NBC lets option slide on freshman series

It looks like time is running out on NBC's drama "Journeyman."

The drama about a man who's unstuck in time is slated to complete its 13-episode order with a pair of episodes next week. After that, though, it's likely that Dan Vasser (Kevin McKidd) will be home for good.

That's because, according to The Hollywood Reporter, NBC has let its option to pick up the show expire. The network had until Tuesday to make a decision on the show, which is produced by 20th Century Fox TV, but let the day pass without taking action.

"Journeyman" has earned some critical praise of late after tepid reviews for its pilot, but it has struggled in the ratings pretty much from the start. It's averaging 7.34 million viewers per week and a 3.0 rating in the adults 18-49 demographic advertisers care about most. The show also loses about 5 million viewers and half its 18-49 rating from its lead-in, "Heroes."

NBC has picked up two of its new series this fall; "Chuck" and "Life" will go back into production after the writers' strike ends. The network hasn't made a decision on "Bionic Woman," which has seen its ratings slip markedly since a strong premiere.

The final two episodes of "Journeyman" are scheduled for 10 p.m. Monday, Dec. 17, and Wednesday, Dec. 19.