X

Join or Sign In

Sign in to customize your TV listings

Continue with Facebook Continue with email

By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy.

We weigh the pros and cons on your favorite shows' renewal chances

bubble-shows-1.jpg
1 of 19 Michael Yarish/CBS; Nicole Wilder/ABC; Patrick McElhenney/FOX

bubble-shows-1

Has the CSI franchise solved its final case? Is the writing on the wall for Castle? Is New Girl old news? It's that time of the year again, when the networks decide which shows to drop and which to keep for the fall. Are your favorites in danger? Click ahead to see the pros and cons for keeping and killing these series that could go either way. For the latest renewal and cancellation information, check out our Fall TV Scorecard.

bubble-shows-american-crime.jpg
2 of 19 Ryan Green/ABC

American Crime (ABC)

Wednesdays at 10/9c

The Good News:
The thought-provoking series was that rare show that drew even more acclaim in its second year than it did for its well-received first season, as it expertly explored rape, sexuality, race and violence. On its creative merits alone -- it earned 10 Emmy nominations last year and one win -- ABC might want it to stick around. And since it's an anthology series, the timeline for its return can be staggered.

The Bad News: American Crime's already low ratings plummeted to 3.7 million viewers and a 0.9 in the adults 18-to-49 demographic -- drops of 25 percent and 20 percent, respectively. Creator John Ridley, who's busy with a new ABC pilot, Presence, and another show in development, sounds at peace with the show's possible demise. "I'm confident that everything is going to work out the way that it should in the end," he told The Hollywood Reporter. "I don't think people can lament the passing of American Crime should it come to pass."

3 of 19 Richard Cartwright/ABC

Castle (ABC)

Mondays at 10/9c

The Good News:
With a rabid, devoted fan base, Castle has been a dependable and important player for ABC. Former ABC Entertainment President Paul Lee was also so determined to keep it on the air that in January he teased "ideas" about how Castle could continue without stars Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic. Executive producers Alexi Hawley and Terence Paul Winter told TVGuide.com that they have plans for a Season 9, preferably with their leads.

The Bad News:
Even those diehard fans seem to be over it: Ratings are down about 30 percent in both measures (6 million, 1.07). And the older a show, the more expensive it is, so ABC's new prez, Channing Dungey, who replaced Lee in February, could just want to cut their losses and start fresh, especially with no deals in place yet for Fillion and Katic. Hawley and Winter are also preparing for the worst, crafting a last episode that could serve as a series finale.

4 of 19 Cliff Lipson/CBS

Code Black (CBS)

Wednesdays at 10/9c

The Good News:
CBS really wanted this to be its gritty prestige player. With The Good Wife ending, it might give it another shot. Marcia Gay Harden and Luis Guzman certainly put in top-notch performances.

The Bad News: Not counting the just-premiered Rush Hour -- which for the record bowed to 5 million and a 1.1 -- Code Black is CBS' lowest-rated new show (yes, including the already canceled Angel From Hell, which averaged a 1.4 rating to Code Black's 1.2). Adding insult to injury: Timeslot replacement Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders is outperforming it.

5 of 19 Darren Michaels/CBS

Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders (CBS)

Wednesdays at 10/9c

The Good News:
The second Criminal Minds spin-off has been performing decently since its March 16 premiere, averaging 7.6 million viewers and a 1.3 in the demo, and is the most-watched show in its timeslot. It's CBS' second most-watched and second-highest-rated new drama behind Supergirl. Plus, never underestimate the good-guy appeal of Gary "Magic Legs" Sinise.

The Bad News:
It's been slowly dipping in the ratings every week, with no plateau in sight. CBS doesn't have a lot of real estate to work with either, having renewed nearly its whole lineup. Not included in the early pickups was the mothership -- and better-performing -- Criminal Minds. Is there only room for one of them?

6 of 19 Michael Yarish/CBS

CSI: Cyber (CBS)

Sundays at 10/9c

The Good News:
It's the sole remaining flag-bearer for one of the world's biggest franchises. If image is everything, it doesn't look good if CBS cancels it in the same season that the original series ended.

The Bad News:
CBS might not have a choice. The procedural's ratings took a precipitous fall in Season 2, down around 30 percent in both measures to 6 million and a 0.92. Cyber cracked a 1.0 rating only four times this season -- and twice was when it had special airings on Wednesdays. CBS also quietly chopped the show's order to 18 episodes, while Ted Danson got the hell out of Dodge, announcing in January that he was exiting the show after one season to join the cast of an NBC pilot starring Kristen Bell.

7 of 19 Giovanni Rufino/ABC

The Family (ABC)

Sundays at 9/8c

The Good News:
The Family grew for the first time for its sixth episode, bringing its average to 3.6 million and a 0.6, and regularly sees huge lifts in DVR playback. In fact, its three-day playback has grown every week, up to 83 percent for its fifth episode. Plus, its mystery-drama blueprint is far more in ABC's wheelhouse than DOA bloated vanity projects Blood & Oil and Of Kings and Prophets.

The Bad News:
ABC could just be hanging on to the series for now because it has nothing else to plug into that pre-Quantico slot. Now that The Family doesn't have to go up against The Walking Dead anymore, it cannot afford to drop any more eyeballs.

8 of 19 Angus Young/ABC

Galavant (ABC)

Sundays at 8/7c

The Good News:
ABC clearly has a fondness for the series, giving it a second season despite its low first-season ratings. The musical comedy is also a critical and cult darling, providing a much-needed breath of fresh air in a sea of crime and anthology series.

The Bad News:
Its biggest supporter was ex-ABC prez Lee, who has left the building. The show's already bad ratings plummeted in Season 2, averaging 2.4 million viewers and a 0.6 (about half of what the first season did). To make matters worse, star Joshua Sasse has signed on to star in No Tomorrow, a pilot for the CW.

9 of 19 Jordin Althaus/FOX

Grandfathered (FOX)

Tuesdays at 8:30/7:30c

The Good News:
The John Stamos comedy premiered to 5.3 million viewers and a 1.49 rating, which isn't great but isn't a death knell either. And with all the renewed interest in Stamos thanks to Fuller House, we imagine that Fox might like to keep the actor in the family.

The Bad News:
Despite its respectable premiere, Grandfathered slipped throughout the season, averaging 1.9 million viewers and a 0.96. And unlike Fox's other handsome-man-leading freshman sitcom, The Grinder, there's no critical push for a renewal.

10 of 19 Ray Mickshaw/FOX

The Grinder (FOX)

Tuesdays at 9:30/8:30c

The Good News:
What the meta-comedy lacks in ratings, it makes up for in critical support (we love it!) and famous fans, if that counts for anything. Fox, which has de-emphasized overnight ratings, might afford the Rob Lowe-Fred Savage series the same patience it has shown its other beloved but low-rated series in recent years (see: The Mindy Project). And if that doesn't work out, maybe Hulu can pick up The Grinder too.

The Bad News:
It is the worst performer in Fox's Tuesday comedy block, by virtue of airing in the final slot, and hasn't hit the 1.0 demo threshold since September. Fox is used to anemic numbers for its comedies, but this might be pushing it.

11 of 19 Michelle Faye/NBC

Heartbeat (NBC)

Wednesdays at 8/7c

The Good News:
Um, it still has a pulse... for now.

The Bad News:
The ultra-bland, poor man's Grey's Anatomy cratered when it moved to its regular timeslot after a Voice-buoyed special premiere, and has kept declining since. (It dropped another 20 percent to 3.9 million viewers and a 0.7 for its fourth episode.) That means it has also yet to improve on the super-consistent numbers of The Mysteries of Laura, whose timeslot it inherited. Besides, it's not like NBC is in dire need of a medical show (cough, Chicago Med, cough, The Night Shift, cough).

12 of 19 Michael Parmelee/CBS

Limitless (CBS)

Tuesdays at 10/9c

The Good News:
With an average of 7.1 million viewers and a 1.3 in the demo, the lightweight drama has pulled in steady numbers all season, routinely coming in second behind Chicago Fire in the hour. And CBS probably wants to stay in the Bradley Cooper business, especially if he's willing to pop in so often (he's made four appearances this season).

The Bad News:
Like anything on CBS, it depends on the needs of the network and available slots. Limitless is riding the middle ground of CBS' freshman crop and it doesn't help that Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders is doing slightly better after less than a month on air.

13 of 19 Andrea McCallin/ABC

The Muppets (ABC)

Tuesdays at 8/7c

The Good News:
Despite an almost 20-year absence from broadcast TV, the Muppets is still an incredibly strong brand, which could explain how the show's first season was able to attract A-list guest stars like Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Mindy Kaling and Reese Witherspoon. Disney also owns the Muppets, which is a compelling argument for Disney-owned ABC to give the series another shot.

The Bad News:
The show's mockumentary style failed to connect with viewers who -- understandably -- had zero interest in seeing Kermit bitch about traffic on the 405. ABC attempted to revamp the show halfway through the season with a new showrunner, but the changes failed to make a difference in the ratings. Only 2.7 million viewers watched the season finale, which is a far cry from the 9 million who watched the series premiere.

14 of 19 Christopher Saunders/NBC

The Mysteries of Laura (NBC)

Wednesdays at 8/7c

The Good News:
Although this family drama hasn't attracted any new viewers, it hasn't lost many either. The second season averaged nearly 7 million viewers, only down slightly from Season 1's 7.5 million.

The Bad News:
Despite its respectable audience, Laura skews incredibly old, averaging a 1.1 in the demo. But even if this is the end for Laura, we know its unofficial theme song, "Copmom Momcop," will live on.

15 of 19 Mark Levine/ABC

Nashville (ABC)

Wednesdays at 10/9c

The Good News:
The country music drama is already looking to its future, naming Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick as new showrunners for a potential fifth season. The midseason premiere, which featured the wedding between Rayna James and Deacon Claybourne, also grew from the midseason finale, earning 4.2 million viewers and a 0.9.

The Bad News:
Nashville continues to slip in the ratings each year, down 24.6 percent in the demo from last year. And while the show used to be must-watch TV, Nashville now suffers from a total lack of buzz.

16 of 19 Patrick McElhenney/FOX

New Girl (FOX)

UPDATE: Fox renewed New Girl for a sixth season on April 12.

Tuesdays at 8/7c

The Good News: Oddly enough, with the temporary departure of star Zooey Deschanel, New Girl experienced a creative and critical resurgence. The ratings also remained relatively stable, if not impressive, averaging 2.8 million and a 1.2, meaning the comedy actually grew in viewership this season -- if only by 1.6 percent.

The Bad News:
Fox will burn off the remaining eight episodes of Season 5 with back-to-back airings in the spring, which doesn't bode well for the show's future. The season finale, which will feature Schmidt and Cece's wedding, would also act perfectly as a series finale, giving closure to the series' most popular on-again, off-again relationship.

17 of 19 Ed Araquel/FOX

Second Chance (FOX)

Fridays at 9/8c

The Good News:
Unfortunately, there really isn't any good news for the few fans of this supernatural procedural.

The Bad News:
After its less-than-stellar performance in its first few weeks, Fox wasted no time before banishing Second Chance to Friday nights. Once settled in the "death slot," the numbers took an even bigger hit, dropping to a meager 1.78 million and a 0.5.

18 of 19 Tina Rowden/FOX

Sleepy Hollow (FOX)

Fridays at 8/7c

The Good News:
Fox has given Sleepy Hollow chances before to regain its first-season glory. Who's to say it wouldn't do it again?

The Bad News:
The third season premiere was down a staggering 50 percent in the demo, and it only got worse from there. The Season 3 finale nabbed only 2.9 million viewers and a 0.7. Compare this to the 10 million who watched the 2013 series premiere. And then there's the exit of star Nicole Beharie, whose character Abbie Mills and chemistry with Tom Mison were huge reasons why the show worked in the first place.

19 of 19 Ben Cohen/NBC

Telenovela (NBC)

Mondays at 8:30/7:30c

The Good News:
Eva Longoria. Eva Longoria. Eva Longoria.

The Bad News:
Not even a temporary post-Voice slot could give this series a much-needed ratings boost. And since NBC already renewed its other struggling freshman sitcom, Superstore, it's unlikely execs also want to invest in Telenovela, which only averaged 3.4 million viewers and a 0.9 rating.