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‘Brilliant Minds’ Featuring Al Calderon Pulled from NBC Schedule

By Michael Fairman

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Photo: NBC

Going into Wednesday, the NBC primetime medical drama Brilliant Minds, was already on the bubble and hadn’t yet received a renewal pick-up for another season. Brilliant Minds stars Zachary Quinto in the leading role, and Al Calderon as one of this season’s new characters, Nurse Nico Silva.

As Days of our Lives fans know, Calderon exited Days of our Lives and his part of Javi Hernandez was recast (the new actor in the part has not officially been revealed). However, DAYS and Calderon have made clear after Javi’s recent exit that he is still on the show till May. That’s because Days of our Lives tapes 10 months ahead of streaming new episodes on Peacock.

While Brilliant Minds and much of the NBC primetime programming block is taking a hiatus for the next two weeks, while the network brings you pretty much round the clock coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics, when they are over, NBC has replaced Brilliant Minds with The Voice: Battle of Champions series beginning on February 23rd and airing Mondays thereafter in the 9-11 pm ET/PT time slot.

Photo: JPI

This move currently leaves the final 6 episodes of Brilliant Minds second season without a definitive time when they will be back on broadcast TV. Sources told Variety that, the plan is to, “at some point later in the season or over the summer,” air the reminder of the medical drama’s season.

Nielsen data has shown the series has been in a ratings decline its second season. However, rumors are swirling that the final fate of Brilliant Minds won’t be decided or revealed until the NBC Upfronts in May.

It should also be noted, Brilliant Minds faces a climb as their are a reported five drama pilots in contention for the 2026-2027 season, including the revival of the hit drama The Rockford Files that originally starred James Garner and ran from 1974-1980.

The loglines for the reboot share, “A contemporary update on the classic series of the same name. Newly paroled after doing time for a crime he didn’t commit, James Rockford returns to his life as a private investigator using his charm and wit to solve cases around Los Angeles. It doesn’t take long for his quest for legitimacy to land him squarely in the crosshairs of both local police and organized crime.”

So, with things not looking too good at the moment for Brilliant Minds, that begs the question of could Al Calderon go back to reclaim his role of Javi on Days of our Lives? If the final decision is not known till May, and something were to be worked out, Calderon would not be seen again until well into 2027 on the soap opera.

Have you enjoyed Brilliant Minds this season with Zachary Quinto, Teddy Sears (ex-OLTL) and Calderon? Do you think NBC is going to pull the plug on it for good? Will you miss Al Calderon on DAYS when May comes and the new actor beings on-screen? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.

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I feel like NBC fumbled the bag with this series. Could have been excellent. As for his return to Days of Our Lives, I am pretty sure they recast him already, so it’d be unfortunate for that new actor.

I love Brilliant Minds. I sure hope it renews.
It’s on ABC not NBC.

It’s on NBC here.

Are you dying on that hill? I’d like to see your proof that it’s on ABC.

Someone needs to learn their alphabet! Its on NBC

There’s little-to-no chance this show returns in the fall.

As for Calderon, wishful casting – bring him on to GH as Justine’s brother who is paired with Lucas once Marco is exposed and eventually leaves the canvas by mid-year.

Oh I love the Idea of him with Lucas, make him a nurse and pair him with Lucas

Well it figures that they would have an extended “break” in the show’s schedule, right when they finally get around to dropping some big hints about how Dr Wolfie ends up in the looney bin.

Yeah, I got about halfway through this last episode when I finally put 6&6&6 together and realized that this young woman he’s been spending so much time with, at his “missing” father’s house …

**Spoiler alert** if you haven’t seen this week’s episode yet, you might not want to read further!

well it turns out she ain’t really there at all. Which makes me wonder if the same thing is also true of dear old dad himself, who was around earlier this season, but then disappeared again.

Guess a doctor having those sort of hallucinations probably should be figuring out his own brain before trying to do that for other mortals?

As far as Al Calderon goes… it’s really too bad Days isn’t on this ridiculous taping schedule, because then he might have had time to go back and wrap up the story. It’s certainly looking like they sent Javi out of town, supposedly to visit his sick father, so they could bring on the recast, and then give Leo the option of going back to DumbMitri if there’s no “chemistry” between NuJavi & Leo.

I will definitely miss Al on days.

Not sure why Brilliant Minds has low ratings it’s a excellent show and the only explanation I can come up with with why this show is low rated is because people watching and the network doesn’t know good when they see it a lot of worst shows currently on primetime than this one

I don’t know why he even left Days for that show…. It has been on the brink of cancellation for awhile what a shame I loved him on days

Brilliant Minds is one of the worst shows I have watched in close to 50 years. The premise and the script a awful. It never should have aired in the first place

Brilliant Minds was brilliant in Season 1. The show was destroyed in Season 2 and many viewers fled. What was once a thoughtful, intelligent drama in the first season became an adrenaline-induced disaster that fired some beloved cast members. NBC has no one but themselves and the showrunner for Season 2 to blame.

I agree with you, Jeff. I don’t know why they felt the need to get rid of 2 of the main actors from Season 1 and add at least 2 new characters in Season 2, even though I like Al Calderon. And, as we learned in the latest episode, they wasted screen time on a character that wasn’t even real! I still want to watch the remaining episodes…

I love Brilliant Minds. I hope they don’t cancel the series!!

I love Al and Javi but I WANT PETER PORTE TO STAY!!!!!

i knew this would happen!im surprised he left Days for a show that is on the brink Definitely will miss him as Javi and now here come the Gh fans conjuring up a role for him

Al Calderon is one of those actors who is always grounded in the scene and imperceptibly makes you watch him. His absence from the screen–regardless of which show–is a loss for everyone.

I love Brilliant Minds and hope it stays on the air. I can never catch it when it airs but I always watch it on demand.

I hope it renews and doesnt disappear from NBC but no matter what we say NBC thinks the ratings r bad and still takes it off. I am in fear of Brilliant Minds leaving NBC and Peacock.

Brilliant Minds is brilliant maybe they need to change the time and day to get better viewers or different company. As for Calderon hope he has a job on either.

I love love love that show! I can think of a few others that should go!!

This is crazy who cares about The Voice Brilliant Minds deserves to be on TV and it’s stupid to delay because of something stupid like The Voice same with found they got rid of found over stupid Sports that don’t mean anything take all the good stuff of the TV and put so much stupidness on NBC is getting ridiculous the only reason why I watch NBC now is because of Days of Our Lives other than that I wouldn’t watch it at all found and Brilliant Minds are good stable on NBC in my opinion

I love Javi on Days and Brilliant Minds. Him and Leo were one of my favorite couples. They need to keep him on Days if Brilliant Minds leaves. I love both shows. I like Javi better than Dimitri.

I love Brilliant Minds! Yes, it can sometimes be a little dark, but I also find it very informative.

Days Of Our Lives

DAYS OF OUR LIVES: Sophia Seemingly Plans to End Her Life, But Not Before Setting Fire to Johnny’s Apartment With Him Trapped Inside

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The final few moments of the Thursday, April 30 episode of Days of our Lives, will pave the way, to what just may be the end of Sophia Choi’s (Rachel Boyd) life, but not as you may think!

After an unhinged Sophia paid a visit to Johnny DiMera (Carson Boatman), maced him in the eyes, knocked him out and then tied up to a chair, now conscious, she lets him know that she holds him responsible for all the trouble and trauma she has gone through from adopting her child, and her being sent to a mental institution.

So instead of the unregistered gun Kristen (Stacy Haiduk) gave her to finish off Johnny, Sophia sets up a plan to light candle, use nail polish remover and turn on the gas on the stove to ultimately create a mass explosion, which although Johnny pleaded to her not to that to all the innocent people inside his apartment building, she doesn’t seem to care.

Photo: JPI

FIERY FACE OFF

The plan was supposed to be, after she takes care of Johnny she will toss the gun in the Salem River, then focus on payback to Holly Jonas before leaving town to start a new life.

Now, Sophia makes her exit, leaving Johnny to be a few moments away from an explosion or gas inhalation, when Chanel (Raven Bowens) comes home after awaiting the results of her mammogram. She sees Johnny tied up, as he panics and tells her to put out the flame on the candle, things go awry, and a fire has begun and everything may go up in flames with Johnny and Chanel inside.

Photo: JPI

A BROKEN SOPHIA

Back in her room, Sophia breaks down after reading the social media comments about her, she planted, and then starts writing a suicide or farewell note which says. “I’m tired of begging for forgiveness for my mistakes. All I wanted was to move forward, to be loved and understood. But it’s clear that I was never going to get that. Holly Jonas said that I was dead to her. So, as her former BFF, I’m going to make her dream a reality.”

Photo: JPI

A DEADLY TRAP

Now, the fate of Johnny, Chanel and Sophia will be revealed on tomorrow’s May 1st cliffhanger, which may be the end of Sophia when she crosses paths with Kirsten at the bridge near the river. We do know Rachel Boyd is no longer appearing in the show credits section and is now off contract with the soap.

So, what did you think of the climatic final moments of DAYS? What did you think of the performance of Rachel Boyd as Sophia Choi? Let us know via the comment section.

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Jacob Martinez is ‘Days of Our Lives’ New Javi Hernandez Replacing Al Calderon in the Role

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Finally! The casting has been revealed as to just who would be Al Calderon’s successor in the role of Days of our Lives, Javi Hernandez. On Friday, April 30, the long-running soap opera revealed Jacob Martinez is taking on the part and he will first be seen this coming June 30th and then on all-new episodes streaming on Peacock.

As previously reported, the popular Calderon exited the soap opera last year to join the cast of the NBC primetime medical drama, Brilliant Minds as nurse Nico Silva, who in May will air the remainder of their second season. The series has been on the bubble for renewal by the network. His last episodes as Javi will also air this May on DAYS.

Since DAYS tapes ten months ahead of streaming, Martinez has been secretly ensconced in all the drama in Salem for quite some time. When viewers see the new Javi in story, we should learn what will happen in Javi’s relationship with Leo Stark played by Emmy winner, Greg Rikaart, plus his continued relationship with his relatives in the Hernandez clan. Currently, when Javi returned to Salem after taking care of his ailing father, and after the bust-up of his marriage to Leo thanks to Dimitri (Peter Porte), he claimed he had moved on with someone else while he was away from Salem.

Photo: JPI

Like Calderon before him, Martinez is a multi-talented actor and singer. Jacob’s resume is impressive having appeared in the musical In Pieces: The Musical at Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater and he was hand-picked by Joey Contreras to play the role of Grey. Other credits include: the short film, Memory Swim and the play Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage.

Martinez hails from Norfolk, Nebraska and appeared when he was very young at the Johnny Carson Theatre, and as DAYS fans know, Jacob is now working at the Days of our Lives studios, right where the “Tonight Show” is filled. In addition, Jacob Martinez is a graduate of The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA).

Taking to his Instagram on Thursday, April 30 once the news of his casting was revealed, Martinez, expressed, “Way too many people to thank in one post, so I’ll just say THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART to each and every person who continues to pour into me and encourage me to chase my dreams. I cannot even begin to express how grateful I am. I already feel beyond blessed, supported, and loved. See you all in Salem ⏳”

Jacob Martinez appeared on Friday on the Days of our Lives Instagram account announcing his casting. You can check it out below. Deadline was the first to report the casting switch.

So, excited to learn who is the new Javi Hernandez? Please welcome Jacob Martinez to the role and be on the lookout for his debut on June 30. Comment below.

 

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Days Of Our Lives

‘Days of Our Lives’ Conner Floyd on Chad’s Quest For Abigail’s Resurrection; But Who Should Be Cast as NuAbby?

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Former Y&R favorite, Conner Floyd made his debut as the recast Chad DiMera on Days of our Lives last week on the April 21 episode of the Peacock streaming soap opera

Floyd replaced Billy Flynn in the role who is firmly cemented in his old stomping grounds of Genoa City and The Young and the Restless as Chad DiMera. For the last year or two of Chad’s story, he believed his wife, Abigail Devereaux DiMera could be alive, he even thought Cat Greene (AnnaLynne McCord) was Abigail until the story turned.

Now with Floyd taking over the role and Lexie coming back to life after years of being dead, and Chad noting how Dr. Rolf (Richard Wharton) and his brother, EJ (Dan Feuerriegel), could resurrect somehow they all love, he thinks, how about Abigail? The part of Abigail was played by Kate Mansi and then Marci Miller. 

Photo: JPI

Speaking with Stephanie Sloane for her new Daytime Dish Newsletter on the matter, Conner shared, “Any kind of idea that she could possibly be coming back, as farfetched as that may seem, he’s stuck on it. The idea gets in his head, and he’s locked in on it.”

CHAD WRESTLES WITH THE FATE OF ABIGAIL

Floyd added that Chad, “He’s asking Theo (Joseph Tyler Andrews) about it. He’s asking EJ about it. It’s one of those things where he loves her so much that the peace in his mind that he’s made with this kind of comes unbroken. So the fact that that she might be able to come back, he’s so bent on it, he thinks it’s going to happen and he kind of spirals away.”

A NEW ABIGAIL ON THE HORIZON?

Photo: ABC

That begs the question, with Days of Our Lives taping ten months in advance, which is already taking them into the beginning of 2027, is it possible that the soap has already recast Abigail and its being kept top secret?

Recently, it was revealed that former General Hospital favorite, Sofia Mattsson (ex-Sasha) has joined Days of our Lives. Back on March 30 it was reported that Mattsson is now taping all-new episodes that will be seen in 2027, but her role was being hush-hush! Could she the new Abby?

If not, the question is, since it seems that Kate Mansi is not coming back as she is firmly entrenched in her role as Kristina Corinthos-Davis on General Hospital and other outside projects, and Marci Miller has also been away from soaps for awhile working on other TV and film roles and indie motion pictures, who should play nuAbby?

Now below, let us know, who do you think would make the perfect leading lady opposite Conner Floyd as a recast Abigail Deveraux DiMera? Be our armchair quarterback casting director and drop your pick in the comment section.

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