ABC announced their new schedule for the 2009 – 2010 season this week. Compared to its competition, the network is doing reasonably well but several long-running shows are losing steam and ABC still has some trouble spots in the schedule. There were a few surprises at the upfront presentation.
ABC has a history of renewing one or two struggling freshman shows. This time around it was Castle and Better Off Ted. They’re keeping Scrubs around for another year, surely because of syndication profits. And they’re also bringing back True Beauty, likely because it’s inexpensive and is compatible with other ABC shows. Word is that there will be some changes made to the series’ format when it returns.
Coming back next season are 20/20, America’s Funniest Home Videos, The Bachelor, Better Off Ted, Brothers & Sisters, Castle, Dancing with the Stars, Desperate Housewives, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Grey’s Anatomy, Lost, Private Practice, Scrubs, Supernanny, True Beauty, Ugly Betty, and Wife Swap.
Over the Summer, you’ll be able to see The Bachelorette, Here Come the Newlyweds, I Survived a Japanese Game Show, Primetime, Surviving Suburbia, and Wipeout. Who Wants to be a Millionaire is returning for a special run in August. New Summer fare include Dating in the Dark, The Goode Family, and The Superstars.
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ABC is bringing out a lot of new programming next season, looking for a new hit. In fact, they’re completely revamping their Wednesday night schedule. New shows coming next season include Copper, Cougar Town, The Deep End, Eastwick, FlashForward, the forgotten, Hank, Happy Town, The Middle, Modern Family, Shark Tank, and a new version of the NBC classic, V.
And now, for the bad news. There are quite a few casualties. Here are the shows that won’t be back next season.
According to Jim
This old-style sitcom about a headstrong contractor and his beautiful wife was successful in its early seasons but, by season five, the ratings really started to decline. Still, the network kept renewing it and the sitcom managed to survive for eight seasons.
Boston Legal
The quirky legal drama that centers around attorneys at the Boston law firm of Crane, Poole and Schmidt. Due to a decline in viewership and attracting an older demographic, the network closed the show after five seasons.
Cupid
A remake of the short-lived 1990s series of the same name, this show didn’t last as long as the original. Will we ever find out if Trevor is really Cupid — in either version?
Dirty Sexy Money
Even lawyer Nick George couldn’t save the Darling clan from being cancelled. ABC opted not to order a full second season and hasn’t gotten around to airing the remaining four installments.
Eli Stone
A successful lawyer begins to have visions that put his life in turmoil and take him on a personal and spiritual journey. ABC decided against ordering a full second season.
Homeland Security USA
A documentary-style show that follows men and women who help to keep our nation safe. ABC thought that the public would find this interesting. They didn’t and the network cancelled it.
In the Motherhood
Based on a web series, this sitcom looks at the challenges of juggling motherhood with work and love lives in a complicated modern world. The sitcom was pulled after four episodes and the last three installments will run next month. It won’t be back for season two.
Life on Mars
A remake of a UK show of the same name, the series was struggling to hold onto its audience for its first handful of episodes. Then, the network put it on hiatus for three months and things got even worse. Thankfully the producers had enough time to wrap up the ongoing mystery.
Opportunity Knocks
The Aston Kutcher reality game show was pulled from the schedule after three installments were aired. The rest may see the light of day eventually but they aren’t making any more.
Pushing Daisies
The piemaker with the magic touch couldn’t save his own series from the grim reaper. It ran for two short seasons and the network has yet to air the final three installments.
Samantha Who?
This sitcom looked very successful when it had a strong lead-in like Dancing with the Stars but few bothered to watch this Christina Applegate show without it. The final episodes are likely to air this Summer.
The Unusuals
An off-beat cop show that took over a Wednesday night timeslot from Life on Mars. ABC wanted this one to work but not enough people were interested. The show won’t be back next season.
Will you miss any of these cancelled shows? Has ABC made any mistakes or have they gotten these right? See any they shouldn’t have renewed but did? Be sure to leave your comments below!
Images courtesy ABC.
Why can’t Jason O’Mara shows keep getting cancelled. Life on Mars and now Terra Nova.
What’s up?
I loved Life on Mars. I just don’t understand how the ratings were so bad.
i think that it is a bad thing to cancel ABC ‘s daytime t v. It was nice not to have to be in the real world. I learned how to be a lady, a mom, romantic ideas and it gave me a reason to get out of bed. after 45 years of an escape you gave me a cook show that sucks and now to come an exercise show. are you for real? I will not be watching these shows. bring back all my children and keep one life to live. my great grandmother would roll over in her… Read more »
I miss PUSHING UP DAISIES because it was funny and different. You never new what strange case was next.
Also so loved WOMEN’S MURDER CLUB. Love the books and theres plenty of shows where the men have there own groups so why can’t there be a women’s group . The show never really had a chance.
I ‘am sad to hear, that the unusuals, are not coming back, bad choice ABC.
I was looking forward to seeing the second season, the characters, the storylines.
This show had unimited possibilities, maybe they show have a poll voting or writing in for the return of this show…
We miss Pushing Daisies and Womens Murder Club. They had wonderful actors and the writers were good.
I really enjoyed the Unusuals. I think it sucks you all cancelled it.
The Unusuals should make a come back! That show was great.
Why do the keep all of these reality shows that are just garbage. The unusals was a good show and i don’t know why they have to cancel shows that have only had less than a full season. And many of you are very right they never premoted it that well i actually only know about this show because of a site called hulu.com where you can watch shows from all networks. I never even knew it was an ABC show which shows they really did not do much to help it. ABC only has like two or three good… Read more »
eli stone was a great show, what happened?