“Constantine” has become the first of the fall's new DC Comics adaptations not to get a full-season order from its respective network.
NBC sources confirmed on Monday (November 24) that Season 1 of “Constantine” will be capped at 13 episodes.
“Constantine” is currently in production on its 13th episode in Atlanta and that will be that, though NBC emphasizes a couple points to generate at least veiled optimism:
First, “Constantine” will continue to air in its current Friday 10 p.m. slot for the remainder of the 13 episodes.
That's not necessarily the best of signs. NBC also capped the first seasons of “Bad Judge” and “A to Z” at 13 episodes and also said that those episodes would continue in their Thursday 9 p.m. home.
However, while fans of “Bad Judge” and “A to Z” weren't given reason to hope for more in the future, NBC is saying that “Constantine” remains in contention for a second season.
After several weeks of low numbers, “Constantine” got a small bump this past Friday, drawing over 3.5 million viewers and doing a 1.1 rating among adults 18-49.
Through its first three airings, “Constantine” was averaging 3.49 million viewers and a 1.1 rating among adults 18-49 in Live+SD ratings, but factoring in Live+7 DVR figures, “Constantine” rises 73 percent in the key demo to a 1.9 rating and 57 percent overall to nearly 5.5 million viewers. Those are above the numbers that earned “Dracula” a cancellation last year and also above the figures that got “Hannibal” a third season, though “Hannibal” has an international financing advantage that “Constantine” doesn't have.
The official reason for the lack of “Constantine” back-nine is that NBC simply has too many midseason dramas and not enough time periods for them. NBC's midseason dramas include “Allegiance” and “Odyssey,” as well as the limited run dramas “Aquarius” and “The Slap.” And then, probably a bit further down the road, NBC has the third season of “Hannibal,” though the network knows the sort of low numbers “Hannibal” will do on Fridays at 10 p.m. while those other shows at least offer the potential for something more.
While “Constantine” will end after 13 episodes, fellow DC Comics' properties “Gotham” and “The Flash” have both generated better ratings and have received full-season orders from FOX and The CW respectively.
And while “Constantine,” “A to Z” and “Bad Judge” will only air 13 episodes, NBC has given a back-nine to “The Mysteries of Laura” and a back-five to “Marry Me.” We'll see what the Katherine Heigl drama “State of Affairs” looks like after this week's second airing.
Thoughts on “Constantine” thus far? Do you still hold out hope?