FOX Renew/Cancel 3: Can HI-Surf Stay Afloat?

Predictions for 11/30/24

Photo Credit: FOX

Below are the November 30th renew/cancel predictions for the Fox network in the 2024-25 television season. The numbers listed in the table mark the Nielsen rating low, average, and high for each respective program in the Adults 18-49 demographic. The "Y2Y (year-to-year) Change" column denotes how much the series has grown or declined when compared to its average from the previous season.

Rescue: HI-Surf: Fox recently unveiled its midseason schedule and simultaneously revealed that new drama Rescue: HI-Surf will no longer be airing after the Super Bowl. Instead, the network is going with a safer option by installing Rob Lowe game show The Floor as the direct lead-out to the game. As a result, HI-Surf is now Likely to be Canceled. Fox went out of their way to remove one of their newest shows from the best slot possible, so it is clear that they no longer have confidence in it. Though the post-Super Bowl slot rarely builds an audience for a show, it's still a chance for millions of new viewers to sample the network's latest product. It is clear that Fox would rather have a reliable unscripted series like The Floor there instead of a struggling newbie. Even though HI-Surf did rise to a 0.18 for its midseason finale, it has previously gone as low as a 0.14. These ratings are not strong enough to warrant a renewal, so it is unlikely that this freshman drama will stay afloat.

Murder in a Small Town: Crime drama Murder in a Small Town finished its inaugural season with a tepid 0.19 rating in the Adults 18-49 demographic. The series has not been a winner in the key demo, but it remains Likely to be Renewed. If Global, the Canadian network that co-produces Murder, is willing to stay on board, then Fox has little reason to stop airing the series. The Cleaning Lady and Alert scored pickups with even smaller ratings, so this one will stay on the right side of the bubble.

The Simpsons: The Simpsons is currently having a particularly rough season. Despite frequent NFL inflation and two Treehouse of Horror specials, it has not been able to get a 1 before the decimal point. To make matters worse, Universal Basic Guys has upstaged it in the retention department when given the direct football lead-in. The Simpsons is still Certain to be Renewed, but it seems to be weakening to a point where not even football can mask its shortcomings.

The TV Ratings Guide	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30
Mon	9-1-1: Lone Star		Rescue: HI-Surf
Tues	Murder In A Small Town		Accused
Wed	The Masked Singer		The Floor
Thurs	Hell's Kitchen		Crime Scene Kitchen
Fri	Fox College Football Friday
Sun	The Simpsons	Universal Basic Guys	Bob's Burgers	Krapopolis