It's the final update of the NBC Renew/Cancel this year, and the focus turns to a reliable veteran that NBC must surely be grateful for this holiday season.
Certain to Land on Santa's Naughty List:
N/A
N/A
Leans towards Landing on Santa's Naughty List:
La Brea (0.39, 0.32-0.49)
Young Rock (0.27, 0.22-0.31)
Leans towards Landing on Santa's Nice List:
N/A
Likely to Land on Santa's Nice List:
Law & Order (0.48, 0.43-0.60)
Law & Order: Organized Crime (0.47, 0.41-0.62)
Lopez vs. Lopez (0.30, 0.26-0.33)
Certain to Land on Santa's Nice List:
Chicago Fire (0.66, 0.58-0.77)
Chicago Med (0.62, 0.56-0.70)
Chicago PD (0.60, 0.51-0.68)
Law & Order: SVU (0.57, 0.50-0.69)
Saturday Night Live (0.76, 0.66-0.90)
Already Renewed:
Quantum Leap
Already Canceled/Final Season:
New Amsterdam
Coming Soon:
American Auto
The Blacklist
Grand Crew
Found
Night Court
Untitled Mike O'Malley Comedy
Chicago Fire: Chicago Fire continues to rate as NBC's #1 primetime scripted series (SNL rates higher, but airs outside of primetime), with a 0.66 average. This also makes it broadcast TV's #1 scripted series, tied with 9-1-1. It's a shame that a 0.66 demo rating is enough to hold that title these days, but it is, and Chicago Fire is rightfully credited as one of TV's stronger shows because of it. It's been an incredibly resilient show, starting as a middling player, improving enough to receive a spinoff (while still not really being *that* strong at that point), and ultimately launching the most successful broadcast TV franchise of the past decade or more. Once the pieces of that franchise were put together, they became bona fide hits, ultimately reaching the top tier of scripted hits. It goes without saying that, no matter what NBC's programming plans are for next season, Chicago Fire, and its spinoffs, will be a part of them. No network would be willing to give up such a valuable, reliable hit. This holiday season, Chicago Fire is the safest show on NBC, and it is a CERTAIN RENEWAL.
Quantum Leap: Earlier this week, Quantum Leap received a renewal from NBC, despite being off the air for the last month. Its renewal, though not seen as a certainty in my eyes, is both deserved and expected. It has managed to retain The Voice decently well, improving its time slot from the previous season's occupant, Ordinary Joe (not a difficult task, admittedly). It remains to be seen where NBC will actually air the second season, but the full-season order shows that NBC seems committed to it at this point, and it could be the first show to hold onto the fall Monday night post-Voice slot for two season in a row since The Blacklist.
What do you think of these predictions? What are your predictions? Let me know in the comments and vote in the final poll of the week of 2022. I hope you will all join me when the column returns in January.
