Wife, it might have had a better chance. Bring it back, CBS!!

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About Ryan Berenz 2166 Articles
Member of the Television Critics Association. Charter member of the Ancient and Mystic Society of No Homers. Squire of the Ancient & Benevolent Order of the Lynx, Lodge 49, Long Beach, Calif. Costco Wholesale Gold Star Member since 2011.