On May 1, 2026, NBC announced its first cancellation decisions for the upcoming 2026-27 season, ending both Brilliant Minds and Stumble due to persistently low viewership numbers.
Key facts about the cancellations:
- NBC has canceled the medical drama Brilliant Minds after two seasons.
- The comedy series Stumble faced cancellation after just one season.
- Brilliant Minds averaged just above 3 million viewers, making it NBC’s lowest rated drama series.
- Stumble, on the other hand, averaged only 2.24 million viewers.
Brilliant Minds, which aired its first season in September 2024 and its second season in September 2025, is loosely based on the work of neurologist Oliver Sacks and starred Zachary Quinto as Dr. Oliver Wolf. The final episodes of this series are set to air starting May 27, 2026. Meanwhile, Stumble, which featured Jenn Lyon as a cheerleading coach, aired its last episode in March 2026.
The decision to cancel these shows reflects broader trends within NBC, as both programs were described as among the network’s least watched scripted series of the season. Documents show that Brilliant Minds particularly suffered from steep double-digit year-to-year declines in viewership.
NBC is currently evaluating the future of other shows such as Law & Order, The Hunting Party, and The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, but has not provided a timeline for these decisions or what factors might influence them.
