Brilliant Minds Nbc and the 2026 Renewal Picture: Wolf Franchises Safe, Two Sophomores on the Bubble

Network insiders are signaling that Brilliant Minds Nbc is in serious doubt as NBC firms up its renewal slate for 2026-27. The sophomore drama joins The Hunting Party on the bubble even as the network locks toward early renewals for long-running franchises and leans back into scripted development.

Brilliant Minds Nbc: Ratings, Scheduling and Immediate Risks

Brilliant Minds Nbc is the network’s lowest rated drama on linear television and has recorded the steepest double-digit year-to-year declines, despite keeping the same post-survivor singing show Monday time slot it had last season. The Warner Bros. TV-produced series was recently pulled from the schedule to make room for two-hour singing-show episodes on Monday, and the show’s remaining six episodes are likely to air after the network has made the bulk of its renewal decisions for 2026-27. Those moves together place the series in serious jeopardy.

Wolf Franchise Momentum and Which Series Look Safe

Dick Wolf’s five network dramas — Chicago Fire, Chicago P. D., Chicago Med, Law & Order: SVU and the revived Law & Order — are widely expected to be renewed for another season. The One Chicago entries and SVU remain consistently strong on linear television and on a major streaming service, anchoring their statuses. The revived Law & Order had previously trailed the pack in ratings and experienced frequent cast turnover, but after its strongest streaming showing last season it has largely caught up in linear performance with a solid 2025-26 season that bolsters its case for renewal.

How Budget Trims and Cast Guarantees Are Driving Renewal Strategy

Renewals are expected to come with budget trims. Wolf Entertainment and its studio partner introduced reductions in minimum guarantees in 2023 as a cost-saving measure, a model in which long-tenured cast members are not guaranteed to appear in every episode. That practice has spread to other veteran broadcast series, with the number of episodes actors are guaranteed in contracts creeping down year over year. Cast departures have become part of the renewal calculus for long-running shows as producers aim to meet new budget targets.

The Hunting Party and the Midseason Shuffle

The Hunting Party sits just above Brilliant Minds as the second-lowest rated drama on linear television for the network. The series has been stable on the network and has charted on a streaming platform, keeping it in contention though still on the bubble. Industry movement last summer shifted the balance between these sophomores: the network kept the medical drama starring Zachary Quinto on the fall schedule while pushing the crime procedural starring Melissa Roxburgh to midseason, a choice that initially raised questions about the procedural’s longevity. The thriller has suddenly become a surprise breakout — unclear in the provided context how that breakout will affect final decisions.

Scripted Strategy: From 2025 Purge to New Pilot Orders

After a purge in 2025 that cleared six scripted series to make room for the NBA in prime time, the network has moved away from contraction. Last year’s cancellations included the dramas Found, The Irrational, Grosse Pointe Garden Society and Suits L. A., and the comedies Night Court and Lopez vs. Lopez. For 2025-26 the network added two new comedies with shorter episode orders, Stumble and The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, and no new dramas. A year on, the network has ordered eight pilots — five dramas and three comedies — signaling renewed investment in scripted programming. The network also handed early renewals to two comedies — Happy’s Place and St. Denis Medical — each picked up for third seasons earlier this month.

Additional Items Appearing Alongside Renewal Coverage

• The best savings account interest rates are still well above historical norms.
• Meta and AMD are entering into a multiyear deal tied to a major AI buildout.
• Recent updates indicate the US Department of Defense has reached a deal to use Elon Musk’s Grok in classified systems; details may evolve.
• US trade policy in 2026 is not as dire as in 2025, though a sense of market uncertainty remains a similarity.
• Guides note that choosing the right plumber can save time and money; one article highlights top plumbing companies in San Jose for reliability and fast response.
• A local review looked at contractors’ reviews and reputations to identify top roofers in Plano, Texas.
• Pete Crow-Armstrong engaged in the time-honored tradition of taking shots at Southern California sports fans.
• The two sides app — unclear in the provided context.

What happens next for Brilliant Minds Nbc and its sophomore peer will hinge on how the network weighs linear ratings, streaming performance, and the cost-savings bridges studios and producers can agree to. The broader renewal picture shows an appetite to preserve flagship franchises while using budget flexibility to clear space for new pilots and refresh the scripted lineup.