Fun Friday: Betting on Renewals and Cancellations

It can be a depressing time of year for a lot of people. We're only a month out from Network Upfronts Week (May 13-16 this year), and although we've already seen many cancellations and heard about many upcoming new pilots, there are still quite a few shows up for renewal, both freshman and returning. Back in January we did a Midseason Checkup on how the first-season scripted shows were doing so far. But, at that point there were still quite a few that hadn't even debuted, so a lot has changed. (and, actually, there still are some shows that have not seen the light of day yet, like Crossbones, Friend Me, The Goodwin Games, Save Me, Family Tools, and Mistresses.) That said, I wanted to go ahead and start predicting how things will go for freshmen series and the older series that this site follows. Again, this only covers the programming on the big five broadcast networks. If a show isn't on this list and you expected it to be, that's because its fate has already been announced, so check here.  

and, not, I didn't try to make the sections near-even, that's just a coincidence.

I think it'll be renewed:
Beauty and the Beast. While the numbers are decent for a series on the CW, there are many cable series that do better. Still, I think it's good enough for the situation. [update: we were right!]
Chicago Fire. Not the highest numbers, but the series is getting a spin-off, so you'd think they'd keep this around for some early publicity, crossovers, etc. [update: we were right!]
Golden Boy. The numbers are decent, but CBS can afford to be picky, so that might work against this drama. Still, the critics are more favorable than not on it, and although it's not my cup of tea, I could see it getting a second chance. [update: we were wrong!] 
Hannibal. For a series about the famed Dr. Lecter, it did not open well, and the second episode did about the same. It could be advantageous that the series does not plan full seasons but just 13-episode installments, and it's hard to make a judgment call after just two airings, but I think NBC could work with this.
How to Live With Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life). It could be a good fit for ABC, maybe even joining the TGIF lineup if the network could scare up some more family comedies to throw in there. After two episodes, it's still early, but the numbers are decent, even if it does have Modern Family as a lead-in at the moment. [update: we were wrong!]
Last Man Standing. (listed because it's one of the few non-freshman network series we cover that has not yet been renewed/canceled) The numbers are high enough for a renewal, and although I don't think the stories are going anywhere, I think it's a safe show for ABC's Friday night lineup. [update: we were right!]
Malibu Country. The numbers aren't where they could be, but the stories could go far, plus it pairs well following Last Man Standing. [update: we were wrong!]
The Middle. (listed because it's one of the few non-freshman network series we cover that has not yet been renewed/canceled) The numbers are better than last year's and the storylines could easily keep going, so I don't know why this would get canceled. [update: we were right!]
Nashville. The numbers aren't terrible for a 10pm slot, and it got decent critical praise. [update: we were right!]
The Neighbors. The numbers are on the weaker side and it's not a critical favorite, but it's high-concept and fits into the "family" block on Wednesday nights. [update: we were right!]

I think it'll be canceled:
1600 Penn. The numbers are absolutely abysmal, and the comedy packs in too much drama. [update: we were right!]
The Carrie Diaries. The CW operates by slightly different rules, but this series still has weaker numbers than Emily Owens, MD, and that's already been canceled. [update: we were wrong!]
Deception. The numbers are poor and there are two episodes to air that aren't even scheduled at the moment, which is not a good sign. [update: we were right!]
Go On. The numbers suggest that it just fell too far. Combined with a last-minute timeslot move and the very droll plots, I don't see this going anywhere. [Update: we were right!]
Guys with Kids. The numbers were never great for this one, and it aired against the more-established family comedy block on ABC on Wednesdays. It never even got a full season pickup, so as much as it pains me, I don't think it'll make it. [update: we were right!]
The New Normal. The numbers have been on a downward slope, and I think the stories would be scattered should the series continue. [update: we were right!]
Red Widow. The numbers are dropping, and month-long gap between the last episode and the next won't help anybody. [update: we were right!]
Revolution. The numbers have been falling drastically since the pilot, and it's a bit too high-concept for the show to try and "solve" the problem of the power so soon. [update: we were wrong!]
Vegas. The numbers have been pretty steady, although the move to Friday will keep many guessing as to how the remaining five episodes will do. Still, it's a big-budget show, and although another network might risk another season, CBS may not. [update: we were right!]

what do you think will happen? check out the poll to the right and let us know which series you think will be renewed!

1600 Penn: Wrapping It Up

It's been thirteen episodes already, and the past four have aired within two weeks. These final two episodes received less than two million viewers each, so it's pretty safe to say that this is the end of 1600 Penn, a show that could have been so much more. However, at least the end of the season managed to give the audience a little hint of the directions that would be taken next. The first episode, "Bursting the Bubble" was pretty straight-forward, really. Although there were twists in both plots, someone just rose to the occasion and everything worked out. The second ("Marry Me, Baby"), however, couldn't have been more dramatic. In fact, when it was over I told my husband that I couldn't have written in more shenanigans if I tried! Anything you can think of to make that story crazier?

1600 Penn "Bursting the Bubble" (S01E12): The Princess of Andorra is visiting, and she wants Skip to escort her to a gala. [I love how quickly that got him out of his funk!] but, it turns out that she's a bad girl, and she drags Skip out to a rave instead of the fancy event. [didn't this happen to Will on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air? he was supposed to take a girl to an opera and she wanted to hit the clubs?] Fortunately, Marshall saves the day.

Becca and DB are babysitting the younger kids for the night, and Becca wants to use it as a dry-run for parenting. [except your siblings never behave like other charges, LoL.] DB is less structured but winds up getting the kids to do their homework when Becca becomes obsessed with beating a video game that mystified Marigold and Xander. [I laughed at the fact that they just watched other people play!]

1600 Penn "Marry Me, Baby" (S01E13): [love Emily's dress!] Dale makes a joke about weddings and now there's an issue with the fact that he can't find his own marriage certificate. At first it seems that Skip never mailed it, so Dale and Emily plan a big ceremony to replace the small courthouse affair that sealed their nuptials years ago. It's a big hassle to plan, however, as it seems that every selection is potentially offensive to someone. [but it was a big too exaggerated...] Emily actually finds the original certificate but they go through with the ceremony anyway. [was I the only one not to care for Emily's gown?] It would have been a double wedding, actually, if DB had his way. When Becca turns down his proposal, the kid turns to Marshall for advice, hoping to learn what he could do for the soon-to-be mother of his child. Anyway, back to the wedding... Skip decides to sing to Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" as Stacey plays it on the harp. [I laughed at the fact that Skip is so into The Goonies that he thinks this is one of her lesser-known works!]

Byron Cohen/NBC

But, Becca's water breaks during the song so the nuptials are truncated and Emily takes Becca to the hospital as Dale, Skip, and Marshall ("just in case there's any unexpected press issues in the car") head to Old Navy to get DB. [I laughed SO HARD at Marshall's line that I cried!] Skip kisses Stacey as he leaves, and she admits that she does like him. [so, you can see that future episodes would probably see them attempting to date once again.] In the car on the way to the mall, Marshall tells the President about his year-long relationship with Becca, but Dale already knew. [I found it out-of-place for Marshall to admit to this now (it wasn't that related to DB running off), but we see why soon enough...]

At the mall, DB has quit Old Navy and has joined the real Navy. [haha that as soon as Dale says that he's proud of DB, Skip asks for a pamphlet!] Still, he heads over to the hospital with the others, and they wind of running the last ten blocks to the hospital because of the traffic. [I really laughed at how Dale realized that people must hate the messes the First Family causes!] At the hospital, Becca and Emily come to terms with their relationship. [so that tension is gone for the fictional second season.] And, when Becca goes to deliver the baby, DB acts as her hypnosis tape, despite the fact that he was skeptical of it in the first place. [that was very "DB," I thought.] When Becca's son is born, his skin is dark, and it's implied that it's actually Marshall's baby. [and this is the end of DB. and why Marshall had to admit to his relationship with Becca. and the start of a new scandal of sorts, really.]

1600 Penn: Finishing School, Fake Identity, Date Nights

I actually found a commonality with Skip! We both clean when we procrastinate!We also both have a wide variety of interests and will take classes in anything - his Bachelor's in General Studies features minors in critical film theory, Latin dance, political cartooning, landscape architecture, math, and Judaic studies. I don't have tons of minors, but I did take classes in wheel-throwing, multicultural film, piano, music history, art history, Signed English, clothing and textile history, astronomy, and, of course, the variety of courses required for my Bachelor's degrees in Theatre and Religion, and my minor in Child Development. But, enough about me. Can we notice that Neither Dale nor Skip go by their given name of "Standrich" ?? I am not one to be stringent about using one's given name, but if you don't use yours, why would you pass on the same name to your offspring? So they don't use it either? What's the point? Still, I liked these two episodes, but I'm not sad that NBC is seeming to burn off this series by airing the final two next week. Hey, at least we were treated to something pretty funny - Marshall putting a name on a door and winding up with a secret identity!

Byron Cohen/NBC

1600 Penn "The Short Happy Life of Reba Cadbury" (S01E10): After seven years at the University of Nevada - Reno, Skip is missing just a single paper from a single class before he can graduate. Emily makes it her business to get Skip to write a 25-page sociology paper, but it's Marigold who inspires Skip to actually sit down and finish the assignment. [and because he convinced her to read Dune, he realizes that he wants to be a teacher. love his spirit.]

Becca is put on a task force but is largely ignored, so she takes on a persona Marshall created (to give himself free time) to make her points heard. [I love that she had Xander make up a Wikipedia page for the woman!] But, when the Senator in charge of the committee likes the ideas AND Dale wants to meet with the woman, Becca needs to come clean. Marshall writes a press release that Reba has died, but Dale knows the truth and covers for his daughter so that her voice will be heard. [touching but not too sappy - I like it.] 

1600 Penn "Dinner, Bath, Puzzle" (S01E11): Skip interrupts Dale's meeting with the Postmaster General when his boots are late arriving. Turns out, Xander intercepted them and won't give them back. [why Dale or Emily don't enforce the respect for the property of others is beyond me.] Skip's got bigger things to deal with, however, when his parents ask him to watch the younger kids for an evening so they can have some private time. He manages to get out of fielding Xander's questions about Cosmo but does have a short heart-to-heart with Marigold upon learning of his sister's sexuality.

Dale and Emily are supposed to see a play for a date night, but he manages to get out of it by suggesting they take the advice of a visiting French dignitary and his wife: have an intimate dinner, take a bath, and put together a puzzle. [the French don't mean a jigsaw puzzle, but the First Family does not know that.] The evening starts out poorly but ends with fireworks so all is well. [they made excellent time on a 1500-piece puzzle!]

DB brings over a buddy comedy to watch with Becca, but she'd rather watch a French film with Marshall. [what was with him speaking French in a press conference?] She doesn't want to hide anything, so she awkwardly tells DB that she and Marshall were an item at one point. [eek!] The guys bond over what they dislike about Becca, but then slug one another. [haha!] Marshall leaves and Becca realizes that she is into DB, even if he wasn't what she was looking for.

1600 Penn: Skip & Stacey, Dale & Xander, Becca & DB

First, the President saying "cray-cray" was ridiculous. Second, Xander is supposed to be 12? I don't think I got that before... though maybe I should have because he and Marigold go to the same school. Third, I think that the three storylines going on didn't exactly go together fabulously, though they did make for an overall entertaining episode. I could have used less Skip-and-Stacey, but Josh Gad is possibly the reason many people tune-in to this struggling show. This installment was not bad enough to push me off the series, so I've decided to finish out the first season. I wonder how alone I am in this choice, though...

1600 Penn "Game Theory" (S01E09): Emily wants Skip's date to go well, as Stacey is only giving him one more chance. [why? he didn't humiliate her enough last time?] His plans include a hot air balloon, performing a song, and throwing rose petals everywhere, so Emily steps in. She suggests he ignore his impulses, not to argue with his date, and to not put all of his cards on the table upfront. Still, Skip slips and makes a fool of himself pretty early, as Emily spies on the date. [I love her for trying, but this is borderline ridiculous.] She has a Secret Service agent spill water on Stacey so she can give Skip advice and winds up playing Cyrano. [ha!] Well, of course, Skip winds up repeating something Emily was saying to Becca, spoiling the whole thing. Skip thinks that he should have just done things his way, so Emily goes to Stacey to apologize and ask for another chance. Of course, Skip shows up singing, with balloons full of rose petals and accordion music. [geez!]

Photo by: Carin Baer/NBC

Dale, Marigold, and Xander play Risk, and Dale panics when Xander attacks Australia. [this was kinda funny, actually.] He calls a meeting of military generals for advice and makes an alliance with Marigold. But, when Xander points out how long the games can run, she quits. [how has she never played before??] When Dale comes close to losing, he calls it a night. [what terrible parenting!] Xander gets upset, and then Dale actually tries to guilt Xander into giving up before letting him make the final roll. [no surprise, Xander wins for the first time.]

After a trip to a museum, Becca wants a mural to show women's accomplishments. DB wants to do other images instead, and they wind up with a paint fight. [that was one heck of a mural to be done in squares! gives me hope that I could do such cool things!]

1600 Penn: Podcasting and Parenting

The President has rarely been proud of his son? That's what we're supposed to take away from this episode? I'm sorry, but that's it for me. I'll no longer be covering this series. I might check in after Becca has her baby, but I'm not even sure that the series will last that long. At least they manages to give all of the characters something to do in this episode, a feat which isn't conquered often. 

1600 Penn "Live from the Lincoln Bedroom" (S01E08): Skip has a podcast (Xander does the tech), which Marshall wants to stop. But, he winds up as a guest on the show, enjoying himself. [kinda funny.] Marshall talks about his history working for Dale, which leads to Skip realizing that Marshall ghost-wrote him a letter one summer. [ouch!] Dale has to apologize and do four hours of the podcast with Skip, but they make up in the end. [again, I was heartbroken to hear Dale prefer to talk about Commando than tell his son he was proud of him.]

Emily and Becca go to a parent-teacher conference because Marigold doesn't want to take honors algebra next year. Becca handled these issues for a number of years but Emily wants to be in charge now, so she confronts Marigold about it immediately. [Becca did these meetings when she was still in HS?? kinda odd. at the same time, however, I did take my sister to her high school orientation when I was in college.] Turns out, Marigold wants to avoid honors algebra because it's offered at the same time as photography. Emily excuses her from the rigors of honors math because of her diverse interests, but Becca feels academia should come first, dragging Marigold to a science symposium of sorts.

Byron Cohen/NBC

That fails, so Becca offers Marigold money, but it seems that Marigold only wants to see Hope Solo. [...who?] Dale tells Marshall to moderate Emily and Becca, but the situation resolves itself when it turns out that Marigold mis-read the schedule and can take both Honors Algebra AND Photography. [oh, for crying out loud! what a poor resolution!] This forces Becca into a panic over how she'll fail as a mother, so Emily reassures her. [another odd scene.]

1600 Penn: No Substance Here

A family trip to the President's ranch, sans electronics. Sounds like a recipe for hilarity. Too bad it wasn't! Instead, it winds up more like a dramatic episode, except it left nothing to the imagination. Dale decides on an appointment without much explanation, Skip lounges around and blathers on and on, Marigold, Xander, and Emily take a little trip into the wilderness, and Becca misses Marshall while realizing how great DB can be. I, however, disagree and will be giving this series one last episode. If you find redeeming qualities in here that I'm not seeing, please point them out in the comments!

1600 Penn "To the Ranch" (S01E07): Dale has to choose someone to nominate to the Supreme Court, but he can't focus so the family heads to the ranch for a vacation to get away from the pressure. [is a six-hour flight from DC?? geez!] DB wants to come, too, but Becca asks him not to, as it's only been six weeks. [the boy means well.] When the family arrives, Marigold, Xander, and Skip all play with electronics, so Emily swipes and hides the items.

Byron Cohen/NBC

She draws up a treasure map and tells the kids to use orienteering to find their goodies. [but we later learn that the items were very close to the cabin, so how did Xander not figure that out on the map?] Emily goes with them and tries to rough it, only she keeps forgetting things and not every problem can be solved by the hidden Secret Service agents around them. [it was funny to see them camouflaged in the field, though!] But, she can't hack sleeping under the open sky and moves into an SUV, disappointing Marigold and Xander when they awaken.[duh!] While this is going on, Skip is depressed because he's single, and Becca gets frustrated with how annoying DB is... until he shows up with her pregnancy pillow. [how did he know exactly where the ranch is?] Of course, she also had just kissed Marshall after shooting some cans. [that needs to stop. I don't want that going anywhere, LoL.]

1600 Penn: Dale's Brother Visits, Skip Acts as Wonka

Yes, Marshall and Becca WERE previously a couple! I am a bit shocked at that, and it only makes this show ten times worse. One more episode and I'm out if it doesn't turn around. I mean, Dale is pretty boring, even with his rambunctious brother around. Xander and Marigold don't get enough screen time to count. Emily is genuinely amusing, but she mostly just runs around trying to cover up her own mistakes. Becca's sliding downward, Skip is just a joke, and I've now lost all respect for Marshall. It's going to be rough, but the next episode is supposed to have the First Family visiting the ranch, so perhaps there is hope yet. Oh, and if you were wondering whether the White House really has wi-fi, I was unable to find a comprehensive answer, but I can confirm that they did NOT less than a year ago. 

Photo by: Chris Haston/NBC

1600 Penn "Skip the Tour" (S01E06): Skip interrupts a White House tour to take a picture with a guest. He actually decides to take part of the group with him on his own tour, hoping to make the experience more interesting. But, he doesn't really know his history, allows the guests to touch anything in the building, and his Willy Wonka attitude just isn't well-received. He does manage, however, to allow the visitors to eavesdrop on private conversations in the President's bedroom. [can you imagine??]

Dale's brother visits, telling old stories and entertaining the kids while driving Dale and Emily crazy. It's not long before sibling rivalry rears its ugly head and things turn physical. The bottom line, however, is that Dale has been living a lie for forty years - his brother wrestled another guy because Dale faked illness. [big deal.]

When practicing for a press interview where she'll have to carry DB, Becca winds up getting jealous of Marshall's new girlfriend, Vanessa. She even sends the girl a rude text from his phone, blaming it on pregnancy hormones. [holy cow!!!] Well, that must be it, as she ends up breaking down and crying on the television interview... as does DB! [how is this supposed to be funny?]

1600 Penn: Two Presidents in the Family

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

I noticed that a few folks on twitter were big fans of this episode. But, at the same time, the show has been taken off NBC's schedule for next week, so who knows what will happen! This episode only pulled in 2.6 million viewers (the previous three episodes were over 3M), and as much as the show's marketing has tried to only pull the good quotes from critics, it's getting panned just as much. Personally, I'm losing interest. I have been hoping for more focus on Xander and Marigold, but this episode didn't do it for me. It was nice to have the political stuff tie into one of the kids' stories (Skip's), but Becca's plotline was pretty miserable, and I was dumbfounded at how unfair that teacher was! Even if you do favor one child over another, you're not supposed to admit to it! Sheesh! At this point I'm still with the series, but only half-heartedly.

1600 Penn "Frosting/Nixon" (S01E05): Xander is running for Class President but his posters are torn down around school. [they must mean School President, no?] His opponent is Jessica, Marigold's crush, whom a teacher is helping because she feels Xander has an unfair advantage with such a political family. Dale had asked Emily not to be a helicopter parent, but she won't allow the biased situation to continue and quickly decides to create a war room, work on winning over the cliques, and run a focus group. [I'm pretty sure I didn't know what a focus group was until I was in college. but that might be a sign of the times as well.]

Byron Cohen/NBC

Jessica decides to use Marigold to find out what Xander has planned, though all Marigold says is that Xander's plans are likely hidden somewhere like his locker. Well, Jessica steals her opponent's speech, which Emily wrote. [for the record, I was School President in fifth grade and wrote my own speech, though my mother typed it out on a typewriter for me.] Still Xander perseveres, quoting what his peers stated that they most wanted and promising a soda machine. [thanks to Marigold for smoothing over what Xander actually intended to mean!] He wins the election, and when Emily gives him a congratulatory hug he tells his "mom" to stop embarrassing him. That was all Emily needed to hear. [awww.] And, the aftermath? School security cameras caught Jessica, though, and Marigold loses interest in the girl with the hair that smells of frosting. [yeah, that's what Marigold said...]

Meanwhile, at the White House, Skip goes to tell some protesters that his dad is awesome as the President, but they soon convince him that mass transit is more important than the road projects Dale supports. [I laughed SO HARD when Marshall came out and said, "you've got to be kidding me"] Skip tells his father about the concern, and is placated until he goes out to the protestors again, who win him over so much that he squares off against a street sweeper. [I'm serious in this moment.] The President personally addresses the protesters, accepting that they need more mass transit. [we do!! holy cow, we do!] And, Becca realizes that all of her old friends are busy doing important things and that she may be the "loser friend." [awww. I am so glad that's not me. LoL.] She's sad that she's not studying law at Harvard at the moment, but she drowns her sorrows by venting to a Secret Service agent. [the boyfriend that dumped her was Marshall?? did I miss something?!?]

1600 Penn: Meet DB, Father of Becca's Baby

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

I was a bit surprised that Skip wanting to become a magician was such a short-lived plot point. I thought that, with the references to his tricks throughout the episode, the career would come alive again. Maybe in a future episode? Also, I continue to be disappointed without Marigold and Xander in the episodes. Why even bring up a specific plot point about either child (Marigold having a crush on a girl in her class) if they're going to be relegated to the sidelines for the bulk of the series? I mean, how is young Xander ever going to come up with something to steal the spotlight from his screw-up older brother or his pregnant-in-college older sister? If Marigold's sexual curiosity can't get attention, I'm not sure what will. Overall, I'm kinda getting sick of this show. It is scheduled to have thirteen episodes, but after another couple I'll be re-evaluating whether I want to stay with it... what about you?

1600 Penn "Meet the Parent" (S01E04): Dale had the father of Becca's baby tracked down, and the Secret Service brings him in from Old Navy, where he works. [hahaha, yeah, okay, "the Navy."] "DB" wasn't aware that Becca was the First Daughter, so he's a bit surprised for a while. [hahaha!] He proposes without being sure of her name, but she turns him down and says she doesn't want him in her life, even after Skip tries to help DB by setting up a lunch for the pair. DB gives Becca a 20% off card as he leaves, but she decides to go after him, apologizing and saying that they should get to know one another. He even has lunch with the First Family. [where Marigold and Xander are nowhere to be found...]

Photo by: Byron Cohen/NBC

The Austrian Chancellor arrives, and Emily is worried about etiquette at each step of the way. She thinks she knows what she's doing until she winds up ignoring the Austrians' request to dine on specific dinnerware that was a gift from their country years earlier. She winds up breaking the dishes and the only way to help the situation is to set-up the Chancellor to break a chair but act like it was George Washington's, then explaining that bad things sometimes happen. [RIDICULOUS!]

Midseason Checkup

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

For the past six months, the new series that we've focused on have all been on the "Big 5," better known as the broadcast networks of ABC, FOX, CBS, the CW, and NBC. We looked at each show in four parts, deeming them "good," "bad," "questionable," and "ridiculous." Some of them have not yet started, as the midseason is just getting underway. FOX has The Following premiering tonight, and the ball will just keep rolling from there, with NBC's Do No Harm starting Thursday, January 31st, Body of Proof beginning Tuesday, February 5th on ABC, Zero Hour (also ABC), showing up on Valentine's Day, and more. So, this post will serve as an alphabetical roundup for where this season's shows now are and which are still to come. In the near future we'll do a separate article to look at a few cable shows. 

1600 Penn is three episodes in and definitely NOT a ratings hit. The critics are generally fans, though I've been back-and-forth on it.

666 Park Avenue made it seven episodes before cancellation. All thirteen episodes will air, though the final four won't be until the summer. Beginning at almost 7M, the show lost 3M before cancellation, though it enjoyed audiences in Canada, the UK, Spain, New Zealand, and Australia, where the series will finish in the next couple weeks.

Animal Practice seems to be nothing more than a laugh now. Five episodes aired before it was canceled, one after, and the remaining three went straight to Hulu, hopefully satisfying the fans it did have. I was among the 12,8M who tuned in for the pilot during the Olympics "Hot Weather Sports," but I never bothered again, finding it just too ridiculous. Still, 3.68M stayed with it until the bitter end.

Arrow, a modern retelling of the comic book Green Arrow, has been a hit with critics and audiences alike. The viewership has been steadily over 3M, and the show is about halfway through the first season. I haven't been able to get into it, but I'm happy it's doing well.

Beauty and the Beast has another 13 episodes to go in its rookie season, which has a very stable audience of around 1.5M. I thought that the pilot was better than the marketing, but I still didn't think it was great. Luckily, there are plenty of teenage girls ogling "beast."

Ben and Kate has been a bit weak for its time slot, rarely reaching 3M after the first three episodes. It has seven episodes left in its season to turn things around, but things aren't looking great. Personally, I'm only a fair-weather fan.

The Carrie Diaries just started a week ago, and the pilot drew 1.6M. I think that the CW was expecting more for the Sex and the City prequel, set during Carrie's junior year of high school, but nothing about the series really appeals to me.

Chicago Fire didn't draw my attention because I neither find Chicago nor firefighters intriguing. But, it is certainly drawing plenty of eye otherwise! It started with 6.6M and has seen peaks up to 8.54 recently. I highly doubt that this one will get canceled, so that 10pm Wednesday slot will probably hold this drama for a while. 

Crossbones has been largely forgotten about by many, as no news has really broken in months, aside from the possibility of Hugh Laurie starring. Production has been delayed, and this series will likely not even appear for another year, so don't get excited.

Cult begins Tuesday, February 19th at 9pm. My initial opinions about the series (a blogger investigates mysterious disappearances) remain: boring, but could have an audience.

Deception, initially known as Infamous, has its third episode airing this evening. The first two brought in 5.66M and 4.14M viewers, respectively, but I'm still left wondering how this mystery drama is going to work as anything other than a TV movie in the long run.

Do No Harm has been highly anticipated by many, and the marketing for this updated Dr. Jekyll-and-Mr. Hyde really seems to be creating some hype for its debut on Thursday, January 31st. Personally, I find it to be creepy and an over-exertion of a simple theme. Still, with another former Cosby on the air (Phylicia Rashad), it might just do okay.

Elementary has been a ratings hit for CBS, and will likely continue to grow as it gets the coveted post-Superbowl slot this year. I've personally felt that the episodes are less entertaining as the first season goes on, but I'm clearly in the minority.

Emily Owens, MD is currently burning off the remaining episodes from its original order of thirteen. It's been wavering between one and two million viewers since its inception, but the CW doesn't have the same standards as the others. Its competition? Go On, NCIS: LA, Happy Endings, and New Girl.

Family Tools will be gracing the airwaves on Wednesday, May 1st at 8:30pm. It's only getting ten episodes instead of thirteen, but there are a lot of great actors who could make magic. I'm still looking forward to it!

The Following begins tonight, and I originally found it to be procedural and too crime-solving for me. After the pilot, I was astonished at how much I disliked it, and I'm not sure that Kevin Bacon is enough. That said, my husband liked the beginning of the series and is planning to cover it for TheTalkingBox, so if you think an FBI agent in the midst of serial killers is cool, stay tuned.

Friend Me has been up in the air since the co-creator committed suicide last fall. Unfortunately, the premise might need to change if the series is to continue, as it was to be based on two guys moving to LA to work for Groupon, which has not been doing that great.

Golden Boy begins Tuesday, February 26th at 10pm, though it will actually be a Friday night series for CBS. It's a cop show that originally had Ryan Phillippe attached, though Theo James is the new star. It's a biography to a certain extent, and is set to chronicle the life of a police officer from detective to commissioner. Not my cup of tea.

Go On is in the middle of its first season, and despite some early popularity, it's been below 5M viewers since 2013 began. I don't know if it can pull out of its dip, but many hope so. I'm still watching, but it's not my favorite comedy.

The Goodwin Games is still to come. With no start date in sight, the initial order was cut from thirteen to seven back in early November. The veteran writers and decently-known actors might still draw a crowd when FOX finally decides to air it, so don't panic yet! 

Guys with Kids has been getting a bad reputation since the beginning, with critics mainly complaining that it brings nothing original to the table. Its first season has six episodes left to air, but it has struggled to pull 4M+, succeeding only once since October. I actually think the show is funny and interesting to watch, but I need to start preparing myself for the fact that its renewal is not very likely.

Hannibal does not yet have a date to premiere, but follows the theme of prequels & adaptations, being based on the Hannibal character from the Thomas Harris novels. Not a fan of serial killers or creepiness, I won't be tuning in when it does air.

How to Live with Your Parents for the Rest of Your Life has Brad Garrett playing Sarah Chalke's father, coming Wednesday, April 3rd at 9:30pm. Though the shorter title will certainly help, but Chalke as a divorcee with a close male BFF still isn't going to reel me in to watch.

Last Resort didn't receive a full-season order, and the final episode will air later this week. I thought that the exotic South Pacific was a strange locale for a show that would primarily take place on a submarine, and I guess I'm not the only one. The pilot drew 9.3M pairs of eye but the drama has dipped as low as 4.9M.  

Made in Jersey was an early cancellation, with only two episodes airing before it was pulled from the Friday night schedule. It actually got 7.8M and 6.7M viewers for those episodes, respectively, but it has already burned off the other six episodes that were completed. I hardly had time to really compose a stance on the series before it ended, so no skin off my back. 

Malibu Country did not last long in my book - I gave up after just two episodes. For a Friday night, the numbers aren't terrible... though the TGIF block needs more substance if you ask me.

The Mindy Project received a full-season order after just two episodes aired. Its ratings have since fallen from 3.68M to 2.76M, but it is up against Apt. 23 and NCIS: LA. The critics tend to like the series, though there has been plenty of speculation as to its staying power. Personally, I'm not a fan of Mindy Kaling nor this show's approach to medicine.

Mistresses is expected to begin in May, though it may begin airing in just a couple of weeks in New Zealand. It's a take off of a British series by the same name, and the more I learn about the series, the less interested I am. Still, I might give the pilot a go.

The Mob Doctor was canceled after eight episodes, but many wondered why it took so long. All thirteen episodes did air, albeit the final few often to only just over 2M people (the pilot only drew 5.1M anyway). My gripe with it was that it offered nothing original, and I guess I wasn't alone.

Nashville never interested me because of my dislike in country music. I wondered how it would do in a 10pm slot, but it's been great. Critics like it, the actors have been receiving award nominations, and its only halfway through its season. It has not fallen below 5.9M yet, so it's probably going to stay around a bit.

The Neighbors is halfway is halfway through its first season, staying above 6M in its slot between The Middle and Modern Family. The marketing seems to suggest that critics are coming around to the series, but I recently abandoned it for its failure to incorporate all of the characters and keep a cohesive storyline.

The New Normal has been a bit of a gamble since it was announced, but I like it. I'm not sure if it has a long and prosperous future, and it seems that the general public feels the same: It hasn't hit 5M viewers since the fourth episode, and the latest two have been under 3.5M.

Next Caller is dead in the water. The Dane Cook series never aired, and only four episodes were filmed. I didn't think it had a great premise - two radio hosts having to share the air - but it doesn't matter now.

Partners had a short life. Only six episodes aired, and though it never had more than 6.5M in the live audience, it also never dipped below 5.4M. I liked it but didn't think it was gold. How I Met Your Mother was its lead-in, and it was up against Bones, The Voice, and Dancing with the Stars, so completely different target demos. Oh well!

Red Widow begins Sunday, March 3rd with an eight-episode run. If gangsters are your thing and you want to see how a woman handles things when her mob boss husband dies, check it out. For me, the premise doesn't offer much.

Revolution had me going there for a while. At one point I was curious as to how the airwaves would handle another apocalyptic-like show, similar to both Falling Skies and Terra Nova. After the pilot, I was hooked. I wanted to see where things were going to go. A few episodes later, however, I was more frustrated than anything else. NBC choosing to air ten episodes in the fall and hold the other ten until March has been a choice questioned by many, but the show has never had fewer than 7M viewers, so they must be doing something right!

Save Me is still in the pipeline, with no updates in quite a while. You may recall that this is the show where Anne Heche can channel God. If not, don't worry, as I'm sure Anne Heche will be the big marketing factor when this one returns to light.

Vegas has surprised me. I'm not one for the 1960s mob scene, but it's been great for CBS, starting with nearly 15M viewers and still over 11M after 12/21 episodes. This is certainly an accomplishment, as it's up against Parenthood and Private Practice, among other things.

Zero Hour will first air on Valentine's Day... creepy for a series that is about the paranormal and conspiracy theories. Nobody wants to learn about a spouse abducted on the most romantic day of the day, so although I'm unsure about the debut date, I am sure that I won't be tuning in regardless of when it runs.

1600 Penn: Emily's Dancing Stops a Senator from Voting

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

This show is young. It's full of hope. Allegedly some critics say that it gets funnier. I thought that this episode was terrible. Not only was the storyline itself ill-contrived, doing nothing but making the characters look like horrible human beings, but the way it was put together and how it flowed was also weak. The absence of the two younger children is bound to be a lagging factor for this series (Xander is a gem!) but without the Press Secretary, I'm not sure what's funny. Skip is a drip, Becca's interesting but not funny, and Dale is dry and annoying for the most part. I like Emily's outfits, which is what they're going for, but not a huge fan of her personality or the way she manages her life at this point. Maybe if we could get some more background on the family I'd be happier? Either way, still sticking with this show for now.

1600 Penn "So You Don't Want to Dance" (S01E03): Skip is crushing on Stacy, a girl who works in the White House mail department. Emily suggests that he ask her to a White House ball, and though she accepts, she only wants to go as friends. [I love that he stops and asks some random guy in the White House to tie his bow tie.] When they're at the event, however, an old man makes a racist comment about Stacy, and Skip repeatedly tries to make a big deal out of it. [the kid continues to mean well, though he just has no tact.] The worst part, however, was that he asks her to be his girlfriend over the microphone. [this is like those uber-public proposals... you just don't do it if you're not sure of the answer!] 

Emily is questioned about her fashion and her classical dance training when she's trying to make strides in education. [that's garbage!] As Dale and Emily continue to try to win votes on an education bill, one Senator is holding out. So, they decide to just keep him from voting at all, and Emily dances with Skip at the ball to keep the crowd so busy watching that the guy can't get out of the room in his wheelchair. [yes, I'm serious.]

(Photo by: Byron Cohen/NBC

And FirstGrandkid Watch? Becca's morning sickness is subsiding but the cravings are kicking in. [so is her first trimester complete?] At the ball, Becca is harassed for being "damaged goods." [eep!]

1600 Penn: The World Learns of Becca's Situation

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

I'm loving the Press Secretary. I think he's my favorite character. Fortunately, this episode was far better than the pilot, though I have not yet given this comedy a place in my list of awesome shows or anything. When Skip's name was in the title, I was a little worried that we would once again be subjected to his ridiculous antics, though this episode focused much more on Rebecca's pregnancy and how everyone else (including the world) finds out. Granted, I did not care for Skip's words on the situation to the press, but I agree with the President that his heart was in the right place. The Emily-Marigold-Xander scenes were the best, and I was pleased to see how the younger siblings interact a little more. Let's hope for more plotlines that include them, rather than throwing them into small supporting parts for their older siblings.

1600 Penn "The Skiplantic Ocean" (S01E02): The media has learned that Becca is pregnant because she and Emily accidentally left their mics on when they spoke of it. [haha, reminds me of a time I was caught gossiping with a friend because my walkie-talkie was on!] Because the President doesn't know yet, Becca has to break the news just after his swim so he doesn't hear it elsewhere. [interesting. I was wondering how she'd tell him the news. also, I liked Becca's green-black-white dress and Emily's maroon dress.] Emily then heads to the elementary school to get the younger children so Becca can be the one to tell them. Because Becca really wants to be the one to tell them, Emily must keep lying as Xander and Marigold try to figure out why they left school early. Once they're home, Emily can't reach Becca because Skip threw her phone in the pool to calm her down. [First Family or not, that's still $100 and incredibly annoying! also, the White House really does have a pool.] When Emily gets to the "Skiplantic Ocean," Becca wants some time to herself, so Emily lets Marigold think that she's pregnant while Xander thinks that there's a meteor headed to Earth. [hahahahaha!]

Meanwhile, the President learns that just about everyone is afraid to give him bad news, and Becca tells Skip that she had just ended a relationship and wound up having a fling with a guy who claimed to be in the Navy. [bet we'll meet him soon!] Skip tells the press the story to shut them up, and then Becca tells the younger kids the truth, just as the media gets heated and calls Becca a slut. [sad face.]

Photo by: Byron Cohen/NBC

NEW SHOW: 1600 Penn

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

This was, hands down, my number-one choice of the mid-season shows premiering. Unfortunately, it led to a LOT of disappointment in the pilot. I think that NBC saw that coming, too, as they really pushed the idea that the second and third episodes were funnier after the initial airing of the pilot. By the way, I was surprised to see that this episode was actually given a name - that's so rare for pilots! I think the biggest disappointment was that Skip became quite annoying very quickly. Despite how much I enjoy Josh Gad, having his character be a screw-up who manages to embody so many personality traits I loathe in just 22 minutes is disappointing. But, I hold out some hope for him. Emily, however, is almost a lost cause already. WHY make her so unlikeable? I could handle a "wicked stepmother" issue without concern, but the fact that she can't seem to handle herself in private OR in public is annoying.

My first thought on how to improve this series? Change it to an hour-long drama instead. But, then I have to remember that Josh Gad is a creator of this show, so that's not in the cards. Not to mention that you can't change a show from comedy to drama after it starts airing. I'm almost ready to abandon ship now, but because I put such faith in this series before it aired, I'll give it a few more episodes. But, I'm extremely curious - what did YOU think?

1600 Penn "Putting Out Fires" (S01E01): Skip, the oldest son of the President of the United States, and some friends set off fireworks in the lawn of some bullies. [haha, Skip's code name is "Meatball."] But, they fly right into the frat house and Skip gets in trouble. He'll have to record a fire safety video but isn't happy about doing so. [this was a funny scene, though!] He'll also be coming home after seven years of college (he's been three credits short of graduating for a year).

Photo by: Jordin Althaus/NBC

President DeSoto of Brazil visits alongside other Latin leaders, and the President hopes to get a majority on an issue. The Press Secretary suggests that President Gilchrist throw the game to make the Brazilian happy, but Skip rallies the crowd and the patriotic cheering convinces Gilchrist to persevere. When Skip tries to clarify things, he winds up hanging out with some of the leaders and winning them over. [what's the message here, that's he's not "useless" after all?]

The First Lady, Emily, talks to some young girls about math but begins to lash out when one girl asks why she's called "Trophy Wife." [annoying.] "Miss Perfect" is the stepmother of Skip, plus his younger siblings Becca, Marigold, and Xander. College-age Becca is newly pregnant, and after asking Skip for advice on breaking bad news, she winds up telling Emily after her stepmother says that Becca is too wound up and needs to "let loose a little." [ha!]

Marigold and Xander arrive home from school after fighting, and Emily and Becca butt heads when they go to get to the bottom of it. [yay! it's Benjamin Stockham from Sons of Tucson! I love him!] It turns out that both have crushes... and Marigold's is on Jessica, another thirteen-year-old girl. [does this push the envelope a little far, maybe?]

Fall 2012 Network Shows: GOTTA WATCH!

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

By this point you've probably already seen a little bit about which shows each major broadcast network has picked up and when they're planning to air them. Some sites have covered them show by show, others network by network, and at least two decided to break it down night by night. Well, we're going to go with preliminary interest - what we can't wait for, what we don't think is worth the time, what falls somewhere in the middle, and even what we don't think will last. Of course, this is subject to change, especially come late July when so much more comes to light! We'll take a look at the GOTTA WATCH today, which are the series that we're definitely going to try.

My first pick is 1600 Penn (NBC), which NBC has picked up for 13 episodes. As you might have guessed, it's set in the White House, and it's a family comedy. Stars include Jenna Elfman, Bill Pullman, and Josh Gad. Not only am I excited about the cast, I think it has great potential to be a funny show. It's a mid-season slot, so no idea how it'll fit in with what will air around it quite yet.

(Photo by: Chris Haston/NBC)

Next is Go On (NBC), the Matthew Perry-as-a-sportscaster show where he's struggling with a recent loss, and joins a support group as his boss demands. I like Matthew Perry a lot, and I'm banking on him more than the premise... which hasn't worked out so well in the past, but we'll see! Look for it Tuesdays at 9pm, which sounds like a good place for it.

Then we have Elementary (CBS), the Sherlock Holmes contemporary drama with Lucy Liu. Not a fan of Lucy Liu, but I do love Sherlock Holmes. I'm not sure how the contemporization will work out, but the idea is strong enough to draw me in. I've also been dying for a Thursdays-at-10pm drama ever since ER ended, so maybe this will fit the bill! 

Malibu Country (ABC) has Reba McEntire moving from Nashville to Malibu with her three kids and mother. On the surface, it sounds like any old family show, especially the dozens which have been set in Southern California. BUT, I do think that Reba is funny and like her style, PLUS, I want to support ABC's attempt at reincarnating TGIF, and this will come on after Last Man Standing, one of my favorite new shows from last year.

One of the bigger gambles, I think, will be The New Normal (NBC), with Andrew Rannells and Justin Bartha, who play a gay couple hoping to have a child through surrogacy. It's a comedy, so it won't be too heavy, and it will come on just after Go On, so it might not have much of a lead-in, depending. I think it'll provide a nice contrast from Go On, and that's part of the reason I've chosen them both. However, the concept just grabs me.

(Photo by: Robert Trachtenberg/NBC)

Partners (CBS) is a sitcom from the creators of Will & Grace. Here we have two architects, one straight and one gay, who are falling apart when one proposes to his girlfriend. I like the architects and the BFFs, but I'm not sure I'm in love with a proposal being an impetus for the show... oh, and am I seriously taking on yet another Monday show? Yep, if it winds up being as promising as the preliminaries make it sound!

Emily Owens, MD (formerly known as First Cut, CW) is a first-year intern at Denver Memorial Hospital, alongside her HS nemesis and her med-school crush. It's the only one of the CW pilots that I think I can stand, and while I find the basics to be a bit... droll... I'm willing to give it a try, though it'll likely be a DVR option only... it's up against Go On, among other things.

News Roundup: Late February 2012

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Renewals, Cancellations, & Scheduling:
Comedy Central's Key & Peele was renewed for a second season of ten episodes, to air next fall. [Press Release]

Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse was renewed for 35 more episodes. TBS also renewed Conan, through April 2014.

Gold Rush has been renewed for a third season.

The CW has renewed America's Next Top Model for a nineteenth cycle. Impressive, considering we're at the very beginning of the 18th cycle.

CMT renewed Bayou Billionaires (Shreveport family who struck it rich with natural gas) and My Big Redneck Vacation (the extended Clampet family in the Hamptons) for second seasons.

FX renewed Archer for a fourth season

Spike's Blue Mountain State has been canceled after three seasons.

MTV's Good Vibes has been canceled.

Sons of Guns will be back on Wednesday, February 29th.

CNBC will present WikiLeaks: Secrets & Lies on Thursday, March 1st at 10pm ET/PT. [CNBC Press Release]

Q'Viva! The Chosen!, a docuseries showcasing Latin music and dance (the one that Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony are behind) will start on Saturday, March 3rd on FOX.

On Sunday, March 4th, Army Wives will premiere its sixth season.

Ugly Americans returns on Wednesday, March 14th.

Sweet Genius, another Food Network show, begins on March 15th, and will run thirteen episodes that look at some pastry chefs going for $10,000.

Community will be back on Thursday, March 15th.

NBC's Bent premieres March 21st.

Oxygen's Brooklyn 11223 (a docuseries about some twentysomethings who are torn apart by betrayal) premieres Monday, March 26th.

Oprah's Lifeclass: The Tour premieres Monday, March 26th (8pm ET/PT), and will feature episodes in St. Louis, New York, and a third, yet-to-be-announced location.

OWN's Welcome to Sweetie Pie's (a family restaurant show set in St. Louis) and Beverly's Full House (Beverly Johnson's family life) will premiere on Saturday, March 31st.

Betty White's Off Their Rockers will begin April 4th.

Stephen Colbert's mother isn't doing well, so The Colbert Report has been suspended for a while.



Cast & Plot Updates:
Kal Penn will be the eponymous Prairie Dogs, which is a comedy to run on ABC. The show will "follow an uncool cubicale worker - aka 'prairie dog' - named Neil who is the victim of identity theft."

Kelly Bishop will play the mother-in-law of Sutton Foster's character on ABC Family's Bunheads. 

Remember when Ryan Phillippe signed on to CBS's upcoming cop show, Golden Boy? Well, he's dropped out.

Aimee Teegarden will star in CW's The Selection, which you may have noticed is an awful lot like Hunger Games.

Lily Tomlin will play Reba's mom on the new ABC comedy.

Brittany Snow, Bill Pullman, and Josh Gad will all be on 1600 Penn, NBC's White House comedy.

Ashley Tisdale has been cast in a lead role in Louis C.K.'s CBS sitcom.

Martin Lawrence will be starring in CBS's new family cop comedy.

In a surprise casting move, Lucy Liu has been cast as Watson in CBS's Elementary.

AnnaSophia Robb will play Young Carrie Bradshaw in the CW's Sex and the City prequel, The Carrie Diaries.

Shows in Development & Other Fun Stuff:
We're a little behind in reporting this one, but Amazon Prime's instant video selection now offers "thousands of TV episodes from MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, TV Land, Spike, VH1, BET, CMT, and Logo."

Google is planning to enter the home entertainment market - soon you'll be able to use a Google-branded device to stream music throughout your home. Look for it later this year.

NBC is cooking up a Hannibal Lecter series.

Jenny McCarthy has a new talk show coming to VH1 later this year.

CBS has 3, an unscripted series about "three women's search for love," coming out this summer.

The Travel Channel has greenlit Adam Richman's Best Sandwich in America (eleven episodes of a guy goes around eating sandwiches) and Toy Hunters (a toy collector searches for rare toys worth lots of money. 

Netflix has yet another show that they'll be streaming exclusively - Orange is the New Black, which is based on "the memoir of a communications executive who served time for drug-related charges in a minimum-security women's prison.

The X-Factor's auditions for the second season begins Thursday, March 1st. So You Think You Can Dance is having auditions on Friday, March 2nd.

In case you wanted to watch Awake, NBC's new drama, before it begins Thursday, March 1st), you can!

TLC's My Collection Obsession has been extended into an eight-part series, My Crazy Obsession. It will premiere on Wednesday, March 7th. Extreme Cheapskates has also been picked up as a series, and is expected to air this summer. Casting available!

Comcast has launched a new streaming video service, Xfinity Streampix, which features full backlogs of series such as 30 Rock, Grey's Anatomy, Lost, The Office, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, and Wizards of Waverly Place.

Google is currently testing its TV service in Kansas City, as well as preparing to roll out some "Android-powered, Oakley Thump-inspired" glasses, which would be able to tell you where you met someone if the facial recognition software works well.

Regis Philbin is shopping around a pilot that he's keeping quiet about. CBS and TV Land are among the networks for whom he's pitched so far.

News Roundup: Third Season Renewals are in the air...

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Renewals, Cancellations, & Scheduling:
CBS has ordered full seasons of Unforgettable and Person of Interest.

HGTV has ordered 13 more episodes of Dina's Party, to air in Spring 2012.

The Walking Dead has been renewed for a third season.

Workaholics was renewed for a third season.

Beyond Scared Straight was also renewed for a third season.

NBC renewed Love in the Wild.

FOX affiliates will be airing The Wendy Williams Show through 2014.

Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness premieres November 7th on Nickelodeon.

MTV's True Life: I'm Occupying Wall Street will air November 5th.

Speaking of MTV, their Movie Awards will air June 3rd, 2012 and their Video Music Awards will air September 9th.

Cast & Plot Updates:
Scott Baio will star in Nick at Nite's first original live-action comedy show, Daddy's Home.

Shows in Development & Other Fun Stuff:
ABC has bought the rights to turn the blog post Why You're Not Married into a television show.

Netflix lost 810,000 customers in the third quarter. They also plan to launch streaming services for the UK and Ireland in early 2012.

A third Sherlock Holmes movie is in the works. You know, just in case you can't get enough of Robert Downey Jr., who is also going to be in Iron Man 3.

A few of the Boss showrunners have left the series... already...

FOX is looking to bring The Punisher to television.

Downton Abbey is under scrutiny for not using language fitting with the time period.

Tim Burton will have a balloon in this season's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

PeeWee Herman wants to be on Dancing with the Stars...
NBC has a comedy planned about a dysfunctional family living in the White House, called 1600 Penn.