NBC has opted not to renew Brilliant Minds and Stumble for the 2026-27 season, making the two shows the network’s first cancellations in its latest round of decisions. Brilliant Minds, the sophomore medical drama starring Zachary Quinto, and Stumble, the freshman cheerleading comedy headlined by Jenn Lyon, both fell out of the network’s plans after months of uncertainty.
For Brilliant Minds, the end had been visible for a while. NBC pulled the show from its schedule in February to make room for two-hour Voice episodes on Monday, and the remaining six episodes will be released on May 27. The series was NBC’s lowest rated drama on linear and had steep double-digit year-to-year declines, making renewal difficult despite the profile of its lead and the fact that it was only in its second season.
Stumble had also been on the bubble for the last few months, even though NBC gave it a Friday slot behind Reba McEntire’s sitcom Happy’s Place. The show got strong marks from viewers and critics, with Rotten Tomatoes scores of 96% and 82%, but that still was not enough to overcome the audience numbers NBC was looking for.
The cancellations leave two other dramas still waiting for a call. Law & Order and The Hunting Party remain on the bubble, while The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins is looking good for renewal, likely with another shorter order. NBC has been here before with Law & Order, which it canceled in 2010 before bringing it back 12 years later, a reminder that no decision on this schedule has to be permanent.
For now, though, the message is clear: NBC is moving on from both Brilliant Minds and Stumble, even if one was underperforming and the other was well liked enough to make the cut feel harder than the ratings did.
