Sophie Turner’s New TV Show Loses Time Slot After Only 1 Episode

Sophie Turner’s new series is already taking a backstep. Joan premiered on The CW on Wednesday, Oct. 2, but according to TVLine, the series is switching nights after only one episode. Starting tonight, Oct. 9, Inside the NFL will air on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET following Season 2 of Sullivan’s Crossing. Meanwhile, Joan will move to Fridays starting Oct. 11 at 9 p.m. ET.

The reason for the night swap is unknown, but Joan debuted to just less than 300,000 total viewers, dropping 27% of Sullivan’s Crossing’s viewers for its second season premiere. To a lot of people, Fridays are usually the “death slot” for shows, and having a series move to it after only one episode is not a good sign. At the very least, Joan is supposed to be only six parts, so it won’t be as bad.

Turner stars as the titular and real-life jewel thief Joan Hannington in an “exhilarating yet emotional story set against the vibrant backdrop of the 1980s.” After the young deeply scarred and vulnerable young mother finds herself trapped in a marriage with a violent criminal named Gary, who goes on the run, “Joan seizes the opportunity to create a new life for herself and her daughter, adopting new identities and making new acquaintances along the way — as a masterful jewel thief.”

Also starring Frank Dillane, Kirsty J. Curtis, Gershwyn Eustache Jr., and Laura Aikman, Joan was initially announced in May 2023. The six-part co-production comes from Snowed-In Productions and is written by Anna Symon and directed by Richard Laxton, who executive produces alongside Ruth Kenley-Letts, Jenny Van Der Lande, and Neil Blair. Paul Frift serves as producer.

Joan is the latest CW series to be on the move. Before it even premiered, The Librarians: Next Chapter moved to TNT. The spinoff was set to premiere on The CW this fall but ended up getting switched to The Librarians’ home network and will premiere on TNT in 2025. As for Joan, it should be interesting to see how the series does on Fridays and if that will help boost the ratings at all. It should be pointed out that The CW isn’t particularly known for having high viewership, but that doesn’t mean even lower viewership doesn’t count. New episodes of Joan air on Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on The CW.