NBC Cancels Heartbeat, Game of Silence, Undateable, Crowded and Telenova

If TV shows had heads, they'd be rolling all over the floor at NBC today.

But mostly freshman heads, so it's not too grizzly!

The network pulled the plug on dramas Heartbeat and Game of Silence today, as well as comedies Crowded, Telenova and Undateable.

Game of Silence started out strong with a compelling, dark story about childhood friends who wanted to exact revenge upon their tormenters at a juvenile detention center.

But, geez, I even had to stop reviewing it. The story got downright ludicrous. That's not dark and compelling, that's crazy. Better luck next time.

Heartbeat, from what I heard (I only saw the premiere), was sweet and pleasant.

That may have been the death knell on that one. It was a little too soap opera and nothing set it apart from an already crowded slate of medical dramas on the air.

Telenova was a straight-to-series addition with star power from Eva Longoria.

It was part of the network's diversity push, but didn't suit as well as Jennifer Lopez's Shades of Blue and America Ferrara's Superstore, both of which have been renewed.

Crowded had a really great case, including Patrick Warburton and Carrie Preston (I did not know she was in it...poor marketing?) and Miranda Cosgrove.

The story was maybe a bit overdone. How many comedies to do we have to see with extended families living together in tiny houses before we've seen enough? 

Undateable was actually a very funny show, made funnier when it went live, which it did this season. 

If you happened to have two cable providers in the house and could watch the East Coast and the West Coast feed, it was even more of a treat (not many people have that).

Seeing a live production done twice with the idiosyncrasies and comedic moments well pronounced worked.

But, comedy is hard and people weren't tuning in on a Friday night. What's the point of broadcasting live if nobody watched?

NBC Did order up some new series today, starting with Midnight, Texas. 

Welcome to a place where being normal is really quite strange.

From Niels Arden Oplev, the visionary director of Mr. Robot, and based on the hit book series from author Charlaine Harris (True Blood), comes a journey into a remote Texas town where no one is who they seem.

From vampires and witches to psychics and hit men, Midnight is a mysterious safe haven for those who are different.

As the town members fight off outside pressures from rowdy biker gangs, ever-suspicious cops and their own dangerous pasts, they band together and form a strong and unlikely family.

The cast includes François Arnaud, Dylan Bruce, Parisa Fitz-Henley, Arielle Kebbel, Sarah Ramos, Peter Mensah, Yul Vazquez and Sean Bridgers.

Time travel drama Timeless was also ordered.

From Eric Kripke, Shawn Ryan and the producers of The Blacklist comes this thrilling action-adventure series in which a mysterious criminal steals a secret state-of-the-art time machine, intent on destroying America as we know it by changing the past.

Our only hope is an unexpected team: a scientist, soldier and history professor who must use the machine’s prototype to travel back in time to critical events.

While they must make every effort not to affect the past themselves, they must also stay one step ahead of this dangerous fugitive.

Can this handpicked team uncover the mystery behind it all and end his destruction before it’s too late?

The cast includes Abigail Spencer, Matt Lanter, Malcolm Barrett, Goran Visnjic, Paterson Joseph, Sakina Jaffrey and Claudia Doumit.

So what do you think of the NBC news of the day? I'm ready for more Dylan Bruce and Arielle Kebbel in my schedule, so I'm diggin' on Midnight, Texas! And, the more time travel, the better. Way to go, NBC!

Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.