Fox has opted not to proceed with a second season of The Big Leap. The ballet drama-comedy, starring Scott Foley and Simone Recasner, had an 11-episode freshman run, which ended in December, with the network at the time deferring a decision on the show’s future until the spring.
It is one of two Fox freshman dramas on the bubble after soft limited runs, along with Our Kind Of People, which I hear looks promising for a second season due to a strong showing on Fox’s streamer Tubi.
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With its music, stage performances and aspirational themes, The Big Leap was a favorite of Fox brass during the development process and arrived with a strong pre-launch buzz, drawing parallels to Fox’s breakout hit Glee.
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But The Big Leap did not follow Glee‘s ratings trajectory. Linear ratings were soft, with the dramedy ranking as Fox’s lowest-rated series this season.
Still, Fox brass liked creatively The Big Leap, which scored a rare for a broadcast series 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The network met with The Big Leap team to hear their Season 2 pitch before making the final decision.
The Big Leap was a show-within-a-show that took viewers on a journey of self-acceptance, body-positivity and empowerment at any age. It was described as a modern tale about second chances, chasing your dreams and taking back what’s yours. The show revolved around a group of diverse, down-on-their-luck characters attempting to change their lives by participating in a potentially life-ruining reality dance show that builds to a live production of Swan Lake.
The Big Leap was produced by 20th Television and Fox Entertainment. Liz Heldens created the series inspired by the British reality series Big Ballet. She executive produced with the show’s director, Jason Winer, and Sue Naegle of Annapurna TV.
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