NBC Renews ‘Hannibal,’ ‘About a Boy’; Cancels ‘Revolution,’ ‘Community’

NBC has renewed “Hannibal” for a third season. Comedy “About a Boy” gets a pickup for season two.

Dramas “Revolution” and “Believe,” as well as cult comedy “Community,” have been canceled after two, one and five seasons, respectively. NBC also announced that it was cancelling DJ Nash’s freshman midseason shows “Growing Up Fisher,” which was narrated by Jason Bateman and starred J. K. Simmons and Jenna Elfman, and “Crisis,” the Dermot Mulroney-starring drama centering around a school bus rescue.

“Hannibal” had been on the fence for a pickup, but its hard core fan base and international appeal put it over the top. NBC noted that the edgy show derived from the “Silence of the Lambs” franchise is the youngest-skewing 10 p.m. drama on NBC, ABC or CBS.

“Hannibal” is also a good bargain for NBC as it is produced by Gaumont Intl. TV and Sony Pictures TV Networks with financing from overseas outlets that allows NBC to pays  more modest license fee than a typical U.S.-produced drama. The cost issue was not the only factor in securing the renewal of the series, created and exec produced by Bryan Fuller, but it didn’t hurt.

Mads Mikkelsen and Hugh Dancy topline “Hannibal.”

“Revolution,” from J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot banner and Warner Bros. TV, started out with promise in 2012-13 when it was assisted by a lead-in from “The Voice.” But its sophomore year has been an uphill climb after it moved last fall to the lead off slot on Wednesday. “Believe,” a midseason pick also from those teams, received mixed reviews. Variety TV critic Brian Lowry wrote that “embracing mystical mumbo-jumbo and ignoring lapses in logic are required to enjoy the [Alfonso] Cuaron-directed pilot.”

“About a Boy,” starring Minnie Driver and David Walton, was seen as a lock to return, after a solid showing in its initial run this spring. The series hails from showrunner Jason Katims, a favorite of the Peacock’s.

Katims’ Thursday 10 p.m. family drama “Parenthood” is also said to be in pretty good shape for a final-season order.