# The Cancel/Renew TV show thread, 2015 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 9, 2015, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cancel-renew-tv-show-thread-2015/719633 "2015-05-09T16:47:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cancel-renew-tv-show-thread-2015/719633/21 "2015-05-12T02:06:16Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > As long as there’s a Fox, the “best” that ABC can hope for is #2 on that list. 😛 “Fox” is a funny way to spell “NBC”. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_John_Marcej)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cancel-renew-tv-show-thread-2015/719633/22 "2015-05-12T02:14:01Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > The wife and I really liked Backstrom, but I believe it has officially been axed. See, when I saw ads for **Backstrom** I thought, “That looks like a show I’d be interested in.” Then I realized, what am I thinking! It’s on one of the four main networks. More than likely it’ll get canceled, and lo and behold… (if it was on USA or TNT or AMC, etc… I definitely would have seemed it out, since those cable networks don’t cancel shows in mid season. They always give their shows a full season run. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cancel-renew-tv-show-thread-2015/719633/23 "2015-05-12T02:19:37Z")
I thought that Backstrom did get a full-season run. It was a short season of only thirteen episodes, but the cancellation happened after the season finale. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cancel-renew-tv-show-thread-2015/719633/24 "2015-05-12T18:22:03Z")
_Backstrom_, _State of Affairs_ and some other shows were only ordered for a 13 show season. They started mid-fall to mid-season and ended late mid-season to late season. Despite the lower number of episodes ordered, the producers of these shows seemed to have a very hard time keeping the shows consistent and “on track”. Very few later premiere (short run) shows made it. _The Odd Couple_ redux is an example. But that’s more time slot than quality. Back when NBC owned Thursday night, Letterman joked about the 8:30 slot that you could put melting cheese on and it would still make the top ten. (Remember _Suddenly Susan_ and _Veronica’s Closet_? :eek:) ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cancel-renew-tv-show-thread-2015/719633/25 "2015-05-12T18:38:01Z")
Backstrom suffered like many fox shows seem to - being shown out of order - the last half seemed to be in the correct order, but several of the early episodes were not. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cancel-renew-tv-show-thread-2015/719633/26 "2015-05-12T18:42:46Z")
> [@Isosleepy](#): > > “Forever” wasn’t. Forever that is. It was cancelled. Boo! Not unexpected, but sorry to hear it’s gone. It’s a show that had some philosophical depth to it, but I guess that’s the kiss of death. The same thing happened to _Awake_ a few years ago: a show that dealt with some deep issues in among the policework. Nice that _Gallivant_ is back, though. I never expected that. But then, it’s probably the Disney influence. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cancel-renew-tv-show-thread-2015/719633/27 "2015-05-12T18:52:16Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > _State of Affairs_. Katherine Heigl’s “comeback” show. > > _Backstrom_. I actually (forced myself to) watched the entire run, trying to finish up before it was canceled. You could see it coming. The show got really random near the end, the good goofy stuff faded. > _The Mindy Project_ was canceled but Hulu is interested in continuing it. Yeah, when will they learn that Katherine Heigl can’t carry a show/film on her own? I mean she did fine on Grey’s, and did well in The Ugly Truth, but her recent work has been mostly failures. I didnt care for the character Backstrom. Really, he was too unlikable, and a bigot to boot. No House there. But the supporting cast was great. Never cared for Mindy. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cancel-renew-tv-show-thread-2015/719633/28 "2015-05-12T18:55:28Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > _Bones_ was renewed for reasons beyond explanation. Probably to give it a “final thirteen” the way _Fringe_ and _Glee_ did. > [@ftg](#): > > No word on _Family Guy_. Presumably hung up on financial negotiations. We can only hope this zombie show finally gets the burial it deserves. It’s on the schedule, but I think it had already been greenlighted for this season. If they start holding back episodes, there’s a chance Fox is stretching the remaining episodes into two seasons, the way it did with _Futurama_ ten years or so ago. According to the Family Guy Wikia, there are six episodes left from the current production season (one of which will air 5/17 - and don’t you think it’s strange that they aired a repeat during May Sweeps while they aired new episodes of the other Sunday shows?) and 15 known episodes from the next one, so that’s 20 episodes right there. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cancel-renew-tv-show-thread-2015/719633/29 "2015-05-12T18:56:10Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > That is good news, _Agent Carter_ was a well written and done … The guys in the Strategic Scientific Reserve were overplayed as drooling sexist morons, who couldnt tie their own shoes without Peggy’s help. And most of the plot revolved around her not telling her own agency what was up. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cancel-renew-tv-show-thread-2015/719633/30 "2015-05-12T19:04:28Z")
> [@DoperChic](#): > > Resurrection was cancelled, which I’m really bummed about. It was a decent enough show and I got into the mystery end of it. Does anyone know where the storyline was headed next? I can’t handle the not knowing. Ever since Lost, all of the networks have been doing serialized dramas, most of which were cancelled before wrapping things up. I’ve been avoiding watching such shows just so I’m not disappointed. Perhaps if they announce in advance that the main story arc will be resolved in a certain period (one or two seasons, perhaps) and committed to airing all of those episodes, I’d watch one of those shows. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cancel-renew-tv-show-thread-2015/719633/31 "2015-05-12T20:10:15Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Ever since Lost, all of the networks have been doing serialized dramas, most of which were cancelled before wrapping things up. I’ve been avoiding watching such shows just so I’m not disappointed. Perhaps if they announce in advance that the main story arc will be resolved in a certain period (one or two seasons, perhaps) and committed to airing all of those episodes, I’d watch one of those shows. Even then, it’s not a guarantee. Under the Dome was originally promoted as a mini-series, but then got a second and third season because of its popularity. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cancel-renew-tv-show-thread-2015/719633/32 "2015-05-12T20:24:16Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Ever since Lost, all of the networks have been doing serialized dramas, most of which were cancelled before wrapping things up. I’ve been avoiding watching such shows just so I’m not disappointed. Perhaps if they announce in advance that the main story arc will be resolved in a certain period (one or two seasons, perhaps) and committed to airing all of those episodes, I’d watch one of those shows. Exactly what I have said, except that if the writers/producer etc seal the final reveal and the answers in a mayonnaise jar on Funk & Wagnalls back porch- then I’ll watch it. Actually this started before Lost, what with _John Doe, Journeyman, the Pretender_, etc. Only the Pretender came to any sort of answer, and that’s with two movies. John Doe did have some answers provided by the Director after it was canceled. ---
**Author:** ![HelenGawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@HelenGawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelenGawn)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cancel-renew-tv-show-thread-2015/719633/33 "2015-05-12T21:04:56Z")
OTOH, there is a trend toward limited series with a conclusion. Most are American versions of British or Australian shows\*, where they’ve been doing these things a long time. The shining example of originals is _American Horrow Show_, which delightfully turned into repertory. That’s a trend I’d like to see continued. There’s nothing worse than the snobs who have seen the originals and can’t resist criticizing the new versions and, worse, spoiling them. Fuckers, not all of us have seen it before. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cancel-renew-tv-show-thread-2015/719633/34 "2015-05-12T21:27:12Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > > > Ever since Lost, all of the networks have been doing serialized dramas, most of which were cancelled before wrapping things up. I’ve been avoiding watching such shows just so I’m not disappointed. Perhaps if they announce in advance that the main story arc will be resolved in a certain period (one or two seasons, perhaps) and committed to airing all of those episodes, I’d watch one of those shows. > > Exactly what I have said, except that if the writers/producer etc seal the final reveal and the answers in a mayonnaise jar on Funk & Wagnalls back porch- then I’ll watch it. > > Actually this started before Lost, what with _John Doe, Journeyman, the Pretender_, etc. Only the Pretender came to any sort of answer, and that’s with two movies. John Doe did have some answers provided by the Director after it was canceled. But it’s the success of Lost (as opposed to Journeyman, John Doe or The Pretender) that all of those other shows are trying to emulate. I just hope they don’t emulate the way that Lost dragged out the story for so long and kept adding mystery upon mystery but wasn’t able to offer a satisfactory conclusion that made sense of it all. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cancel-renew-tv-show-thread-2015/719633/35 "2015-05-12T22:23:01Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Yeah, when will they learn that Katherine Heigl can’t carry a show/film on her own? I mean she did fine on Grey’s, and did well in The Ugly Truth, but her recent work has been mostly failures. _The Ugly Truth_? Egad, a terrible movie. Her “good movie” career as a lead consists solely of _Knocked Up_. Speaking of that other show: (I know I started this as a cancel/renew thread, but upfronts have a lot more info.) One new show NBC has slotted is a medical drama about young surgeons. Which show are they trying to mimic here? _Dr. Kildare_? _Ben Casey_? _The Interns_ (any of the 3 versions but I liked the one with Elaine Giftos)? Here’s a clue: The female lead is Melissa George who played an intern on _Grey’s Anatomy_ for 8 episodes. I consider her a second rate actor and a “kiss of death”. If a show starts having her as a guest star, it’s going downhill. Nevermind as a star. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cancel-renew-tv-show-thread-2015/719633.md?page=1)