Which Shows Were Screwed By The Upfronts?
Sometimes, the most exciting news at the networks' fall upfronts is what they don't tout: namely, what shows were canceled, doomed, or scrapped at the pilot stage. Here's our look (with some help from the Futon Critic) at the shows that got screwed.
SNUFFED IN THE PILOT STAGE:
Some of the most high-profile pilots of the year didn't go to series, including the CW's Gossip Girl spinoff and Fox's attempt to Americanize Absolutely Fabulous. Several "adult family" sitcoms got the shaft, including This Little Piggy (at ABC), the Jason Biggs comedy Happiness Isn't Everything, and The Big D, starring Tony winner Deanne Dunagan (both at CBS). And a hell of a lot of CBS drama pilots that dealt with Washington or the government, including Washington Field, US Attorney, and House Rules, weren't picked up. Sorry guys, the NCIS spinoff took your place!
CANCELLED:
When it came down to the wire, more bubble series survived than were expected (will Dollhouse suffer from survivor guilt next year?), but a Leno-choked NBC canceled the most, including My Name is Earl. Also cut down: Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Privileged, The Unit, Without a Trace, Samantha Who, and According to Jim.
RENEWED WITH SCHEDULING TROUBLE:
NBC renewed Chuck (like it was clearly going to, guys), but the show's been shuttled to midseason. Meanwhile, once-promising series like Ugly Betty and Southland have been stuffed in the Friday closet like unwanted toys. They'll have company in their 9pm timeslot: that's where CBS has placed the NBC castoff Medium, ensuring a juggsy psychic block with Ghost Whisperer at 8pm.
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Comments
Jimmy Kimmel Live! looks to have a shakey future after this year's upfronts.
Friday at 9pm certainly is the ugly stepchild timeslot this fall, with Ugly Betty, Southland, Dollhouse, Medium, and probably an America's Next Top Model repeat.
I'm upset with Southland for giving us blue balls with that gay cop plotline.
I hate to hear that about Southland. Absolutely love that show and
The Unusuals!!
And here I thought "According to Jim" was unkillable, much like the Terminator.
What happened to the new Shonda Rimes show? That was the one I was looking forward to the most.
When I was a wee tot, the networks scheduled actual shows on Saturday night. Then then the networks made Saturday the night that movies premiered. Now they've made it the night to pretend no one has TiVo.
PEOPLE SAVE BETTY PLEASE!!!
Another hail to The Unusuals. The show featured Jeremy Renner of Hurt Locker fame before anyone knew who he was. But the rest of the ensemble cast was idiosyncratic and fantastic. It had great stories, humor, and some of the best theme music to ever hit television. Amber Tamblyn was great. The cast members, typically paired had great chemistry and were instantly sympathetic and likeable. A sad cancellation but at least for now it lives on Hulu.