NBC’s low-rated “Aquarius” and “Hannibal” have been banished to Saturdays.
Effective immediately, “Dateline Thursday Mysteries” will now air from 9-11 p.m. on Thursday nights. “Aquarius” (pictured above) will now run from 9-10 p.m. on Saturdays; “Hannibal” is set for the following hour.
“Hannibal” has effectively been canceled by NBC. “Aquarius,” however, was renewed for a second season.
There have been conversations surrounding a second home for “Hannibal,” but top options Netflix and Amazon passed on hosting a possible Season 4, showrunner Bryan Fuller said. The search for a new venue continues.
Executive producers on “Hannibal” include Fuller, Martha De Laurentiis, Steve Lightfoot, Katie O’Connell Marsh, Elisa Todd Ellis, Christophe Riandee and Sidonie Dumas.
The series, which stars Mads Mikkelsen as iconic cannibal Hannibal Lecter, has been a critical darling, though never a ratings hit. Hugh Dancy stars as FBI serial killer profiler Will Graham, and Laurence Fishburne appears as Jack Crawford, the agent-in-charge of the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit in Quantico, Virginia.
“Aquarius” stars “The X-Files” and “Californication” alum David Duchovny as a Los Angeles police officer on the trail of Charles Manson. The first season was released via streaming video in its entirety following its May premiere, perhaps contributing to unimpressive traditional TV ratings.
According to NBC, through 28 days, “Aquarius” is the second-most viewed drama premiere on NBC.com and the NBC App, behind “The Blacklist.”
“Aquarius” is “definitely” still returning for a second season, an NBC insider told TheWrap, but no word yet on if the Saturday timeslot will stick.