Drama Scorecard (2/14-2/26) -- The Rookie Leans Renewal Despite Folks Thinking Cop Shows Are Controversial


 Drama is everywhere in recent years.  There's riots, controversial politicians, car crashes, the weather, some jackal getting their finger stuck in a pool drain and is suing his city.  And ohhhh... cop shows might make people mad?  Oh wait, that's the shitstorm known as the news outlets!  They used to try, but seem to have gotten lazy and are strewn everywhere like fliers and junkmail.  If only they'd hire some writers from scripted dramas to keep the news more believable

Television viewers seek out scripted dramas as an escape from the aggravating hoopla in the last paragraph.  Well-rounded adults know these series are make-believe.  And if they are well-written, compel viewers to return.  That is why these sites report on the ratings as they are one measure to see who is watching and is still interested.  These escapes allow viewers to follow a plucky and durable lead fictionally deal with a ventilator on Grey's Anatomy, a feisty and no-nonsense emergency responder (Angela Bassett) leave viewers in awe on 9-1-1 and an all-American family battling mind over subject matter on This Is Us.

Recently, The Rookie has come into question as being in grave danger due to not only network politics leaving it less shine, but cop shows now considered taboo.  Flash back to 2018 when the heart of the tale was Nathan Fillion muddling a mid-life crisis and showing anyone can reinvent their life.  This tale still shines, and ABC has a space for it in an undesirable timeslot on Sundays.  Should ABC decide to hock it, what would be showcased Sundays at 10:00?  Another saturated gameshow, or take a gamble on a new drama?  Given these odds are less lucrative, The Rookie shall remain Leans Renewal for now.  

47 original dramas for the season (omitting outsourced programming used to plaster scheduling holes this lean season) indicates they are here to stay.  Majority of the chart is scribbled purple for CW's 13 dramas as they suit the 5th network best.  As indicated by their bold Renewed/Final Season tags, they pay minimal attention to ratings.  Instead of attempting to shock viewers and play the game, they schedule shows viewers cannot wait to see.  The other four networks still play the old Nielsen board game.

Few changes are noticeable on these networks except CBS elected to retire NCIS: New Orleans after 7 seasons.  This was a failed prediction as it was prior classified "Certain Renewal" due to the NCIS spinoffs seemed to have colonized the less desirable Sunday timeslots well.  Comedy hemorrhaging All Rise and lead-in dependent SWAT were viewed as potential targets, so NCIS: New Orleans divebombed by surprise.  

Elsewhere, FOX' Prodigal Son received a swift downgrade due to lowering performances as its schedule mate The Resident stabilized.  The pair worked neck to neck with a narrower margin in January, but The Resident has grown nearly two-tenths distant.  FOX needs shelf space for new pilots, so if needed Prodigal Son is next on the list, downgrading it to "Likely Cancellation."

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