CBS Changes 'Extant' Timeslot Amid Falling Ratings

Extant hasn't been delivering the ratings the way CBS had hoped it would. Thus, in an effort to save the show, the network is moving the sci-fi drama's timeslot.

Beginning this Wednesday, Extant will air an hour later, starting at 10/9c following reruns of Criminal Minds. The decision comes amid falling ratings, as the show's third episode drew a total of 6.5 million viewers and a 1.1 rating in the key demographic. This represents a steep 30 percent drop in viewership from the series premiere.

This is hardly the first time CBS has tried this tactic this summer. The network moved struggling Sunday series Reckless to a new timeslot after dependable drama Unforgettable, resulting in both shows seeing moderate improvements in the ratings. Could a similar timeslot change work for Extant? Well, I don't imagine Criminal Minds reruns will provide as strong a lead-in as Unforgettable, which itself only managed to stabilize the ratings for Reckless rather than give the show new life.

I think Extant is a pretty good show, with plenty of room to grow into something great, so I'd love to see the show get a shot. I suppose we'll see how Extant performs when Wednesday rolls around. If nothing else, this move gets them away from America's Got Talent, which is routinely the summer's #1 rated show on network television. I'm honestly not sure what kind of overlap the two audiences have, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

Via: TVLine

Credit: CBS