Pulse is a new medical drama on Netflix, a show that is not meant to be a limited series, but rather an ongoing one, and season 1 ended on a note that encourages that. So, Pulse season 2 then? I’m not so sure.
The Bad Indicators
Viewership Seems…Okay – Pulse debuted at #3 on Netflix’s top 10 list, and has been fluttering around inside its top 5 list since then, with perhaps a 1-2 day stint overall at #1 before being replaced. That is not exactly an ultra-powerhouse performance, and it may not be enough to encourage a second season.
Reviews are Not Great – This is a series that neither critics or a good portion of fans are convinced is very good. It has coinflip 48% critic and 51% audience scores. The latter of which makes me think that the indicator we can’t see, how many people finish a season, a key part of renewal, may not be very high, as would you watch a full 10 episodes of a show you don’t like that much?
The Pitt – Perhaps this is bad luck but all of the above makes Pulse compare extremely unfavorably to The Pitt, Max’s smash hit ER drama that Netflix may not want across from its own, not as good series. It seems unlikely season 2 would spike its quality suddenly.
A Couple Good Indicators
Cost – Generally speaking, medical dramas do not cost all that much, and this has a relatively low-profile cast that would not demand huge salaries. As such, Netflix may try for a season 2 based on this alone.
Second Chances – While Netflix may cancel underperforming shows after one season, they also give a lot of shows a second season to try to grow their audience, and if that doesn’t work, they’re out. This has happened with another of shows over the years, most recently The Recruit which was cancelled after season 2, but I believe season 1 of that show performed better than Pulse has here.
Taking all this into account and seeing dozens and dozens of Netflix renewals and cancellations over the years, I’m going to predict that this one gets cut. Most of the signs here would indicate that this series just did not land the way Netflix wanted, however there is at least some chance a low cost and perhaps decent enough viewership might grab a season 2. But it will probably be a while until we know as this is internally debated.
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