NBC’s “Ordinary Joe” and Fox’s “The Big Leap” are being dropped by their respective networks after airing only one season.
TheWrap has learned that Fox loved “The Big Leap” and saw it as an aspirational story, but it didn’t draw strong viewership numbers with an average 0.4/2 L7 and 2.8 million multiplatform viewers.
Based on a U.K. reality format, the Scott Foley-starring dramedy “The Big Leap” was described as “an innovative show-within-a-show that takes viewers on a journey of self-acceptance, body-positivity and empowerment at any age” and “a modern tale about second chances and chasing your dreams and taking back what’s yours.”
Created by “Deception” mastermind and “Friday Night Lights” alum Liz Heldens, it followed “a group of diverse, down-on-their-luck characters attempting to change their lives by participating in a potentially life-ruining reality dance show that builds to a live production of Swan Lake. What this group of underdogs lack in dance training, they make up for with their edge, wit and desire to reimagine an iconic story to fit their own mold,” Fox had said before its debut.
Along with Foley as Nick Blackburn, the dramedy starred Simone Recasner as Gabby Lewis, Ser’Darius Blain as Reggie Sadler, Jon Rudnitsky as Mike Devries, Raymond Cham Jr. as Justin Reyes, Mallory Jansen as Monica Sullivan and Kevin Daniels as Wayne Fontaine, with Piper Perabo as Paula Clark and Teri Polo as Julia Perkins.
The one-hour series was executive produced by Heldens along with Jason Winer, who directed the pilot, and Sue Naegle.
“The Big Leap” was a co-production between 20th Television and Fox Entertainment. The series premiered Sept. 2, with the last of its 11 episodes airing Dec. 6, 2021.
“Ordinary Joe,” which debuted on Sept. 20 last year and aired the last of its 13 episodes on Jan. 24, was “a love letter to indecisiveness,” showrunner Garrett Lerner told TheWrap back in September before its premiere. The series centered on Joe Kimbreau in three parallel timelines — 1) Joe was a cop like his family wanted him to be, 2) Joe as a rockstar, like he wanted to be, and 2) he was a nurse.
The show also starred Natalie Martinez, Elizabeth Lail and Charlie Barnett, with Russel Friend and Garrett Lerner serving as writers and executive producers. Matt Reeves, Adam Kassan, Rafi Crohn and Howard Klein were also executive producers on the show. “Ordinary Joe” was produced by 20th Television, Universal Television, 6th & Idaho, and 3 Arts.
