To view the latest What’s Next To Be Cancelled #6, Click Here

So, it’s Tuesday again and time to look at what’s transpired in the world of television renewals and cancellations.

In an update from last week, Eastwick has been canceled, The Forgotten has been extended by 5 episodes (?) and ABC show Let’s Dance has been pulled from the schedule before it was even aired. There was also some news on CBS where  #1 (A18-49) network comedy The Big Bang Theory and #1 scripted show (in viewers) NCIS have been extended to 24 eps, as has How I Met Your Mother, NCIS: LA, CSI: Miami and Two and a Half Men with Criminal Minds, CSI: NY, The Good Wife, CSI, and The Mentalist, all having 1 extra ep ordered and Numb3rs has had its episode order reduced to 16.

This week I’m going to start with Fringe - Ruh-roh, a 1.7 rating and under 5 million viewers? Indeed. Fringe has its worst week of its relatively short life last Thursday which is a problem for them and for FOX. Last year the show was doing so well (even before Idol started airing) averaging and solid late 2’s/early 3’s and since then the show has gotten better. Now this is one of the rare incidences where I believe that most of this is caused by the timeslot and not the show itself. FOX needs to find a slot where this works or it will be gone by the end of the year. The problem is that FOX’s schedule is full of solid shows this year (both creatively and in the ratings). I think the 1.7 rating though can be attributed to not many people knowing it was on due to the World Series being cut short.

Ugly Betty – Ugly Betty posted series lows again last Friday and unless something drastic happens this show might not even make it until the end of the season. The dramedy, now in its 4th season posted just a 1.2 rating in the finals and just over 4 million viewers. Oops….spoke too soon. Apparently ABC are moving it to Wednesday nights. This could be in place of either Eastwick, which was canceled earlier today or a replacement for Hank/ The Middle. My bet – it replaces Eastwick.
My Prediction: Still gone by the end of the season. Renewed (geddit?) interest will lead to better ratings though.

Three Rivers – I really don’t know what’s going on over at CBS. The only reason that I can see as to why this is still on the air is because the shows advertising was pre-sold at a nice rate. Either that or it’s Julie Chen’s favorite new show and Les Moonves, the CBS president, doesn’t want to piss off his new wife! The show averaged just a 1.8 rating last week which was up but is still not good enough (even for NBC!) but it lived to see another day.
My Prediction: As soon as the prepaid ad money runs out, so does its luck.

Cold Case – Just a short one today on this. What I can’t understand is why Numb3rs’ episode order was cut short but not this show? The former is a better performer and is on Friday to boot. It pulled a 1.6 rating this week, up slightly from last week but still nothing to write home about and is still CBS’ worst performing scripted show. Yes, worse than Three Rivers even.
My Prediction: I can’t see how but it’ll make it to 22 and finish

The Others -

- Smallville – Posted series highs last week and isn’t going anywhere, even if Zod gains the powers of the yellow sun. Will be picked up for next year.

- The Forgotten - Will end its 18 episode run and be gone.

- Hank - Fell to a series low 1.2 rating this week. Hasn’t got a chance of a back 9 pickup & lucky to finish its limited run.

- The Middle – I don’t know. If paired with Modern Family it would probably do much better. Wait and See…..

- Trauma - 13 Episodes. NBC has pulled the plug.

- Dollhouse – Replaced by a Bones rerun which outrated it by 50%. 13 and out.

- Brothers - Didn’t air due to a House rerun which also outrated it by 50%. Possibly run until the end of the season.

- Law and Order – Posted its season best numbers on Friday (1.7/1.8) Was I wrong to count it out so early? Nope. 18 and Out.

- Gary Unmarried/ New Adventures of Old Christine – A 2.0 rating last week. Nothing special. Similar to last season. Possible 2010 pickup.

- Heroes - Now that House is back on FOX, Heroes dropped to a 2.3 rating last night which definitely isn’t enough to save this expensive show. Gone after 18.

So, it’s Tuesday and time to look at what’s transpired in the world of television renewals and cancellations.

In an update from last week, the Trauma production team have been told that they’re done once the 13 episodes that have been produced have aired. Also, cancelled WB series ‘Southland’ was picked up by TNT and will start airing on January 12. Scrubs (Dec 1) season 9 and Better Off Ted season 2 (Dec 8) were given premiere dates (it’ll be interesting to see how they do) and NBC ordered 6 more episodes of ‘Chuck’, taking its total to 19 (we still don’t believe it’s going to start airing in March though).

This week i’m starting with an endangered species, ABC’s Ugly Betty. I know that ABC has a pretty strong schedule this year and thus there was no choice but to move Betty to Friday’s, which was a big mistake. In its first 3 hour long episodes the show, now in its fourth season, has averaged just a 1.4 rating (that;s Jay Leno territory) and just under 5 million viewers. The problem is that this show has quite a large cast and therefore probably quite a large pay packet to cover. The show is made by ABC studios so it has to directly cover these costs which I can’t see them wanting to do for much longer. In comparison, it was averaging a 2.2 rating last year….
My Prediction: Gone by the end of the season. With those numbers, even on a Friday ABC can’t justify keeping it around…

Three Rivers – My prediction was again wrong. CBS was mostly in repeats last week but Three Rivers wasn’t. It AGAIN averaged just a 1.7 rating which is not good enough (even for NBC!) but it lived to see another day. CSI and The Mentalist reruns out-rated it last week by around 40%!  I’m not sure if they’re just burning off episodes but this show is definitely gone by Christmas.
My Prediction: Cancelled by Christmas.

Eastwick – This week Eastwick was up a tick in the key ad demo and total viewers but it still isn’t good enough. ABC might want to pretend that they’re happy with this shows performance but who are they kidding. This show was also outrated by a few of CBS’s reruns and one night of Leno last week which is simply not good enough. I know that they probably just want to burn off episodes (like  Three Rivers…) and get the show out of there quietly without too much fuss. They’re leaving it on through sweeps simply because any reruns they could put off would rate lower than the freshman show
My Prediction: Santa comes, Eastwick goes.   

The Forgotton - wins! Well not really. It did win the 10pm hour for ABC last week but was only up against The Good Wife (rerun) and Leno. It pulled a solid 2.0 rating in the key demo (18-49) and 8.5 million viewers (which itself is not terrible). I think that this show will stay on the air until christmas also, but only because of the same reason as Eastwick, there’s notthing to replace it and we’re in sweeps. ABC’s having a better development year this year so I can’t see them being massviely bothered by this not grabbing the 4.0 rating the network is searching for.
My Prediction: Same as Eastwick and Three Rivers

Cold Case - This show has been a solid performer for CBS but after the way that the ratings have dipped this season I wouldn’t expect to see it back next season. The show pulled just a 1.5 rating on Sunday night, which is over 33% down on where it was at the end of last season. In fact, I think that this show is now the lowest rated scripted programming that they have on the air. It’s had a good run but it’s time to say goodbye…
My Prediction: End of its 22 episode season.

The Others -

- Fringe - Didn’t air this week due to the World Series. Needs to improve or gone after 22.

- Hank - replaced by Charlie Brown this week which led The Middle to its best ratings since its series premiere. Hasn’t got a chance of a back 9 pickup.

- Trauma - 13 Episodes. NBC has pulled the plug.

- Dollhouse – Replaced by a House rerun which outrated it by 33%. 13 and out.

- Brothers - Didn’t air due to a House rerun which also outrated it by over 33%. Possibly run until the end of the season.

- Law and Order – Apparently NBC are talking about ordering an extra 4 eps this season? Still looks bleak. 18 and Out.

- Gary Unmarried/ New Adventures of Old Christine – In reruns last week. Similar to last season. Possible 2010 pickup.

- Heroes - A 2.5 isn’t enough to save this expensive show. Gone after 18.

Breaking — CBS has picked up NCIS: LA and The Good Wife for a full 22 episode order.

Both shows are produced by CBS Televison Studios.  

Of the two freshmen shows, NCIS: LA (starring LL Cool J and Chris O’ Donnell)  has had the better run, averaging around 18M Viewers and a 3.9 A18-49 rating.

The Good Wife (starring Julianna Marguiles) has averaged around 13.5M Viewers and a 3.1 A18-49 rating.

Both shows are produced by CBS Televison Studios.