The Guessing Game 2009 — Renewals and Cancellations

by Alex on April 27, 2009

in Featured Posts,TV Analysis

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Part 1 of 3

    The Upfronts are fast approaching and I need to post what I think will happen (if only to say TOLDJA!).

    Let the Guessing Game begin!

    First, the renewals.

    Lots of shows are on the bubble as always this time of year.
    Ergo, it’s the perfect moment to play the guessing game of what is coming back/getting canceled.

    Some of the educated guesses on here are mainly follow-ups to my durability thinking in the Spec Script 2009 list I gave a couple of months ago.

    Shows that are not on this list have either been already declared canceled (My Own Worst Enemy, Prison Break, etc.), have already been renewed (24, Ugly Betty, Lost, Grey’s Anatomy, etc.), or I don’t care much about/forgot about.

    Since I’m crazy, often wrong, and especially suicidal, here is my guess list:

    Cold Case
    My guess: Canceled
    Why?: This renewal fight is between Cold Case and Without a Trace. Given that Trace has more decent numbers than Cold Case,
    Why not?: The show is the youngest of the two.

    Eleventh Hour
    My guess: Canceled
    Why?: A lot of other, new, procedural-type shows are coming CBS’ way.
    Why not?: Bruckheimer.

    Flashpoint
    My guess: Renewed
    Why?: Epic Friday ratings. Add to that the fact that more and more shows are being co-produced, and Flashpoint is here for the long run.
    Why not?: No real reason.

    How I Met Your Mother
    My guess: Renewed
    Why?: I think it still has one season under its sleeve.
    Why not?: Average ratings for a CBS sitcom, and both The Big Bang Theory & Two and a Half Men have already been renewed for multiple seasons.

    The Mentalist
    My guess: Renewed
    Why?: Duh.
    Why not?: CBS execs have realised it’s a Psych copy-cat.

    The New Life of Old Christine
    My guess: Canceled
    Why?: Has been disposable ever since it was launched.
    Why not?: If the upcoming sitcoms are complete failures, the show might see another day.

    Rules of Engagement
    My guess: Renewed
    Why?: The show is pulling in better numbers than CSI: Miami.
    Why not?: Like Old Christine, the show is fairly disposable and has mostly those ratings thanks two its lead-in.

    Without a Trace
    My guess: Renewed
    Why?: See above regarding Cold Case.
    Why not?: The show is old and expensive.

    Worst Week
    My guess: Canceled
    Why?: Pulled out of sked, low ratings.
    Why not?: Jesus has returned.

    Chuck
    My guess: Renewed
    Why?: Like I previously said, I doubt NBC would leave to die a heavily-promoted show, especially after putting so much money in the 3-D episode, even if the ratings are average.
    Why not?: Everyone and their mothers are saying it’s canned.

    Kings
    My guess: Canceled
    Why?: Thoroughly under-promoted, a lame timeslot followed by an even lamer timeslot followed by the show being pushed back to Summer.
    Why not?: Good question.

    Life
    My guess: Canceled
    Why?: The show was on average pulling worse ratings than Knight Rider or My Own Worst Enemy.
    Why not?: My prayers worked.

    Medium
    My guess: Canceled
    Why?: Because I want it to.
    Why not?: Sundays at 10PM, right doc?

    My Name is Earl
    My guess: Canceled
    Why?: Change is coming and they need to clean out a bit their Thursday lineup.
    Why not?: The ratings, even though average, are still decent compared to the rest of the NBC shows.

    Parks & Recreation
    My guess: Renewed
    Why?: The show pulls in pretty decent numbers…
    Why not?: …despite its very late start.

    Southland
    My guess: Renewed
    Why?: The show pulls in pretty decent numbers despite its very late start.
    Why not?: NBC’s sked is getting smaller and smaller.

    Better Off Ted
    My guess: Canceled
    Why?: In the same rating-zone as Pushing Daisies and Dirty Sexy Money once were.
    Why not?: No reason why it should get renewed, Better Off Dead.

    Castle
    My guess: Canceled
    Why?: Lackluster ratings (and reviews) and ABC needs to shed some shows to make room for the new.
    Why not?: I don’t want Nathan Fillion to be jobless.

    Cupid
    My guess: Canceled
    Why?: No time for third chances.
    Why not?: Why not, not?

    Scrubs
    My guess: Canceled
    Why?: Everyone has moved on.
    Why not?: It would be a good prank to renew it.

    The Unusuals
    My guess: Canceled
    Why?: Very late start and mediocre ratings.
    Why not?: ABC might take pity on Harold Perrineau.

    Bones
    My guess: Renewed
    Why?: Decent to good ratings.
    Why not?: Don’t you want to continue be bored?

    Dollhouse
    My guess: Canceled
    Why?: All those reasons.
    Why not?: All these reasons.

    Fringe
    My guess: Renewed
    Why?: “By the writers of Star Trek comes the new season of Fringe.“
    Why not?: In one of the many parallel universes out there, the show gets canned.

    House M.D.
    My guess: Renewed
    Why?: Best. Ratings. Ever.
    Why not?: The Upfronts will be on April Fool’s Day 2010.

    Lie to Me
    My guess: Renewed
    Why?: Also has great ratings and a known star.
    Why not?: I would be lying if I said it was gonna get canceled.

    The Sarah Connor Chronicles
    My guess: Canceled
    Why?: More or less the same reasons as Dollhouse. The ratings are bad and FOX isn’t happy.
    Why not?: Send back an army of viewers in time to watch the show.

    Sit Down, Shut Up
    My guess: Canceled
    Why?: The poor ratings are tanking FOX’s Sunday night.
    Why not?: The ratings the show would pull next year would be (sadly) funnier than the show itself. Yes, I’m harsh.

    The next Guessing Game will be about the pilots that are going to get picked up, so stay tuned.

    Series NavigationThe Guessing Game 2009 — Pilots


    Possible Related posts:

    1. The Guessing Game 2009 — Rundown
    2. The Guessing Game 2009 — Pilots
    3. Spec Script 2009 — What is hot and what is not
    4. One Year of Featured Posts
    5. Put down the remote (Emmys 2009)

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    { 1 comment… read it below or add one }

    Lordy April 27, 2009 at 9:23 pm

    OK.

    So, here are my 2 cents:

    I don’t agree with Cold Case being cancelled over being the youngest show. Without a Trace was more soapish, and is the oldest. Since I think one of the two will return, I go for Cold Case.

    I think that 11th Hour did respectable numbers in the post-CSI slot. But I’m the only one that seems to care for the show (it’s Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris! From Brimstone and Sleeper Cell! I want their shows on my TV!)

    “Medium” is doing respectable numbers and has a solid follwing, even if they are older. So, yeah, Sundays at 10 PM is the best solution, and NBC would be foolish to get rid of it. Also, “Legally Mad” needs a companion, and is sure to attract senior viewers.

    “My Name is Earl” isn’t that much of a long shot. I think it’s a power move so that 20th Century Fox lowers their license fee. Don’t forget that all the other sitcoms of Thursday night are Universal-produced.

    As for ABC, I very much think Castle will come back. And I also think in the fall. I also see The Unusuals renewed for next midseason, but ABC has a lot of dramas in development, so I don’t know if they’ll be comprehensive.

    I think Dollhouse will see another season, and will be paired with Human Target. But maybe I’m too hopeful, I don’t know. Ditto for Sit Down, Shut Up, but because of a very late start and the ADev pedigree.

    As for the CW, I thik Privileged will be renewed for a second season, in midseason. Reaper is as dead as the Devil, don’t know why they can’t come clean with this.

    Oh, and since you forgot Gary Unmarried: cancelled.

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