Sci Fi TV Update: Doctor Who Improves for Season Finale, Cowboy Bebop Rises in the Rankings, 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

Ratings Results of Interest:

Doctor Who saw a slight improvement to its ratings with its Season 6 finale on BBC America, pulling a 0.09 score based on same-day viewing for the 18-49 demographic with 411K total viewers. That show has three specials planned for 2022, starting with a New Years Day episode, and then Jodie Whittaker will pass the baton to another actor to take over as the Doctor. Over on AMC, Fear the Walking Dead slipped to a 0.15 rating with 837K total viewers for its mid-season finale. That show just received an eighth-season renewal (see below). And The Walking Dead: World Beyond wrapped up its two season run on a low note, pulling a 0.07 score with 428K total viewers.

On Saturday, Blade Runner: Black Lotus slipped to a 0.09 rating with 218K total viewers on Adult Swim. That show is also streaming on Crunchyroll. On Friday, Day of the Dead held at a 0.04 rating with 211K total viewers as that show remains firmly On the Bubble. Over on The CW, Nancy Drew slipped to a series low 0.03 with 271K total viewers. But I still believe that one will get renewed because The CW does not cancel third-season shows. On Wednesday, the Beebo Saves Christmas animated special pulled a 0.05 rating with 216K total viewers. I covered the early week ratings in the prior Sci Fi TV Update post, and below are the full ratings for genre shows from the past week. Ratings Source: ShowBuzzDaily

Ratings Results for the Week of 11/29/21

Digital Ratings:

Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop reboot improved to the Number 2 slot in that streamer’s rankings for English-language TV shows for the week of November 22nd to 29th. It pulled in 37 million hours of viewing and could be on track for a second season renewal. Arcane slipped to Number 4 in its third week with 29.7 million hours viewed. That one has already been renewed for a second season. In the Top 10 for non-English-language shows, the Korean series Hellbound slipped to the Number 2 slot with 67.5 million hours viewed. The Anime series Eden’s Zero entered at Number 9 with 7.5 million hours viewed. And the Danish-made series Elves made an appearance at Number 10 with 6.7 million hours viewed. The animated Millarworld show Supercrooks had its debut that week but did not place in the Top 10.

Renewal Announcement:

AMC has given Fear the Walking Dead an eighth-season renewal. That show is currently at all-time ratings lows based on same-day viewing, but as I have previously mentioned, its fate is no longer dictated by the early Nielsen numbers. It has passed the syndication stretch and is guaranteed to live on in reruns where shows really turn a profit. So even if AMC is not making as much on ad revenue from new episodes, it will recoup that and more down the road. I had previously suggested that the show’s seventh season could be its last or that it could return for an eighth and final year. There is no word at this point on whether it will wrap up at that point, but it appears that AMC has not given up on the show just yet. They will be bringing back fan-favorite Kim Dickens as Madison Clark during the second half of the seventh season–which resumes new episodes April 17th–possibly as an attempt to boost viewership.

Sci Fi TV Development:

A live-action adaptation of the fantasy comic Battle Chasers, written and drawn by Joe Madureira, is in the works at Alcon Television Group. Derek Kolstad (John Wick, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) will be onboard as writer and executive producer. The Hollywood Reporter gives the following description of the story:

The comic’s story centers on a 9-year-old girl named Gully, searching for her father with some magical gloves; Garrison, a swordsman with a magical blade; and Red Monika, a bounty hunter. A golem named Calibretto and the wizard Knolan were also part of the crew taking on armies of villains.

The story of the comic was left unfinished, but it was adapted to the popular role-playing video game Battle Chasers: Nightwar. The television series might offer the chance to wrap up the original story from the comics. Currently no network is attached, but this project should draw plenty of interest.

Sci Fi TV News of Note:

Kevin Feige has confirmed that Charlie Cox will play Daredevil/Matt Murdock when and the character appears in any MCU projects. He was elusive about when the character might make an appearance, but Cox has been confirmed to be reprising the role of Murdock in the upcoming film Spider-Man: No Way Home. There is no word at this point on whether a fourth season of the Daredevil TV series–which was cancelled by Netflix–could be on the way to either Disney+ or Hulu . . . An animated spin-off of The Boys is in the works at Amazon.  To be titled Diabolical, it will be an anthology series set in the same universe and will feature stories by written Awkwafina, Garth Ennis, Eliot and Ilana Glazer, Simon Racioppa, Justin Roiland and Ben Bayouth, Andy Samberg and Aisha Tyler.  It is expected to arrive on the streaming service at some point in 2022 (and thanks to Jon Jones for bringing this to our attention) . . . Colin Ferrell has been signed to play the Penguin in the upcoming spin-off series based on the character.  Ferrell will portray the Gotham City villain in the upcoming The Batman movie before turning his attention to the series which will stream on HBO Max.  Expect that to debut late 2022 or early 2023. Be sure to follow r/SciFiTV for news, schedule updates, trailers, discussions, and more.

Follow our Sci Fi TV Update posts each week for the status of the current sci fi and fantasy shows, the latest news, schedule info, and more.

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.