Why ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine,’ ‘Elementary’ and Other TV Shows With So-So Ratings Survive

Fox didn’t want ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine,’ but NBC did—a no-brainer as networks look past middling ratings to consider future revenue on Netflix and Hulu

When TV networks decided which shows to put on their fall TV schedules this year, ratings and appeal to advertisers were major considerations, as always.

But other factors are increasingly at play, including whether shows can generate revenue as reruns on streaming services and other digital platforms, or from international sales.

Networks...