Broadcast Rat Race Week 6: Full Seasons for “Grandfathered”, “Life in Pieces”, Less So for “The Muppets” As “Supergirl” Flies Out the Gate

There’s not much to read into things this week, with most of Fox’s primetime shows, including everything more popular than “Gotham”, pre-empted for the World Series, resulting in the shows that did air being left without weekly indices. It’s also hard to read anything into the drops for ABC and CBS’ Sunday shows, given they not only faced the World Series but a big-time battle of unbeatens on “Sunday Night Football”, and that caveat saves “Quantico” from an unthinkable drop onto the bubble. With CBS in a more general holding pattern due to the “Supergirl” premiere that also affects other networks’ Mondays, we’re really just waiting for next week to see if anything noteworthy happened this week. We have, however, hit the part of the season where the orders shows get are as much for filling schedule holes as anything else; besides the short order for “The Muppets”, NBC today gave single-episode orders to four shows already slated for full seasons.

This week “Thursday Night Football” becomes NFL Network-only, meaning the premiere of CBS’ full Thursday lineup, including syndication fast-track show “Mom” and no-longer-fast-track “Elementary”, now forced to stand or fall on its own as a veteran. CBS made a late decision not to hold “2 Broke Girls” for midseason, instead opting to hold off on new show “Angel from Hell”, and because of the late start on production will be airing a “Big Bang Theory” repeat at 9:30 this week.

How to read the chart: First box shows current time slot, second box current season number. Eps: Total number of episodes aired / total number of episodes ordered (if known). Last: 18-49 rating of the most recent episode. Raw: Average of first-run 18-49 ratings. Adj.: Average of the most recent episode and the previous Adj. rating. WklIdx: Last divided by the network scripted show average for the week. RawIdx: Raw divided by the network scripted show average for the season. Index: Adj. divided by the network scripted show average for the season. In general, >1.1=certain renewal, .85-1.1=probable renewal, .7-.85=on the bubble, .6-.7=probably cancelled. Anything substantially less than .6 for rookie shows indicates a dead show walking. Prod: Production company that produces the show (ABC=ABC Studios, CBS=CBS Television, Fox=20th Television, NBCU=Universal Television, Sony=Sony Pictures Television, WB=Warner Bros. Television). Incorporates ratings through Sunday, November 1; write-ups do not take into account Monday’s ratings. Weekly averages used: CBS 1.7, ABC 1.46, NBC 1.22, CW .65. Network averages used: ABC 1.76, CBS 1.70, FOX 1.64, NBC 1.39, CW .65.

Empire Last: N/A Raw: 5.36 Adj.: 4.98 WklIdx: N/A RawIdx: 3.26 Index: 3.03 Fox #1
The Big Bang Theory Last: 4.4 Raw: 4.1 Adj.: 4.17 WklIdx: 2.59 RawIdx: 2.41 Index: 2.46 CBS #1
The Flash Last: 1.4 Raw: 1.4 Adj.: 1.4 WklIdx: 2.13 RawIdx: 2.14 Index: 2.14 CW #1
Supergirl CBS #2 Too Early
Mon 8:00 Season 1 Eps: 1/13? Last: 3.1 Raw: 3.1 Adj.: 3.1 WklIdx: 1.82 RawIdx: 1.82 Index: 1.82 Prod: WB
I say it’s too early to make a call on “Supergirl”‘s status, just because I never jump the gun and declare a show renewed after the first episode, but really this premiere was so sky-high that it had a lot of room to fall and still be pretty safe. The second episode fell nearly a full ratings point to a 2.2, yet that’s still a tenth better than what “NCIS” did this week, and that produced a weekly index number well into certain renewal territory. “Supergirl” would probably have to fall another four-tenths to 1.8 to fall to probable renewal, so it will likely remain the threshold for determining where I stop condensing shows for the foreseeable future, perhaps until it seemingly-inevitably receives a back nine (or whatever passes for it given the late start). Until then, though, I once again have to come up with things to say about a lot of shows there isn’t much to say about.
Blindspot NBC #1 Cert. Renew
Mon 10:00 Season 1 Eps: 6/23 Last: 2.1 Raw: 2.47 Adj.: 2.22 WklIdx: 1.72 RawIdx: 1.77 Index: 1.59 Prod: WB
Despite slipping from the 2.5 range down to 2.1s each of the last two weeks, “Blindspot” remains NBC’s highest-rated scripted show, with “Chicago Fire” only closing the gap significantly this week.
Modern Family ABC #1 Cert. Renew
Wed 9:00 Season 7 Eps: 149 Last: N/A Raw: 2.86 Adj.: 2.75 WklIdx: N/A RawIdx: 1.62 Index: 1.56 Prod: Fox
“Modern Family” aired a repeat this week after three consecutive weeks of 2.7’s.
Arrow CW #2 Cert. Renew
Wed 8:00 Season 4 Eps: 73/92 Last: .9 Raw: .98 Adj.: .94 WklIdx: 1.38 RawIdx: 1.49 Index: 1.43 Prod: WB
“Arrow” slid a tenth each of the past two weeks but this week held on to its audience at .9.
The Simpsons FOX #2 Renewed
Sun 8:00 Season 27 Eps: 579/596 Last: N/A Raw: 2.04 Adj.: 2.28 WklIdx: N/A RawIdx: 1.24 Index: 1.38 Prod: Fox
Last week “Treehouse of Horror” was down eight-tenths from last year, but was still the highest-rated episode of the season so far and helped pull up the rest of the night.
Scandal ABC #2 Cert. Renew
Thu 9:00 Season 5 Eps: 75/90 Last: 2.3 Raw: 2.65 Adj.: 2.43 WklIdx: 1.58 RawIdx: 1.50 Index: 1.38 Prod: ABC
After three straight weeks of two-tenths declines, “Scandal” bounced up a tenth last week. But with “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” as a lead-in, pulling over a half-point worse than “Grey’s Anatomy” normally gets, “Scandal” fell another two-tenths this week.
Grey’s Anatomy ABC #3 Cert. Renew
Thu 8:00 Season 12 Eps: 250/269 Last: N/A Raw: 2.4 Adj.: 2.37 WklIdx: N/A RawIdx: 1.36 Index: 1.34 Prod: ABC
“Grey’s Anatomy” moved up a tenth each of the past two weeks. Will it maintain that momentum after being pre-empted for “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” this week?
Chicago Fire NBC #2 Cert. Renew
Tue 10:00 Season 4 Eps: 72/92 Last: 1.9 Raw: 1.76 Adj.: 1.8 WklIdx: 1.56 RawIdx: 1.27 Index: 1.29 Prod: NBCU
“Chicago Fire” shot up three-tenths this week.
NCIS CBS #3 Cert. Renew
Tue 8:00 Season 13 Eps: 288/306 Last: 2.1 Raw: 2.22 Adj.: 2.15 WklIdx: 1.24 RawIdx: 1.30 Index: 1.26 Prod: CBS
“NCIS” is exactly the sort of show that explains why I decided to condense the listings for the top shows. It’s been bouncing between 2.2 and 2.1 each of the last several weeks, and I tend to overreact to the tiniest little week-to-week moves anyway; when it’s well into certain-renewal territory, there just isn’t much I can say about it. Yet it looks like “Supergirl” didn’t fall so low I won’t have to come up with something to say in this space next week too.
The Goldbergs ABC #4 Cert. Renew
Wed 8:30 Season 3 Eps: 53 Last: 2.2 Raw: 2.2 Adj.: 2.16 WklIdx: 1.51 RawIdx: 1.25 Index: 1.22 Prod: Sony
“The Goldbergs” has gained a tenth each of the past two weeks and this week was only a tenth behind “Scandal” when the latter show lost “Grey’s Anatomy” as a lead-in. This despite “Modern Family” being a re-run afterwards. Could it anchor a comedy night of its own someday, possibly as soon as next season?
Life in Pieces CBS #4 Cert. Renew
Thu 8:30 Season 1 Eps: 5/22 Last: N/A Raw: 2.06 Adj.: 2.02 WklIdx: N/A RawIdx: 1.21 Index: 1.19 Prod: Fox
Deadline reports that CBS engaged in a “tense” standoff with Fox in the days leading up to last week’s full-season pickup over just how many episodes CBS would give “Life in Pieces” and what sort of right CBS would have to reduce the order later. Although “Life in Pieces” is the highest-rated new comedy of the season and the only one not in any real danger of cancellation at the moment (though “The Muppets” picked up reason to exhale this week), I can understand where CBS is coming from, since they don’t have any data from the show’s new Thursday time slot. As “Sleepy Hollow” can attest, moving from Monday to Thursday can wreak havoc on show ratings.
Supernatural CW #3 Cert. Renew
Wed 9:00 Season 11 Eps: 222/241 Last: .8 Raw: .78 Adj.: .76 WklIdx: 1.23 RawIdx: 1.18 Index: 1.16 Prod: WB
Looks like last week’s .6 was a one-week abberation as “Supernatural” bounces back to .8 this week.
The Middle ABC #5 Cert. Renew
Wed 8:00 Season 7 Eps: 149 Last: 2.0 Raw: 2.03 Adj.: 1.98 WklIdx: 1.37 RawIdx: 1.15 Index: 1.12 Prod: WB
“The Middle” regains the tenth it lost last week and gets bumped up to certain renewal as a result.
How to Get Away with Murder ABC #6 Cert. Renew
Thu 10:00 Season 2 Eps: 21/30 Last: 1.8 Raw: 2.17 Adj.: 1.97 WklIdx: 1.24 RawIdx: 1.23 Index: 1.11 Prod: ABC
“How to Get Away with Murder” slid three-tenths this week to a series low, but don’t cry too much for it – although it slid a tenth further than “Scandal” did with “Grey’s Anatomy” replaced by “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” at the start of the night, its weekly index number actually picked up a notch.
Law and Order: SVU NBC #3 Prob. Renew
Wed 9:00 Season 17 Eps: 372/389 Last: N/A Raw: 1.62 Adj.: 1.54 WklIdx: N/A RawIdx: 1.17 Index: 1.11 Prod: NBCU
“SVU” was pre-empted by a two-hour “Chicago PD” and its index numbers climbed above the certain-renewal threshold, but I want to see the show justify a status change on its own merits before I bump it up.
Scorpion CBS #5 Prob. Renew
Mon 9:00 Season 2 Eps: 28/46 Last: 1.9 Raw: 1.85 Adj.: 1.85 WklIdx: 1.12 RawIdx: 1.09 Index: 1.09 Prod: CBS
Having “Supergirl” as a lead-in propelled a 90-minute “Scorpion” to a tenth-point jump after four weeks bouncing between 1.7 and 1.8. That might come back to Earth next week, but “Supergirl” will remain “Scorpion”‘s lead-in from now on, so as long as “Supergirl” continues to beat what “Life in Pieces” was doing “Scorpion” should continue to benefit, and that might be enough for a bump up to certain renewal.
Chicago PD NBC #4 Cert. Renew
Wed 10:00 Season 3 Eps: 43/61 Last: 1.5 Raw: 1.52 Adj.: 1.49 WklIdx: 1.23 RawIdx: 1.09 Index: 1.07 Prod: NBCU
A two-hour “Chicago P.D.” was only good enough for it to gain back the tenth it lost last week.
The Blacklist NBC #5 Cert. Renew
Thu 9:00 Season 3 Eps: 48/66 Last: 1.5 Raw: 1.52 Adj.: 1.48 WklIdx: 1.23 RawIdx: 1.09 Index: 1.07 P: Sony/Unv.
“The Blacklist” bounced back up a tenth this week.
Black-ish ABC #7 Prob. Renew
Wed 9:30 Season 2 Eps: 29/46 Last: 1.9 Raw: 1.93 Adj.: 1.88 WklIdx: 1.30 RawIdx: 1.10 Index: 1.06 Prod: ABC
“black-ish” pulled its second bump up to 1.9 in the past five weeks, with 1.8s the remaining three, consolidating its renewal-worthy position.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine FOX #3 Cert. Renew
Sun 8:30 Season 3 Eps: 49 Last: N/A Raw: 1.58 Adj.: 1.68 WklIdx: N/A RawIdx: .96 Index: 1.02 Prod: NBCU
The few shows Fox did air this week tended to be lower-rated, so the index numbers for the pre-empted shows went up.
Rosewood FOX #4 Prob. Renew
Wed 8:00 Season 1 Eps: 5/22? Last: N/A Raw: 1.84 Adj.: 1.65 WklIdx: N/A RawIdx: 1.12 Index: 1.00 Prod: Fox
“Rosewood” is pre-empted by baseball while Fox’s network average fell down to right at its adjusted index number.
Family Guy FOX #4 Prob. Renew
Sun 9:00 Season 14 Eps: 253 Last: N/A Raw: 1.6 Adj.: 1.65 WklIdx: N/A RawIdx: .97 Index: 1.00 Prod: Fox
See above.
Criminal Minds CBS #6 Prob. Renew
Wed 9:00 Season 11 Eps: 238/255 Last: 1.6 Raw: 1.72 Adj.: 1.64 WklIdx: .94 RawIdx: 1.01 Index: .97 P: ABC/CBS
After two weeks at 1.7, “Criminal Minds” slid a tenth to 1.6 last week, but held on to that number again this week.
NCIS: New Orleans CBS #7 Prob. Renew
Tue 9:00 Season 2 Eps: 29/49 Last: 1.6 Raw: 1.63 Adj.: 1.6 WklIdx: .94 RawIdx: .96 Index: .94 Prod: CBS
After pulling 1.7s its first three weeks, “NCIS: New Orleans” slipped two tenths and now has pulled 1.6s the past two weeks.
Once Upon a Time ABC #8 Prob. Renew
Sun 8:00 Season 5 Eps: 94/111 Last: 1.5 Raw: 1.65 Adj.: 1.56 WklIdx: 1.03 RawIdx: .93 Index: .89 Prod: ABC
After three straight 1.6’s, “Once Upon a Time” slips a tenth opposite the World Series and a monster “Sunday Night Football” matchup, but actually beat ABC’s weekly average.
Gotham FOX #6 Prob. Renew
Mon 8:00 Season 2 Eps: 28 Last: 1.5 Raw: 1.5 Adj.: 1.46 WklIdx: N/A RawIdx: .91 Index: .89 Prod: WB
“Gotham” regained the two-tenths it lost last week, pulling it out of the danger zone for now.
The Vampire Diaries CW #4 Prob. Renew
Thu 8:00 Season 7 Eps: 137/155 Last: .6 Raw: .58 Adj.: .58 WklIdx: .92 RawIdx: .88 Index: .88 Prod: WB*
“The Vampire Diaries” bounces back from last week’s slippage and builds some buffer between it and the danger zone.
iZombie CW #4 Prob. Renew
Tue 9:00 Season 2 Eps: 17/26 Last: .6 Raw: .58 Adj.: .58 WklIdx: .92 RawIdx: .88 Index: .88 Prod: WB
After moving up a notch this week, “iZombie” manages to escape the bubble and now has identical numbers across the board to “The Vampire Diaries”.
Fresh Off the Boat ABC #9 Prob. Renew
Tue 8:30 Season 2 Eps: 17/35 Last: 1.5 Raw: 1.66 Adj.: 1.55 WklIdx: 1.03 RawIdx: .94 Index: .88 Prod: Fox
“Fresh off the Boat” bounces back a tenth after being pre-empted by Halloween specials, keeping its index number constant.
The Muppets ABC #10 Prob. Renew
Tue 8:00 Season 1 Eps: 5/16 Last: 1.4 Raw: 1.86 Adj.: 1.54 WklIdx: .96 RawIdx: 1.05 Index: .87 Prod: ABC
“The Muppets” managed to stop the bleeding, bouncing back from the 1.3 it got just before last week’s holiday-special pre-emption, but only a tenth to a 1.4. That’s enough to stave off concerns of slipping to the bubble for now, but it’s still a pretty hard fall for a show that still boasts the third-highest debut for a new show even after “Supergirl”‘s impressive premiere. Given that ABC had already talked about giving “The Muppets” a short season, this week’s three-episode short order has to be seen as an attempt to give it time to recover some of its lost audience and perhaps retool the show away from a premise that seems to have alienated many Muppet fans. While “The Muppets” now appears to be in decent shape for a second season, it’s that challenge that will determine whether it gets a third.
Limitless CBS #8 Prob. Renew
Tue 10:00 Season 1 Eps: 6/22? Last: 1.4 Raw: 1.62 Adj.: 1.45 WklIdx: .82 RawIdx: .95 Index: .85 Prod: CBS
“Limitless” has had three straight weeks of 1.4s bracketing its full-season order, but its index numbers have still needed to catch up to it, and as a result its main index number remains in probable-renewal territory by the slimmest of margins. The effect of “Supergirl” on CBS’ network average is not good news for it.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ABC #11 Prob. Renew
Tue 9:00 Season 3 Eps: 48/66 Last: 1.4 Raw: 1.52 Adj.: 1.46 WklIdx: .96 RawIdx: .86 Index: .83 Prod: ABC
With “The Muppets” and “Fresh off the Boat” returning to their lead-in spots, “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” lost the tenth it gained last week despite those shows gaining a tenth each.
The Last Man on Earth FOX #7 Bubble
Sun 9:30 Season 2 Eps: 17 Last: N/A Raw: 1.32 Adj.: 1.33 WklIdx: N/A RawIdx: .80 Index: .81 Prod: Fox
Taking a week off for the World Series makes “The Last Man on Earth”‘s standing look better with mostly lower-rated shows taking the Fox stage, but it doesn’t mean much until Fox actually has a week’s worth of actual shows airing.
Heroes Reborn NBC #6 Miniseries
Thu 8:00 Season 5 Eps: 5/13 Last: 1.0 Raw: 1.33 Adj.: 1.1 WklIdx: .82 RawIdx: .96 Index: .79 Prod: NBCU
“Heroes Reborn” managed to hold on to a 1.1 last week, but slipped another tenth this week.
Grimm NBC #6 Bubble
Fri 9:00 Season 5 Eps: 89/110 Last: 1.1 Raw: 1.1 Adj.: 1.1 WklIdx: .90 RawIdx: .79 Index: .79 Prod: NBCU
“Grimm” debuted to numbers at the top of the range it was pulling at 8 last year, down three-tenths from last year’s premiere. There’s enough of a difference between NBC’s overall network average and its weekly average I’m not sure whether I should list “Grimm” on the bubble, as the overall index number suggests, or as a probable renewal, as the weekly number suggests. “Grimm” is a veteran and in-house production, which gives it an edge when it comes to decision time, but even a drop of a single tenth would put the weekly number on the bubble (and a drop of at least that much seems inevitable, though it was facing the World Series), and “Law and Order: SVU” would have had a net positive effect on NBC’s weekly average if it hadn’t been pre-empted this week. It’s definitely more likely to be renewed than cancelled, though, so don’t freak out too much for now.
Quantico ABC #12 Prob. Renew
Sun 10:00 Season 1 Eps: 6/20 Last: 1.2 Raw: 1.62 Adj.: 1.39 WklIdx: .82 RawIdx: .92 Index: .79 Prod: ABC
“Quantico”, perhaps ABC’s biggest new-show success story despite “The Muppets” only pulling worse numbers its last two episodes, on the bubble so soon after picking up a full-season order? This week’s 1.2 sure suggests it. I haven’t moved it down in deference to its competition against the World Series and Packers-Broncos, but this absolutely has to be a one-week abberation created by the competition, and “Quantico” absolutely has to bounce back to the 1.6 range it was doing earlier or the 1.5 it pulled last week, or it could suddenly start to look like a long season.
Bones FOX #8 Bubble
Thu 8:00 Season 11 Eps: 217 Last: 1.3 Raw: 1.26 Adj.: 1.26 WklIdx: N/A RawIdx: .77 Index: .76 Prod: Fox
“Bones” lost two-tenths two weeks ago, and has now recovered all of that to get back to the level it was at in its second episode, but this is still a worrying range to be in.
The Mysteries of Laura NBC #8 Bubble
Wed 8:00 Season 2 Eps: 28/35 Last: 1.0 Raw: 1.1 Adj.: 1.04 WklIdx: .82 RawIdx: .79 Index: .75 Prod: WB
“The Mysteries of Laura” lost the tenth it regained last week, putting it in a range smack-dab in the middle of the bubble.
NCIS: Los Angeles CBS #9 Bubble
Mon 10:00 Season 7 Eps: 149/168 Last: N/A Raw: 1.2 Adj.: 1.23 WklIdx: N/A RawIdx: .71 Index: .72 Prod: CBS
Getting “Supergirl” out the door with “The Big Bang Theory” as a lead-in meant expanding “Scorpion” to 90 minutes and pre-empting “NCIS: Los Angeles” for a week, so it’ll be another week before we see the degree to which last week’s 1.3 was an abberation.
Last Man Standing ABC #13 Prob. Renew
Fri 8:00 Season 5 Eps: 91 Last: 1.3 Raw: 1.23 Adj.: 1.27 WklIdx: .89 RawIdx: .70 Index: .72 Prod: Fox
“Last Man Standing” gained back the tenth it lost last week, pulling ahead of Friday success story and lead-out “Dr. Ken” and pulling ahead of both it and CBS’ stalwart “Blue Bloods” to become the strongest Friday show.
Madam Secretary CBS #10 Bubble
Sun ≥8p Season 2 Eps: 27/44 Last: 1.1 Raw: 1.3 Adj.: 1.21 WklIdx: .65 RawIdx: .77 Index: .71 Prod: CBS
“Madam Secretary” fell to its low for the season opposite the World Series and Packers-Broncos, giving it an index number that makes it look like it’s hanging on to the bubble by a thread. So long as it gains its audience back in future weeks, though, it’s not too much more of a cause for concern than “Madam Secretary” already had.
Dr. Ken ABC #14 Prob. Renew
Fri 8:30 Season 1 Eps: 5/22? Last: 1.2 Raw: 1.3 Adj.: 1.24 WklIdx: .82 RawIdx: .74 Index: .70 Prod: Sony*
“Dr. Ken” holds onto its audience after slipping a tenth last week, but “Last Man Standing” gained a tenth to pull ahead of it.
Code Black CBS #11 Bubble
Wed 10:00 Season 1 Eps: 5/13? Last: 1.1 Raw: 1.24 Adj.: 1.17 WklIdx: .65 RawIdx: .73 Index: .69 P: ABC/CBS
“Code Black” slipped a tenth after three straight 1.2s in a week “Supergirl” pulled up the CBS network average. That puts it in cancellation territory for now. I’m holding off on moving it down in order to see if it gains the tenth back without having to go up against the World Series, but its normal Fox competition is “Empire”, so I’m not holding my breath.
Blue Bloods CBS #12 Prob. Renew
Fri 10:00 Season 6 Eps: 116/133 Last: 1.1 Raw: 1.23 Adj.: 1.16 WklIdx: .65 RawIdx: .73 Index: .68 Prod: CBS
“Blue Bloods” had 1.3s for three weeks, 1.2s for two weeks, and now slips another tenth to 1.1 opposite the World Series.
Scream Queens FOX #9 Prob. Cancel
Tue 9:00 Season 1 Eps: 5/15 Last: N/A Raw: 1.26 Adj.: 1.09 WklIdx: N/A RawIdx: .77 Index: .67 Prod: Fox
After seeing what Fox did to “Grandfathered” and “The Grinder” I wouldn’t be totally surprised to see “Scream Queens” get a back nine, but an hour-long series has different factors to consider than a comedy, and it sounds like “Scream Queens” might be a limited series anyway.
Grandfathered FOX #10 Prob. Cancel
Tue 8:00 Season 1 Eps: 4/22? Last: N/A Raw: 1.18 Adj.: 1.09 WklIdx: N/A RawIdx: .72 Index: .66 Prod: ABC*
After “The Grinder” was picked up for a back nine, it wasn’t surprising that the higher-rated “Grandfathered” would be picked up for a back nine; what was surprising was that “Grandfathered” wouldn’t be picked up first, and after some speculation that John Stamos’ DUI arrest was responsible for the delay, that it would be picked up only the day after “The Grinder”. Deadline reports the real reason for the delay was the need to negotiate for digital rights with co-producer ABC. Regardless, both pick-ups betray a staggering lack of confidence in the network’s midseason slate, though “Grandfathered” has at least a slight chance to claw its way back onto the bubble.
Hawaii Five-O CBS #13 Bubble
Fri 9:00 Season 6 Eps: 124/143 Last: 1.1 Raw: 1.07 Adj.: 1.07 WklIdx: .65 RawIdx: .63 Index: .63 Prod: CBS
“Hawaii Five-O” gained back the tenth it lost last week to return to the 1.1 range it’s been doing most of the season.
The Originals CW #6 Prob. Renew
Thu 9:00 Season 3 Eps: 48 Last: .4 Raw: .43 Adj.: .41 WklIdx: .62 RawIdx: .65 Index: .63 Prod: WB*
“The Originals” is performing fairly consistently at .4 – not great, but enough for the WB to swallow another season for syndication.
Bob’s Burgers FOX #11 Renewed
Sun 7:30 Season 6 Eps: 92/110 Last: N/A Raw: 1.03 Adj.: 1.03 WklIdx: N/A RawIdx: .63 Index: .62 Prod: Fox
“Bob’s Burgers” takes two weeks off as the World Series knocks out Fox’s entire Sunday schedule.
Nashville ABC #15 Prob. Canned
Wed 10:00 Season 4 Eps: 70 Last: 1.1 Raw: 1.1 Adj.: 1.10 WklIdx: .76 RawIdx: .62 Index: .62 Prod: ABC
Unlike “Castle”, “Nashville” maintained its consistency this week, but that still might not be enough.
The Grinder FOX #12 Prob. Cancel
Tue 8:30 Season 1 Eps: 4/22 Last: N/A Raw: 1.08 Adj.: .99 WklIdx: N/A RawIdx: .65 Index: .60 Prod: Fox
“The Grinder” may have a full season under its belt, but that will only delay the axe’s fall.
The Good Wife CBS #14 Prob. Cancel
Sun ≥9p Season 7 Eps: 139/156 Last: .9 Raw: 1.1 Adj.: 1.01 WklIdx: .53 RawIdx: .65 Index: .60 Prod: CBS
Don’t read too much into “The Good Wife”‘s two-tenths slip into fractional territory against the World Series and Packers-Broncos, but it’s not like the news was all that great for it before. Then again, when has it ever?
Sleepy Hollow FOX #13 Prob. Canned
Thu 9:00 Season 3 Eps: 36/49 Last: 1.1 Raw: .94 Adj.: .98 WklIdx: N/A RawIdx: .57 Index: .59 Prod: Fox
The “Bones” crossover lifted “Sleepy Hollow” to its highest numbers of the season… but they were only up a tenth from the first two episodes, which incurred a staggeringly huge drop from last season. Even if those numbers were to hold “Sleepy Hollow” would be on the wrong side of the cutline. Fox needs to hope these numbers hold – which means hoping the pick-up wasn’t all “Bones” fans looking for the conclusion of the story – or they will likely be out of excuses not to move “Sleepy Hollow” back to Monday.
The Player NBC #9 Cancelled
Thu 10:00 Season 1 Eps: 6/9 Last: .7 Raw: .88 Adj.: .76 WklIdx: .57 RawIdx: .64 Index: .55 Prod: Sony
“The Player” gained a tenth last week but then was hit with an effective cancellation notice and lost it right back.
Castle ABC #16 Prob. Canned
Mon 10:00 Season 8 Eps: 157/173 Last: .8 Raw: 1.1 Adj.: .96 WklIdx: .55 RawIdx: .62 Index: .55 Prod: ABC
Uh-oh. Already in very concerning territory against “Blindspot”, “Castle” tumbled a good three-tenths to a .8 this week, despite not facing the World Series or directly facing the “Supergirl” premiere. This is territory that would be an insta-cancel for a rookie. “Castle” better hope this is a one-week abberation, but depending on ABC’s commitment to the show and willingness to swallow 1.1s and 1.2s, even that may not be enough.
Jane the Virgin CW #7 Prob. Cancel
Mon 9:00 Season 2 Eps: 25/44 Last: .3 Raw: .37 Adj.: .35 WklIdx: .46 RawIdx: .56 Index: .53 Prod: CBS*
“Jane the Virgin” slips a tenth this week and even further into cancellation purgatory. It remains the highest-rated CBS-produced show, but if CBS is going to bail out any of its productions it’ll probably be “Reign” to get it to syndication.
Undateable NBC #10 Bubble
Fri 8:00 Season 3 Eps: 26 Last: .7 Raw: .78 Adj.: .74 WklIdx: .57 RawIdx: .56 Index: .53 Prod: WB
“Undateable” held on to its audience in its fourth week, which unfortunately allowed the woeful “Truth be Told” to catch it.
Wicked City ABC #17 Prob. Cancel
Tue 10:00 Season 1 Eps: 1/10 Last: .9 Raw: .9 Adj.: .9 WklIdx: .62 RawIdx: .51 Index: .51 Prod: ABC
“Wicked City” was already slated to run for only ten episodes and ran into production problems that caused its premiere to be pushed back. That probably wasn’t a good omen, and neither did the relative problems the night it was slated to premiere on has run into, or the mixed-at-best reviews it received from critics. Add all that up, sprinkle in going up against Game 1 of the World Series, and you have a show that crapped the bed on its debut to the tune of a .9. As with “Grimm” the difference between ABC’s weekly and overall network averages make it difficult for me to figure out quite what category to put it in, so for now I’m erring on the side of allowing the possibility it’s already as low as it’ll go, but realistically there’s really no way it gets more than the ten episodes it’s already slated for.
Blood and Oil ABC #18 Cancelled
Sun 9:00 Season 1 Eps: 5/10 Last: .8 Raw: 1.03 Adj.: .88 WklIdx: .55 RawIdx: .59 Index: .50 Prod: ABC
Already-cancelled “Blood and Oil” slipped another tenth against the World Series and Packers-Broncos. You have to imagine ABC is hoping a change of lead-in will play a big part in saving “Quantico” from the bubble.
Truth Be Told NBC #11 Cancelled
Fri 8:30 Season 1 Eps: 3/10 Last: .7 Raw: .67 Adj.: .68 WklIdx: .57 RawIdx: .48 Index: .49 Prod: NBCU
“Truth be Told” gained back the tenth it lost last week, but that’s not nearly enough for NBC to regret its cancellation.
CSI: Cyber CBS #15 Dead Walking
Sun ≥10p Season 2 Eps: 19/35 Last: .7 Raw: .8 Adj.: .75 WklIdx: .41 RawIdx: .47 Index: .44 Prod: CBS
I’d talk about whether slipping a tenth this week is more due to the competition or just what “CSI: Cyber” has done in recent weeks… but look at those index numbers. That’s look-away horrible. And yet, not quite the worst on the air today.
Minority Report FOX #14 Cancelled
Mon 9:00 Season 1 Eps: 6/10 Last: .6 Raw: .77 Adj.: .64 WklIdx: N/A RawIdx: .47 Index: .39 Prod: Fox
“Minority Report” got a week as one-fourth of Fox’s scripted slate and managed to hold on to its audience from the previous week, and if I were tracking weekly index numbers it would still be in the insta-cancel zone, as the show managed to drag its numbers down even further. Four more weeks to go.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend CW #8 Dead Walking
Mon 8:00 Season 1 Eps: 3/13? Last: .2 Raw: .27 Adj.: .25 WklIdx: .31 RawIdx: .41 Index: .38 Prod: CBS
After holding on to its premiere audience in its second week, “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” managed to lose a tenth in its third, which accounts for a third of its miniscule 18-49 rating. Its record is now identical to that of “Reign”, which is less relevant for a fast-track show on Friday. For a rookie? The bell tolls for thee.
Reign CW #8 Prob. Renew
Fri 8:00 Season 3 Eps: 47/62 Last: N/A Raw: .27 Adj.: .25 WklIdx: N/A RawIdx: .41 Index: .38 Prod: CBS*
Should I read anything into the fact “Reign” was pre-empted for a “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” rerun this week?
Mom CBS #? Prem: 11/5
Thu 9:00 Season 3 Eps: 44 Last: N/A Raw: N/A Adj.: N/A WklIdx: N/A RawIdx: N/A Index: N/A Prod: WB
Come one, come all, it’s “Mom”‘s turn to step up to the syndication fast-track! Last year “Mom”‘s numbers were all over the map – in the early part of the season it bounced between 2.3 and 2.8 with a couple of lower numbers – but eventually settled down into the 2.0-2.2 range from February on. That was good enough to put it well into certain-renewal territory, and it should have the same effect again this year, not that it’ll need it with the fast-track factor.
Elementary CBS #? Prem: 11/5
Thu 10:00 Season 4 Eps: 72/96 Last: N/A Raw: N/A Adj.: N/A WklIdx: N/A RawIdx: N/A Index: N/A Prod: CBS
For much of last year, it looked like “Elementary” would end up leaning heavily on its syndication fast-track status to make it to a fourth season, one it might spend buried on Friday or Sunday. In the end, it finished with numbers closer to the bubble, and not only got its fourth season but retained a plum spot on the receiving end of CBS’ marquee comedies on a night anchored by “The Big Bang Theory”. It no longer has the protection of fast-track status, though, and numbers in the 1.2-1.4 range, consistent with what it did in the latter part of last season, will land it right back on the bubble, and anything lower, like the 1.1 it got for its penultimate episode, will land it in serious cancellation danger.

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