2015 Upfronts Preview Pt. 1: Will Your Favorite Shows be Canceled or Renewed?

Upfronts is the annual presentation each year in New York City in early May where the 5 major broadcast networks pitch their upcoming television season to ad buyers in an attempt to sell the bulk of their commercial time (and also create early buzz for their shows). It’s usually (but not always) the deadline by which executives decide which shows to renew/cancel (although it’s usually decided sooner, it’s public and official at the Upfronts). While cable networks (and increasingly, websites with digital shows) have been getting in on the action with their own upfronts presentation, I’ll focus on the Big 4 (+CW).

In Part 1, I look at the current schedule for the nearly-ended 2014-15 season (summer shows excluded). Many have already been renewed/canceled, and the fates of the rest are mostly obvious but there’s a handful still on the bubble. Next week I look at pilots under consideration to receive a series order.

Shows in bold have officially been Renewed or Cancelled, shows NOT in bold are predictions.

ABC
Renewed/Likely Renewal:
-How to Get Away with Murder
-Modern Family
-Scandal
-Grey’s Anatomy
-The Middle
-The Goldbergs
-Black-ish
-Nashville
Consistently middling ratings but having 3 full seasons under its belt practically guarantees a fourth full season due to syndication; 88 episodes is the unofficial minimum number of episodes a show needs to be eligible for the lucrative syndication market
-Fresh off the Boat
-Agent’s of S.H.I.E.L.D.
-Once Upon a Time
-Dancing with the Stars
-The Bachelor(ette)
-America’s Funniest Home Videos
-Castle
-Secrets & Lies
-Shark Tank
-20/20

Toss-Up:
-Agent Carter
I hope Agent Carter comes back for another season as it’s probably my favorite comic book-based TV show (either Carter or iZombie, but probably Carter). It had middling ratings, however, news that ABC is developing not one, but TWO, Agents of SHIELD spinoffs doesn’t bode well for Agent Carter. They’d probably rather take a chance on a spin-off featuring two new, popular characters from AoS than continue on with a show that never really broke out.
-Last Man Standing

Likely Cancellation:
-Selfie
-Manhattan Love Story
-Forever
-The Taste
-Cristela
-Resurrection
-Galavant
-Revenge
-Repeat After Me
-American Crime

CBS
Renewed/Likely Renewal:
-The Big Bang Theory
-Mom
-2 Broke Girls
-Mike & Molly
-Madam Secretary
-NCIS: New Orleans
-Scorpion
-60 Minutes
-Undercover Boss
-NCIS: Los Angeles
-NCIS
-Person of Interest
-Survivor
-Criminal Minds
-The Odd Couple
-Elementary
-Blue Bloods
-48 Hours

Toss-Up:
-The Good Wife
I really, really hope it comes back. If it does I imagine it’ll be a shortened 13-episode season. Its ratings are pretty miserable this season though
-CSI: Cyber
-Stalker
-Hawaii Five-0

Likely Cancellation:
-The Millers
-The McCarthys
-Battle Creek
-CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

Final Season Complete
-The Mentalist
-Two and a Half Men

CW
Renewed/Likely Renewal:
-The Flash
-Arrow
-Supernatural
-Vampire Diaries
-The Originals
-Jane the Virgin
-The 100
-Hart of Dixie
-Reign
-America’s Next Top Model
-iZombie
-Whose Line is it Anyway?

Toss-Up:
-The Messengers
Pretty bad ratings, even for Friday, granted it’s only had 2 episodes thusfar. Could be renewed & aired as a summer show a la Beauty & the Beast depending on how its ratings shakes out

Cancelled/Likely Cancellation:
-Hart of Dixie

FOX
Likely Renewal:
-Empire
-Gotham
-The Simpsons
-Last Man on Earth
-Sleepy Hollow
-New Girl
-Bob’s Burgers
-Brooklyn Nine-Nine
-Hell’s Kitchen
-Family Guy
-American Idol
-Masterchef
-Masterchef Junior

Toss-Up:
-Bones
-The Mindy Project
When its 3rd-season episode order was upped to 21, this show was practically guaranteed a 4th season thanks to syndication
-World’s Funniest Fails

Cancelled/Likely Cancellation:
-Gracepoint
-Mulaney
-Red Band Society
-Utopia
-Weird Loners
-The Following
-Backstrom

Final Season Complete
-Glee

NBC
Likely Renewal:
-The Blacklist
-Chicago Fire
-Chicago P.D.
-Law & Order: SVU
-Grimm
-The Night Shift
-Undateable
-Dateline
-The Voice
-The Biggest Loser

Toss-Up:
-The Mysteries of Laura
Not great 18-49 demo ratings, but a solid overall viewership, has held pretty consistently throughout its run

Likely Cancellation:
-A to Z
-Bad Judge
-Allegiance
-Constantine
-Marry Me
-American Odyssey
-About a Boy
-One Big Happy
-State of Affairs

Final Season Complete
-Parks & Recreation
-Parenthood

Last Year’s Upfront Preview:
Part 1: Cancel/Renew