Ratings Bubble Report: Is there hope left for ‘Reign’ season 3 on The CW?
This season, there are few CW series that are in the midst of a journey as circuitous as “Reign.” The royal drama started off the season airing on a new night in Fridays, but the ratings were not spectacular in their new night. Now, it is set to go on a lengthy hiatus at the end of the month, and there is no return date in sight.
Do these signs point to a cancellation for the show? Are we are going to point out in our new Ratings Bubble Report below, the show does have an uphill battle.
The good news – More than anything, you can look to some of the comments from Mark Pedowitz at TCA today for inspiration. He expressed some hope for a fourth season, and discussed a potential move to Scotland as the show’s primary setting. Also, something that has not been talked about too much here that could be a significant factor is the presence of CBS Television Studios at the CW. The network likes to maintain some sort of creative balance between this studio and Warner Bros., but with all of the vampire and superhero shows over at the latter, “Reign” keeps a CBS show front and center on the schedule. You also have to consider the fact that ratings expectations are far and away different on Fridays than other days of the week.
The bad news – The ratings are still bad, the show probably has an expensive costume budget, and in general Fridays have been the kiss of death for most other shows on The CW ever since “Supernatural” found a way to survive in the spot many years ago. It is routinely tied with “Crazy Ex Girlfriend” for the network’s lowest-rated scripted show, and that show at least has the luxury of more critical acclaim.
Chances of renewal – Moderate / moderately low. The ratings are a trouble sign, but there are two glimmer of hope for the series: “Beauty and the Beast,” and the notion that The CW does like to properly end shows rather than canceling them outright.
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