'Perfect Harmony' Could Be Canceled After 1 Season

The future is not looking bright for NBC's Perfect Harmony. The NBC musical comedy series was set [...]

The future is not looking bright for NBC's Perfect Harmony. The NBC musical comedy series was set for a 13-episode first season due to star Bradley Whitford's availability, but reports say the chances the show will return for Season 2 are low due to "so-so" performances in the ratings. The report comes as the network already took comedy series Sunnyside out of the primetime schedule, and left it to air its remaining episodes on digital platforms. The network's other new fall show, drama Bluff City Law is also in danger of cancellation after reports surfaced the show stopped production in Memphis.

Perfect Harmony's shorter episode run is not uncommon in the new era of network television. NBC's critical hit, The Good Place, has also stuck to 13-episode orders throughout its run. Hit series This Is Us also sticks with 15-episode seasons to leave room for its stars to pursue other projects.

Deadline reported Wednesday, however, NBC leadership will be waiting some time before making a decision to renew the musical comedy. The decision could come closer to May Upfronts, the outlet wrote.

The network reportedly hoped the show would be another Good Place — a smart, single-camera show that is modest in the linear ratings but a hit on digital.

While performing better than Sunnyside, Perfect Harmony is reportedly delivering O. ratings both in linear viewing and digital. However, Whitford's star power — he recently won an Emmy for his recurring role on The Handmaid's Tale — could be a reason to keep the show going.

The outlet also pointed out the series comes from an outside studio, Disney's 20th Century Fox TV. With networks prioritizing ownership of their shows these says, that could also be a factor in their decision. NBC will likely wait to see how Perfect Harmony continues to perform digitally, as well as their options for new shows in the 2020-2021 season before making a final decision.

The report comes a few days after Bluff City Law reportedly shut down production in Memphis after finishing their 10th episode. NBC has not announced a decision on the drama series, though it appears executives will also be looking at digital viewing, as well as streaming numbers before making a decision.

Perfect Harmony's limited season order means none of the three new series on NBC will continue to midseason this year. Sunnyside's spot in the schedule will be taken over by the final season of Will & Grace, which was originally set to premiere in 2020.

Perfect Harmony airs Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Sunnyside airs new episodes Thursdays on NBC.com, Hulu and the NBC app. Bluff City Law airs Mondays at 10 p.m. ET. Will & Grace will return for its final season Thursday at 9:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

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