Ratings results and status updates on all the currently airing sci fi & fantasy shows as well as those still awaiting word on their fates. For the latest ratings updates, be sure to follow the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site
Ratings Results of Interest: Cloak & Dagger Has Decent Debut, Reverie Slips
On Thursday, Freeform’s new series Cloak & Dagger, based on the Marvel comic book of the same name, had its debut and pulled a 0.29 rating based on same day viewing for the 18-49 demographic with 835K total viewers. Those are decent numbers for that network and about in line with the 0.30 rating that renewed series Siren had for its premiere in Spring. If the numbers for Cloak & Dagger‘s first season track similar to that show, expect a second year renewal.
On Tuesday, AMC’s Humans returned for its third season and posted a 0.13 rating with 526K total viewers. Those are slightly below its second season numbers, but this one’s fate is more heavily influenced by its performance on Channel 4 in Britain. On FX, Legion improved to a 0.21 rating with 467K total viewers. That show has already been renewed for a third season.
On Wednesday, NBC’s Reverie slipped to a 0.5 rating with 2.2 million total viewers for its second episode. If that one does not rebound soon, it will get moved to Cancellation Likely status. On Syfy, The Expanse slipped to a 0.16 rating with 568K total viewers. But that one has been rescued by Amazon which should prove a better platform for an audience that prefers to watch VOD. On USA, Colony improved slightly to a 0.21 rating with 718K total viewers. But that show’s numbers are still down notably from last year and I currently have it On the Bubble.
On Sunday, FOX’s Ghosted slipped back on the schedule with almost no notice, airing amidst repeats of The Simpsons and Family Guy. It averaged a 0.4 rating with 1.2 million total viewers and the show looks like it is in burn-off status at this point. Over on AMC, Fear the Walking Dead improved to a 0.73 rating with 2.3 million total viewers for its mid-season finale. I believe that show’s fate will be heavily tied to the ratings in the second half of its fourth season as I mention in the Status Updates below. Into the Badlands improved slightly from last week’s series low, posting a 0.32 rating with just over a million total viewers. That one is currently On the Bubble.
You can see the full ratings results for the week at this link, and be sure to follow the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site for the latest results and breaking news. Ratings Source: ShowBuzzDaily
Rounding up the news from this past week, TBS had renewed its sci fi comedy series People of Earth for a third season last Fall, but the network apparently had a change of heart and decided to cancel the show this week. In sci fi TV news, HBO has given the greenlight to the first of what will likely be several Game of Thrones prequels / spin-offs. Joss Whedon is returning to television to work on the detective comedy series Pippa Smith: Grown-Up Detective for Freeform. The DC Universe streaming service is planning an August launch. You can read about those stories and more in the latest This Week in Sci Fi TV column.
Status Updates: Ghosted Remains On the Bubble
Below is the status of all the currently airing shows or those still awaiting word on their fate. This does not include streaming shows, unless there is information worth mentioning, because there is typically too little data available to gauge their fates. You can click through to the show pages to see week-over-week ratings results (where available) and find out more information about the series. You can see the status of all the currently airing and returning sci fi TV shows at the Cancellation Watch Page.
The 100 (CW, Status – Renewed): This show returned for its fifth season posting decent numbers for The CW with The Flash as its lead-in. It has been renewed for a sixth season which will get it close enough to the episode threshold that should get it a profitable syndication deal. Whether the show’s upcoming season will be its last is uncertain at this point, but consider that a strong likelihood.
Altered Carbon (Netflix, Status – On the Bubble): There has been no word yet on a second season renewal for this show, and series star Joel Kinnaman has moved on to a new gig. Its viewership has been on the low side for a Netflix entry according to Nielsen, and the show received mixed reviews from critics. It is possible that this could be a rare one-season-and-done sci fi causality for this streaming service.
Cloak and Dagger (Freeform, Status – Renewal Possible): The debut number for this show are about in line with Siren which was renewed by Freeform in Spring. If Cloak & Dagger tracks about the same as that one, consider it a good bet to get a renewal, especially since both Marvel and Freeform are owned by Disney.
Colony (USA, Status – On the Bubble): This show returned for its third season with ratings down by over 40% from last year, though it has been on the upswing the last few weeks. I currently have it On the Bubble and fans need to make some noise in support of this show on the social networks if they want it to survive to a fourth season.
The Crossing (ABC, Status – Cancelled): This one debuted with a decent lead-in from the American Idol reboot, but never managed to take advantage of its timeslot and ABC decided to send it to the Network Executioner. The cancellation was pretty much expected and I have not heard too much outcry from the fans, so it does not appear to have developed much of a following.
The Expanse (Syfy, Status – Renewed): Syfy (unwisely) decided to drop this one after its third season, but the show’s production company started shopping it around and fans took up the Call to Action to make a massive outpouring of support leading Amazon to the decision to pick it up for a fourth season.
Fear the Walking Dead (AMC, Status – Renewal Possible): This show has been doing well in its fourth season, but with the cast changes and change of story direction in its fourth season it seems almost like AMC is in the process of rebooting it. It returns from hiatus on August 12th and I am guessing the ratings for the second half of the season will heavily dictate its fate. I still believe it will be back for at least one more year, but I am a little less certain about that at this point.
Ghosted (FOX, Status – On the Bubble): This show has been off the schedule since January, but FOX said at the Upfronts that its remaining episodes would air in Summer and then they would decide the show’s fate. But it was slipped onto the schedule this past Sunday with almost no notice and aired amidst repeats of The Simpsons and Family Guy. It certainly seems to be in burn-off mode at the moment, and if fans want to keep this one from going to the grave, they should definitely stage a Call to Action to help bring attention to it.
Humans (FOX, Status – Renewal Possible): This show returned for its third season slightly below its second season ratings average, but it appears that its fate is more heavily tied to its performance in Britain on Channel 4. Its numbers are down over there as well, so we will have to see how it tracks over the coming weeks.
Into the Badlands (AMC, Status – On the Bubble): This one returned down from where it was performing in its second season and has seen its numbers continue to slip so I have moved it to Bubble status. Fans of the show should definitely make a Call to Action on the social networks to help it out.
Legion (FX, Status – Renewed): This show’s numbers are down notably year-over-year, but FX still gave it the greenlight for a third season. The fact that FOX owns the series and that this is an X-Men tie in likely helped the show, but I wonder how much longer this one can survive with such low viewership.
The Originals (CW, Status – Final Season): This show is currently airing its final season, though a spin-off titled Legacies will debut in Fall 2018 and will focus on Hope Mikaelson.
Reverie (NBC, Status – On the Bubble): This show debuted with tepid numbers even for a Summer entry. It was originally planned for a mid-season start, but was pushed on the schedule suggesting that the network lost faith in it. At this point, it is almost certainly in burn-off mode unless fans can make enough noise on the social nets to draw attention to the show.
Shadowhunters (Freeform, Status: Cancelled): Freeform has cancelled this show but ordered two additional episodes that will act as a series finale. The second half of the third season has been pushed to air in Spring 2019 along with those last two episodes.
Supergirl (CW, Status – Renewed): This show has been renewed for a fourth season as expected, though how many years it has after that remains to be seen. I go into that in more detail at this link.
Superstition (Syfy, Status – Cancellation Likely): This show show barely registered in the ratings during its first season and was kicked out of its Prime Time slot to 11 PM EST on Thursdays about mid-way through its run. It has started streaming internationally on Netflix, so perhaps it will get a boost from that, but at this point it appears it will be another one-season-and-done Peak TV casualty.
Timeless (NBC, Status – On the Bubble): This one’s numbers were down in its second season, but the fan support on the social networks was still there and allegedly NBC is working on a deal with Sony that will bring the show back for a third year. That has not been finalized, though, so fans need to continue the Call to Action on the social networks in support of the show.
Westworld (HBO, Status – Renewed): This show’s linear ratings are down from where it ended it first season, but HBO does not rely on the Nielsen numbers to determine the success of its original programming. Apparently they are quite happy with its performance in its second season and have given the show an early renewal notice.
LAST WEEK: Reverie Has Slow Start, Timeless Still Waiting for More Time Read
