Upfronts season has come and gone, and that means broadcast networks have canceled many a show to make room for their newly-ordered series (Or because their lead star sent out a racially-charged tweet that received immediate backlash). But not every program that got the ax went out with bad Nielsen numbers. Here’s a look at the highest-rated shows didn’t make the cut for the 2018-19 slate… unless they were saved by NBC. (We’re looking at you, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.”) Ratings are based on Nielsen’s “most current” data stream, which includes a week’s worth of delayed viewing where available. Least-viewed is first, most-watched last. And, yes, there are ties.
Series: “The Mick”
Net: Fox
18-49 rating: 1.2
Series: “The Last Man on Earth”
Net: Fox
18-49 rating: 1.2
Series: “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”***
Net: Fox
18-49 rating: 1.2
***Revived by NBC
Series: “Marvel’s Inhumans”
Net: ABC
18-49 rating: 1.2
Series: “Wisdom of the Crowd”
Net: CBS
18-49 rating: 1.2
Series: “Rise”
Net: NBC
18-49 rating: 1.2
Series: “9JKL”
Net: CBS
18-49 rating: 1.2
Series: “Me, Myself & I”
Net: CBS
18-49 rating: 1.3
Series: “The X-Files”**
Net: Fox
18-49 rating: 1.4
**Ordered as limited series
Series: “Scorpion”
Net: CBS
18-49 rating: 1.5
Series: “Designated Survivor”
Net: ABC
18-49 rating: 1.6
Series: “The Brave”
Net: NBC
18-49 rating: 1.6
Series: “Kevin Can Wait”
Net: CBS
18-49 rating: 1.6
Series: “Law & Order: True Crime”**
Net: NBC
18-49 rating: 1.7
**Ordered as limited series
Series: “The Middle”*
Net: ABC
18-49 rating: 1.9
*Announced as final season in advance
Series: “Scandal”*
Net: ABC
18-49 rating: 2.1
*Announced as final season in advance
Series: “Roseanne”****
Net: ABC
18-49 rating: 5.4
****Canceled abruptly by ABC on May 29 following racially-charged comments star Roseanne Barr made about former Barack Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett and billionaire democratic donor George Soros.
But Nielsen numbers don’t mean everything when it comes to the Big 4’s decisions to cancel a show. Or pick it up from another network. (Again, we’re looking at you “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.”)
