So let’s take a network-by-network look at how things are shaping up for 2007-08. Which shows are “on the bubble” for Fall renewal, and
which shows will survive?
ABC
In (8): The Bachelor, Brothers & Sisters, Dancing With the Stars,
Desperate Housewives, Extreme Makeover, Grey’s Anatomy, Lost, Ugly Betty
Out (7): American Inventor, Big Day, Day Break, Help Me Help You, The Knights of Prosperity, The Nine, Six Degrees
On the Bubble (10): According to Jim, Boston Legal, George Lopez, In Case of Emergency, Men in Trees, Notes from the Underbelly, October Road, Supernanny, What About Brian, Wife Swap
My Take: ABC has a lot of decisions to make. And, unless they have a lot of promising stuff ready for pilot season, they may be forced to stick with shows they’d otherwise show the door. According to Jim and George Lopez are both dead weight, and most likely history. They’ll probably keep Men in Trees, Supernanny and Wife Swap. Boston Legal gets a stay of execution as well (until something better comes along), while What About Brian and that horrible group of mid-season replacements (October Road in-particular) get the ax
Side Bar: Talk about the good, the bad and the ugly. While Brothers & Sisters and Betty are certainly breakout hits, ABC produced some terrible programs in 2006-07. Whether it was welcome to adulthood (Notes from the Underbelly, Big Day), cloning Lost (The Nine, Six Degrees) or dysfunctional comedy (In Case of Emergency) it was nothing to be proud of
CBS
In (13): Amazing Race, Cold Case, CSI, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, Criminal Minds, NCIS, New Adventures of Old Christine, Shark, Survivor, Two and a Half Men, The Unit, Without a Trace
Out (1): Smith
On the Bubble (8): The Class, Close to Home, Ghost Whisperer, How I Met Your Mother, Jericho, King of Queens, Numbers, Rules of Engagement
My Take: Not surprisingly, CBS has more hours of programming locked down for the upcoming fall season than any other network. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some decisions to be made. Starting with Monday, I think The Class gets dismissed. CBS had high hopes for this comedy, even with its quite ridiculous premise, but it just hasn’t panned out. Rules of Engagement should replace it. How I Met Your Mother will be back for a third season, which I also believe will be its last. CBS keeps its stable Friday lineup intact. The toughest call is Jericho: I wouldn’t have believed it back in September, but the Skeet Ulrich apocalyptic drama most likely returns
Side Bar: I still say CBS is in need of another new hit, and one that isn’t reality or procedural
The CW
In (7): America’s Next Top Model, Beauty and the Geek, Everybody Hates Chris, Friday Night Smackdown, Girlfriends, Smallville, Supernatural
Out (2): Reba, Runaway
On the Bubble (6): All of Us, The Game, Gilmore Girls, One Tree Hill, 7th Heaven, Veronica Mars
My Take: All of Us and The Game are probably in for one more season. Same goes for One Tree Hill, although with its decling ratings – maybe only a half-season order. The problem is, the CW doesn’t have enough going for it to get real picky – which is why they’ll milk more episodes out of 7th Heaven. As for their two best dramas:
I’m thinking they’ll find a way to keep Gilmore Girls around, but Veronica Mars will be solving her final cases this Spring…
Side Bar: Why Gilmore Girls should bow out gracefully, and why I’m willing to except the end of V. Mars. These are two of my all-time favorites, so it’s not easy coming to terms with them not being around. But here’s the thing: Taking into consideration that any drama this far along inevitably starts running out of material (see X-Files, 90210), plus losing the show’s creators – Season 7 of Gilmore has been pretty strong. They have an opportunity to tie things up nicely, and they should use it. As for Veronica Mars, think Arrested Development: it’s never going to get the ratings, and it’s actually lasted longer than most hoped. There’s nothing wrong with
three terrific years and out…
Fox
In (9): American Idol, Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?, Bones, Family Guy, House, Prison Break, The Simpsons, So You Think You Can Dance, 24
Out (5): Happy Hour, Justice, The O.C., Standoff, Vanished
On the Bubble (7): American Dad, Drive, King of the Hill, ‘Til Death, The War at Home, Wedding Bells, The Winner
My Take: As I stated back in September, Fox is about January-May. That’s all that matters, period. That said: look for Fox to stick with the cartoons on the bubble (maybe half-season orders), and little else. I suppose Drive could catch on, if it’s any good (which it won’t be).
Side Bar: One show I will be vehemently rooting against is Wedding Bells. The teasers are horrible, and the last thing on earth we need is more of the inane David E. Kelly. Could we please make up some sort of lifetime achievement award so he’ll just retire already?
NBC
In (9): Deal or No Deal, ER, Heroes, Las Vegas, Law & Order, L&O: SVU, My Name is Earl, Sunday Night Football, The Office
Out (1): Kidnapped
On the Bubble (13): 1 vs. 100, 30 Rock, Andy Barker P.I., The Apprentice, The Biggest Loser, The Black Donnellys, Crossing Jordan, Friday Night Lights, L&O: CI, Medium, Raines, Scrubs, Studio 60
My Take: No network has more on the bubble. I’m going to play network executive here, and tell NBC which shows it should keep: 30 Rock, Friday Night Lights and Medium. The Apprentice‘s time has come and gone (pack up the tents). The Black
Donnellys is an awful Irish mix of The Sopranos and Goodfellas, and deserves its poor ratings. Time to start weeding out the L&O franchise, and CI is the weakest
link. Did anybody really take Raines seriously? It’s nothing more than an excuse for Jeff Goldblum to roll out of bed before lunch for a few weeks. Scrubs, like Gilmore Girls, should take the opportunity to go out on a high note. As for Studio 60, maybe Aaron Sorkin should have taken a year or two off and re-charged his batteries
Side Bar: Please tell me that NBC isn’t going to renew Las Vegas and (maybe) Crossing Jordan, then turn around and cancel the best new programs of the 2006-07 season: 30 Rock and Friday Night Lights
