MacGyver season 4 renewal debate: Will CBS give us more Mac? Vote!
Below, we are going to be taking a close look both at why the show should be coming back, and then also why there’s a good chance we could be near the end of the road. At the end of all of this, we’ll then share a poll where you can make your own feelings about a possible renewal clear! (Odds are, if you’re reading this article, there’s a reasonably good chance that you are hoping to see Lucas Till and the rest of the MacGyver cast back in action soon enough.)
The case for renewal – Let’s start off, first and foremost, by talking about syndication opportunities. While syndication money isn’t necessarily as huge a selling point for shows as it used to be, we do think that networks like the idea of still being able to sell of repeats to cable networks and territories all over the world for extra coin. With this such a hugely-recognizable brand, it makes all the more sense. All season 4 needs is a standard 22-episode order in order for CBS to get precisely what they’d want her … and we certainly think they would like to make that happen.
There’s one other word that perfectly expresses some of the confidence that the network has in the show, and it’s simply: PaleyFest. (Yes, that is technically one word.) While we know that MacGyver was a part of that panel because it’s a part of the greater Peter Lenkov universe, it’d be a little appalling for a show to get invited to that event only to be canceled months later. That was a pretty clear sign that they want to bring it back, and it’s also a big show of a faith after George Eads departed midway through this season. In between this, the Samantha Cage experiment, and losing Sandrine Holt / adding Meredith Eaton in season 1, there’s actually been a lot of flux on MacGyver through three seasons. Nonetheless, it has persevered doing its own version of improvising — really, a MacGyver speciality.
The case for nervousness – Anytime that your show is the lowest-rated show on a given night for a given network, there are probably conversations that happen as to whether or not another show can do better. Season 3 of MacGyver is averaging a 0.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic and just over 6 million viewers. These aren’t extremely far off from the ratings of Hawaii Five-0 and Blue Bloods, but it is clearly the bronze on that metaphorical medal stand. CBS may look over the summer as to how they can the ratings steady for a possible season 4, in addition to whether or not Levy Tran will be a full-time replacement to Eads’ Jack Dalton.
Our current prognosis
MacGyver will likely be back, mostly because there’s value in the franchise, there’s value working with Peter Lenkov, and there’s value not changing the Friday lineup when so many other 8:00 p.m. shows on CBS have tanked over the years. While the ratings are down over 10% from season 2, that’s not too bad a decline within the modern streaming era. What’s perhaps the most important here is that CBS has a big financial reason to keep the show going and, beyond just that, it does rather well for itself without a flurry of promotion. It hasn’t needed a lot to flex its muscles and show what it can do.
One more thing to look out for!
If you love this show, our interview with Michael Des Barres is coming tomorrow where we preview the events of his upcoming return to the show as killer Nicholas Helman — the man responsible for mentoring Murdoc.
Do you want to see a MacGyver season 4 renewal happen at CBS? We absolutely want to hear from you below! (Photo: CBS.)