Lethal Weapon season 4 renewal debate: The state of the show’s future
What is the current state of a Lethal Weapon season 4 renewal on Fox? We’re back with another edition of our ongoing renewal debate series and here, we do have a lot of content to take on regarding what may one of the most curious ratings situations that we’ve got on the entire network TV schedule.
In a lot of ways, it’s remarkable that we got a season 3 in the first place. Think back to when the Clayne Crawford headlines started last year. How much did it seem at that point like the easy move for Fox was to cut bait on this show and try to move forward? There was just so much baggage for a show that just wasn’t all that well-rated even with Clayne as a part of the cast, so bringing it back with Seann William Scott and no clear idea as to how it was going to far was a risky endeavor. The ratings were down and while there was some entertainment to be had in season 3, it doesn’t change that this was one of the most divisive shows out there. There were people who continued to support it, and also those who opted to never watch a single episode after the crisis at the end of season 2.
So where do we stand now in terms of a possible season 4? Things are still complicated over at Fox, but this time around, they’re not anywhere near as public.
The case for more Lethal Weapon – It may sound rudimentary and almost like a generalization to say it, but obviously, Fox saw something in this show in the first place to want to keep it around for a season 3. If there was that drive last year even when the odds suggested that it may not be worth all the trouble, couldn’t there still be that drive this year? This franchise does remain a valuable property internationally and there’s value in having it all over the world and available via streaming. It may not be Riggs and Murtaugh anymore, but there’s still a chance to drive some profits.
Here’s another thing to consider when it comes to the state of Fox at the moment — Gotham is ending and The Gifted probably isn’t coming back. Proven Innocent is certainly a goner and The Orville is clearly on the bubble alongside The Passage. If all of these shows get canceled, can’t you make the case that Fox will just need a little bit more programming to fill out the schedule, even with them losing Friday nights to the WWE starting in the fall? (We don’t even think Fox did a great job filling it out this year — they could’ve easily condensed The Orville and Gotham and gotten another show on Thursdays.)
The case against it – We are still talking about one of Fox’s lower-rated shows here and while live ratings don’t mean everything in 2019, an era where streaming deals and other measurements are important, they do still hold some significance. Couple the ratings with what feels like a reasonably high cost for all of the action sequences, and then also the fact that Fox doesn’t even own this show fully. (It belongs to studio Warner Bros. TV.) Financially, we just don’t see the incentive for a network in the midst of a shifting identity to keep it around, even if there are clearly some people behind the scenes who are fans.
Our current prognosis
It’s not great. While we’re not ruling it out, it feels like New Fox, post Disney merger, hasn’t done much to remain viewers that this is still a network property. They could be getting set to both move on from this and revamp their entire Tuesday lineup — while also keeping The Orville and The Passage around for additional seasons.
Do you want to see a Lethal Weapon season 4 happen on Fox? Be sure to share right now in the comments.