NBC Cancels ‘Brilliant Minds’ and ‘Stumble,’ While ‘Law & Order’ and ‘Hunting Party’ Face Uncertainty
NBC has announced its first cancellation decisions for the 2026-27 television season, choosing not to renew the sophomore medical drama Brilliant Minds, featuring Zachary Quinto, and the freshman cheerleading comedy Stumble, led by Jenn Lyon. This decision leaves two returning scripted series on the chopping block: the flagship Law & Order and sophomore series The Hunting Party, while the new midseason addition The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins is in a favorable position for renewal.
The cancellation of Brilliant Minds is not entirely unexpected, as it has consistently been NBC’s lowest-rated drama, experiencing significant double-digit declines in viewership year over year despite maintaining the same post-Voice Monday time slot as last season. In February, NBC began signaling the show’s possible cancellation by pulling it from the schedule to accommodate two-hour Voice episodes on Monday. The final six episodes of Brilliant Minds will be released post-cancellation on May 27.
Stumble, a single-camera mockumentary that garnered positive reviews—82% from critics and 96% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes—also found itself on the cancellation bubble. Initially struggling with ratings, it was shifted to Friday nights behind Reba McEntire’s multi-camera sitcom Happy’s Place in hopes of improving its viewership.
Despite efforts to reposition Stumble for a wider audience, the show ultimately could not attract enough viewers for NBC to justify its renewal.
In a surprising twist, Law & Order also found itself in a precarious situation this year. The long-running series has undergone significant cast changes since its 2022 revival and appears to have regained creative momentum in its current season. However, it still trails behind One Chicago and SVU in performance, despite comparable linear viewership to the latter.
Given its storied legacy, the thought of unceremoniously canceling Law & Order for a second time seems unlikely. Should the series conclude, a limited-run final season may be considered.
