Years ago, May sweeps meant that the television industry saved the best for last. The networks broadcast non-stop, action packed, cliff-hanging storylines every night of the week, hoping to pull in the largest ratings of the year before announcing which shows would receive pink slips.
And while this still rings true for some series, times have changed (for the most part). Today’s May sweeps ultimately means knowing which shows will return and which shows will be swept away before the season finales have all aired.
Recent years prove that no show is safe: many shows are done after only one season; some shows make it through the toddler years, a minimum of two or three seasons; some programs have aired for years, even decades with multi-generational loyal followers; and, sadly, some still await their destiny.
Television’s broom was very busy AGAIN this year….
*****
One & Done
1600 Penn, 666 Park Avenue, Animal Practice, Ben and Kate, Cult, Deception, Do No Harm, Emily Owens, M.D., Golden Boy, Go On, Guys with Kids, How to Live with Your Parents for the Rest of Your Life, Last Resort, Made in Jersey, Malibu Country, Monday Mornings, Partners, Red Widow, The Family Tools, The Mob Doctor, The New Normal, Vegas, and Zero Hour
Supposedly, ABC will finish airing 666 Park Avenue and Zero Hour this summer… as will NBC with Do No Harm. Personally, I’m going to start watching my TV guide for these episodes in June… probably on Saturday nights.
*****
Terrible Twos & Threes
Alphas, Body of Proof, Don’t Trust the B**** in Apt 23, Happy Endings, Smash, Touch, Up All Night, and Whitney
*****
Seasoned Veterans
30 Rock, 90210, CSI: NY, Dexter, Fringe, Gossip Girl, Private Practice, Rules of Engagement, Southland, The Cleveland Show, and The Office
*****
Still Awaiting their Destiny:
Hannibal – but don’t worry; rumors say a cable channel might pick it up if NBC drops the ax…
*****
On a positive note, not all chivalry is dead: some shows have earned advance notice that next season will be their last. Thank you networks; thank you for allowing the writers to close out a series appropriately for the loyal fans. This doesn’t happen all that often, just ask Law & Order.
Burn Notice – Michael, Fiona, Sam, Jesse, and Maddie definitely deserve the chance to close out their story… with a BANG! Thank you, USA. Seeing the words “Final Season” still stings, but I can’t wait to see what the writers have in store for us this summer!
Warehouse 13 – Announced this month, Warehouse 13’s fifth season will be its last. Thankfully, SyFy is allowing for the series to run a short six-episode fifth season in 2014, following the conclusion of this year’s fourth season (now airing) to wrap everything up with Artie, Myka, Pete, Claudia, and the Warehouse.
*****
And this doesn’t happen often—ever really—but one network picked up one of the shows it canned last year after its freshman year! That’s right… a network actually admitted (in a roundabout way) that they were wrong, or at least hasty, in one of their decisions.
Unforgettable – returns to CBS this summer with all new episodes.
*****
Seems a bit insane, doesn’t it? What’s the moral of today’s Tele-Tuesday? Don’t get too attached to freshman television series… AND NO television show is safe from May sweeps.
Which of these cancellations came too soon as far as you’re concerned? Do you think Hannibal has a chance of surviving? I’d love to hear from you!
Tiffany A White's Ooo Factor 
Glad Unforgettable is coming back. I won’t miss any of these others, but in recent years they have canned In Plain Sight, Chicago Code, Covert Affairs, and Fairly Legal – all great shows in my opinion.
Hey, David! Covert Affairs is still on air… new episodes this July on USA. 🙂
Ooh! Good news! Thanks, Tiffany.
Cult hasn’t reached us over here yet, and if it does I’m not going to start watching it. I’d be too disappointed not to have a proper ending.
I hear ya, Emma. I think the CW aired seven or so of the twelve or thirteen episodes here in the US. On one hand, I want to know what happened in the rest of the taped episodes; but on the other, I don’t if the story doesn’t completely wrap up. So frustrating. The CW is one of my favorite channels, but they really did NOT promote this show at all… and moving it from Tuesday to Friday nights didn’t help it. It really seems the networks get behind certain shows and then don’t do a darn thing for others. Oh well, at least we got Alaric back on the final two episodes of The Vampire Diaries. 🙂
If the story wraps up, I’ll watch it, but if it just ends abruptly, I’m not watching beyond the first episode and that’s only to see Alaric. 🙂 I wish Alaric or Lexi could stay instead of Jeremy!
I LOVE Alaric! Wish he stayed instead of Jeremy… Or just swap him with the whiney, ‘woe is me’, self-obsessed Elena maybe?
Alaric for Elena? I’ll take it! I like Jeremy and I’m glad he’s back. Or at least I think he’s back. Who knows what the writers will do or decide between now and the new season… AND let’s hope they somehow writer Tyler back in and give him a storyline as well. 🙂
So Beauty and the Beast is set to come back? I’m actually shocked. After losing Secret Circle, I just expected the new show to be a one year program. But I’m ok with it coming back. They did leave a crazy huge cliffhanger. I still want to watch Bates Motel. I hope that one sticks around.
Yep, Beauty and the Beast made it for a second season…
Secret Circle, I’m still sad that one didn’t make it. Ringer too. The CW really surprised me with their decisions last year. I really enjoyed both.
And from everything I’ve seen, Bates Motel is coming back too. So you should be good there, Jess. I need to catch up on that one. 🙂
I’m only sad about Emily Owens, M.D. I hope Mamie Gummer at least gets another shot with a show. She was good.
And yeah, it would be nice for shows to get a heads-up if they’ve been around a while.
Hannibal will survive, or we’ll host a dinner party with the programmers as “guests”
Ahahahaha! Love it, Tom!
Hannibal and Burn notice has me sad. 😦
Every time we see the commercials for the “final season” of Burn Notice, we both sigh… and hopefully Hannibal pulls it out. But if NBC drops it, we can cross our fingers that a cable channel (like A&E, AMC, or FX) picks it up. So, I’m crossing my fingers!!
Thanks for stopping by, Chris!
Hang on… 666 Park Avenue I can understand. It went on way too long and was, well, rubbish. But Southland? That is a fabulous show.
I now have the hump 😦
No humps…
I’m kind of surprised about Southland too. TNT had already given it a fighting chance when they picked it up from the early NBC cancellation. Why not give it time to wrap up? TNT is usually, along with the other cable channels, better about that.
And I know you said 666 Park Avenue was a waste, but I want to finish it out. I like creepy TV and it was creepy. Terry O’Quinn was fab…
Thanks for stopping by, Donna!
Hannibal has to get picked up. The material is perhaps a little dark for NBC? But it’s well written and filmed (not to mention acted).
I’m surprised that they aren’t giving Southland another season to wrap things up – particularly given the way it ended!
(And…my big secret – I’ll miss SMASH. It was totally my guilty pleasure show)
I’m with you — Hannibal has to get picked up. I do believe the material is a bit too dark for NBC, which is why I wouldn’t be surprised if they drop it… but knowing a few cable channels are supposedly just waiting in the wings, NBC will probably do what they need to do to keep the popular show on their network. But like you said, it is well written, filmed (love the cinematography), and extremely well acted. Dancy and Mikkelsen are great TV replacements for Norton and Hopkins. I just can’t believe it’s almost June and they haven’t announced whether or not it’s picked up or gone. NBC is being a real booger with this one.
Sorry about Southland. I know you liked that show. I’m kinda surprised TNT isn’t giving it a chance to wrap up; the cable channels are usually better to their TV shows than the basic networks. Maybe they’ll give it a small arc like Eureka and Warehouse 13 after the fans raise some heck.
And you know I didn’t watch one single episode of Smash. LOL
Thanks for stopping by!!
Thanks for the heads up Tiffany!!! Blackie will be tickled that Hack is back.
Ann
Tiff, where do I find your food blog!! Love you
This one? https://tiffanyawhite.wordpress.com/2013/04/26/pinteresting-recipes/
I can always count on you to bring me the TV news! I’d heard about the updated 24 series, but I didn’t know I had to wait until summer 2014. 😦 I was expecting this summer. Bummer.
Unforgettable was interesting. I didn’t watch many of the episodes, but I liked it. I’ll have to pick it up when it comes back.
I’m also glad that Burn Notice gets to finish gracefully. If they’d left it the way last season ended–well, that would be terrible.
Love Southland. They stopped showing it here for some unknown reason
Same as CSI:new york they stoped showing it half way thru season 6. No reason given
The reason could be they keep changeing the times of shows cancelling a show die to something more important (sport)or putting on later (about 2am) so veiwing figures go down
My dvd collection is growing (costly affair that)
Great on 24 tho x
I hate it that so many shows are gone before I ever even know they exist. Thanks for the update.