As I’ve mentioned a few times, I love serialised story-telling whether in book form or television or movies. I like to see characters develop, and to visit them in different scenarios. Which is a rationalization perhaps of why I like to watch TV, other than the fact I just enjoy it. But, as the year passes the mid-way point, the pundits start guessing who’s going to get cancelled (boo! hiss!) or renewed (yay!). Usually, I’m in agreement with most of the cancellations for new comedies, most of which I gave up on after one or two episodes. Dramas I’m more hit and miss on as networks often don’t let them last enough for me to decide if I’m in or out — my “on the bubble” period is a lot longer than networks who are paying for them.
Today, I wandered by the TvByTheNumbers site to check out how my shows are doing…and was pleasantly surprised!
I had very little interest after episode 1 in 666 Park Avenue, Last Resort, Made In Jersey (lasted ten minutes), or Partners, all of which were cancelled. I think there was something “there” for The Mob Doctor but not enough to keep watching it. I tuned in, I tuned out, I tuned in, I tuned out.
Today, Don’t Trust the Bitch in Apartment 23 and Ben and Kate seem to be as close to formally cancelled as you can get without a press release containing the words cancelled, and I never liked either one. Happy Endings, Guys With Kids, and Up All Night are all listed as Likely to be Cancelled, and I couldn’t agree more. CSI: NY is a bit long in the tooth, and while I liked Gary Sinise, I can’t take him every week. I didn’t get excited about Vegas, but not surprised it’s not likely to continue.
The “on the bubble” list has almost nothing I care about — Last Man Standing, Malibu Country, Cleveland Show, the Good Wife, 90210, the new Carrie Diaries, Hart of Dixie, Mindy Project, Beauty and the Beast, 1600 Penn (please kill this!), the New Normal, and Whitney (whose acting reminds me of The Nanny without the voice). I kind of fell out of routine with Nikita and it started back up without me even noticing it in the PVR guide, too confused storylines now. Deception lasted one episode for me, although I liked the premise. My only concern is The Mentalist, and while other sites suggest it is near certain for renewal, the series could close soon without a great loss, they just need to wrap up the Red John story (and a lot of those final pieces are already in place, if needed).
Some of the shows I like that are expected to be renewed are Castle, Revenge (no, I don’t know why I’m still watching some parts of it), Elementary (loving it!), Once Upon A Time, Blue Bloods, Person of Interest, Arrow, Grimm and Revolution (a nice surprise!). The Big Bang Theory is a no-brainer for renewal (already renewed!), but I’m surprised NCIS and NCIS: LA are still listed as certain renewal, given that NCIS has some pieces in place that would allow them to wrap and NCIS: LA has been a bit stale of late.
I won’t miss Fringe as I didn’t even watch this season…I watched up until the end of last year, but the parallel work together was a step too far for me, and when they went to Watchers controlling the future, I was lost.
Way too soon for some other shows, but I’m loving Showcase for a lot of short-season shows (Continuum, Suits, Rizzoli, Lost Girl, Covert Affairs, etc.).
