With Desperate Housewives on the way out and after the disappointing performance of Pan Am, ABC needs new shows for the Sunday night schedule. Have they found a success in GCB or will it also be cancelled?

GCB revolves around former high-school mean-girl Amanda Vaughn (Leslie Bibb). Now a widow with two children, she returns to her former Texas hometown to live with her mother (Annie Potts). Amanda comes face to face with the former schoolmates that she used to mock and tries to make amends and build a new life. Other castmembers include Jennifer Aspen, Marisol Nichols, Miriam Shor, David James Elliott, Mark Deklin, Brad Beyer, and Kristin Chenoweth.

The series debuted on March 4th to a 2.2 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 7.56 million total viewers. It was in second place for the timeslot, behind NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice. Compared to the (series) finale of Pan Am however, ABC was up by 83% in the all-important demo.

While most shows experience a decline in week two, GCB’s demo actually rose to a 2.3 rating. The third week’s demo fell 13% but the show was in first place in the timeslot.

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The numbers have fluctuated up and down over the course of the season and a couple weeks ago, it fell to a low 1.5 rating with 4.43 million. Sunday’s installment however (per the overnights) rebounded to a 1.9 demo rating, a rise of 26%.

This season has averaged a mediocre 1.9 in the demo with 5.92 million. That’s just 12% better than Pan Am. On our ABC Ratings Report Card, GCB gets a “C-” and is certainly “on the bubble.”

However, the alphabet network has a history of renewing one or two struggling freshman shows each year. Castle and Happy Endings have benefited from that strategy and the gambles have paid off.

Will GCB be renewed for a second season? It could go either way but, with ABC still being in need of new hour-long shows, it seems likely that GCB will end up on the schedule next year.

But, what do you think? Are you watching GCB each week? Do you realistically think that it will be back next fall or end up being cancelled?

Image courtesy ABC.