Friday afternoon was busy with series renewal announcements which included several genre shows that fans have been keeping a close eye on. NBC announced renewals for both Revolution and Grimm, neither of which came as a big surprise. The latter series has consistently performed well for a Friday show and has given the network an edge up on that low viewership night. The former show has slipped notably from the ratings highs it enjoyed at the beginning of the season, but as I said previously, I have been assuming the odds were in its favor to get a second season renewal. Both shows received full 22 episodes orders for their upcoming seasons which makes sense for Grimm but which I find a bit surprising for Revolution. That show’s ratings slide (and many of the comments I have seen on the social networks) suggest that fans have been abandoning ship on it and I would have thought that NBC would be more conservative with there renewal of that one. It is basically in need of an overhaul and a major promotional push lest it go the same route as other two-season-and-out shows like V and Touch (yes, that one will get cancelled). But then NBC can always renig on the full season order if Revolution gets off to a bad start in Season 2, so don’t count those episodes as being in the bank just yet. Grimm, on the other hand, likely has smooth sailing ahead of it and could quite possibly coast right into a fourth season. Once a show gets through its third season then it is close to the 88 episode threshold that the syndication market looks for, so often networks just rubberstamp that fourth season unless the show experiences a drastic ratings tumble in year three (like, say, Nikita this season). So expect Grimm to remain on the network’s schedule for at least a couple more years. No word from NBC yet on late season entry Hannibal, and seeing the ratings slide it experienced with its last episode it could officially be in trouble now. But they should consider bringing it back next near and pairing it up with Grimm on Fridays to give the network a solid horror/supernatural block on that night.
Over at The CW, they decided to renew freshman series Beauty and the Beast even though that one has only averaged a paltry 0.6 rating in the 18-49 demographic during its first year. Those are Syfy level numbers, but the fact is that one is actually the network’s fourth highest rated scripted series which gives a pretty clear indication of how much The CW has struggled this year. I really can’t see how a broadcast network can keep going with the ratings it is pulling, but perhaps parent company CBS has decided it is worth propping it up for the time being. Also announced is the Vampire Diaries spin-off series The Originals which will add yet another genre entry (though youth-skewing) to The CW’s lineup. How long it sticks around will likely depend on how much longer its network can remain viable. The fact that there was no announcement concerning Nikita is not a particularly good sign for that one, but then there’s a possibility it may get renewed as a Summer series or for a syndication run only to pad out its episodes and make it more attract to the syndication market especially overseas where it has performed quite well.
There are still six genre shows awaiting word on their fate, and you can read my predictions on those at this link. And keep an eye on this site and the Cancellation Watch Twitter Site for upcoming renewal/cancellation announcements as well as new series pickups from the broadcast networks. The upfronts will begin on May 13th and that is when the schedules for the upcoming season will be finalized, so expect some more activity before then and especially on that week.
Ratings Source: TV by the Numbers
Nielsen TV Ratings: ©2013 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
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