Are ‘Castle’ season 9 renewal odds bolstered by ABC’s struggles elsewhere?
We feel like we’ve spent a lot of time over the past few months discussing the ratings woes of “Castle,” but something has really changed since the middle of February: We’ve since gone on to discuss more of the ratings woes of ABC in general. This is a network who recently leg go of Paul Lee as its programming head, and new boss Channing Dungey has her work cut out for her trying to sort all of this out.
What we know right now is that the majority of the show’s long-standing hits have been renewed … but should all of them be? “Quantico” and “Agents of SHIELD,” for example, both have been given extra seasons, but over the past month “Castle” has drawn better ratings averages than them in the 18-49 demographic. It’s also faring better than another bubble show in “Nashville,” “Of Kings and Prophets” has already been canceled, “Beyond the Tank” floundered in its one week on Tuesdays at 10:00 p.m. Eastern, and “The Family” is not inspiring a whole lot of confidence.
Ultimately, what we’re trying to say here is this: While “Castle” looked almost like a dead show walking in the fall, it’s suddenly looking like a solid contributor, a healthy alternative to some of the other programming. It even drew the same demo rating as “Once Upon a Time” this week. We’d still consider the fairy-tale drama a higher priority for ABC than it, but that show and the three Shonda Rhimes series (we’re not including “The Catch” yet) are the only ones actually performing better than “Castle” in the scripted drama department in the demo. Add to this syndication / DVR ratings / international popularity, and you have a show that is stating its case.
There are still some hurdles coming up, including making sure that the principal cast is on board, but through a certain lens we are starting to feel optimistic that “Castle” could be coming back. With that said, we wouldn’t be shocked if ABC did something like move it to Tuesdays, where it can try to plug that terrible hole that they have after “Agents of SHIELD.”
Jim45
March 26, 2016 @ 3:47 pm
ABC has more than a few problems to sort out before Castle can be renewed. First and foremost they need to get some better show runners that the 2 incompetents who have run the show into the ground this season. If I were advising either Katic or Fillion I’d tell them to walk unless they got somebody decent at the helm for another season. Second, they need better writers. Third, the show needs a strong and consistent on screen presence of the Beckett character interacting with the Castle character. No matter what anybody thought or wants to think, the show is about the relationship between those two characters with a reasonable COTW thrown in. Third, Katic wants to do other things. Fillion probably does as well. The pay check is great, but these are creative people who need a variety of creative challenges to lead the kind of full life they want, to say nothing of their personal lives. They both need time to do this. Both have other projects where they have commitments after shooting on Castle wraps this season. I don’t think either of them will have trouble finding work. Fourth, Katic is going to need time to do some promotional stuff this Fall for both movies made last Spring.
Once ABC and the management teams for Fillion and Katic get a grip on those items they can probably address the more mundane elements of getting a 9th season up and running toward something that resembles a better season than 8, a series low point.
Buddy
March 26, 2016 @ 12:42 am
I did not watch “Catch” but the reviews that I have read indicate that it is not a contender to replace “Castle”.
Joey
March 27, 2016 @ 1:26 pm
For me on March 28th, I’ll be watching NCIS LA . This is the show I watch when Castle not on, been watching it a lot this season. They have also renewed for another season.
Joey
March 25, 2016 @ 4:01 pm
We need to take a good look at what happened in season8. It started last summer when we heard about the big bold move to get the spark back, the split and separation of Rick and Kate. That is all we heard about for a long time, causing fans to leave. So when the first episode aired rating were down. At the end of episode 2 more left. At the end of episode 3 as Hawley and his interviewer wonder if the fans got over being mad, the answer was a big NO. The episode Mr. and Mrs. Castle some fans started come back, because of a comment written on 11/21, Did kate and Rick make a Baby in the episode before. So that was spot down by Hawley on 11/24, he just said NO. So now we get 77 days off that had no less than 4 start up dates, that aired again with low ratings. No one had a clue when it was going to start up. So now lets go to a article written in the TV Guide Nov9-22,2015,written in the Cheers & Jeers section stating Jeers to Castle ” for dragging out Rick and Beckett’s separation. After fans waited forever for these two to get together they pull this breakup crap for drama’s sake. Even Castle (Nathan Fillion with Stana Katic) could have come up with a better storyline”. This is how I see a show runners job, they come up with the way they see how the show should go than ask writes to write the episode reflecting that point of view. So after 77 days off and so many negative comments, one would think the show runners would have come up with a different story line and had the writes reflect that. That did not happen and we just stayed with the BS story line. So than we heard for months about the spin off show, that would be a non starter unless for had Fillion and Katic in it, has noted by episode 14. Episode 15 was much better, Thank You Mr. Bowman. With the changing of the ABC president we were hoping she would go back to all of Castles seasons and that a look at why season 8 ratings fell so far down. Remember the earlier seasons and books when they talked about the odd sock, she needs to find it. She needs to go back and find why Hawley left after season 3, I think she find the odd sock. They all talked about season 7 low ratings, but they would love to have those numbers now. Back in July Stana ask us all the give the new runner a chance, I wonder how she feels now. I would love to see Fillion and Katic and the rest of the cast back for a season 9. And let it go out on a good positive ending, like what they are doing for Bones. That would be good for all the fans that have hung in there so long, who watched every episode, purchased all books and DVD’s so they would have something to feel good about, and not just be left with a bad taste. If any thing needs to change in Castle right now, it would be Hawley needs to go period.
Jim45
March 26, 2016 @ 3:54 pm
Excellent. Agree completely. I don’t blame the show runners for trying some things out. I do blame them for continuing to drive forward with those same things after it was obvious that they were had failed with the audience. Marlowe tried things that failed, but had the good sense to bring them to a rapid conclusion. His DC arc comes to mind.
Kerry Kilbride
March 25, 2016 @ 7:14 am
There are 2 problems with the show as it stands now. First is this crazy storyline that they have, it is just insane as it came out of nowhere. They are just happily married then she can’t be with him anymore. How can they expect the viewers to stay invested in the show when they out of the blue take 1-2 months off for a winter break and then when they come back in late January early February have a couple of shows in a row then start throwing in breaks. Show one week then a week off. Ya ABC, good job keeping us interested.
Teri
March 25, 2016 @ 1:28 am
Castle has proven to be a solid, steady show. Plus, there is revenues from the Castle books. Shows come and go, but steady ones do not. Castle deserves renewal.
Vikki
March 24, 2016 @ 10:46 pm
It will most likely be renewed, and most likely without Stana. So they will end the lovestory a maybe get another year out of it. Worth it? Doubtful to fans who have stuck with it for 8 years
Leo
March 24, 2016 @ 8:12 pm
ABC might want to reconsider, but someone should check with SK whose latest instagram indicates she’s ready to turn the page.
flipper
March 26, 2016 @ 8:33 pm
You are right she did say that and Fillion had a lot of things he wanted to do. Who can blame these two for wanting the go after what has happened in this season 8. The poor writing and show running no one would want another season of that. The fans just love these two, and as shown that by voting them another PCA this year, it might be time for them to show the fans what they really think of them. A good place to start would be signing on for a season 9 and making it up front there last. With the contract skills the Stana has shown, maybe write in it that ABC needs the replace the two show runners and put in some real good writers so they can bring back the Castle we feel in love seasons 1 -7 for one more finale season. I guest will are going to find out soon what they think of there millions of fans.
Leo
March 26, 2016 @ 8:51 pm
Castle is in the middle of filming episode 20, that will leave three and a half weeks before production ends. I’m sure the two leads have already made plans, and last minuet negotiations only work once, and rumor has it that SK make it known that it was her last contract. Then again………
Leo
March 28, 2016 @ 7:01 am
If the rumors from ABC’s payroll can be believed season 8 will be the last.
georgee
March 24, 2016 @ 7:10 pm
Today Nashville has replaced it two show runners and is expected to have a renewal for a fifth season. Castle pulls in about two million more total viewers per episode than Nashville, so we have some hope for Castle. And just maybe ABC will replace one of our show runners (Hawley) the puzzle piece that just does not fit. A Tuesday change would be could if the time it was shown was after all the NCIS’s . I can not figure out why ABC does not move Grey’s Anatomy into that Monday time slot that Castle is in, and move Castle into Grey’s Anatomy time slot.
Ken Kerns
March 24, 2016 @ 5:43 pm
I also would not rule out a 13-episode finale season, either as a plug-filler or to delay a new show to midseason, assuming the principal cast sign on.