NBC Pulls the Plug on 88%-Rated Rotten Tomatoes Drama After Just 2 Seasons
NBC is making changes to its lineup and has canceled two of its recent shows. According to Variety, the network has ended the medical drama Brilliant Minds after two seasons and the comedy Stumble after just one season.
Brilliant Minds is inspired by the writings of neurologist Oliver Sacks, including The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and An Anthropologist on Mars. The show followed Dr. Oliver Wolf, played by Zachary Quinto, and his team at Bronx General Hospital as they worked through unusual and complex brain-related medical cases. The series also focused on ethical questions about patient care and who should receive treatment.
The show first aired in September 2024 and ran its first season into early 2025. Its second season premiered in September 2025 but saw a drop in viewership. NBC removed it from its schedule in February, though six remaining episodes are still set to air starting May 27.
Alongside Quinto, the cast included Tamberla Perry, Ashleigh LaThrop, Alex MacNicoll, Aury Krebs, Spence Moore II, Teddy Sears, Donna Murphy, John Clarence Stewart, Brian Altemus, and Al Calderon. Michael Grassi created the series, with Greg Berlanti and others serving as executive producers.
The second canceled show, Stumble, was a comedy set in the world of junior college cheerleading. It followed a well-known cheer coach, played by Jenn Lyon, who loses her job after a scandal and takes a new position at a junior college in Oklahoma. There, she tries to rebuild her career by leading a struggling team toward a championship goal.
The show premiered in November and ended its run in March. While critics responded positively, it did not attract enough viewers to continue beyond one season. The cast included Taran Killam, Ryan Pinkston, Jarrett Austin Brown, Anissa Borrego, Arianna Davis, Taylor Dunbar, Georgie Murphy, and Kristin Chenoweth in a recurring role.
Stumble was created by Jeff Astrof and Liz Astrof, with Jeff Blitz directing multiple episodes, including the pilot.
With these cancellations, NBC still has a few shows waiting for decisions, including The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins and The Hunting Party. The network is also developing several new pilots for the next TV season, including a reboot of The Rockford Files and a new comedy from Dan Goor and Luke Del Tredici.
NBC’s decision shows how quickly networks are reshaping their schedules based on ratings and audience growth, even for shows with strong creative teams and well-known actors.
This is another example of how unstable modern TV scheduling has become. Even shows with respected actors or strong critical backing are not safe if the audience numbers drop. It raises the question of whether networks are too quick to cancel shows before they fully find their audience. What do you think about NBC canceling these series?
