The broadcast networks recently announced their fall schedules, and they were more underwhelming than usual. Partly because there aren’t a lot of new shows that look like they’re worth getting excited about. And partly because we’re probably not going to see any of them until sometime next year.
The Writers Guild of America’s strike isn’t going to end any time soon. And the longer it drags on, the longer it will be before any new (or returning) scripted shows get back into production. Could be early next year before we see new episodes. Maybe spring 2024. Maybe summer 2024. Maybe later.
(I’m sympathetic to the writers, by the way.)
It is, however, worth noting what shows won’t be back. ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and The CW canceled nearly two dozen shows, and almost a dozen more are hanging in limbo as of this writing.
Throw in cable and streaming services, and there are more than 100 cancellations. Netflix alone axed a couple dozen shows.
Did your favorite show survive? If it’s not on the following lists, it will return … eventually.
(Darko Sikman | ABC) Hilary Swank and Craig Frank star in "Alaska Daily."
Shows that could/should have lasted longer
• “Alaska Daily” (ABC); and “New Amsterdam” (NBC).
Only a couple of the cancellations really made me sad. “Alaska Daily” barely got going (just 11 episodes) and it had so much promise. “New Amsterdam” had a decent run (89 episodes).
(Jack Rowand | The CW) Grant Gustin as The Flash
Shows not worth mourning
• “Big Sky” (ABC); “The Blacklist” (NBC); “The Company You Keep” (ABC); “East New York” (CBS); “Fantasy Island” (Fox); “The Flash” (The CW); “The Goldbergs” (ABC); “Kung Fu” (The CW); “Monarch” (Fox); “Nancy Drew” (The CW — final season begins Wednesday); “NCIS: Los Angeles” (CBS); “The Resident” (Fox); “Riverdale” (The CW); “Stargirl” (The CW); “True Lies” (CBS); “Walker: Independence” (The CW); “The Winchesters” (The CW).
None of these shows was terrible, although several (“Big Sky,” “Company You Keep,” “Monarch,” “True Lies,” “The Winchesters”) were certainly disappointing. And there are several that started out strong (“Blacklist,” “The Flash,” “Kung Fu,” “Nancy Drew,” “Riverdale”), but the quality faded.
And, c’mon, 323 episodes of “NCIS: Los Angeles” is a very long run.
(Photo courtesy Jack Rowland/ABC) David Giuntoli, Romany Malco Jr., Christina Moses and James Roday in “A Million Little Things.”
Good riddance
• “A Million Little Things” (ABC); “Call Me Kat” (Fox).
I love a good prime-time soap, but “Little Things” was bad. And I’m a Mayim Bialik fan, but watching “Kat” was just painful.
Decision pending
“All American: Homecoming” (The CW); “American Auto” (NBC); “Gotham Knights” (The CW); “Grand Crew” (NBC); “Home Economics” (ABC); “Housebroken” (Fox); “The Rookie: Feds” (ABC); “Superman & Lois” (The CW); “Welcome to Flatch” (Fox); The Wonder Years (ABC — Season 2 premieres June 14); “Young Rock” (NBC).
(Peggy Sirota | ABC) "Home Economics" stars Jimmy Tatro as Connor, Shiloh Bearman as Gretchen, Topher Grace as Tom, Chloe Jo Rountree as Camila, Karla Souza as Marina, Jecobi Swain as Kelvin, Sasheer Zamata as Denise, Caitlin McGee as Sarah, and Jordyn Curet as Shamiah.
I’m pulling for the underrated “Home Economics” to get picked up, and I’d watch more “American Auto” and “Wonder Years.” I am not rooting against any of these shows, although I didn’t make it past the first couple of episodes of several of them.
Other shows that aren’t coming back
Some were canceled; some decided to cease production and retire.
AMC/AMC+ • “Moonhaven,” “Pantheon,” “Soulmates.”
Apple TV+ • “Dear Edward,” “Mosquito Coast,” “See,” “Servant,” “Shantaram,” “Truth Be Told.”
CBS • “Late Late Show with James Corden.”
(Vivian Zink | NBC) "Jay Leno's Garage" premiered in October 2015 on CNBC.
CNBC • “Jay Leno’s Garage.”
Disney Channel • “Owl House.”
Disney+ • “Armor Wars,” “Big Shot,” “Mighty Ducks: Game Changers,” “Mysterious Benedict Society,” “National Treasure: Edge of History,” “Willow.”
Freeform • “Grown-ish.”
FX/FX on Hulu • “Atlanta,” “Kindred,” “Never Let Me Go,” “Snowfall.”
Hallmark Channel • “Chesapeake Shores.”
(HBO) Matthew Macfadyen, Jeremy Strong, Nicholas Braun, Alan Ruck, Kieran Culkin, Brian Cox and Sarah Snook star in "Succession."
HBO/Max • “Avenue 5,” “Barry,” “Doom Patrol,” “Gossip Girl,” “Pennyworth,” “Scooby-Doo! and the Mystery Pups,” “South Side,” “Succession,” “Titans.”
Hulu • “Animaniacs,” “Devil in the White City,” “Reboot,” “Wu-Tang: An American Legend,”
Netflix • “Bling Empire,” “Bling Empire: New York,” “Blockbuster,” “Cobra Kai,” “Dead End: Paranormal Park,” “Dead to Me,” “Derry Girls,” “1899,” “Fate: The Winx Saga,” “Firefly Lane,” “Freeridge,” “Half Bad,” “Human Resources,” “Imperfects,” “Inside Job,” “Lockwood & Co.,” “Midnight Club,” “Mo,” “Never Have I Ever,” “Sex/Life,” “The Umbrella Academy,“ ”Uncoupled,” “Warrior Nun,” “Workin’ Moms.”
Paramount+ • “Blood & Treasure,” “The Good Fight,” “Star Trek: Picard.”
(Trae Patton | Paramount+) Michael Dorn, Marina Sirtis, Jonathan Frakes, Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner LeVar Burton and Gates McFadden reunite on "Star Trek: Picard."
PBS • “Endeavor,” “Sanditon.”
Peacock • “Dead Day,” “Mighty Ones,” “One of Us Is Lying,” “Vampire Academy.”
Prime Video • “Carnival Row,” “Hunters,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Three Pines,” “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan.”
(Photo courtesy Amazon Prime) Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevingne star in "Carnival Row."
Showtime • “American Gigolo,” “King Shaka,” “Let the Right One In,” “The L Word: Generation Q,” “Your Honor,” “Ziwe.”
Starz • “Dangerous Liaisons,” “Power Book V: Influence,” “Step Up.”
Syndication • “Dr. Phil,” “Judge Mathis,” “The People’s Court,” “Rachael Ray.”
Upcoming season will be the last
“Archer” (FX), “The Crown” (Netflix), “Fear the Walking Dead” (AMC), “The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu), “The Hardy Boys” (Hulu), “A League of Their Own” (Prime Video), “Manifest” (Netflix), “My Brilliant Friend” (HBO), “Outlander” (Starz), “Physical” (Apple TV+), “S.W.A.T.” (CBS); “Yellowstone” (Paramount Network) and “You” (Netflix).
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