It looks like “Nashville” will be saved.
CMT is eyeing a pick-up of the fan-favorite series for a fifth season, Variety has learned, following ABC’s cancellation that sent Twitter into a frenzy.
CMT was one of many potential buyers for “Nashville,” which sparked interest from four or five different venues, according to Lionsgate Television, the studio that was shopping the show around with ABC Studios and Opry Entertainment.
Lionsgate had been actively searching for a new home for “Nashville,” immediately after ABC cancelled the bubble show. Support poured in from rabid fans, dubbed “Nashies,” who were responsible for the show’s #SaveNashville campaign that was trending on social media for days.
CMT is a seamless home for the country music drama, which is surely seen as a “get” for the Viacom-owned country cabler. While the ratings (1.8 rating in adults 18-49, 6.7 million viewers overall in Nielsen’s “live plus-7” estimates) were not strong enough to warrant another season at ABC, those types of numbers are big for CMT.
Last month on a call with press, Lionsgate’s head of TV, Kevin Beggs, said they have “long-term deals with the cast,” though as the CMT renewal is not yet official, returning cast members have not been announced. Ed Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz are on board as showrunners for Season 5, as the duo was attached before the show was cancelled at ABC.
With “Nashville” more than likely returning (though the Season 5 CMT renewal is not yet official), it seems there will be a long future for the show beyond a fifth season.
“These kinds of shows can go forever and ever — obviously that’s our hope and expectation, but we’ve got to do it one season at a time. So right now, we’re all about Season 5. So we hope to land Season 5 and keep talking about this show for years to come,” Beggs said on last month’s call.
