oh upfront season, how i love you. for those of you not in the know, upfront season (technically it's just a week and it doesn't happen until next week...) is when the big networks (nbc, cbs, abc, fox and the cw) along with a couple cablers announce what shows will be coming back in the fall, what's been canceled and what new shows we all have to look forward (or not) to. a lot of spoilers have leaked out about network pick-ups and cancelations over the past couple of day - here's what i've heard.
nbc: it doesn't look like the peacock net will be doing much to come back from the year that was leno-gate. nbc has really, really struggled since friends clocked out six years ago and i don't think they've quite nailed down their comeback strategy. one good thing they've decided to do is axe heroes. the supernatural series has lost millions of viewers since it premiered four seasons ago and was more of a liability than an asset to the network. the good news for fans who have stuck it out is that nbc is reportedly planning a movie or mini-series event to wrap up any and all loose ends. the peacock also axed law and order, just one season short of breaking the record for longest running drama (it ties gunsmoke with 20 seasons). there's a rumor that tnt may pick-up the flagship series, but i doubt it. in l&o's place will be new spin-off law and order: los angeles (needless to say i think they're ripping off cbs' ncis: los angeles, the highest rated freshman drama). as for new show pick-ups, nbc has greenlit only one show i think will make it, a law-firm dramedy from david e. kelly starring oscar winner kathy bates called harry's law.
abc: abc has picked up what is sure to be the newest big hit, body of proof. the procedural follows dana delany (yep, she's off wisteria lane for good...or at least the time being) as a nuerosurgeon-turned-medical examiner. they've also picked up another medical drama from grey's anatomy (has that show jumped the shark or is it just me?) creator shonda rhimes, off the map. as for cancelations, it looks like scrubs, better off ted and romantically challenged are all done along with flashforward. v, the alien-invaders remake, did get a pick-up for a second season, however. my guess is abc will have the strongest line-up yet again.
cbs: cbs won't be messing with much. cold case looks to be dead (thanks for waning viewership and increasing production costs) and jenna elfman's accidentally on purpose is probably done, too. and, should cbs axe wednesday night comedy new adventures of old christine, abc is ready to pick it up as a partner to cougar town (which is probably getting a name change!) or the middle. hawaii-five-o will most likely get a pick-up. cbs' biggest casualties may be its friday night line-up (ghost whisperer and medium). while ghost whisperer has been surprise friday hit and medium has done well since cbs saved it from nbc's axe, i'm seeing a lot of rumors that the net wants to free up more space to try new programming. but who knows if they'll gamble losing the number one friday night.
fox: fox has greenlit a couple of comedies, but not much else. they have a pretty good schedule as is, so why mess with it? the biggest rumor going around is that fox may switch american idol to a wednesday-thursday line-up instead of its usual tuesday/wednesday. but, idol time slot switcheroos happen every year and they never turn out to be true. i guess we'll find out next week.
the cw: the least watched network is looking to find more viewers. after finding its biggest success in the vampire diaries, the network is hoping another female empowerment series will bring in viewers. nikita, a reboot of movie series and '90s syndication favorite la femme nikita, is said to already have a spot on the schedule. melrose place is dead. it was thought one tree hill or new series life unexpected would join m.p. in the tv graveyard, but now it looks like both those shows will get shortened 12 or 13 episode orders. if so, it will probably be oth's last go-around. sophia bush filmed a comedy pilot for abc and should that get picked up, she might leave the hill. that pretty much means no star power for the struggling series.
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