NBC’s new crime series headlined by a formerManifeststar is not a hit with critics, debuting with a rare 0% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The Peacock Network’s drama lineup continues to be anchored by Thursday night stalwartLaw & Order(now in season 24) and its off-shootLaw & Order: SVU(now in season 26).
WhileLaw & Orderdominates Thursday’s primetime slate, NBC has slotted in the crime showThe Irrationalseason 2 on Tuesdays at 10 PM, capping off a night otherwise filled with comedy (St. Denis MedicalandNight Court) and reality competition (Deal Or No Deal Island). Wednesday night, meanwhile, is all about the hitOne Chicagofranchise, with dramasChicago Med,Chicago FireandChicago P.D.stretched across the entirety of primetime.
NBC’s New Crime Show The Hunting Party Debuts With A 0% Rating On Rotten Tomatoes
Only A Handful Of Critics’ Reviews Have Been Counted So Far
NBC had high hopes for new Monday night crime offeringThe Hunting Party, headlined by one-timeManifeststar Melissa Roxburgh. They even gave the show’s premiere a big lead-in, dropping it right after the highly-rated January 19 NFC Divisional Playoff Game, before placing the show at its new home at 10 PM Monday after two hours ofThe Voice.
The Hunting Partymay indeed find its audience before it’s over, but critics thus far aren’t giving the show much chance, as it just debuted onRotten Tomatoeswith a rare 0% fresh rating. Only seven critics' reviews were included in the site’s count as of this publishing, so there’s still a chance the series could rebound, and climb its way to a more respectable rating.
Our Take On The Hunting Party’s 0% Rotten Tomatoes Rating
NBC May Have A Turkey On Its Hands
The Peacock Network’s primetime fortunes rest upon the sturdy shoulders of established franchises, with only a few programming windows left open for new shows to get a try. During the fall, NBC handed the 10 PM Monday night slot to theoffbeat medical dramaBrilliant Minds, which fared well with critics, as reflected in its 92% fresh rating on RT, but saw its ratings slowly tail off over the course of its 13-week run.
Winter replacement seriesThe Hunting Partydebuted with 3.05 million viewers, a number similar to whatBrilliant Mindswas pulling early in its season. That’s the good news for NBC. The bad news is that, while critics were positive about the Zachary Quinto-ledBrilliant Minds, they have thus far savaged the new show.
Final returns are not yet in, but it looks like NBC may have a turkey holding down Monday night at 10 PM. It may be too early to make any final determinations, but it’s safe to betThe Hunting Partywill not be joiningLaw & Orderor theOne Chicagotrio as one of the network’s bedrock offerings.
Is There Still A Chance For NBC To Save The Hunting Party?
Maybe Being On Streaming Can Help It Get Its Footing
The fact that NBC even moved the show’s premiere to get more people to check it out suggests that the network was banking on its success. For what it’s worth, having notable actors in the procedural sandbox likeHomeland’s Patrick Sabongui,Chicago PD’s Nick Wechsler, and La Brea’s Josh McKenzie joining Roxburgh makes for a strong ensemble. Unfortunately, The Hunting Party’s downfall appears to be rooted in the way that the show is executed. Its premise, while not entirely new is still interesting, if done correctly.
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Due to the influx of all kinds of crime procedurals, viewers tend to be more discerning when something new comes around. Additionally, there are also several long-running shows that people would rather stick with. Perhaps moving The Hunting Party to Peacock so it can be a streaming show with more focus on a single case can help its cause. For now, however, it will have to work really hard to get some goodwill from broadcast viewers with a 0% on Rotten Tomatoes.
How Hunting Party’s Poor Rotten Tomatoes Emphasizes NBC’s Need For Brilliant Minds Season 2
The Hunting Party’s Struggles Shine A Light On NBC’s Overlooked Success
Only time will tell what NBC decides to do withThe Hunting Party. It’s safe to say that it will all boil down to how it will fare in the next few weeks during itsincredibly competitive timeslot withNCIS: Originson CBS. That said, the network should also use this opportunity to revisit Brilliant Minds, which still doesn’t have a second-season renewal. The Hunting Party’s struggle should highlight how Quinto’s medical drama defied the odds and put up decent numbers during its run.
ABC and CBS are ramping up their output in the procedural sub-genre with high-concept shows like Watson and Doctor Odyssey — both freshman shows.
Beyond that, NBC could also use a medical drama right now. ABC and CBS are ramping up their output in the procedural sub-genre with high-concept shows likeWatsonandDoctor Odyssey— both freshman shows.St. Denis Medical, NBC’s new workplace mockumentary, should be further proof that the concept of medical-centered stories remains popular.The Hunting Partycan work its way to better critics and audience scores, but its struggles should convince the network that there are other series that it can focus on.
