Midseason Ratings Check-In: Which Broadcast Shows Are Facing Cancellation?
Looks like NBC, ABC, Fox, and even the cancellation-averse CW might have some holes to fill on their primetime schedules next season.
Those broadcast networks all have TV shows likely to be canceled this year, according to SpoilerTV’s weighted ratings formula.
We’ve rounded up those endangered series in the gallery below, starting with the ones that might get a pass for next season and ending with the ones most in peril.
The Blacklist
Only 36 percent of TV Insider viewers think the current, ninth season of the action drama should be its last, but the show might be on NBC’s blacklist anyway. It’s currently the lowest-rated returning title on the network’s slate, per TV Series Finale, with only half of the audience of any of the Chicago shows.
A Million Little Things
ABC probably wishes this family drama had another million little viewers tuning in every week. It’s at the bottom of the chart for the network’s scripted programming in terms of the coveted 18-to-49 rating, down more than 34 percent in that demo year over year.
Nancy Drew
Nancy Drew and the Case of the Missing Viewers? This teen detective drama is down more than 40 percent in its 18-to-49 demo from last year, though it does have better total viewership than Riverdale. If it gets canceled, at least fans will have the upcoming spinoff Tom Swift to fall back on.
Ordinary Joe
Ordinary Joe, ordinary numbers. The parallel-timeline drama hasn’t hooked viewers here in its debut season, unlike La Brea, another freshman NBC series, which has an audience almost twice as large.
Queens
We wish we could say this girl-group drama reigned over the ratings charts. But so far, it has the worst total-viewer tally of any ABC show this season, averaging just 1.9 million viewers.
Grand Crew
NBC treated viewers to two sneak-peek episodes of the bar-set sitcom one night last month—and it doesn’t bode well that about a quarter of the viewers tuned out between Episode 1 and Episode 2.
American Auto
Similarly, NBC aired two sneak-peek episodes of this workplace comedy the night prior, and again, a chunk of the audience opted not to watch the second episode. Perhaps these two shows will fare better out of previews.
The Big Leap
This new musical dramedy very well might make a jeté off screen, considering it’s the lowest-rated scripted Fox show, with not even a third of 9-1-1’s 18-to-49 rating and total viewership. Nevertheless, TV Insider’s Matt Roush put the renewal odds at 50/50 last month, noting it’s “almost impossible to predict how the pendulum will swing when so few new series emerge as hits anymore.”
Conversation20 Comments
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O
If they cancel the Blacklist, at least let the executive producers know in advance so they can come up with a series finale. I hate when show that last this long get canceled at the last moment without the chance to wrap this up.
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O
It’s my favorite show on regular tv but you are so right he is a great actor to me he makes the show along with his side kick
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G
Love James Spader and the Blacklist but the show has just dragged out the Liz-Red mystery for far too long....... It just got weary.,
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O
Yes, they did but Liz is now gone.
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G
Nancy Drew is cool. Hope it stays on.
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O
I got really hooked and invested in The Big Leap. I really hope they give it a chance to gain an audience. It only has ten episodes after all!
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G
I agree I got rally hooked on it too!!
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G
Really not Rally! Darn autocorrect!
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G
IMO, now is not the time to be cancelling shows. With the way the shows having to be delayed because of covid and the holidays, no one knew when the scheduling would be back to the "norm". They have been on a very sporadic schedule, to say the least.
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P
I think Nancy Drew is the CW’s best show right now. Same for The Big Leap on Fox. Also enjoying Queens. I like Ordinary Joe but all the time lines are pretty bleak. Haven’t seen the other shows mentioned.
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R
I totally agree last season was dragged out, but this season is boring, and Dembe now being an FBI agent? Not working for me.
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C
Of course Nancy Drew is going to drop in ratings when you move it to Friday. Should have left it on Wed after Riverdale. If they keep the HORRIBLE Riverdale and can Nancy Drew, then I'm done with all The CW shows. ND is the only one that keeps me coming back and each week I can't wait until the next show.
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O
I hope Queens gets Renewed. It's going good......
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G
Grand Crew is the only show in my memory that I tuned out of in the middle of the first episode. Cliched, unfunny characters, awful writing and a pointless premise. Likely one of the worst and most witless shows I've ever seen. And I badly wanted to like it based on the logline. This Crew doesn't seem very Grand at all!
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R
The Blacklist is the most awesome TV show I have ever watched!!!! It is amazing you never know what will happen next! Has so many twist and turns. I just LOVE ❤️ it. It would be so wrong to cancel this show !!!!To the People who watch TV if you are not watching this show you are missing Fantastic show !!!!!
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G
Ordinary Joe, Blacklist … need to go
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B
All can go
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G
Never heard of any of those shows
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O
I saw a small glimmer of the middling-nbc hits of the past in American Auto. “From the people who gave you” on nbc still means something to me bc there is a ”tree” from the office to parks and through superstore and 99 that runs to Auto. Superstore wasn’t a hit when it started, maybe never was (what is a true broadcast comedy “hit” anymore?), but it got time to find itself and it’s voice and really had found it’s lane until the pandemic made the concept silly, and the star bolted. So of those, Auto I’ll try again.
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R
I never heard of these shows anyway so I guess I won't miss them
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