CBS: In probably the most surprising news, CBS opted not to continue with 2 Broke Girls, cancelling the show after six seasons. I honestly thought 2 Broke Girls could survive being on the bubble and pull out a seventh season renewal, but I was wrong. Most of this was based on CBS’s drive to keep shows like Life In Pieces and Superior Donuts on the air, despite neither show having much of a following.
STILL ON THE BUBBLE: The Amazing Race, Code Black, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, Elementary, The Great Indoors, and Undercover Boss
NBC: NBC finally officially picked up Law and Order SVU for a 19th season. That’s right. Nineteen seasons and counting. When it hits 20, it will tie Gunsmoke and Law and Order as the longest running primetime drama series of all time. NBC also decided to go with The Blacklist for a fifth season, but opted not to continue with the low-rated spinoff The Blacklist: Redemption. Ryan Eggold will return to The Blacklist in the fall. They also picked up midseason comedy Great News for a second season.
STILL ON THE BUBBLE: The Biggest Loser, Chicago Justice, Trial and Error, Little Big Shots
ABC: ABC kept the renewal train running for most of its sitcoms, picking up Fresh Off The Boat, American Housewife, and Speechless. It also picked up The Goldbergs for TWO more seasons, securing a multi-year deal. ABC did also officially pick up Once Upon A Time for a seventh season, despite most of the cast not returning for a creative reboot. They cancelled The Catch after two seasons.
STILL ON THE BUBBLE: Quantico
FOX: I had heard the rumors, so this isn’t much of a surprise, but FOX has indeed decided to stick by The Exorcist for a second season. Reportedly, they were happy with how it performed on Friday night, despite not giving it a back order. Most of us assumed that no back order meant cancellation, which it usually does. But this show has managed to be the exception to the rule, and will return in the fall. FOX also picked up Brooklyn Nine Nine for a fifth season, as I was projecting.
STILL ON THE BUBBLE: 24 Legacy, Shots Fired, Family Guy, Hell’s Kitchen, Masterchef Junior, The New Girl, Prison Break, Scream Queens
AMC: And, not to be left out in the cold, AMC picked up their Pierce Brosnan drama The Son for a second season. I don’t know why. I thought the show was terrible, but maybe it got better and I wasn’t paying attention.
So we still have a few shows still up in the air. Upfronts are next week, so I still expect to hear news very shortly on each of these shows as deals are being finalized.
