Every year around this time the American television networks go through a period of cleansing, in which they decide to purge themselves of generally regrettable or not widely beloved shows while making googly eyes at the fresh new girls (i.e., shows) getting off the bus. Some years it can feel like a bloodbath whereas others it can feel more like a modest thinning of the herd. How you feel about it often depends upon how many of the shows you like get renewed or canceled.
Well, today was when we found out, for the most part, how we’ll feel about it this year. With the networks set to present their 2013/2014 schedules to advertisers next week, the past 48 hours has been awash in renewal cancellation announcements flying at us left and right from the major broadcast networks as well as some of the cable ones. Comedy nerds (a group to which I belong) rejoice! The much loved though always ratings beleaguered NBC shows Community and Parks & Recreation have been renewed! However, also take a moment to bow your heads in remembrance of Happy Endings and, to a lesser degree, Go On, which have both been canceled. Also headed to the great TV graveyard in the sky are, to name a few, Golden Boy, Vegas, Touch, CSI: New York (though after 9 seasons it will live on in syndication), The New Normal, and Smash. At this point, there are very few shows without official renewal or cancellation determinations, comprised almost entirely of reality shows widely assumed to be locks for renewal with the real sole remaining scripted show being WeMinoredInFilm’s favorite serial killer drama Hannibal.
Here is a rundown of the latest, divided by network [this page will be updated to reflect each new announcement; the below list is as of 5/10]:
ABC
American Broadcasting Company (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Renewed
- Castle
- Grey’s Anatomy
- The Middle
- Modern Family
- Nashville
- The Neighbors
- Once Upon a Time
- Revenge
- Scandal
- Suburgatory
Canceled
- 666 Park Avenue
- Body of Proof
- Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23
- Family Tools
- Happy Endings (possibility of USA picking up the show)
- How to Live With Your Parents…
- Last Man Standing
- Last Resort
- Malibu Country
- Private Practice
- Red Widow
- Zero Hour
Still Up in The Air
- The Bachelor
- The Bachelorette
- Dancing With the Stars
- Shark Tank
CBS
CBS Logo Light (Photo credit: watchwithkristin)
Renewed
- 2 Broke Girls
- The Amazing Race
- Big Bang Theory
- Blue Bloods
- Criminal Minds
- CSI
- Elementary
- The Good Wife
- Hawaii Five-O
- How I Met Your Mother
- The Mentalist
- Mike & Molly
- NCIS
- NCIS: Los Angeles
- Person of Interest
- Survivor
- Two & Half Men
- Undercover Boss
Canceled
- CSI: New York
- Golden Boy
- Made in Jersey
- Partners
- Rules of Engagement
- Vegas
Still Up in The Air
Nothing
CW
English: Network logo for The CW Television Network. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Renewed
- Arrow
- Beauty and the Beast
- The Carrie Diaries
- Hart of Dixie
- Nikita (for a 13-episode final season)
- Supernatural
- Vampire Diaries
Canceled
- 90210
- Emily Owens, M.D.
- Gossip Girl
Still Up in The Air
- America’s Next Top Model
- Cult (basically canceled, just not officially)
FOX
Logo of the Fox Broadcasting Company (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Renewed
- American Dad
- Bob’s Burgers
- Bones
- Family Guy
- The Following
- Glee (for two more seasons)
- The Mindy Project
- New Girl
- Raising Hope
- The Simpsons
- The X-Factor
Canceled
- Ben and Kate
- Fringe
- The Mob Doctor
- Touch
Still Up in The Air
- American Idol
- The Cleveland Show (basically canceled, just not officially)
- Kitchen Nightmares
NBC
A 3D “glass effect” version of the Peacock, currently in use in NBC promotional advertising (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Renewed
- Chicago Fire
- Community (!!!!)
- Grimm
- Law & Order: SVU
- Parenthood
- Parks & Recreation (!!!!)
- Revolution
- The Voice (for two more seasons)
Canceled
- 1600 Penn
- 30 Rock (more like they stopped seeking new seasons than being outright canceled)
- Animal Practice
- Deception
- Do No Harm
- Go On
- Guys With Kids
- The New Normal
- The Office (more like they stopped seeking new seasons than being outright canceled)
- Smash
- Up All Night
- Whitney
Still Up in The Air
- Betty White’s Off Their Rockers
- The Biggest Loser
- Celebrity Apprentice
- Fashion Star
- Hannibal
On the cable side of the coin, TNT has canceled Southland and Monday Mornings, USA has announced the upcoming season of Burn Notice will be its last, and SyFy has renewed the usually excellent Defiance.
Notes: Holy crap, I am still surprised that both Community & Parks and Recreation were renewed whereas every single one of the other new NBC comedies which were supposed to have a broader appeal failed to make it past one season. Remember that NBC was very publicly attempting to appeal to a broader audience with all of its new shows, attempting to get away from the niche audience courted with Community & Parks and Rec.
I will miss Go On and Happy Endings. It might be surprising to hear Go On has been canceled, considering it was considered at one point one of the only breakout comedy hits. However, it was only a time-slot hit, meaning when The Voice aired before it did well but when The Voice went on hiatus Go On‘s ratings took a nosedive. I personally enjoyed the show and am sad to see it go, as it still presented considerable potential it never quite achieved. Happy Endings…I’m sorry. I’m in denial. They keep saying it might just jump to USA, ala Cougar Town. So, I’m not thinking of it as canceled, just putting out the moving to a network notice. Of course, I am still in mourning the loss of Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23, which at one point this season was my favorite comedy on television. And Smash…I am Kelly’s complete lack of surprise that it was canceled. However, that show once looked so freakishly promising. Do any of us remember that? Ah, well. It’s a brutal business, especially if you work at NBC right now.
Source: TVLine.com (unless I used a direct link, as I did with the cable shows)