NBC has announced that cop drama Shades of Blue has been renewed for a third season, which will likely feature a 10-13 episode order and premiere sometime next midseason.
“We’re so hugely appreciative of everything Jennifer and Ray do, and know it is due to their dedication, as well as the hard work of our incredible cast and producers, that Shades of Blue has so clearly and compellingly earned a third-season renewal,” said NBC’s President of Entertainment Jennifer Salke said. “This show continues to mine powerful stories that always leave us hungry for more.”
Though Shades of Blue has been a modest performer in live ratings, it has sizable non-linear viewing, keeps NBC in business with series star Jennifer Lopez (who will act as a judge on upcoming competition series World of Dance and headline the network’s production of Bye Bye Birdie), and plugs a tough slot in Sundays at 10:00. Last season it showed some serious resilience in the face of repeat and low-rated lead-ins, which was further highlighted this season by the fact that it’s held its own despite a year-long hiatus and one of the toughest slots on broadcast television.
The renewal of Shades of Blue means that NBC has decided the fate of a good portion of its scripted roster. Among the shows with their fates left to be determined are Timeless, Taken, Emerald City, Powerless, Blindspot, The Blacklist, and the entirety of the network’s Chicago-verse.
From Adi Hasak (Eyewitness), Shades of Blue follows Detective Harlee Santos (Lopez), a single mother working at a tight-knit precinct in Brooklyn that often skirts the edge of the law in order protect itself. In addition to Lopez, the series stars Ray Liotta (Goodfellas), Drea de Matteo (The Sopranos), Dayo Okeniyi (The Hunger Games), and Vincent Laresca (Romeo + Juliet).
