Sometimes it’s hard to tell which new TV shows will work and which simply won’t connect with people. Sometimes procedural dramas work, sometimes they don’t. Sometimes situation comedies hit the mark, and sometimes they fall way too short. Well, this season has now seen another new program get some love from its network, as Quantico has just passed that freshman series milestone by being awarded an additional Season 1 episode order after continuing to fulfill network expectations.
Quantico will put together six more episodes, according to TV Line, and that's after only three weeks on the air. The ABC drama managed to hold on to most of its audience in the second week, with viewership only going down three percent. The premiere boasted a viewership of 7.1 million, significantly improving on the ratings of the previous timeslot holder, Revenge. And the most recent episode was seen by 5.7 million people, which served to double the ratings of the show’s lead in, Blood & Oil. Fans can now expect to see 19 episodes in full of Quantico, with the possibility of even more episodes to come.
Quantico stars Priyanka Chopra as Alex Parrish, a brash, smart and (seemingly) dedicated FBI recruit who’s doing her due diligence along with her fellow students. But when a bomb destroys an iconic New York City building in the worst attack on American soil since 9/11, Alex and her young colleagues all become suspects in the terrorist attack. Alex then becomes embroiled in a web of lies, allegiances and double crosses in an effort to find out who was actually part of then plan, how to find them, and how to bring them to justice.
Priyanka Chopra is a big star in her native India, but most Americans had never heard of her before the show premiered. Chopra has made over 50 movies in India, where she’s also won a whopping 24 awards for her film work. She’s even a recording artist who’s had several hit songs in the country. Quantico marks her first lead role in the U.S.
The increased episode order is certainly good news to the mostly newcomer-filled cast of Quantico. (It's the second new show of the fall television season, after NBC’s Blindspot, to get picked up for a full round of episodes.) Hollywood is a fickle beast; no one can ever tell how long a show with solid ratings will actually last, especially without the quality dropping. With the show’s current numbers and some pretty solid continued buzz, it’s a pretty good bet that all these young actors will stay employed for a while, and Priyanka Copra will continue to help break new ground in American TV. If fans of Quantico are lucky, the show will end up being around for quite a few years.
Quantico airs every Sunday on ABC.
