Why NBC Should Bring Constantine Back For A Second Season

On Monday, April 27, Constantine executive producers Daniel Cerone and David S. Goyer are meeting with NBC to pitch a second season of Constantine. If NBC makes a call purely based on ratings, then Constantine’s fate is likely up in the air. One really couldn’t fault NBC for going either way if they base their decision purely on ratings.

However, NBC shouldn’t base their decision purely on ratings, and here’s why. We live in a world where the value of a TV show shouldn’t be measured on Nielsen ratings alone. There are several other factors, which would make the renewal of Constantine a smart decision for NBC.

7. Comic Book TV Shows Are Hot – The Walking Dead has turned AMC into the king of cable television, and Flash and Arrow have breathed new life into The CW. Gotham has been a hit for FOX, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is gaining steam for ABC, and even CBS is getting into the game in a super way. Networks are actually getting into bidding wars and offering guarantees to land the newest comic book TV shows. If NBC gives up on their comic book property after one season, it’s certainly not going to play to their advantage in landing future comic book TV shows. Does NBC really want to be the only major network without a DC Comics or Marvel property on their schedule? Having a comic book property could be important for advertisers, because it shows them that NBC is committed to playing in the hottest game in town.

6. Fans Never Forget – When a network launches a new show, they are asking viewers to make an investment of their time in watching the series. If a network cancels a fan-favorite TV series after only one season, then they will get labeled as that network that gives up too soon. Viewers will be reluctant to invest in watching new series on that network, because they fear they will be left hanging.

5. Shared Universe/Spinoffs – There are a lot of movie studios that would sell their soul for a shared universe right now. The shared universe seems to be the next big thing on TV networks as well. ABC has a shared universe with Marvel. The CW already spun The Flash out of Arrow, and has plans for another spinoff next season. If Constantine proves to be a hit in its second season, then it opens up the door for multiple spinoffs in the supernatural side of the DC Comics Universe. Constantine is more valuable than the average show, because it has the potential to lead to more shows. If NBC passes on Constantine, odds are some other network will pick it up just for the shared universe potential. Does NBC really want to be known as the network that let an entire universe get away?

4. Heroes Reborn – What does Heroes Reborn have to do with Constantine? On the surface, nothing. But when you think about it, potentially everything. Remember that fans never forget, and NBC is about to put a major effort into bringing the Heroes franchise back to life. Giving Constantine a second season would go a long way in convincing fans that it’s worth their time to get behind Heroes again. Plus, NBC is going to need to promote Heroes at Comic Con and to the fan community, and it would be a lot easier to promote it in tandem with a show like Constantine.

3. Matt Ryan Is A Star – When a show is on the bubble in ratings, a network should look at the actors involved in the show to help determine its long term potential. Does the show have an actor who has the potential to build a huge fan base and become a major star? In the case of Constantine, Matt Ryan has played the lead role to perfection. He is a super star in the making. This is a guy whose fan following is only going to continue to grow. This is a guy that NBC shouldn’t let escape from their network.

2. It’s Only Going To Get Better – In addition to looking at the actors, the quality of the show should be a huge factor in regards to renewing a show on the ratings bubble. As far as quality of the show, Constantine has been a hit with both critics and fans. The fact that fans are actively rallying to save Constantine shows how well it was received by those who watched. If you look at Arrow, it was a show which really found its stride in its second season. Constantine seems to be on a similar trajectory. The team behind Constantine is actively communicating with fans, finding out what their audience wants, and is working to make the second season even better. In the first season, a lot of groundwork had to be laid to introduce the main characters, but now that is all in place, it opens the door to dive more deeply into things that fans are clamoring for. Dr. Fate, Spectre, Deadman, Zatanna… there are a lot of things ahead for Constantine that have really strong potential to pull in more viewers.

1. William Shatner Likes It – Speaking of fans, William Shatner is a huge fan of the show, actively tweeting his support. Does NBC really want to upset the Captain of the USS Enterprise? Seriously though, having celebrity supporters among its fanbase is only going to help Constantine grow in the long run.