NBC's "Constantine" TV series had a rough first season, with its extra episodes cancelled; a network exec recently confessed they jumped into the bandwagon of comic adaptations with the show.
The "Constantine" TV series didn't fare well in live ratings, according to NBC President Jennifer Salke. Though the company still admits it loves the show, the future of DC's "Hellblazer" adaptation is still up in the air, with the possibility of a second season shaky.
The network and the show-runners insist a second season for "Constantine" is still likely, though it will really depend on the fans, if they want it bad enough. The show didn't fare well compared to other DC adaptations, notably "Gotham" and "The Flash," which are enjoying strong viewership.
NBC Chairman Robert Greenblatt also confirmed in an interview with IGN that the show is practically part of the bandwagon, which doesn't help its current PR. He also noted the show's struggle in ratings, hopeful it will pick up enough to merit a second run.
"We got on the bandwagon of these shows based on comic books and maybe there are too many of them," Greenblatt confessed. "It's a popular series of comics, but it's not The Flash, it's not Batman. So maybe it suffers a little bit there."
"But as Jen said, it's a show we really like. We love Matt Ryan, who's the star of it. I think we did right by the fans who didn't like the film that was made of it. The future is still up in the air for that show."
The series was hailed by critics as a worthwhile adaptation of the DC graphic novel, especially the way the characters were portrayed. "Constantine" characters Matt Ryan was considered true to the character, in contrast to Keanu Reeves in the film adaptation.
NBC President Jennifer Salke said the "Constantine" TV series' success depends on several factors, which goes beyond the viewership count.
"We wish the show had done better live. It has a big viewership after [it airs] in all kinds of ways and it has a younger audience, but the live number is challenging. It hasn't come out in the way we wanted it to, but we love the show. I think it's fair to say we're still talking about it." (screenrant.com)
