There is not much in the way of sci fi TV news this week, so instead I will give an updated rundown of all the shows impacted by shutdowns related to the Coronavirus outbreak. Not all of the genre entries were affected, with shows like Agents of SHIELD, Legends of Tomorrow, Manifest, and Roswell New Mexico having completed filming before production was halted. The latter three sows will complete their seasons as planned and AoS is still set for a debut later in the season. For the shows listed below, some details are available on how they were impacted by the delays. Check back on a regular basis as I will continue to update this as new information becomes available.
The 100 (The CW): Word is that the last episode or two of this show’s final season were not completed before the shutdowns. As of now, the May 20th debut is still set, but they might split the season into two parts and air the remaining episodes at some point next year (or possibly save the final two as a series finale movie).
Arrow-verse Shows (The CW): The Flash, Batwoman, and Supergirl were unable to complete production on their current seasons before filming was halted. None of these shows will have a proper season finale, and the planned episodes will get pushed to next season. Legends of Tomorrow (which has a shorter episode count) finished shooting before the shutdowns, so it will air its full fifth season. All of the Arrow-verse shows are currently on hiatus and will resume with new episodes on the Week of April 20th.
The Rest of the CW Shows (CW): Charmed, Legacies, Nancy Drew, and Riverdale were impacted by the delays and will have shorter episode counts for the current season. Legacies capped off its second season with its sixteenth episodes, and the remaining eps will get pushed to next year. The other three will air their completed eps sporadically through the rest of the season.
Emergence (ABC): This show may benefit from the ripple-effect from the other shows that have stalled due to the production delays. Emergence wrapped up its first season in January with low ratings and appeared to be headed for cancellation at that point. But the networks will almost certainly have spaces to fill on their schedule next season, especially with most of the pilots on hold (see below). It is easier to ramp up an existing show than to start a new one, so the chances that this one will return for a second season have suddenly improved (more on that at this link).
Fear the Walking Dead (AMC): This show was expected to have its sixth season debut in Summer, but that will likely be delayed because filming was not completed. It may get pushed to a Fall start with the eleventh season of TWD possibly getting bumped to 2021.
MacGyver (CBS): Not all of this show’s Season 4 episodes were completed prior to the shutdowns, but those will almost certainly get pushed to next season. The show has not been officially renewed for a fifth year, but it was already tracking in that direction. And the network will want this one to get enough episodes for a syndication run (where show’s really turn a profit) which will require it to come back for at least a fifth season at this point.
neXt (FOX): One of the crew members working on this upcoming Many Coto-helmed AI drama tested positive for Coronavirus, but that was after production of its first season had wrapped. FOX still does not have a premiere date set for this series, but they may want to get it on the schedule soon seeing as the networks are running out of new episodes for their other shows.
Pilots (All Networks): Most of the pilots that would have been considered as additions to the schedule for the coming season did not complete filming before the shutdowns began. That will leave little in the way of new shows available for the coming season, though it is possible that some of these can get a direct-to-series order if the network feels strong enough about the property. Word is that The CW’s Lost Boys had completed filming right before the shutdowns, so consider that one likely to get a greenlight to series with the lack of other choices available. Other shows that had direct-to-series orders–like The CW’s Superman & Lois–will continue as planned, though I expect a ripple-effect which will impact the debuts of all the Fall shows.
Snowpiercer (TNT): This show currently has a premiere date set for May 31st, and there has been no word yet whether that will be pushed. It did not complete the filming of its first season episodes, but the network may go ahead and air what it has as scheduled. Any unfinished episodes could get pushed to a later date. It is also possible that the network will delay the premiere so that the full season will air together.
Supernatural (CW): This series had eighteen (out of twenty) episodes filmed for its final season before production shutdown. The final two episodes will be produced once the entertainment industry is back up in running. The network decided that the thirteenth episode (which aired March 23rd) will be the last for the current season and the final seven episodes will air together later this year.
The Walking Dead (AMC): The planned season finale had not finished shooting when the shutdowns began. This show will wrap up its current season with its fifteenth episode which will air April 5th, and the season finale will air later in the year as a special episode.
The Walking Dead: World Beyond (AMC): This TWD spin-off series had been set for an April 12th debut, but that has been delayed. Filming had been completed on at least half of its episodes, but not the full first season. No debut date is set at this point, but expect this one to have its bow in Summer or Fall.
Additional Shows Impacted: Deadline Hollywood has put up a list of all shows impacted by the shutdowns, and below I have compiled the genre entries. I have not found specific information on how they are affected, though I assume the planned season premieres for each will be delayed:
Britannia Season 3 (Sky, UK)
Carnival Row Season 2 (Amazon Prime)
Doom Patrol Season 2 (HBO Max)
For All Mankind Season 2 (Apple TV+)
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 4 (Hulu)
Foundation (Apple TV+)
Loki (Disney+)
The Orville Season 3 (Hulu)
Pennyworth Season 2 (Epix)
See Season 2 (Apple TV+)
Servant Season 2 (Apple TV+)
Stranger Things Season 4 (Netflix)
WandaVision (Disney+)
The Wheel of Time (Amazon)
The Witcher Season 2 (Netflix)
Y: The Last Man (FX)
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