NBC Cancels ‘Brilliant Minds’ After 2 Seasons
NBC has canceled the medical drama Brilliant Minds after two seasons.
The show was in flux following the Winter Olympics as viewership dropped. Starring Zachary Quinto, the last new episode aired on February 2. The NBC medical drama was on a break after Episode 14 due to the Olympics. But rather than return, NBC only dated the remaining six episodes of Season 2 for “later this season or summer.” Now, it appears those episodes will serve as the show’s final run, as the series has been canceled and will not return for Season 3.
The show was canceled on May 1, along with NBC comedy Stumble, per Variety.
This comes as the series is last among NBC scripted shows in the key 18-49 demo and 11th of 13 (including the reruns of The Paper) in total viewers (averaging 1.866 million).
Is Brilliant Minds renewed for Season 3?
No. As of May 1, the show was officially canceled. According to Variety, the series will return with its remaining six episodes beginning on May 27.
What is Brilliant Minds about?
Brilliant Minds is inspired by world-famous author and neurologist Oliver Sacks. The series follows Dr. Oliver Wolf (Quinto) as he and his team at BronxGeneral delve into medical mysteries of the mind. It is based on the books The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and An Anthropologist on Mars by Oliver Sacks.
Who’s in the Brilliant Minds cast?
Brilliant Minds Season 2 stars Zachary Quinto as Dr. Oliver Wolf, Tamberla Perry as Dr. Carol Pierce, Ashleigh LaThrop as Dr. Ericka Kinney, Alex MacNicoll as Dr. Van Markus, Aury Krebs as Dr. Dana Dang, Spence Moore II as Dr. Jacob Nash, Teddy Sears as Dr. Josh Nichols, Donna Murphy as Dr. Muriel Landon, John Clarence Stewart as Dr. Anthony Thorne, Brian Altemus as Dr. Charlie Porter, and Al Calderon as Nurse Nico Silva.
Conversation52 Comments
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M
I looked forward to every episode, with its interesting medical stories, and the drama between the main character and his love interests, the back stabbers, and his personal sanity. Kinda disappointed it was replaced by yet another reality tv show. Bring back Brilliant Minds for season 3 NBC!
44
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G
I really like the show and I think Quinto is pretty great. Is it a bit different, yes, but I think it is what’s needed. How many cop/reality / pathetic comedies are needed to fill the schedule
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T
Excellent series! Please continue it! It’s a great cerebrally stimulating experience that deserves more air time.
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S
Absolutely love this show! Its very insightful and love seeing the level of health care provide. Health care workers deal with so many emotional and stressful situations and a lot of times don't get the recognition they need. It would be a shame if this show doesn't return.
24
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M
It was a great show...just seemed to air randomly and never given a chance to shine as it should have been able to. Always enjoyed watching...maybe taken up by another channel!
20
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S
Very disappointed that this great show was cancelled. Unfortunately the good shows don’t get renewed and are replaced by stupid/reality/game shows.
20
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S
The acting and storytelling is superb and it is tragic that it has been cancelled.
19
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S
I was looking forward to a Season 3 and kept looking for it. It is a shame for the story line was good and interesting, along with great actors. Perhaps Netflix can buy it out and promote it??
18
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K
I loved the TV show, care and passion was shown for the patients, very disappointed for the cancellation, a lot of viewers could relate to the stories. Stop airing the fake reality shows especially Your fired......
17
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E
Brilliant Minds is an excellent show! If you put a show on the shelf, how do you expect it to even get ratings and viewers? This is infuriating that unqualified executives play games with shows that are viable, but have no qualms about putting nonsensical, silly plotless characters on and calling it a show. That short hiatus damaged the ratings. I didn’t know what was going on.
13
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C
Terrible news! This was a really great, interesting show. So instead of something intelligent, they're leaving room for idiotic and embarrassing crap (sorry, unfortunate actors) like ST. DENIS MEDICAL. I guess the writing was on the wall when NBC push the remaining BRILLIANT episodes to this summer, or fall. Terrible...
12
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O
I love this show and I'm so disappointed to see it's going to be canceled. Reality shows are a dime a dozen and they're really stupid. A show like this that has structure and excellent actors, that is interesting to learn a lot of medical things from it. This is such a shame! I'm hoping possibly that another network might take up the show!!! It really is a good one!
9
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M
I'm very sorry to hear this. I guess anything remotely intellectual is out of the question.
9
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G
That’s a bummer. I really enjoyed the show. Unfortunately, I’m sure it’s going to end with a stupid cliffhanger like most of the other shows
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P
I really like Brilliant Minds it’s such an interesting show. I wish they wouldn’t cancel the show!!!
9
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N
I'm happy to see other people so upset about this show ending. It's a great show. I hope the final episodes do it justice.
8
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T
Another EXCELLENT show CANCELLED! It never ends!
8
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C
Awww so sad....I thought this was a Brilliant show.
Something very different on tv.
All the actors were so good.
The hour flys by so quickly, I want more.
I will miss this series for sure.
7
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B
I love Brilliant Minds so sad that season 3 won’t be happening
6
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D
This show should NEVER have been canceled
6
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C
What a shame! It was one of the most well written and great acting shows on TV! Let’s hope someone like Netflix picks it up!
6
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D
Brilliant Minds should continue. There are too many tv series that make no sense and are just plain worthless. Brilliant Minds is a teaching series. Please do not cancel it.
5
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T
Please bring this excellent show back. The cast is superb and the writing and storylines are amazing. There’s no other show like it anywhere. Give it a third season and see what happens.
4
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N
Another DUMB idea from NBC !! They constantly make stupid mistakes thinking WE don’t want to watch certain shows!! Brilliant Minds is AMAZING !! Smh
4
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V
Amazing show and cast. We need more programs of this caliber instead of all the reality shows where people are singing, dancing, running through woods/jungles or ghosts or the sporting events that disrupt everything. NBC is getting as bad as CBS with their cancellations. NBC has now entered the CBS oral gratification crew, in other words they SUCK!
4
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G
Well, when NBC moved the rest of the episodes to the summer, to BURN THEM OFF, that's a sign the show is going to be cancelled.
4
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M
I read on instagram posted today on 3/7/26 by Marco Pigossi, aka Dr Beau Pedrosa, that Brilliant Minds will continue on NBC this coming May! But I haven’t seen the news posted anywhere else.
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B
Of course NBC cancelled Brilliant Minds they continue to cancel shows I watch. Maybe if they would quit preempting scripted shows to air sports they deem the whole country is dieing to watch or "reality" shows where one meets somebody and jumps into bed with him or her the first time they see each other (I admit I've gotten more prudish about sex on TV but it seems sex scenes are just there to fill time) and cutting back on new episodes in a series, the scripted shows could find an audience.
No wonder the audiences are going to streaming services in droves.
3
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L
Brilliant minds is a brilliant program can’t believe you’ve canceled it boo👎🏼
3
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M
*** zero chance "Brilliant Minds" is gonna return for a 3rd-season, especially with NBC having at least 5 pilots in development for next season ...
3
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C
I think Brilliant Mind is an excellent program. The characters, such as Dr. Wolf, are complex and so interesting. I want to keep learning more about his history-both medical and personal. Other characters quirks and personalities are being exposed as they work with Dr. Wolf! It's a great show! I was especially touched by Eric Danes' episode. As a person with nuerological issues myself (there are many of us out there watching), I wish to see more from this show! Please renew Brilliant Minds for a third season!!
2
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U
Bring it back!!! You can’t end it like that! We loved Brilliant Minds
1
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J
I hate these TV companies. They start something good but then just because something gets interrupted by say the Olympics that they think the ratings are bad for that show. And how is it the show’s fault that it has other competing shows to compete with that its ratings are bad? and the majority of us do have jobs and other things to attend to, so we can’t always watch everything on time. So really I just hate it when they think people aren’t watching their show thinking it has bad ratings when it really doesn’t. And because of that, it ends the show on a cliffhanger. So if anything, if you’re going to start a show, at least finish it before you cancel it man!!!!!!!! I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one that feels this way.
1
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M
You must bring back Brilliant minds. The show is better than all the low quality shows. There must be a network that has enough sense to bring it back on for continued seasons! PLEASE !
1
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A
I binged this show!! One of the best medical drama's I've watched!! So devastating, please continue with season 3 😭 Season 2 ended with so much happening, it's just wrong to end a show like that 😫😅
1
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N
I love this show. Sorry NBC canceled what a shame!! BRING BACK BRILLIANT MINDS!
1
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K
Great series and needed good time slots for showing. Very good actors and wish it would continue. It is a very good series!!!!!
1
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C
I just discovered this fantastic show. I am watching the second season and I had several shows recorded after the olympics. I would love to watch the first season. NBC should really give it a third season as I am sure it has picked up new fans like me.
1
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M
Love this show! Not happy at all that there won't be a season 3. I dont know why I ever try to watch new shows anymore, this always happens to me.
1
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C
Didn't know what was going on, or WHEN it was going to be on!
I started checking Peacock a few times a week to make sure I wasn't missing an Episode. Frustrating.
Love Brilliant Minds.
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L
I think Brillant Minds was Brillant!
Zachary Quinto is an excellent actor as well as the rest of the cast. The writing superb. The stories in each episode were awesome. The only thing not Brillant was the decision to cancel it.
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S
This is a great show and cast! It is a big mistake to cancel! If any Exec has any smarts at all you will get it back on!
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G
I love, love, love this show and it would be a terrible shame if this show does not return.
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L
Por favor, necesito una tercera temporada!!!! Esta serie de verdad vale la pena. Es muy muy pero muy buena
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G
I love Brilliant Minds. I can't understand why it's being canceled. It never really was on long enough to get people interested in it. To bad all the good shows get canceled only to be replaced by more reality tv.
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A
Best series on television! Cancellation is a horrible idea.
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M
Wry upset this has been cancelled
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J
I am so upset that there will not be a season 3! I loved this show!!
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E
I love brilliant Minds and as usual anything that’s actually brilliant and I look forward to seeing it’s cancelled
That why I don’t watch regular channels anymore. I guess yall rather put on some mindless reality tv instead
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E
I love Brillant minds
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N
too bad the writing AND acting are less than brilliant
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R
all you need is a comfy pair of knee pads, i personally like the republican issued ones, and have a good swallowing technique
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