Tonight marks the last episode of the first season of Limitless on CBS. Will it be the series finale as well? Should this drama be cancelled or renewed for a second season?
On Limitless, deadbeat Brian Finch (Jake McDorman) is given the NZT-48 drug and it unlocks 100% of his brain. Brian has complete recall of whatever he’s learned at any point in his life, either consciously or subconsciously. The FBI want to use him to help solve crimes but they’re not the only ones interested in Brian and the drug. The rest of the cast includes Jennifer Carpenter, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Hill Harper, and Colin Salmon.
The series debuted on September 22, 2015 and attracted a 1.87 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 9.86 million viewers. It was a positive start, perhaps in part due to an appearance by Bradley Cooper who reprised his role from the Limitless feature film. The show’s ratings dropped a bit but were pretty healthy for the rest of 2015.
The numbers saw a nice boost when the show returned from a mid-season break on January 5th (Cooper reappeared) but hit a new low the following episode. The ratings have have been trending downward in 2016 — save for episode 19 when Cooper put in another appearance.
In March, CBS head Les Moonves said that he expected five of the network’s freshman shows to be renewed for the 2016-17 season — but that was before Limitless’ numbers fell as low as a 1.05 in the demo with 5.6 million. The network has yet to renew any freshman shows.
In the end, I suspect that the network will renew Limitless for a second season but the past few months’ ratings declines certainly don’t help the show’s chances. We may have to wait until next month to find out what CBS will do.
But, what do you think? Do you want to see more of the Limitless TV show? Cancel or renew for season two?
We LOVE this show!!! This is one of the few shows we watch religiously every week! PLEASE renew this fantastic show! It is so original, and has a comedic element that is unlike any other show out there right now. Love love love it!
I loved Limitless! The cast were brilliant, they all had this great chemistry. It was fascinating and very entertaining! I hope it comes back for a second series.
Renew… something original… each week has the opportunity to be unique but not distracting… you don’t get better than Ferris Beuller!
I really enjoyed season one. It is my fervent hope that there will be many more seasons for this light hearted comedy. PLEASE nenew!
I really enjoy the show and hope it gets renewed. However, I found the season finale to be a suitable – not perfect – but a suitable series finale. Enough closure to satisfy me, enough left open to set up for a new season or TV movie, and the idea that if I never see the characters again that they are continuing to work together to solve crimes.
The show should DEFINITELY get a second season. It is extremely well cast, and the stories got better and richer as the season progressed. Come on season two!
RENEW! Fresh and awesome show!!!
Renew: The problem as I see it with the lower ratings lay at the feet of CBS. The second half of the season was broken with many scheduling interruptions. Is Limitless on this week or not? I asked myself that question nearly every week since the beginning of February. If the show was on a night that did not have so many nights off due to CBS’s scheduling the ratings would be much better. A first season scheduling needs continuity and Limitless unfortunately did not have that.
Renew. This is an awesome show. Are they counting the millions of people who stream the show online often the day after it airs. I watch all the commercials so it should be counted in the ratings. I bet that all those people who started watching the show at prime time are still watching it just not when it airs on TV. The networks should update their ratings scheme to take in consideration all the other ways and times people watch nowadays. Then they’d still be remiss In cancelling such a great show, but at least they’d be right in… Read more »
do they count the ratings when we watch shows on demand, because we need more of a convenient day and time to watch shows.
Re-new for sure!!! These tv executives need to give some these freshman shows a chance. I loved Forver and that got pulled after one season also. It doesn’t help new shows when viewers are scared to get involved because they cancel so many of the new shows. This is a really good show and I’m excited to see what they do for next season.
Renew!!!! Funny and Clever. One of the few shows I can’t miss.
Definitely renew for one season. They have lots of new ground they can cover with leaving it so open at the end of it’s first season. Morra is still in the wind and NZT is still on the streets. They may have trouble keeping the rating up for a third season though so I suspect that if we do get another season it will be the last.
Limitless should DEFINITELY be renewed for another 4-8 years. It’s a fun , well written show in the vein of Psych. Not enough of these shows out there to watch. Love it.
Renew!