NBC Renew/Cancel Week 23: Last Calls on Lopez vs Lopez, Magnum PI, American Auto & More!

Another season speeches to a halt, and NBC only has a handful of shows left to decide on before the season concludes. Keep reading for my last calls on this comedy-heavy list of NBC leftovers.

Certain Cancellation:
Grand Crew (0.17, 0.13-0.23)

Likely Cancellation:
Young Rock (0.25, 0.22-0.31)

Leans Cancellation:
American Auto (0.27, 0.21-0.38)

Leans Renewal:
N/A

Likely Renewal:
Lopez vs Lopez (0.28, 0.20-0.33)
Magnum PI (0.27, 0.20-0.36)

Certain Renewal:
Saturday Night Live (0.76, 0.65-0.98)

Already Canceled/Final Season:
The Blacklist
New Amsterdam

Already Renewed:
Chicago Fire
Chicago Med
Chicago PD
La Brea
Law & Order
Law & Order: Organized Crime
Law & Order: SVU

Night Court
Quantum Leap

American Auto: I went back and forth on this one, starting it out as a likely cancellation before bumping it up to a renewal prediction and then taking it back down to a cancellation towards the end of its second season. It showed some stability in the middle of the season, nearly growing to a season high in halfway point of its season. That momentum was short-lived, as it slipped down to 0.2s towards the end of its run, ending on a 0.21 series low. Lopez vs Lopez, far from a success itself, has improved that slot in the two weeks it's aired there so far, retaining Night Court better than Auto did. Creator Justin Spitzer, who also created the more successful Superstore for NBC, already has a new comedy in development that looks promising for a pickup, starring TV vets Wendi McLendon-Covey, David Alan Grier and Allison Tolman. It would be a surprise if they decided to run with a third season of this show when they have a clear replacement waiting in the wings. Chance of renewal: 35%

Grand Crew: This renewal made no sense to begin with, and the show likely benefited from NBC deciding to give second seasons to all their comedies in the hopes that their weak comedy department will find a surprise sleeper hit. Sadly, not every flop NBC comedy can be Cheers and go from one of TV's lowest-rated shows to one of the highest in the matter of a season or two. Grand Crew squandered its second chance, dropping 44% to a pathetic 0.17 season average. It's the Big Four's lowest-rated scripted series - yes, lower than Welcome to Flatch. With no signs of streaming success (not that Peacock is home to many streaming successes) and horrific ratings, there is virtually no chance this comes back. Barring something truly inexplicable from occurring, Grand Crew will no longer be wining and dining on NBC. Chance of renewal: 1%

Lopez vs Lopez: George Lopez made his return to television this season with Lopez vs Lopez, and broadcast audiences mostly didn't care. A TV legend thanks in large part to syndicated runs of his self-titled show, his latest show will not match that show's success. However, in the grand scheme of NBC comedy, it didn't too too terribly. A 0.28 average is nothing to boast about, but for a Friday comedy ins first season on NBC, it should be enough. It's been a few years since NBC canceled a freshman comedy, and even longer than that since they canceled one that had a twenty-two episode order. It's hard to envision Lopez vs Lopez breaking that trend, especially given that it has improved its new Tuesday slot from the performance of American Auto. Unless NBC only heads into next season with one returning comedy, Lopez should easily sail on through to season two, as it's better than the rest. Chance of renewal: 85%

Magnum PI: We don't know yet if we'll see any decision on this show announced next week, as NBC still has ten episodes left of its fifth season that they'll be airing sometime in the 2023-24 TV season. If any decision is announced, it will likely be a renewal announcement., It's rare to see a show rescued by a network and canceled immediately, especially fi the show performed well enough for its new network. Magnum's Sunday performance was a marked decline from its CBS years, but still stronger than typical NBC Sunday fare, a night that has been an absolute disaster for NBC in recent seasons. Magnum should be secure for another season at least, until contracts are up for renegotiation after season six. It's anyone's guess as too what happens at that point, but odds of a sixth season look strong. Chance of renewal: 80%

Saturday Night Live: A writers strike canceled the remainder of the iconic show's 48th season, but fans have no reason to worry about the show's future. It's NBC's #1 scripted program this season, despite airing at 11:30 on a Saturday, and it appears to be a top performer on Peacock. It's the only show I've never talked about in this Renew/Cancel column, because its future wasn't never in any doubt. It will obviously be back for season 49, hopefully in the fall if the strike ends by then. Chance of renewal: 100%

Young Rock: While it has a big-name star in Dwayne Johnson, that's the only thing big about Young Rock. Its ratings sure weren't big, declining 36% to a 25 this season as it shifted to Fridays. It already seemed to be a bit of a sacrificial lamb, as it's hard to imagine NBC throwing a show they cared that much about to Fridays at 8:30. American Auto was treated better than it, at least in terms of what night it aired on, and that show's renewal odds are looking pretty dismal as well. Young Rock can't be all that cheap to produce compared to other comedies, and it's hard to imagine NBC wanting to fork over too much to produce a fourth season of a show with ratings that they could match with cheap reality filler. If you still doubt that NBC wants to part ways with the show, look no further than the network's scheduling of its finale, which it aired after a repeat of Lopez vs Lopez, a show they were stockpiling episodes of in order to air with Young Rock's replacement. While its ratings aren't the weakest among NBC's comedy crop, it's still one of their weakest shows is season, and it has very little going for it at this point. Chance of renewal: 25%

What do you think of my predictions? What are your predictions? Let me know in the comments and vote in this year's last poll of the week!

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