Upfront roundup: ABC renews a bunch of stuff but not the one thing you care about, predictably
Here’s your roundup of TV upfront and scheduling news for the day:
• ABC is the only network that has announced no renewals to this point, with even NBC having picked up Grimm and Smash last month. CBS renewed a boatload of shows, Fox renewed a few that were performing well, and The CW picked up its top performers as well. Yet ABC hadn’t even renewed Modern Family, one of the top-rated shows on television, or Once Upon A Time, arguably the breakout hit of the TV season in terms of raw numbers and timeslot challenges.
That changed today, as the network picked up 10 series. Drama orders went to Grey’s Anatomy, Once Upon A Time, Revenge, and Castle, while the comedies The Middle, Suburgatory, and Modern Family were all renewed. The two reality series renewed were longtime cornerstones Dancing With The Stars and The Bachelor and the slow-building success story Shark Tank. That leaves a surprisingly large number of series on the bubble for the network, even when one discounts the obvious cancellations, like Pan Am. Everything from long-running shows like Private Practice to more marginal successes like Body Of Proof (a show that does poorly with 18-49-year-olds but does adequately with all viewers and is a success overseas) has yet to be renewed. (Source: Hollywood Reporter)
Perhaps the most worrisome series still on the bubble is Happy Endings, arguably the best show ABC airs, but one that struggled without its Modern Family lead-in earlier this season. TV reporter Joe Adalian tweets that he’s heard Sony (which produces the show) and ABC are working to hammer out a deal. Most likely, that deal will get done, but Happy Endings, disconcertingly, remains unrenewed for now.
The other series ABC has yet to make a decision on include Don’t Trust The B—— In Apartment 23, Scandal, The River, and Last Man Standing, among many others. (For a complete list of all shows in danger, check out the impressive list at The Daily Beast, which also has a similar list for the other four networks.)
• In the midst of renewing 30 Rock, Community, and Parenthood, NBC also found time to pick up a couple new dramas, just in case its relentless onslaught of new comedies wasn’t enough. The first, Do No Harm, is about a brilliant neurosurgeon (played by Rescue Me’s Steven Pasquale) who’s attempting to keep a dangerous alter ego under check. The series is a rough update of the Jekyll And Hyde story, and it also continues NBC’s commitment to re-employing the entire cast of The Cosby Show, as Phylicia Rashad has a supporting role. The second, Notorious, stars Victor Garber and Tate Donovan and is a soap about a woman who goes undercover within the wealthy family she grew up with as a maid, in order to solve a murder. Hmm… that sounds familiar… We wonder if she will kneel, weeping, in the rain and scream, “I SHALL BE AVEEEEEENGGGGGEEEED!” at any point. (Source: Entertainment Weekly)
• Hey, isn’t there another NBC show you’re really worried about the renewal of? Was it Fashion Star? Well, if it was, that was renewed too. Congratulations! (Source: Deadline)
Stick with us through the week for more renewal and cancellation news.