I freaking LOVE Mike Binder!! The guy is awesome. Yeah, yeah I'm biased b/c I'm originally from Michigan too, but he's so unbelieveably talented! Did anyone enjoy Upside as much as I? I doubt it. Beautifully written film loosely based on Tiger Ace Denny McClain. As for Mind of the Married Man, who cancelled that show? Have you noticed the CRAP that's on HBO now adays...Joe Blow "...from Cinncinatti", are you FREAKING KIDDING ME?!! Garbage! I'd rather be a guest "fish" on OZ than watch the line-up this year, save Entourage. I can almost tolerate Big Love and yes Entourage is brilliant but come on these other shows are terrible...not to mention Sopranos is now gone (after a god-awful ending mind you). So for christ's sake bring MoMM back...or at least Dream On! ha!!
Mike if you're reading, you are the man. Throw some love my way if you're ever in South Beach.
The show was cancelled because it lost a key demographic - women. The show had so much promise. Great look, great setting, great acting, etc., but when he actually cheated on his wife - he became so unlikable that no woman would watch the show anymore. My wife liked the show but once he did that she bailed. And not for nothing, but the show is called "mind" of the married man, because we may think about other women, but we don't act on it! This jerk actually cheated on his beautiful, loving wife and mother to his young son. Once he did that, bye-bye audience. Let's face it, HBO rarely cancels a series (Lucky Louie being the latest debacle) but this one, I'm sorry, deserved it.
Wow, you are right, I never thought of it that way. But I did notice that my wifes feelings toward the show changed at that point. While she would still watch it, all she wanted to do was criticize him.
Granted, the show was portraying real life, many men do cross that line. But I could see that killing the show...to real for most people to handle.
I think you are partly right that it was cancelled because it lost women (and lost men who didn't want to tick off their women). But I think the show would not have been as good if it had pandered the way you suggest.
Our culture has this insane conflict where huge numbers of people cheat but if this is reflected in the lives of protagonists on TV or in movies people freak out and denounce the show or film. Six Feet Under is another good example of interesting, realistic characters who became the target of massive scorn because they were not "faithful". I find this really annoying, frankly. Grow up!
Another problem is that it premiered on 9/11/2001. In fact Binder was doing an interview promoting it on Good Morning American that was interrupted by the first plane hitting the World Trade Center.
America wasn't looking for such an edgy show in the aftermath of that.