In one short week, the broadcast networks will begin what is known in the television industry as the Upfronts, which is the time of the year each of the networks meet with television executives, media representatives, and the all-important advertisers to give them a sneak peek at what each has to offer for the upcoming fall schedule. The meetings include which new pilots have been picked up for series, as well as which shows have been renewed, and, finally, which shows have been canceled. In short, the upfronts can make or break a show, as each network is courting, first and foremost, the all-powerful advertising dollar. NBC will kick-off the upfront presentations on May 5, followed by Fox and ABC on May 18 and 19, respectively, CBS on May 20, and, lastly, The CW on May 21.
We know that even waiting another week for news of whether your favorite show is going to make it or not can be tough, so we decided to put together a network-by-network list of what scripted shows have already been announced as returning, as well as which shows are on the dreaded "bubble", and could go either way. If a show that you watch is not listed in this article, then you can rest assured that the chances of it being renewed are very good. Of course, in these crazy times you never know what the networks will decide to do. Follow the Jump for the NBC buzz.
Um….spell check?
Um….spell check?
I fully expect this year's Upfronts to look like a parade of Mentalist wannabes and shows that will attempt to fill the void in the cult world that Battlestar Galactica vacated. That should tell you how high my hopes are for Caprica. I need to go back to my corner and repeat my mantra, "I believe in Ron D. Moore." a few hundred more times!
Seriously, have there been ANY break-out hits, other than The Mentalist this season?
Not on the networks. I think that "90210" reached its goals but didn't follow it so I'm not sure. It wasn't a breakout hit, though. Cable did okay. The networks want immediate success – if the show doesn't rock its timeslot for the first three weeks, they pull it.
"The Mentalist" is already being repeated with "Lie to Me", which in my opinion is a Mentalist/House/Shark hybrid.
I fully expect this year’s Upfronts to look like a parade of Mentalist wannabes and shows that will attempt to fill the void in the cult world that Battlestar Galactica vacated. That should tell you how high my hopes are for Caprica. I need to go back to my corner and repeat my mantra, “I believe in Ron D. Moore.” a few hundred more times!
Seriously, have there been ANY break-out hits, other than The Mentalist this season?
Not on the networks. I think that “90210″ reached its goals but didn’t follow it so I’m not sure. It wasn’t a breakout hit, though. Cable did okay. The networks want immediate success – if the show doesn’t rock its timeslot for the first three weeks, they pull it.
“The Mentalist” is already being repeated with “Lie to Me”, which in my opinion is a Mentalist/House/Shark hybrid.
90210 has a big enough following that there is a spinoff starting in the fall- it is a prequel, ie Serena's mother Lily as a wild child is the base of it. Kristen Ritter is going to be in it, cannot stand her, ever since she was Gia on VMars.
I think Fringe falls into the breakaway hit category…although it's semi-clone Eleventh Hour tanked.
I am really surprised that Harper's Island isn't doing better in the ratings.
Mad Men, Dexter, Burn Notice and True Blood will all be starting up again soon down there- I am not sure if the new HBO Canada will play the same episodes at the same time, as we are about 6 months behind the US audience (they are shown on Bravo and Showcase aka primetimeporno up here). I need to find some kind soul in the States to record FNL and True Blood for me…hinthint ;)
SPEAKING OF,
*waves frantically* hey KOM, where have you been hiding??
Pix, I have to make a slight correction, Gossip Girl got the spin-off of the young Lily, and I don't think anyone doubts that Gossip Girl is the better show (could it be worse?). Also, for whatever reason, Eleventh Hour has consistently been a top twenty show. I don't get it, I personally tried to watch it, but my interest lagged to things like if I wanted to put a new ceiling fan in my living room. Fringe has gained a cult following, but I would not call it a mainstream hit.
In short, I've found the 2008-2009 TV season to be a HUGE disappointment, and the shows that I have enjoyed, Better Off Ted and Harper's Island, to name the two I have enjoyed the most, are struggling in a big way. I am losing faith in viewers.
There is an episode of Doctor Who where he goes to the future and there are something like 1,000 different channels, each one airing a different Big Brother. That may be a overstatement, that's what Who does best, but it does have a frightening ring of truth, doesn't it?
90210 has a big enough following that there is a spinoff starting in the fall- it is a prequel, ie Serena’s mother Lily as a wild child is the base of it. Kristen Ritter is going to be in it, cannot stand her, ever since she was Gia on VMars.
I think Fringe falls into the breakaway hit category…although it’s semi-clone Eleventh Hour tanked.
I am really surprised that Harper’s Island isn’t doing better in the ratings.
Mad Men, Dexter, Burn Notice and True Blood will all be starting up again soon down there- I am not sure if the new HBO Canada will play the same episodes at the same time, as we are about 6 months behind the US audience (they are shown on Bravo and Showcase aka primetimeporno up here). I need to find some kind soul in the States to record FNL and True Blood for me…hinthint ;)
SPEAKING OF,
*waves frantically* hey KOM, where have you been hiding??
Pix, I have to make a slight correction, Gossip Girl got the spin-off of the young Lily, and I don’t think anyone doubts that Gossip Girl is the better show (could it be worse?). Also, for whatever reason, Eleventh Hour has consistently been a top twenty show. I don’t get it, I personally tried to watch it, but my interest lagged to things like if I wanted to put a new ceiling fan in my living room. Fringe has gained a cult following, but I would not call it a mainstream hit.
In short, I’ve found the 2008-2009 TV season to be a HUGE disappointment, and the shows that I have enjoyed, Better Off Ted and Harper’s Island, to name the two I have enjoyed the most, are struggling in a big way. I am losing faith in viewers.
There is an episode of Doctor Who where he goes to the future and there are something like 1,000 different channels, each one airing a different Big Brother. That may be a overstatement, that’s what Who does best, but it does have a frightening ring of truth, doesn’t it?