ABC: Keep or Cancel

iMax

It’s that time of the year again when networks have to start making some tough decisions and clearing the decks ahead of the upcoming Fall season. But what shows will survive and which are heading for the chopping block?

With the ax looming over several shows on each network I thought it would be a great time to launch our new strand, Keep Or Cancel, analyzing each show’s chances of survival for the Fall season.

First up – ABC, the increasingly troubled network which has endured a pretty rocky season so far.

ALREADY RENEWED: Dancing With The Stars, Grey’s Anatomy, Modern Family, The Middle, Castle, Cougar Town, Private Practice, The Bachelor

ALREADY GONE: The Whole Truth, My Generation,

KEEP OR CANCEL:

Desperate Housewives: Surprisingly, the Housewives haven’t been officially renewed for an 8th season yet as all the ladies’ contracts are up for renewal so there’s a whole lot of negotiating currently taking place. But the chances of ABC cancelling the show are miniscule – the show still rates as Sunday night’s biggest scripted show and a heavy-hitter for the network. Sure the show is well off its ratings peak (season 1 averaged over 23 million viewers, now the show attracts half that number) but the addition of Vanessa Williams as Renee added extra spice to the show and creator Marc Cherry has made no secret of his desire for the series to run to 9 seasons. Sounds about right to me. KEEP

Brothers and Sisters: Just like the Housewives, the Brothers and Sisters cast are also up for contract renewal at the moment – but their situation is somewhat less black and white. Coming out of season 5, the once potent drama has slumped in the ratings, often hitting just 7 million viewers compared to the 10 million who used to watch at the show’s peak. And the show has already shed several actors such as Rob Lowe, Emily VanCamp and the now recurring Balthazar Getty. But costly cast members still remain – you think Sally Field, Calista Flockhart and Rachel Griffiths are cheap?

Creatively the show has also grown stale, which is why I, a one time fan of the show, gave up on the series last year (see my Time To Say Goodbye posting for more). But ABC also doesn’t have many other successful 10pm dramas – so there’s a good chance they’ll bite the bullet and pay up – for one more, wrap up season at least. KEEP

No Ordinary Family: It started so promisingly, with decent ratings and critical buzz, but 6 months on ABC’s family superhero saga is a dead show walking. The show’s second to last episode has been pushed from a Tuesday to a Saturday (the real TV twilight zone) and lead cast members Michael Chiklis and Julie Benz have already booked pilots for next season. We all know what that means! CANCEL

Wipeout: It’s trashy, silly and hardly the definition of upscale TV – but Wipeout is also cheap to produce, repeats well and is a frequently strong ratings performer. This one isn’t going anywhere! KEEP

V: Hmm, now this is the real head scratcher for ABC. On paper V should be toast – the 1.9 18-49 rating the series pulls in is disappointing at best and as a sci fi series the show is costly to produce. But I think the network are still slightly in awe of the debut rating the series pulled in back in 2009 (almost 14 million viewers) and creatively the show has undergone a resurgence with a brave, cast-culling finale. I wouldn’t be surprised to see V return for a limited 10 episode run, but let’s be honest the show is never going to regain its ratings momentum. ABC totally missed its moment on this one… KEEP

Secret Millionaire: The ratings are falling week after week – much like the similarly themed Undercover Boss – but they’re still good for now. I say the real ratings trouble will hit next season. KEEP

Detroit 1-8-7: Deader than a dead thing on a dead day. CANCEL

Off The Map: Another tricky one… ABC won’t want to tick off show creator Shonda Rhimes, the Grey’s Anatomy queen responsible for one the network’s biggest hits in years. But ABC has already supported one of her under-performing series, Private Practice, and awarded her a new show for the Fall, the promising PR saga, In Crisis. Plus Off The Map is a costly, location based show and the ratings are plain ugly (the last outing pulled in a measly 4.21 million and a 1.3 18-49 share) And once again key cast members are booking other projects. The writing’s on the wall here. CANCEL

Body of Proof: The show premieres next week so hard to say at this stage – but I think the series is promising. Let’s hope so for ABC’s sake… otherwise they’re 0-6 on the new drama front this season!

Shark Tank: One of my favorite reality shows returned for a Sneak Peek on Sunday and saw its ratings rise to over 6 million viewers. Great for its regular Friday slot – not so hot for Sundays! Still the bar is low on Fridays and Shark Tank has proven surprising survival instincts. Plus it’s good. I have a feeling the show will run and run. KEEP

Mr Sunshine / Better With You: Okay I’m grouping both of these new comedies together because frankly they’ve both in the same boat – underperformers on a Wednesday comedy block that’s led by a huge hit, Modern Family and a solid supporting show, The Middle.

Mr Sunshine has the edge due to star Matthew Perry, but no one seems to like the show much and the ratings have been in freefall since the show premiered. It’s now attracting Cougar Town like numbers but without any of the buzz or fan following that the Courtney Cox starrer attracts.

Meanwhile Better With You is a pure space filler of a show. No one much likes it, no one talks about it and not many people watch it. But it does okay compared to some of the huge underperformers on the network. Is that enough though? I don’t think so.

Mr Sunshine KEEP. Better With You CANCEL

FreudianSlippers

I don't know the other shows very well (other than the UK version of Secret Millionaire and No Ordinary Family which is certainly axed) but I want to comment on Desperate Housewives.

I never watched the show before about 2 years ago and I decided to see what it was all about and I thought it was OK for a while (leading up to the plane crash and immediately thereafter) but now I cannot stand the show anymore... pure rubbish.
Acting is awful, story lines are predictable and completely stupid.

Cancel it fast and give some of the smaller shows a chance. Will never happen, but I can dream. I'm just shocked people watch this shít - makes Eastenders look like Shakespeare!

Dman001

Desperate Housewives will be renewed, gets good ratings in the US and Internationally. I'm sure we will see Brothers and Sisters renewed too. I'd like to see Mr. Sunshine get renewed, in fairness it isn't a terrible comedy.

thegoodgirl

Where to start.....maybe with the ones that have been renewed.
I am still a huge greys fan, apart from series 3 and 4 which were a bit rough the others have been great to watch, delighted for it to keep going.

On the other hand can't understand how private practice is still ging as far as I heard its ratings have been dropping and dead right too as it has been slowely going down hill, they might just flog another series and let it go.

Wednesday night comodies are great I love the middle and modern family so really happy to keep watching them.

Desperate housewives for me is take it or leave it, I used to watch non stop but now I don't really care if its on or not, its def lost its spark.
Brothers and sisters - can't see how this is still on. I gave up watching when Rob Lowe left, although there are still the main family characters the storylines are just dull and not worth wasting time on or for ABC the money.

Cougar town - can't belive this is still going was great first series but took a huge dive for me this time round agan maybe they will keep it for next year and then cancel it. It def does not have enough steam to be a long running series

Looking forward to going home tonight to watch body of proof the promo looks good and they have some quality actors in it would be surprised if this wasnt back next year.

I tried to watch no ordinary family but stopped when I seen the ratings going, I don't want to end up where I was last year with Flashforward and have it end after one series.

I havent watched any of the other new shows yet but I will try fit in Mr Sunshine and maybe another one will see.

ABC in my opinion have one of the best line ups!

FreudianSlippers

The thing about Mr Sunshine is that it's not complicated or trying for some premise that people have to get involved in (like a show I loved, but was always destined for doom: Better Off Ted). It's not lol funny, but it's definitely watchable and in the current lull with breaks, it's a good filler.
Is it a long-term schedule filler, nope. But I'd much rather see it stay than shows like Desperate Housewives.

Richard Dower

NOF is dead, but i hope V gets a 3rd and final run.

Basq

Ditch everything there.. never realised how poor ABC's line-up is until 'Lost' left their schedules.

'Modern Family' is fantastic and 'The Middle' is.. decent.

Everything else can be scrapped!

recyclebin

Modern Family is excellent.

Desperate housewives has gone really bad. I won't be watchin it again after this season finished.

I havn't really heard much about the others. I might give The Middle and Mr Sunshine and see if they are any good.

Pushtrak

I watch both V and NOF, but I don't really care about NOF getting cancelled (which it will) but I hope V gets renewed.

calex71

Pushtrak wrote: »

I watch both V and NOF, but I don't really care about NOF getting cancelled (which it will) but I hope V gets renewed.

I would have said flush the toilet on V but the in later half of season 2 it really did get it's act together, hope it gets renewed now and it's not a case of too little too late for it.