Weekly Roundup: Ratings results and status updates on all the currently airing sci fi & fantasy shows as well as those still awaiting word on their fates. For the latest ratings updates throughout the week, be sure to follow the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site
Ratings Results of Interest: On Wednesday, FX’s horror-comedy What We Do in the Shadows returned for its second season with a double episode and averaged a 0.20 rating based on same day viewing for the 18-49 demographic with 473K total viewers. That is up from the 0.18 average the show had in its first season, and a good start for its second year. The typical trend for second season shows of late, especially those on basic cable, has been for the numbers to take a notable drop. What We Do in the Shadows was never considered a strong performer in its first year, but for a thirty-minute comedy on cable that is likely not too expensive to produce, these numbers may be enough to sustain it into a third season if they do not slip too much.
On Sunday on HBO, Westworld slipped a bit to a 0.20 rating with 771K total viewers. That show may still be doing well enough to justify a fourth season renewal. Over on Starz, Outlander improved a tick to a 0.14 rating with 837K total viewers. It has already been renewed for a sixth season.
On Freeform on Thursday, Siren saw a slight improvement to a 0.12 rating with 369K total viewers. On Wednesday, Motherland Fort Salem remained at a 0.09 rating with 289K total viewers. Both of those are performing slightly better than Party of Five which was just cancelled by Freeform, though they do not have much leeway for slippage.
Most of the rest of the shows held mostly even with prior performance or did not air new episodes. You can see the full ratings results for the week at this link, and be sure to follow the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site for the latest results and breaking news and to join the #CancelledSciFiArmy as we fight to save our sci fi shows. For more info on what the ratings mean and how I use them to gauge the status of a show, check our our Cancelled Sci Fi FAQ Page. Ratings Source: ShowBuzzDaily
Cancellation Alert: Syfy’s Vagrant Queen is getting booted from Prime Time starting this week. Through its first three episodes, that show has averaged only a 0.07 rating based on same-day viewing for the 18-49 demographic, with its numbers sinking each week. Neither Syfy nor parent company NBCUniversal has an ownership stake in the show, so the network only makes money on advertising revenue and that is driven by the same-day numbers. At the current levels, sponsors are certainly not interested in paying much for commercial spots (especially outside of Prime Time), putting the show’s fate very much in doubt. Read more at this link.
Status Updates: Dispatches from Elsewhere Continues to Struggle
Below are the status updates for all the currently airing shows or those still awaiting word on their fate, including those on the streaming services. You can click through to the show pages to see week-over-week ratings results (where available) and find out more information about the series. You can see the status of all the currently airing and returning sci fi TV shows at our Cancellation Watch Page.
Currently Airing / Streaming Shows:
Amazing Stories (Apple TV+, Status – Renewal Possible): So far, Apple TV+ has renewed most of its original series, so consider this one to have a decent chance of coming back for a second season.
Batwoman (CW, Status – Renewed): While probably not the breakout hit The CW hoped for, this show is currently its second highest rated Fall entry. As expected, it has been renewed for a second season and I would expect it to stick around beyond that. More on that at this link.
Charmed (CW, Status – Renewed): The numbers were down a bit in Fall for this show because of its move to Fridays, but it should do well in digital viewing like it did last season (The CW pays more attention to those stats than the other broadcast networks). It has been renewed for a third season.
Devs (Hulu, Status – Renewal Possible): This show is being billed as a “limited series”, but if it has a large enough audience in its first season, it could get extended to a second year or more.
Dispatches from Elsewhere (AMC, Status – On the Bubble): The numbers for this one are low enough now that I am moving it to Bubble status. If AMC has international financing supporting it, the show could survive, and a Call to Action from fans on the social nets might give it a boost as well.
The Flash (CW, Status – Renewed): This show remained as The CW’s top-rated show in Fall and will now take up the torch for the Arrow-verse shows with Arrow coming to an end. It has been renewed for a seventh season, and it could stick around a year or two beyond that. More on that at this link.
Future Man (Hulu, Status – Final Season): As is typical of the streaming services, this show is ending with its third season. But that at least gives it the chance to wrap up its storylines.
Harley Quinn (DCU, Status – Renewal Possible): This animated entry proved popular in its first season and had a quick turnaround for its second year. At this point, a third season looks like a good.
I Am Not Okay With This (Netflix, Status – Renewal Possible): As with any Netflix original series, this show has a decent chance of sticking around for a second season. But don’t expect an extended run because the streamer tends to cap off its shows around the third season.
Into the Dark (Hulu, Status – Renewal Possible): This horror-movie-a-month anthology continues to draw good buzz in its second season and Hulu could keep it around for another year or so.
Legacies (CW, Status – Renewed): Apparently this show’s second season had an episode order of more than the sixteen it had in its first year. But production has been suspended due to Coronavirus-related shutdowns, so any episodes still planned will be pushed to next season.
Legends of Tomorrow (CW, Status – Renewed): This show was renewed for a sixth season ahead of its fifth year premiere, but there is a good chance that it will wrap after the 2020-21 season. More on that at this link.
MacGyver (CBS, Status – Renewal Likely): Production on the fourth season has been suspended due to the Coronavirus, and no more episodes will be produced. It was already tracking towards renewal with decent numbers for a Friday entry, and the network will likely want the show to get to at least the hundred episode threshold to make it more attractive to the syndication market. A fifth season should get it past that point.
Motherland Fort Salem (Freeform, Status – On the Bubble): The numbers for this freshman series continue to drop and I have moved it to Bubble status. Fans may want to make a Call to Action on the social networks to give it a boost.
Nancy Drew (CW, Status – Renewed): The CW certainly hoped this would be a hit in Fall, but it has not quite worked out that way. But apparently it is making up the slack in digital viewing and the Happy Net likes to renew shows instead of cancelling them, so this one will be back for a second season.
Outlander (Starz, Status – Renewed): The viewership is down for this show in its fifth season, but it is likely making up some of the slack with delayed and digital viewing. This is an established franchise for Starz that appeals directly to its female-skewing audience, and it has already been renewed through its a sixth season. Don’t be surprised if it continues beyond that as well.
The Plot Against America (HBO, Status – Mini-Series): This one is billed as a mini-series and the viewership would likely not justify bringing it back for a second season if the creative team had thoughts of carrying the show past the story of the novel.
Primal (Adult Swim, Status – Renewal Possible): This show’s numbers are decent for a cable series these days, especially one airing at midnight. Five more episodes are planned for the first season and will air in 2020. If the numbers remain where they are at, Adult Swim could bring this one back for a second season.
Riverdale (CW, Status – Renewed): The numbers have slipped for this show in its fourth season–especially in Spring–but it likely makes up the gap in digital viewing which its network pays attention to (unlike the other broadcasters). It has been renewed for a fifth season and could stick around beyond that.
Roswell New Mexico (CW, Status – Renewed): This show has returned down some in the ratings from its first season, but that is the trend we have been seeing of late. It airs on The CW, aka the Happy Net, so it has already been renewed for a third season and could stick around beyond that.
Siren (Freeform, Status – Renewal Possible): This show has returned down from last year’s numbers, but that is the typical trend we are seeing these days. If it does not drop much more, it’s possible this one could return for a fourth season.
Star Wars The Clone Wars (Disney+, Status – Final Season): This will be the final season for Star Wars: The Clone Wars and will wrap up the major storylines from the series. Don’t be surprised if some specials / movies or a spin-off focusing on Ahsoka show up on Disney+ in the coming years, though.
Supergirl (CW, Status – Renewed): This show has been renewed for a sixth season, but don’t be surprised if that is announced as its last at some point. More on that at this link.
Supernatural (CW, Status – Final Season): This show will not air anymore new episodes this season due to production delays. The final seven eps, including the series finale, will get pushed to probably a Fall 2020 start.
Tales from the Loop (Amazon, Status – Renewal Possible): As with any original series on the streaming services, this one has a decent chance of coming back for a second season if the creative team has more stories planned. But the streaming shows tend to cap off around the third or fourth season mark.
Vagrant Queen (Syfy, Status – Cancellation Likely): The early numbers for this freshman series are not good, and Syfy has moved it out of Prime Time which almost assures it is headed for cancellation. Fans should make a Call to Action on the social networks to bring some attention to the show because its prospects are sinking fast.
The Walking Dead (AMC, Status – Renewed): Yes, this show is at series-low ratings levels, but it is still one of the top-rated scripted shows on television and it has made it past the point where same-day (or even delayed / digital) viewing numbers dictate its fate. It has already been renewed for an eleventh season, and expect more to follow. More on that at this link.
Westworld (HBO, Status – Renewal Possible): The same-day viewing for this show is down notably for its third season, but HBO pays attention to the delayed and digital viewing as well as the encore runs. It has a chance of sticking around for a fourth year at this point.
What We Do in the Shadows? (FX, Status – Renewal Possible): This show has returned for its second season with numbers up slightly from its first year, which is about the best a basic cable series can hope for these days. As long as it does not slip too much in the coming weeks, it should be on track for a third season renewal.
Season Ended But Still Awaiting Renewal / Cancellation Decision:
Altered Carbon (Netflix, Status – Renewal Possible): Word is that this one almost did not make it to a second season, and Netflix has been in the cancelling business of late. Perhaps Anthony Mackie’s presence will revive interest in the show, though, and allow it to stick around for at least one more year.
Black Mirror (Netflix, Status – Renewal Possible): There has been no word on this show since its fifth season debuted in June. Netflix tends to end its originals around the three season mark, but this is one of the streamer’s flagship originals and they make an event out of the release of each season. I expect at least a couple more seasons from this one.
Castle Rock (Hulu, Status: Renewal Possible): This season-long horror anthology series released is second season in Fall and could very well be on track for a third year renewal. But the streaming service has been quiet about its status since wrapping up in December. A Call to Action from fans on the social networks could help nudge Hulu execs in the direction of a renewal as they currently consider its fate.
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (Netflix, Status – Renewal Possible): This show has been well-recieved thus far (currently holding an 86% Fresh Rating and 94% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes) and has a decent chance of returning for a second season if the creative team wish to continue the story.
Emergence (ABC, Status – On the Bubble): This is one of ABC’s lowest-rated dramas based on same-day ratings, and its delayed viewing gains faded as the season progressed. I had moved it to Cancellation Likely status, but recent events with production shut-downs for other shows may work out favorably for Emergence. More on that at this link.
Manifest (NBC, Status – Renewal Likely): The numbers for this show improved as it wrapped up its second season, and it continues to be one of the top performers across the broadcast networks in delayed viewing. With the networks likely looking at a shortage of programming for Fall 2020 due to Coronavirus shutdowns, consider this show’s renewal chances to have vastly improved.
Project Blue Book (History, Status – Renewal Possible): This show returned down some from its first season numbers, but it did well enough in its second year for a basic cable series, especially in the total viewers metric (which the History Channel pays more attention to since it skews to an older audience). At this point, a third season looks like a good bet.
The Purge (USA, Status – On the Bubble): This show’s numbers were down from its first year, and it faded notably with its season finale. The fact that it wrapped up in Fall and USA has still not made a third season announcement is concerning as well. It was originally billed as an “event series”, and that event may be coming to an end soon unless fans make a Call to Action to convince the network to bring this one back for another year.
SuperMansion (Crackle, Status – Renewal Possible): There has been no word on a fourth season of this show, but it has done well for Crackle so far and has also performed well in its encore run on Adult Swim. It released another special as recently as April 2019 and that might be its output for a while as the principals try to work in enough time in their schedules to produce more episodes.
The Terror (AMC, Status – On the Bubble): After proving to be a hit for AMC in its first season, this show returned with ratings down notably in its second year. But the series reboots itself each year, and network execs are currently listening to pitches for a third season. A Call to Action from fans on the social networks could help give this one an extra boost.
Two Sentence Horror Stories (CW, Status – Renewal Possible): There has been no word on this show since wrapping up its Summer run, but as a CW entry, it could always return. Don’t be surprised if it quietly rejoins the schedule in Summer 2020.
Watchmen (HBO, Status – Renewal Possible): While the same-day viewing numbers for this show were soft in its first season, it did very well in delayed and digital viewing. Series creator Damon Lindelof has said that “there are no current plans to make” to make a second season, but he doesn’t want to “close the door completely” on a continuation. If there is a second season, it may be a few years down the road.
You can see the list of all of this season’s renewals and cancellations at this link.
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