If somebody at NBC is seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, that light appears not to have anything to do with “The Cape” or “Love Bites,” which both weathered bleak media reports on Tuesday (Feb. 1) afternoon.
First, Deadline.com reported that “The Cape” was having its episode order trimmed from 13 down to 10. This news wasn’t exactly surprising, since “The Cape” drew a 1.5 rating among adults 18-49 in its most recent Monday 9 p.m. airing, a series low.
“The Cape” is currently wrapping production on Episode 10, which would be a bad sign for the show’s few straggling fans hoping for some sort of conclusion to the costumed-hero midseason dud. “The Cape” was already going to be homeless after its February 21 airing (and the return of another dud-on-life-support “The Event”), but Deadline floats the possibility that NBC might choose to have “The Cape” air its final two episodes on February 28 and then bring “The Event” back the following week.
At least “The Cape” (and “The Event”) have had the opportunity to premiere and fail. The same can’t be said of “Love Bites,” which was going to reinvent the anthology romantic-drama when it was supposed to premiere last fall, but instead got pushed to midseason and was then left homeless on several NBC midseason schedules.
One bad sign came last week when Greg Grunberg was cast in the A&E pilot “Big Mike.” Now EW.com is reporting that Becki Newton, one of last development season’s most in-demand actors, has at least one offer already for this spring and that the show’s cast has been freed to go out for other roles.
Of course, NBC isn’t saying that “Love Bites” is doomed and any actors going out for other pilots would presumably have those pilots in second position to “Love Bites,” should “Love Bites” eventually premiere, premiere well and get a renewal. Because that could totally happen.
Stay tuned for more details on “The Cape” and “Love Bites”…