Ratings Bubble Report: Will Fox’s ‘Gotham’ score a season 4 renewal?

We love “Gotham,” and pretty much all things related to the Batman universe. With that out of the way, we’ll do our best to be unbiased in this article as we look towards whatever the future of this show on Fox could be. It’s had a nice little run for itself so far — by the end of the third season, we’ll have in total more than 60 episodes on the air. To go along with that, Bruce Wayne will be so much closer to becoming Batman than he was at the start of the pilot. You want that evolution, but you never want it to feel forced. The show’s done well with that, and the same goes for the evolution of the villains.

So what are the odds of a fourth season? – Right now, we believe the right words are “incredibly hopeful.” Obviously, we’re not an executive over at Fox, so we don’t have a whole lot to say about whether or not the show will actually come back. Yet, most signs point towards it having a great chance.

For one, “Gotham” is very consistent in the ratings. It’s averaged between a 1.0 and 1.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic every episode this season, and the holiday hiatus had no impact on it whatsoever. Add to that strong DVR numbers and the show’s even better. If you also add to that the performance of other Fox shows elsewhere, it’s looking even more like a lock. As of right now, “Lethal Weapon” and “Empire” are the only two proven hour-long dramas drawing better ratings than it. (“Star” may have a better average for now, but its still in its infancy and was boosted heavily by its premiere.)

Also, consider syndication a factor in a renewal decision — once we get to the end of season 4, there’s a good chance that all parties can make a little more money by shipping the show out elsewhere. There’s no guarantee that they will (some networks / studios wait until after season 5 or a hundred episodes), but it’s an option that would be hard to pass up given this property.

In speaking of the property, consider that another reason to keep the show going. This is a show reportedly planning to introduce a Harley Quinn-like character at the end of the season. If that doesn’t boost ratings and attention further, what will? “Gotham” and Batman are seemingly never going out of style, and if the ratings stay around this point for the next few years, this is a show that could have a really long run ahead for it. Plus, there’s something wonderfully exciting about a series finale that ends with Bruce putting on the infamous cowl. You can’t quite do that if it ends in season 3.

For now, we’d be stunned if the show is canceled this season — the best thing you can do further ensure its safety is keep watching live or via approved channels. Anything that features commercial breaks is a way to continue monetizing it and making the bigwigs at Fox happy.

Will “Gotham” be renewed for a third season? Be sure to share some of your thoughts with a comment, and head over here if you’ve got an interest in getting some more news when it comes to the show. (Photo: Fox.)