NBC Execs Say CONSTANTINE's Future Is Still "Up In The Air", But Why?

NBC Execs Say CONSTANTINE's Future Is Still "Up In The Air", But Why?

Constantine has not been a ratings hit despite the fact that fans and critics have responded well to the NBC series based on Vertigo's Hellblazer. Here, network execs weigh in on a renewal and whether it was the right choice to choose this character over others...

By JoshWilding - Jan 16, 2015 11:01 AM EST
Filed Under: Constantine
Source: IGN TV

NBC made the decision last year not to order any more episodes of Constantine beyond the originally scheduled 13 instalments, but the series has NOT yet been cancelled (five episodes remain, with the first of those airing tonight). Talking at the Television Critics Association press our today, NBC President Jennifer Salke has this to say about the show's performance so far. "We wish the show had done better live. It has a big viewership after [it airs] in all kinds of ways and it has a younger audience, but the live number is challenging. It hasn't come out in the way we wanted it to, but we love the show. I think it's fair to say we're still talking about it."

NBC Chairman Robert Greenblatt weighed in too, and may have revealed at least some regrets about picking one of DC's slightly more obscure and lesser known creations. "We got on the bandwagon of these shows based on comic books and maybe there are too many of them. It's a popular series of comics, but it's not The Flash, it's not Batman. So maybe it suffers a little bit there. But as Jen said, it's a show we really like. We love Matt Ryan, who's the star of it. I think we did right by the fans who didn't like the film that was made of it. The future is still up in the air for that show." So, they still appear to be fairly positive about Constantine, but the problem here seems obvious. Ahead of its debut, there was almost zero marketing, and a Friday night slot didn't do it any favours either. What do you guys think? Share your thoughts in the usual place...
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A2K
A2K - 1/16/2015, 11:22 AM
Show's ok but feels like a clean attempt at going dark if that makes sense... Should be tonally in line with 'Hannibal' but with a bit more humour.
Nomadic1
Nomadic1 - 1/16/2015, 11:25 AM
You want better live numbers? Don't put it on Friday nights. Has a 'younger audience', umm, yea...it's Friday night!
19Batman84
19Batman84 - 1/16/2015, 11:25 AM
Its a great show but maybe it would do better if it wasn't on fridays nights. I bet if the moved it to wednesdays or mondays it would do much better
ComicsDoneRight
ComicsDoneRight - 1/16/2015, 11:25 AM
Poor Constantine. Much better than I expected and I havent missed an episode yet.


...also, 1st!
Reasonnnn
Reasonnnn - 1/16/2015, 11:26 AM
Lol at people crapping on shows with "bad" ratings. We live in a DVR age. Nielsen ratings don't mean shit in the 21st century.
R2D2Darknight
R2D2Darknight - 1/16/2015, 11:27 AM
Well its no flash maybe because...its on the Friday night death slot?! And moving it back an hour or 2 isn't gonna help much, if they want to be like the flash so much they should move it to Tuesday!
Lemons
Lemons - 1/16/2015, 11:27 AM
Well maybe if they'd give it a good time slot...
N3lLiel
N3lLiel - 1/16/2015, 11:28 AM
I really enjoy watching this show and hope it won't be cancelled.
dutchman
dutchman - 1/16/2015, 11:28 AM
Well crap
R2D2Darknight
R2D2Darknight - 1/16/2015, 11:30 AM
Like nomadic said, they apparently know its a younger demographic yet it air on a Friday night? What idiots do they have running the network?! Oh...its NBC? That's explains everything..
D3srow
D3srow - 1/16/2015, 11:30 AM
2nd best comic book show on TV, it would be a damn shame if they cancel it.
Null
Null - 1/16/2015, 11:30 AM
Very good show...
TheBeard
TheBeard - 1/16/2015, 11:31 AM
good show and should definitely be back
D3srow
D3srow - 1/16/2015, 11:32 AM
Maybe if it's on the CW... there with 1/2 of the viewers still get renewed.
RexDartEskimoSpy
RexDartEskimoSpy - 1/16/2015, 11:35 AM
"We wish the show had done better live. It has a big viewership after [it airs] in all kinds of ways and it has a younger audience, but the live number is challenging.


You put it on Friday nights at 10, you fvcktard. What did you expect? That's been known as the "death slot" since at least the '90s, especially at NBC. Remember the shitty ratings Homicide got, despite critic calling it the best show on TV? (Which it was.)

I've never seen Constantine live (or whatever you call it) and never will. But I still watch it every week.
McGee
McGee - 1/16/2015, 11:35 AM
batz11
batz11 - 1/16/2015, 11:35 AM
I actually liked Dracula, just getting really good, then cancelled, yep, Friday night time slot, kiss of death...
tugboy
tugboy - 1/16/2015, 11:36 AM
I think Miami Vice was on Friday night, and it did pretty well.
Oh wait, it didn't. It's not on anymore. IT GOT CANCELLED!
Therefore, Friday night = dead show.
DEVWoulf
DEVWoulf - 1/16/2015, 11:39 AM
Friday night is a really terrible night for ratings because most men are busy getting high & drunk with hookers. Or if they are women, they're only watching Dateline and 20/20.
blackandyellow
blackandyellow - 1/16/2015, 11:40 AM
What did they expect? Normal people don't sit around on Friday nights watching TV. That's why Jesus invented bars.
MyNameIsKhan
MyNameIsKhan - 1/16/2015, 11:41 AM
I haven't seen this or The Flash, any recommendations?
tugboy
tugboy - 1/16/2015, 11:42 AM
Didn't Friday Night Lights do pretty well? I assume that was on Friday nights.
Wannabe
Wannabe - 1/16/2015, 11:42 AM
Netflix should pick this up. Screw NBC.
yonny616
yonny616 - 1/16/2015, 11:43 AM
@Kevberg HA! It's the best DC show tied with Flash.
McGee
McGee - 1/16/2015, 11:44 AM
Rex...Friday at 10 has been known as the "death slot" since the 1960s. That's why creator and Executive Producer Gene Roddenberry quit Star Trek in protest after...surprise, surprise...NBC put Trek at that time slot for the third season. He was replaced with a producer that didn't believe in the show, and hence we got shit like this:

CombatWombat
CombatWombat - 1/16/2015, 11:44 AM
should have been an FX series, like Sons of Anarchy. they'd be able to go way darker on that network
tugboy
tugboy - 1/16/2015, 11:44 AM
Matt Ryan is a perfect Constantine.
CombatWombat
CombatWombat - 1/16/2015, 11:45 AM
it's an ok show and a decent adaptation, it just feels like it needs more … I don't know … grit?
CombatWombat
CombatWombat - 1/16/2015, 11:46 AM
Matt Ryan is a great choice for Constantine though, I'll give them that
yonny616
yonny616 - 1/16/2015, 11:48 AM
Like Zod said: "You're a pack of fools, every last one of you!"
tugboy
tugboy - 1/16/2015, 11:48 AM
Why was Abe Lincoln on Star Trek?
LEOSTRATOR
LEOSTRATOR - 1/16/2015, 11:51 AM
I think it's best for shows to go the on demand rout. This is the new era of tv, a lot people are getting rid of their cable. HBO will soon offer HBO GO to non-subscribers, when this take off network cable and time slots will be of the past. They should forget about live rating, people DVR their favorite shows than watch them when they have time.
SWelch
SWelch - 1/16/2015, 11:51 AM
I think this show would have done better on a channel like HBO, Showtime or Starz.
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