Waiting to hear if your favorite series will be renewed is frustrating (and consider how much more so for the cast and crew) so usually when the notice comes through its either good or bad news; cancellation or renewal. That’s not quite the case for Grimm this year, which has received a 6th season pickup from NBC but with a drastically reduced episode order – 13 as opposed to the regular 22.
Deadline’s Nellie Andreeva claims to have heard the order is actually for a minimum 13 episodes and could likely be higher, but NBC is giving themselves some wiggle room in their schedule next fall. One of their renewed dramas, Shades of Blue with Jennifer Lopez, is scheduled for a 13-episode season due to the star’s schedue needs. So execs are probably just mixing and matching shows and timeslots to provide the most possible first-run programming.
Though Grimm’s ratings have never been stellar few people are willing to just write off the edgy fantasy crime drama. It premiered in the historically tough Friday night lineup and was bounced around from Monday to Friday to Tuesday for season 2. Season 3 settled it back into a permanent Friday night home and it’s shown up every week and done its job.
Though live episodes have averaged 3-4 million viewers – placing it in the middle of the pack for its timeslot – when same day + 7 day ratings are factored in each season has ended with average viewership between 6.3 million (season 1) and 7.9 million (season 3). Audiences have stuck with it while the writers figured out how to balance what could have been a staid, sludgy mythology (the Royals! Oy, Twilight’s Volturi were more engaging) with Wesen-of-the-week action and relationship drama. It’s paid off in the form of a strong ensemble cast and storylines that go broad or hone in close, which fans love.
This isn’t the latest renewal the show has received. In season 2 NBC waited until April 26 to announce the season 3 pickup. But Deadline points out that says less about Grimm than about the quality of new shows NBC has fielded in recent years. Of 9 dramas that debuted last fall NBC has renewed 8, and ordered 6 more pilots and 2 series pickups (for Taken prequel and an untitled outbreak project from Graham Moore). Of the dramas that debuted along with Grimm in 2011 Smash, Awake, The Firm, Harry’s Law, The Playboy Club, and Prime Suspect were all canceled within 2 seasons. It’s also outlasted Deception, Hannibal, Do No Harm, Crossing Lines, Revolution, Dracula, and more.