Sci Fi TV Update: A Quantum Leap Revival Could Be on the Way, Manifest Tops the Streaming Rankings Again, and More

Sci Fi TV Update: Status updates, news, and developments on sci fi and fantasy television. For breaking news, be sure to follow the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site

Sci Fi TV Development:

The classic sci fi TV series Quantum Leap could be headed for a revival according to Scott Bakula who played Dr. Sam Beckett throughout its five-season run. He made the following comments about the show coming back on a podcast with Bob Saget just recently:

There’s very significant conversations about it right now going on. I don’t know what it would be. I don’t know who would have it. The rights were a mess for years. I don’t know if they’re even sorted out now. That’s always been the biggest complication.

Bakula made comments in another recent interview that “the idea of walking in another man or woman’s shoes is so relevant and so important right now”. Beckett’s fate was never resolved and creator Donald P. Bellisario has indicated in the past that he would like to return to the show.  Series co-star Dean Stockwell has retired from acting after suffering a stroke, but could possibly be coaxed back. The various streaming services are looking at reviving or rebooting well-known properties to draw in subscribers, and this show might be a good fit for NBC’s Peacock service.  The original series is currently streaming for free (with ads) on NBC’s website and the Roku Channel and you can read more about it at this link.

Digital Ratings:

Manifest had slipped near the bottom of the Nielsen Streaming Top 10 for acquired shows by the tenth week of its encore run on Netflix and looked like it was about to drop out.  But it improved to Number 2 the next week and now it is back at the top for the week of August 23rd thru 29th, pulling in an estimated 1.4 billion minutes of viewing.  It appears that show (which has been saved from cancellation by Netflix) will be sticking around in the rankings for a while.  In the Top 10 for originals, Disney+’s What If . . . ? improved to Number 7 for its third week, pulling 233 million minutes of viewing.  And Netflix’s Lucifer remained at the edge of the Top 10 for a second week in a row, pulling in 190 million minutes of viewing.  Season 2 of See had its debut on Apple TV+ that week, but that streamer is not currently counted in the Nielsen Streaming Rankings. Following are all the sci fi and fantasy entries on the streaming charts for the week (the number in parenthesis is the prior week rank):

Digital Ratings for the Week of Aug-23 to Aug-29

Streaming Originals
7 (9) What If (Disney+) 233 Million
10 (10) Lucifer (Netflix) 190 Million

Acquired Shows
1 (2) Manifest (Netflix) 1.4 Billion
9 (7) The Walking Dead (Netflix) 433 Million
10 (n/a) Supernatural (Netflix) 254 Million

Movies
No Genre Entries

Source: Nielsen SVOD Content Ratings (Amazon Prime, Disney+, Hulu, and Netflix), Nielsen National TV Panel, U.S. Viewing Through Television

Ratings Results of Interest:

The final Season 1 episode of FOX’s Fantasy Island posted a 0.30 rating based on same-day viewing for the 18-49 demographic with 1.7 million total viewers this past Sunday.  That was down from the prior Sunday but up from the Tuesday episode.  And those numbers are not bad considering it aired on a very competitive night with repeats as its lead-in.  The network is currently considering a second season of that show.  Over on AMC, The Walking Dead improved to a 0.51 rating with 1.9 million total viewers.  That show is in its final season.  Last Wednesday, American Horror Story improved to a 0.29 rating with 732K total viewers.  That show has been renewed through its thirteenth season.  And on Tuesday of this week, The CW’s Stargirl improved to a 0.12 rating with 482K total viewers. It has already been renewed for a third season. Ratings Source: SpoilerTV and ShowBuzzDaily

Sci Fi TV News of Note:

Netflix has acquired the complete catalogue of Roald Dahl which includes Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The BFG, Fantastic Mr. Fox and more.  The streamer plans to create a “unique universe across animated and live-action films and TV, publishing, games, immersive experiences, live theater, consumer products and more” . . . Eva Longoria and Ben Spector are adapting Carlos Hernandez’s Sal & Gabi Break the Universe to series for Disney.  The book follows a teen who discovers he has the ability to reach into time and space to retrieve things from other universes after tinkering with his father’s experiements . . . Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa has indicated that a cross-over between Riverdale and the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina could happen.  Sabrina began at The CW as a Riverdale spin-off, but shifted to Netflix where it ran for four seasons before getting cancelled.  The story of the show has continued in comics, and perhaps Sabrina will make an appearance on Riverdale at some point in the future. Be sure to follow r/SciFiTV for news, schedule updates, trailers, discussions, and more.

Sci Fi TV Schedule:

The long-awaited third season of The Orville finally has a premiere date.  That show, which has switched from FOX to Hulu, will return on March 10, 2022.  And Hulu also announced the premiere date for the Marvel animated series Hit Monkey.  That show will have its debut on November 17th, and you can see the trailer over at r/SciFiTV.  Next week brings the premiere of NBC’s new sci fi epic La Brea.  That show will debut on Tuesday at 9 PM EST.  Also next week. The Walking Dead: World Beyond will have its second season premiere on Sunday at 10 PM EST. You can see the full Fall schedule at this link.

Follow our Sci Fi TV Schedule for all the currently airing and upcoming sci fi and fantasy television shows, and keep up with what is airing/streaming each week with our Weekly Listings.