Gotham Knights managed to beat the odds and draw decent viewership for The CW in its first season, but changes in network ownership doomed it from the start.
What Is It?
This series follows Bruce Wayne’s adopted son, who teams up with the children of some of the city’s biggest villains after he’s framed for Wayne’s murder. Together, they attempt to clear their names and find the real killer.
Aired: The CW, 2023, 1 Season Totaling 13 Episodes
Starring: Oscar Morgan, Olivia Rose Keegan, Navia Robinson, Fallon Smythe,
Tyler DiChiara
Developed By: Natalie Abrams, Chad Fiveash, James Stoteraux
Why Was It Cancelled?
This was another Batman show without Batman (similar to Gotham and Pennyworth) that seemed to be on a death march from the start. It was greenlit prior to the change in ownership at The CW and wasn’t linked to the Arrow-verse or any existing DC continuity. Had there been no changes at the network, the show would have likely continued for a second season because it performed surprisingly well in viewership early on—despite initial negative reviews—and gained a notable fanbase during its short run. But ratings dipped in the latter half of its first season, and the new owners planned to carry over only a few shows from the previous regime. They went with the numbers and renewed the four highest-rated shows (All American, Superman & Lois, All American: Homecoming, and Walker), leaving Gotham Knights without a home.
However, it certainly would have made more sense to send Superman & Lois to Max and keep Gotham Knights on The CW. Although the former had higher ratings, it was more expensive, and the network ended up slashing its budget for its final season. This led to one of The CW’s best-performing shows ending with a whimper. Meanwhile, Gotham Knights, which was more affordable, had already shown solid performance. Keeping it would have made sense while Max could have taken on Superman & Lois for a longer run. However, with the DC Universe going through yet another reboot, there was little interest in keeping Superman & Lois alive on Max. As a result, this decision ultimately hurt both shows, leaving one canceled and the other limping out with a budget-cut final season. Meanwhile, how much money are these network execs getting paid to make these decisions?
Can It Be Saved?
The chances of a Gotham Knights revival seem slim, but never say never. Despite opening to negative reviews, it did well in the ratings initially and garnered a solid fanbase. After its cancellation, fans campaigned for the show, and it ended up in the Top 5 in our poll for the 2022-23 season. So, while critics panned it, the viewers felt differently.
It is possible that if the fans were to stage another attempt to save the show that it could draw some attention. It is currently streaming on Max, so they could stage viewing parties to get its numbers up and also a drive to get people to subscribe to the service to watch the show. It is also available to purchase VOD from sellers like Amazon.com, and they could stage a campaign to get people to buy it in that format. Both that and the subscription drive would impact the bottom line and get the attention of network execs. If fans did that along with a social media campaign, perhaps Max would consider picking Gotham Knights up for a second season. But this needs to happen right now because the cast isn’t getting any younger, and may already have other commitments. It is certainly a longshot, but with enough effort on the part of the fans, there is still a chance.
Where Can You Watch It?
As mentioned above, the show’s one-and-only season is streaming on Max and it is also available to purchase VOD from services like Amazon and Apple.
Stream or Purchase VOD
Did you watch Gotham Knights and would you support fan efforts to save the show? Chime in below in the comments.
Be sure to follow the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site for breaking news and updates. And for the latest news and discussions on sci fi and fantasy television, follow r/SciFiTV
Follow our Sci Fi TV Schedule for all the currently airing and upcoming sci fi and fantasy television shows, and you can see the premieres for all the upcoming genre entries at this link.
I watched and liked Gotham Knights when it was airing but it’s pretty much impossible for it to come back at this point. As you said, it had okay viewership but not enough traction to warrant a revival.