The NBC Renew/Cancel took off last week, but it's back this week with a new edition in which Quantum Leap finally takes the spotlight! Keep reading for my initial thoughts on the only sophomore drama currently airing on broadcast.
Certain Cancellation:
N/A
Leans Cancellation:
N/A
Leans Renewal:
Found (0.35, 0.33-0.40)
The Irrational (0.29, 0.24-0.34)
Quantum Leap (0.29, 0.28-0.31)
Likely Renewal:
N/A
Certain Renewal:
Saturday Night Live (0.96*)
Already Canceled/Final Season:
Magnum PI
Coming Soon:
Chicago Fire
Chicago Med
Chicago PD
Extended Family
La Brea
Law & Order
Law & Order: Organized Crime
Law & Order: SVU
Lopez vs Lopez
Night Court
St. Denis Medical
Quantum Leap: I haven't discussed Quantum Leap at all this season so far, so it's time to catch up on its performance thus far. It premiered to a 0.31, and then dropped a bit to a 0.28 the next week before rebounding the week after and then dropping back down to 0.28. That's a pretty consistent performance, at least, though it's not a terribly impressive one. It is, at least, in-line with how it did last season, though that was in a tougher 10 PM slot, rather than the 8 PM lead-off slot it has now. Though it got an early renewal last year, I wasn't too sure on its renewal odds up to the point of its renewal, and I'm in that same boat again. 0.3s aren't terrible in this day and age, not even at 8 PM, and the show airs against the #1 show on TV in Survivor and two other formidable performers in The Masked Singer and Celebrity Jeopardy. Its ratings are at the point where I could see it going either way, especially when it's on virtually the same level as The Irrational. I don't know if all three of these fall shows are getting renewed, considering that NBC will most likely renewed six Dick Wolf shows and at least one hour of comedies. That leaves only a few hours of available programming, and they will likely want to leave some space open for new shows. Quantum Leap is a show that I envision being renewed if they have the space, and canceled if they do not. Its ratings are inoffensive, but far from exciting, and it can probably be replaced on the schedule with ease. Its stability from last season leads me to believe that it LEANS RENEWAL, but I can see NBC cutting their losses as well and looking to air something new instead.
The Irrational: Speaking of airing something new, as discussed in the past, NBC was the only network to get new scripted programming on the air this fall, thanks to thinking ahead and planning for a strike before it actually happened. Of their two new shows, The Irrational is definitely the one in more danger. Its ratings so far have been okay, but its retention from The Voice is unimpressive, and the show is already rating similarly to the lowest-rated Quantum Leap episodes in this slot last season. That show did get renewed, so these ratings certainly don't indicate certain doom, but The Irrational is not, at this point, looking like a promising prospect for longevity. The 0.24 it hit last week marked its worst retention yet from The Voice. It did, at least, perk up the week after, but it's concerning that it's already gone so low so early into its run. With Found looking very solid (and stable), I can easily see NBC deciding to only renew that one and leave The Irrational a one-and-done project. I want to see how it rates in the coming weeks, and how it measures up to Quantum Leap, before I make any sort of a prediction change here. For now, it LEANS RENEWAL.
What do you think of my predictions? What are your predictions? Let me know in the comments and vote in the poll of the week!
