In a surprising turn of events, NBC has made significant changes to its programming lineup by canceling five shows, leading to a major shake-up in its fall schedule. Among the few bright spots, The Hunting Party and Brilliant Minds have been renewed for full second seasons, each expected to consist of 18 to 22 episodes. Unfortunately, this renewal news comes alongside the cancellation of longer-running series such as Lopez vs. Lopez, Night Court, Found, The Irrational, and Suits LA. The fate of Grosse Pointe Garden Society remains uncertain at this time.
The primary reason behind NBC's drastic cancellations stems from the necessity to clear its Tuesday night schedule for NBA games. This change is part of NBC's lucrative deal with the professional basketball league, which is set to expand its presence on the network. Starting in February 2026, viewers can expect a second night of NBA action on Sundays, a slot typically reserved for midseason dramas and reality television. With the NBA now claiming a substantial seven hours of primetime airtime, NBC had to make tough decisions about which shows to retain.
Jeff Bader, President of Program Planning Strategy for NBCUniversal Entertainment, addressed reporters at a Saturday press conference, noting, “We had a lot of shows that we had to pass on in order to put our schedule together. In the fall, the NBA is a huge priority for us. That is our biggest new show in the fall.” This statement underscores the network's commitment to prioritizing sports programming over traditional scripted shows.
In the process of deciding which shows to keep, NBC evaluated each program’s performance metrics closely. Bader explained, “We looked at what their performance was, week to week, episode to episode, on both linear and digital, to try and glean which ones we thought had the best ratings story.” This comprehensive analysis allowed NBC to pinpoint shows with the best potential for growth and audience engagement.
The Hunting Party, a high-concept procedural, alongside Brilliant Minds, a medical drama, emerged as the standout contenders. Bader commented, “These are the two shows that made their way to the top.” This demonstrates how audience ratings and creative potential played critical roles in the network's renewal decisions.
Addressing the common query of why certain shows weren’t moved to Peacock, NBC's streaming platform, Bader clarified that the discussion was held for every show. However, this year, no bubble show was saved by transitioning to streaming. “We had that conversation about every show,” he mentioned, indicating a deliberate strategy that favored live programming over streaming exclusives.
Among the canceled shows, Suits LA, a spinoff starring Stephen Amell, faced a particularly short lifespan. Despite hopes of replicating the streaming success of the original Suits series in 2023, Bader acknowledged that the spinoff “really just has not resonated with the way we thought it would.” He added, “It’s just not really showing potential to grow for us in the future, unfortunately, and those are the decisions we had to make.”
As the television landscape continues to evolve, NBC's recent cancellations highlight the importance of ratings and audience engagement, particularly in a competitive environment where sports programming increasingly takes precedence.
