NBC has canceled two freshman series ahead of the network’s 2025 upfronts: the cheerleading comedy ‘Stumble’ and the medical drama ‘Brilliant Minds’.
‘Stumble,’ created by Jeff and Liz Astrof, aired its Season 1 finale in March. Meanwhile, ‘Brilliant Minds’—which stars Zachary Quinto as a neurologist with prosopagnosia (face blindness)—will conclude its second season with remaining episodes beginning May 27.
The cancellations follow Nielsen live-plus-seven-day ratings, which ranked ‘Stumble’ as NBC’s least-watched series this season and ‘Brilliant Minds’ as the network’s least-watched drama.
Remaining NBC Series on the Bubble
The following series remain on the bubble at NBC:
- ‘Law & Order’
- ‘The Hunting Party’
- ‘The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins’
These shows will compete among five drama pilots and three comedy pilots under consideration for the 2026–27 season. The final decisions will be announced at NBC’s upfronts in just over a week.
About ‘Brilliant Minds’
Helmed by Michael Grassi, ‘Brilliant Minds’ follows Dr. Oliver Wolf (Zachary Quinto), a neurologist whose unique life and skills are loosely inspired by the work of Oliver Sacks. The series is executive produced by Greg Berlanti and stands out as the only medical drama with a gay lead. Grassi highlighted NBC’s history of centering queer characters in shows like ‘Will & Grace’.
This season, ‘Brilliant Minds’ featured the late Eric Dane as an ALS patient before his passing.
About ‘Stumble’
‘Stumble’ stars Jenn Lyon as Coach Courteney Potter, who leads a newly recruited junior college cheer squad in their quest to win a record-breaking 15th championship while improving their lives. The official logline describes the series as a comedy about perseverance and teamwork.
Additional cast includes:
- Taran Killam
- Ryan Pinkston
- Jarrett Austin Brown
- Anissa Borrego
- Arianna Davis
- Taylor Dunbar
- Georgie Murphy
Kristin Chenoweth appears in a recurring role.
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