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.
Pushing Daisies was a creative and refreshing change! The cast was terrific, the dialogues delightful, the sets incredibly beautiful – It was charming and innovative and as so often happens, it went unappreciated – I frequently wonder who makes the decisions to cancel shows – certainly not anyone with taste – there are many trivial reality shows, redundant crime shows, etc.. Why do they ‘kill’ this? – Money is always the reason…unfortunately crime and gossip sell – sad reflection on our culture. I also agree with an earlier comment – they didn’t try too hard to promote this series either.… Read more »
That’s been my point all along here, the more good shows you take off and you’ll be left with nothing. I’m watching Pushing Daisies currently but I wouldn’t have known it was even on if I was surfing through the channels. There was never even an add about this episode being on tonight, it’s about 10:30PM where I am so I have missed about half the show. Who knows perhaps even Dirty Sexy Money could have been on earlier. God ABC, what’s your problem anyway? I’m hoping that I haven’t been missing these episodes for more than tonight, it’s not… Read more »
I am very disappointed at the canceling of Cupid, The Unusuals, and Pushing Daiseys. I admit that i missed about half of the episodes, but I contend that it would have been much easier and interesting to watch should the network have kept them at a regular schedule and on a weekly basis. It is very difficult to become invested in a show that airs for 2 weeks switches time slots then takes a 2 week hiatus! I am begining to avoid watching shows because I know they will just get canceled. Cupid is well acted with a fresh storyline.… Read more »
No more boston legal =/
I’m going to miss Alan Shore =/
IF YOU KEEP TAKING OFF THE GOOD SHOWS THERE WILL BE NOTHING LEFT TO WATCH. DO YOU WANT THE PEOPLE TO TURN TO A OTHER CHANNEL? LETS GET THE SHOWS BACK ON THAT HAS STORY LINES AND NOT JUST FLUFF.
PLEASE DON’T CANCEL THE UNUSUALS – BAD ENOUGH LIFE ON MARS AND DIRTY SEXY MONEY WERE CANCELLED. THIS SHOW IS GREAT!. AND, ENOUGH OF THE REALITY SHOWS!!! wHERE’S THE CREATIVITY THERE?
I agree that there is to many reality shows I need something better to watch its like mindless cheap entertainment. I will be watching another network since my favorites have been canceled ( Eli Stone, Life on Mars, the Unusuals)
PLEASE DON’T CANCEL THE UNUSUALS!! I REALLY LIKE THAT SHOW… SO DISAPPOINTED.
I love the Unusuals. Finally a new that is not reality crap and of course it gets canceled. Come on people! Don’t we have enough reality shows.
Canceling The Unusuals?! Try airing it earlier. It’s well written, has a great cast and holds my interest. It’s one of the few good shows on television.
They canceled some great shows. I will miss Life On Mars, The Unusuals and Cupid. I got into these shows and now will never know what happens.
Well, I never watch reality shows so this is another station that is losing me as a viewer.
I am so dissapointed that they are canceling samantha who? I loved that show it was funny and interesting I am really just thinking about not watching tv at all anymore because all of the good shows get cancelled tv sucks!
I cannot believe that Samantha Who is being cancelled. I’m a student and I dont have time to watch tv… but this was the only show i would actually watch. = [
Im really disappointed. What bothers me is that the networks cancels good shows to put in other ones that everyone knows will suck and eventually be cancelled as well.
Man these networks suck. I just found out there are unaired espisodes of Pushing Daisies and Dirty Sexy Money. I am so disppointed they cancelled those . I sure hope they air those final episodes. I’m also disappointed they’re dropping The Unusuals and Eli Stone. I can’t believe they will keep crap like all those reality shows. If that is really what America wants, we suck too.
Samantha Who, Dirty, Sexy, Money, Pushing Daisies, and Eli Stone SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CANCELLED! Thursday and Sunday are the only nights that hold my interest. I record Scrubs so I don’t miss it because I don’t know quite when it is on.