Blindspot season 5 renewal debate: Should it happen? Vote within!

Now that we’re in the month of April, we’re at the time where networks really have to take a long, serious look at the performance of some of their shows. There will be some big renewals coming in the weeks ahead, and there are also going to be some cancellations that will have fans kicking off strong campaigns to save their shows. There’s something so special and unique about the relationships people have with their favorite show, one that you don’t have with almost any other entertainment medium. You spend so much time with them throughout the year and they become a part of your weekly routine. It’s an experience that films or even watching shows on Netflix can’t replicate, and that’s why we think preserving network TV is so valuable.

Within the scope of today’s article, we’re going to be looking at the state of one bubble show in Blindspot. It airs on NBC, it’s beloved by its audience, but its ratings now are such that we should be wholly confident that the Jaimie Alexander – Sullivan Stapleton action series should come back. We’re going to make both a case for and against more of it within this article — then, at the very end, we’re going to be sharing a poll for you to render your own verdict on the show’s future!

The case for it – NBC has an opportunity to establish a reputation for itself as a network that tries to give its shows proper endings. They can claim that they did this with Timeless, but it’s almost a half-measure since it probably needed at least six episodes rather than just a two-hour movie. (Still, it was better than nothing.) In giving Blindspot at least one more season, they can inform the writers about their long-term plans and give them a chance to then work some creative magic. They can allow them to then author whatever fate they want for their characters.

There are still some commercial reasons to bring the show back, as well — it’s not all just based on fan service and NBC taking it on the chin. Blindspot does post solid DVR numbers, it has a streaming audience, and does NBC really feel that confident that they can find another Friday show that will do better? The Blacklist has made it work, but that’s a show with a pretty huge star attached to it; Blindspot has also had the challenge of airing opposite Last Man Standing and MacGyver, two solidly-rated shows, in its timeslot for the bulk of its season.

Here’s perhaps a sneaky reason to be optimistic for more Blindspot — we theorized a while back that since it and Manifest both come from the same studio in Warner Bros. TV, it’s possible that we could see the studio try to negotiate both renewals with NBC at the same time. Financially, they could offer a good rate to NBC for more Blindspot and make them more inclined to keep it.

The case against it – The fact that Blindspot is coming from an outside studio should leave you worried — in the Netflix era, it is harder and harder for shows to succeed when they’ve got either split ownership or the network has little financial investment. The ratings also just aren’t that great in terms of live numbers — we’re talking about a show averaging just a 0.5 rating in viewers 18-49, making it one of the network’s lowest-rated dramas. Obviously, you can blame the timeslot in part for some of this, but at a certain point numbers do matter. If they have enough confidence in a new show that it could take over this timeslot, Blindspot could find itself a little bit expendable. You can also just say that NBC’s recent success has raised the expectations for all of their shows — in between Manifest, This Is Us, the surge of One Chicago this season, and New Amsterdam getting off to a solid start, the bar is a little bit higher than it’s been.

To get more news on the future of Blindspot…

Be sure to visit the link here for a preview for the next all-new episode!

Now, we want to hear from you

Should Blindspot be renewed for another season? Be sure to vote in the poll below! (Photo: NBC.)