Coming as no surprise, CBS announced yesterday that its spy fi series MacGyver will be returning for a fourth season. For some reason, Deadline Hollywood claims that the shows has been On the Bubble, but I have had this one as a likely renewal pretty much since the season began. It’s same day ratings are down this year and it has not made it into the Top 25 based on total viewers too often like it did regularly in its first two seasons, but I have considered it safe because it is in the syndication stretch. Broadcast network shows in their third season, especially those owned by the network, almost always get that fourth year renewal if it gets them at or near the 88 episode mark which makes them more attractive to the syndication market (where they really start to make money). At this point, the ratings become less of a factor because it makes financial sense to keep the show around for that fourth year because of the long-term returns it will bring. In addition, MacGyver plugs up an hour on low viewership Fridays for the network.
Recurring character Desi Nguyen, played by Levy Tran, will become a regular in the show’s fourth season. She stepped in for Jack Dalton after George Eads decided to leave the show. It is possible that CBS could announce the coming season as the show’s last seeing as it will be at the episode threshold to get it a syndication run. Or they could keep it around for a shortened fifth season to get it past the one hundred episode milestone. Those scenarios will all depend on whether the show’s ratings continue to slip when it returns in Fall 2019.
MacGyver follows the super-smart agent Angus “Mac” MacGyver who works for a secret U.S. government organization where he uses his wits, problem solving skills, and scientific knowledge to solve cases. It is a reboot of the 1985 series of the same name that starred Richard Dean Anderson and stars Lucas Till, Sandrine Holt, Tristin Mays, and Levy Tran, with George Eads having exited at mid-season.
We have reached “Black Friday”, the day when the broadcast networks typically announce most of their final renewals and cancellations. You can see my rundown of where all the sci fi and fantasy shows currently stand at this link. And be sure to keep a close eye on this site over the next few days for breaking news on these and other shows. Also, head over to Twitter to join the #CancelledSciFiArmy and help bolster our ranks as we fight to save our sci fi and fantasy shows.
More from CancelledSciFi.com:
Keep up with the ratings developments and the status of all the currently airing sci fi and fantasy shows with our Weekly Roundup posts. And join the #CancelledSciFiArmy on Twitter to bolster our ranks and help us fight for the struggling and cancelled sci fi and fantasy shows.
Check out our Sci Fi TV Schedule for debut and season finale dates and follow our Weekly Listings for a rundown of the shows airing in the current week.
A look back at guilty pleasures and old favorites that may not have stood the test of time with Retro Sci Fi TV.
