Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
I have learned that NBC’s option to renew Trial & Error for a third season has lapsed, reverting the rights to the crime comedy back to producing studio Warner Bros TV. I hear the options on the series’ regular cast have not expired yet, and WBTV will be using the window to shop the show elsewhere.
With its serialized nature — each season following a different murder case — Trial & Error looks better suited for binge viewing on a streaming platform. The comedy’s first season, which was well reviewed, starred John Lithgow, and the current second season, headlined by Kristin Chenoweth, received even stronger reviews (91% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes vs. 86% in Season 1).
On NBC, Trial & Error’s linear ratings have been modest and expectedly slipped from Season 1 to Season 2 as the series moved from in-season to summer. NBC has been double pumping originals, but two weeks and four episodes into the show’s second-season run, the network may not have been ready to make a final renewal call without enough delayed/digital viewing data. While it is conceivable the network could consider a late renewal, somewhat in the vein of Timeless, if Trial & Error gets to a third season, it more likely would be on a cable or SVOD network.
In the second season ofTrial & Error, done in the spirit of true-crime documentaries, bright-eyed New York lawyer Josh Segal (Nicholas D’Agosto), still relatively a newcomer in a tiny Southern town, is sturdily posed for his next big case there. His mission? To defend the eccentric first lady of East Peck, Lavinia Peck-Foster (Chenoweth), known for her flamboyant outfits, large hats and hairless cat, and who suddenly finds herself accused of the bizarre murder of her beloved husband.
The cast also includes Jayma Mays, Sherri Shepherd, Steven Boyer and Amanda Payton.
Jeff Astrof and Matt Miller serve as writers and executive producers. Jeffrey Blitz directs and also serves as an executive producer. Trial & Error: Lady, Killer is produced by Barge Productions and Good Session Productions in association with Warner Bros Television.
