Comments on: Final Renewals & Cancellations For The 2008-9 TV Season

By: pakopako

pakopako — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 18:23:18 +0000

“Reaper” was finally cancelled? (All the signs point to YES, despite no official “yes we did it” from the CW/CBS networks.

Sad to see it just fade away, and surprised it wouldn’t go on ABCfamily (ala KyleXY).

“Samantha Who?” was a good series, very much in the vein of “My Name is Earl” centering about people who were reforming. I’m surprised “Earl” costed much considering they’re usually in the same locations each episode. And being a big Applegate fan, I really wished “Samatha Who?” could have slashed their budget for only (hopefully) a single season.

By: squiggleslash

squiggleslash — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 20:24:11 +0000

On the T:SCC front, JF wrote earlier last week he saw no chance of it moving to another network (and said so before the cancelation too), but in case there’s any doubt, Craigatscifi just confirmed SyFy is not going to pick it up:

TSCC fan update: While we have a great deal of respect for the show, economically it’s not feasible for Sci Fi. Sorry gang. Thx 4 ur notes

Kind of confirms the “Too expensive, too low an interest” line, as if it wasn’t obvious already.

By: Gina

Gina — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:48:12 +0000

I say BRING BACK LIFE!! Join the masses on Twitter! (#bringbacklife) Ask USA to pick up the series. Sign the petition! http://damianlewisweb.com/bringbacklife/

Remember: there is power in numbers…

By: chet

chet — Fri, 29 May 2009 22:09:41 +0000

nvr mind smeone told
feeling a bit stupid
maybe im one….:)

By: chet

chet — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:56:57 +0000

ok riff u got me
i have to ask
and i know i shouldnt
what is a mmouth breather?

and yes damn entertaining
hats off to u sir

By: Bill Gorman

Bill Gorman — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:22:19 +0000

Jeff C, our understanding is that Flashpoint will be back on CBS, likely in the Summer of 2010, but perhaps sooner if necessary.

By: Jeff C

Jeff C — Fri, 29 May 2009 14:33:58 +0000

Would Flashpoint not also be renewed because its on a Friday and consistently wins its timeslot?

By: SW

SW — Fri, 29 May 2009 04:37:54 +0000

I don’t watch networks anymore save for one show. The rest are on cable channels. I think the networks are on the downhill slide although it will take a while for them to finally be in significant, close races with the cable channels for the crown of annual champions in overall viewers, key demos, and so forth.

Still, cable did not really start creating their own slates of shows until recently (in historic terms) and they are making inroads on the networks. I will be interested in seeing how things sit in about 10 to 20 years with all of the cable networks and the fading major networks, especially if companies start deciding that cable is worth an investment of a sponsorship to a show like DirecTV for FNL or Subway for Chuck. Maybe that’s why some corporations like GE own so many other cable networks already? They see the writing on the wall?

By: NetworkMonkeyHater

NetworkMonkeyHater — Thu, 28 May 2009 23:27:28 +0000

“I lost seven shows this year. That may be a record for me.” Turn off the Tube…I have almost stopped watching all TV due to this…Listen up you monkeys at the network…we are watching…keep canceling and you will go the way of the newspapers…Tick tick

By: Bill Gorman

Bill Gorman — Thu, 28 May 2009 20:03:02 +0000

@Riff “If I entertain, then my job is done.”

Take the rest of the day off, sir.

By: Riff Rafferty

Riff Rafferty — Thu, 28 May 2009 19:57:40 +0000

Bill, am I not entertaining? If I entertain, then my job is done.

Dave, “Earl’s” syndication happened already. It’s been on TBS since last March with an exclusive 18-month window for which they reportedly paid a fat license fee (believed to be around $600,000 per ep). And it joins the local affiliates (FOX O&O’s, etc.) this September. Was there a lot more back-end value with an additional season? And with an ending? Hell ya. But I guess the mouth breathers who run FOX don’t understand things like, you know, vertical integration. And not destroying your sister studio’s syndication property. CBS and ABC understand it. FOX? Nope. I guess I should have known that FOX wouldn’t want anything to do with a show that promotes karma and good values. Just the ones that promote rape and misogyny.

(Note to said mouth breather: You’ll still be getting those 110 million emails next season when you finally cancel that piece of trash, anyway. That’s on top of the 220 million emails you’re probably getting right now for cancelling “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.” And what a great reason to renew a low-rated, bad show. Because you don’t want to get angry emails about it. You’ll go far with that.)

By: Bill Gorman

Bill Gorman — Thu, 28 May 2009 19:48:39 +0000

Eric, unless it’s Dawn Ostroff herself doing the explaining everybody’s got their own guess, but Supernatural and Smallville, even though they don’t skew highly female 18-34 are the two most watched scripted shows among the 18-49 demo for the CW. It’s hard to turn your back on that, no matter how much you’re focused on women 18-34.

By: Eric

Eric — Thu, 28 May 2009 19:34:24 +0000

Can anyone explain to me why “Reaper” was cancelled because it was on a network geared towards women 18-39,

but Smallville and Supernatural were not cancelled, even though they’re on the same network?

By: Tommy

Tommy — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:16:31 +0000

Thank you Bill and Dave!
Bill: I’m British and live in London, England but follow TV By the Numbers every day and I would just like to congratulate you on a fantastic website.

By: Kathy B.

Kathy B. — Thu, 28 May 2009 16:06:45 +0000

I lost seven shows this year. That may be a record for me.

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:58:48 +0000

@Tommy, according to some reputable fansites, Fringe and Bones are apparently returning to Fox on September 17th whereas House and Lie to Me will be the following Monday on Fox, September 21st. NBC’s Heroes is apparently being held back a week until September 28th.

As for the other networks, I’d guess their fall seasons would start around this time too. So, take those dates with a pinch of salt until the networks says otherwise.

By: Bill Gorman

Bill Gorman — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:20:49 +0000

Tommy, premiere dates will be announced sometime this summer. Mid-season schedules are usually announced sometime in late fall.

By: Tommy

Tommy — Thu, 28 May 2009 14:49:51 +0000

Does anyone know when the major networks announce the premiere dates for the new seasons and series as well as the number of episodes in each series? Thanks.
PS – When does ABC, CBS and CW release their midseason schedules?

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:44:16 +0000

Re: Numb3rs…

Yes, it is the second (and sometimes first) highest rating show on Fridays but Fridays are traditionally “throw-away” TV in the States, unlike elsewhere in the world. As Jon K says, Numb3rs would do as well as any other crime drama CBS has if they moved it away from Fridays. However, I have always selfishly liked the fact that Numb3rs is on the worst day of the week where the ratings expectations are much lower. So I’m equally hopeful and confident that Numb3rs will keep going for as long the writers and actors are happy to keep entertaining the many millions of Numb3rs fans around the world.

Re: My Name Is Earl (MNIE)…

Earl being cancelled is still sickening. Yes, it had been in a downward spiral since the start of season 3 when Earl was in jail for Joy’s crime but I’m saddened it’s ended on a cliffhanger. However, there is an obvious answer to that and it can only be Nescobar-a-lop-lop. Anyway, Riff Rafferty’s hit the nail on the head with the fact that someone needs to end the show properly with either a straight-to-DVD wrap-up movie (I’d buy that too, so that makes two of us) or just enough episodes to get it to the magical 100 where syndication would happen. I’m sure that Jason Lee, with his contacts, could make either of those things happen; or is he done with TV for good now that Earl’s finished?

By: Primus

Primus — Thu, 28 May 2009 12:18:42 +0000

I think what this season proved beyond a shadow of a doubt is that the Renew or Cancel Index is a load of crap that has absolutely no ability to predict if a show is going to be cancelled or renewed.

By: ABCFanatic

ABCFanatic — Thu, 28 May 2009 08:11:22 +0000

Can’t wait for the next season!

By: Bill Gorman

Bill Gorman — Thu, 28 May 2009 02:32:13 +0000

doug, we don’t get the level of data for cable shows as we do for broadcast (even tiny CW). Sadly.

By: doug

doug — Thu, 28 May 2009 02:27:38 +0000

You seem to talk about shows on the CW. Why don’t you include shows on FX, TNT, and USA. I think some of the best shows on tv are on those networks.

By: Davin Peterson

Davin Peterson — Thu, 28 May 2009 02:26:52 +0000

CBS has the highest rated shows on Friday Nights, which includes Ghost Whisperer, so why would they cancel the hit television show?

By: Bill Gorman

Bill Gorman — Thu, 28 May 2009 02:26:52 +0000

Riff, I may not always agree with you, but I am always entertained. And that’s even more important

By: Jon K

Jon K — Thu, 28 May 2009 01:12:18 +0000

Re Numb3rs “almost cancelled”: If it gets to the point where the ratings for Numb3rs on Friday are no longer profitable, why not just more it to another night instead of cancelling it? It would likely do as well as any other crime drama they have.

By: andrew

andrew — Thu, 28 May 2009 01:10:58 +0000

Hey guys, (Bill and Robert)

I was wondering what you’re take on The CW’s move of Smallville could mean for the show’s future.

A lot of fans are speculating that because it was moved to Friday, it might not return for a 10th season.

Since it is their top-rated, scripted program, I just wanted to know what you guys thought of The CW’s decision as far as the numbers and data are concerned.

By: Riff Rafferty

Riff Rafferty — Thu, 28 May 2009 01:02:00 +0000

GHOST WHISPERER – Number 1 show on Friday. Number 1 and Number 2 best breasts on TV.
NUMB3RS – Numb3r 2 show on Friday. Although it was reportedly “almost” cancelled.
‘TIL DEATH – blackmail
SCRUBS – Steve McPherson is a fan; one of the few ABC shows that scores young adult male demos
OLD CHRISTINE – Nina Tassler pet project. Also, she wants to spite me.
GARY UNMARRIED – There certainly isn’t much explanation for this one. I actually thought it had great chances of returning early in the season, and then not as great towards the end. Creatively, it was falling apart, cast members kept getting let go, and then creator Ed Yeager was pushed out. And then CBS shot 7 comedy pilots. Who knew they’d only pick up 1? I mean, if the show can find its way back, there is potential for growth, just not with it still stuck behind that Julia Louis Dreyfus trainwreck. But, hey, Paula “Showkiller” Marshall deserved to finally have a show live long enough to see its 2nd birthday. You know the old saying. Seventh time’s a charm!
WORST WEEK – Viewers went out of their way to change the channel on this. Not that this site understands things like that.
ELEVENTH HOUR – Why, I guess Nina must be a RETENTIONISTA! Maybe we can rename the term in her honor? Retentioninanista. (Actually, the show was expensive and worthless.)
SAMANTHO WHO? – there is a quote from McPherson in a recent article in which he states it is not economically practical to have single-camera comedies that cost over $2 million an episode. I’m pretty sure he was talking about this. Since he didn’t, you know, cancel “Scrubs.” Even though “Scrubs,” you know, did a series finale. I’ve been told ABC was paying a lot of money for it, and though the producers tried to cut costs, they couldn’t cut $500,000 per ep. The fact that ABC requested a 500k cut per episode tells you everything you need to know…
MY NAME IS EARL – Expensive, a bad fit for the network it was on, owned by another network’s studio, a network chief who decidedly is not a fan… and the saddest cancellation of the season for me given the way it ended. Especially because it was really starting to look like it was going to get a 5th season. But it has nothing to do with Leno. NBC made a license fee offer to 20th. 20th rejected it. Maybe it was an insulting offer (maybe it wasn’t — the show’s lost audience every season it’s been on). They gambled and they lost. And who gets screwed? Current and future audiences who get to see the show end with “To be continued.” If TBS can’t afford to give it a curtain call, then 20th certainly owes the world a straight-to-DVD wrap-up movie. I’ll be first in line to buy it.
REAPER – If ABC Studios wanted better treatment, they should have made sure it ended up on ABC. ABC has certainly played favorites with a lot of their in-house stuff. Now they know how it feels.
BETTER OFF TED – Am told it got 13 episodes picked up on top of the 6. Has big fans within ABC, and is way too good a show to cancel after only a month. Besides, it more or less did what was asked of it. “Worst Week” did not. We still don’t understand that, I know. We probably never will.

By: Bill Gorman

Bill Gorman — Thu, 28 May 2009 00:09:03 +0000

FarmGirl, you are correct. And I realize I forgot a lot of my boilerplate. I will add it when I am back.

Oops and I forgot to do some extra things too. Will fix.

Update; Boilerplate added along with explanation of NBC Super Bowl week bump removal.

By: FarmGirl

FarmGirl — Wed, 27 May 2009 23:58:16 +0000

Bill, didn’t you take out the week of the Superbowl for NBC? If you leave it in, according to the last posting of the season’s demo numbers, the NBC 18-49 would be 2.53 (3.34/1.32) right? Then those five NBC shows would have an index of 0.95 instead of 1.07 and they would all be right on the bubble, making it completely explicable that some were cancelled and some were retained.

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 27 May 2009 23:53:53 +0000

And originally Suburbia wasn’t on the announced schedule but it seems ABC wants to give the series another chance (possibly for midseason). That makes Samantha Who? the only series that was axed that I originally thought would be renewed (now its part of ABC’s summer burnoff series), and King of the Hill is actually returning next year for 6 episodes, but after that its done.

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 27 May 2009 23:49:17 +0000

No I know, theres no way to systematically apply those answers, I was just giving my opinion on those 3 surprise renewals. I thought the list was good, BTW. I also agree that its unlikely for Surviving Suburbia to return but it’s ABC so anything is possible. It’s also weird to see Jericho on the list, but it did air reruns in CW primetime so I guess it should be counted

By: Bill Gorman

Bill Gorman — Wed, 27 May 2009 22:47:38 +0000

Dan, I have added (limbo) next to Surviving Suburbia. It may not be entirely dead, but by the standards of the list if you’re not on an announced schedule, you’re canceled. And your reasons for the 3 shows that survived against the odds are as good as any, but my problem is its pretty much impossible to systematically apply those kinds of reasons to other shows in the future with only publicly available knowledge.

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 27 May 2009 22:35:35 +0000

I have some explanations for the series with no explanations

1. Better off Ted – Once again ABC has no comedies this year except 4 new ones on wednesdays and there Scrubs/Ted block for tuesday. ABC seems to really like the duo despite low ratings but they are desperate for a working comedy block, Remember no new comedy since Hope & Faith has gotten a 3rd season on ABC (Samantha Who? was close this year).

2. Gary Unmarried – Similiar to the ABC scenario, Gary though low rated was likely renewed because CBS really wants to develop their second comedy block a little more. Plus they can afford an hour of low ratings with all of there other high rated shows. I had originally thought that Gary would be scrapped and Rules would air in the fall alongside Christine, but it seems CBS likes Gary. Its funny that in the past CBS would cancel a moderately rated, post Two and a Half Men series (Out of Practice, Courting Alex, Worst Week) but keep the low rated Gary.

3. Dollhouse – The best reason for FOX keeping Dollhouse is for a second chance. Terminator got it, and if FOX axed Dollhouse after a season naturall fans would be pissed. Also consistency in the time period, may help out for next year. However dont expect Dollhouse to go beyond its original 13 episode order.

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 27 May 2009 22:24:54 +0000

Bill, Surviving Suburbia is NOT cancelled nor is ABC burning off episodes. ABC is just airing some new episodes and they have until September to determine the shows fate. http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=8118

By: Julia

Julia — Wed, 27 May 2009 22:13:08 +0000

DJM, there were reports that Subway approached NBC before the campaign.

By: djm

djm — Wed, 27 May 2009 22:04:54 +0000

Im pretty sure the fan campaign sealed the deal for Chuck, without it, subay wouldn’t have thrown money at it….

By: Bill Gorman

Bill Gorman — Wed, 27 May 2009 21:27:46 +0000

shelly, I think both Cold Case and Castle fell into the “right on the line” category, and I don’t think it was inexplicable that they were renewed, nor would I have found it particularly surprising if they were cancelled.

By: Bill Gorman

Bill Gorman — Wed, 27 May 2009 21:12:59 +0000

ken, one of the things I think I should have included in the post, which I may edit in, is that the rules for the Index assume we don’t have access to any more data (like internal discussions) next season than we did this season. Everything about my process has to necessarily use information that is (substantially) public information.

By: shelly

shelly — Wed, 27 May 2009 21:09:58 +0000

Shouldn’t Castle be listed under “no systematic explanation”?

By: ken

ken — Wed, 27 May 2009 20:59:01 +0000

It’s interesting that NBC had five shows, Chuck, MNIE, Medium, P & R, and Southland that all had the same index but got different results. All things being equal it would seem that potential played a part in P & R and Southland’s quick renewal, age seemed to work against MNIE (although it didn’t with the other bubble show L & O) cost and schedule fit worked against Medium (that and the fact that they had an alternative allowing them to take a hard stance in negotiations) and Chuck had other factors in it’s favor (sponsor support).

It would be interesting to know what the factors a network considers when the ratings are equal, what is the tie breaker, obviously money, but money up front (cost), money down the road (syndication), potential money (upside vs downside).