Tonight on TV

ABC's number one comedy is a lock for yet another season on the network.  The show is a critical darling, and still has a very solid fan base heading into its fourth season.  Even with an expected drop this season, the show will in all likelihood remain number one for ABC.  If anything, we should be guessing if Modern Family will still be on the air five seasons from now (and my answer would probably be the same).
Chances of Returning: 100%

Only seven episodes aired during its first season, so trying to figure out its fate may be a bit more difficult.  From the beginning of its season to the end, Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 shed about 21% of its demographic audience.  Even with a new episode of Modern Family as a lead in, the show did fall below a 2.0 demo.  When the show moves to its new timeslot this fall (Tuesdays at 930/830c, behind Happy Endings) the ratings may go even further.  With two new comedies waiting in the wings for ABC, Apartment 23 has to come out of the gate swinging.  If not, it may be headed towards a quick sophomore season cancellation.

Chances of Returning: 25%

It seems as if no matter how hard CBS tries, Rules of Engagement comes back for another season.  The show has only had a full season ONCE in its entire seven season run -back in its fifth season.  Besides that, Rules of Engagement has had anywhere between seven and fifteen episodes a season.  The show is always a solid utility player wherever it may placed, but it's never broken out like the other comedies on CBS' schedule.  After seven seasons, however, it appears that Rules of Engagement may finally be on its way out.  It's renewal didn't occur until after upfronts, and its only for a thirteen episode season.  The series has been in similar situations before, but you can only cheat death so many times.  For now, it appears that its nine lives are now up.

Chances of Returning: 0%

Two and a Half Men has escaped death before, but just narrowly.  When Charlie Sheen was fired from the show, it appeared that Two and a Half Men was done.  Yet, CBS reworked the show with Warner Brothers, and brought it back with Ashton Kutcher. The show hit a series high in his first episode, but slowly declined from there, and eventually hit series lows.  In all reality, the show was going to fall to series lows with or without Charlie Sheen, given it was going into its ninth season.  This fall, the show will be heading into its tenth (!) season, something many comedies have failed to do.  With a new timeslot on the way, it seems as if CBS is planning for the end.  Current talks are that How I Met Your Mother may be coming back for another season, which seems like another point against Two and a Half Men.  CBS won't risk losing two big comedies in one season, so one has to go this season.  If the ratings are huge though, will CBS be ready to cut the chord and let the show have a respectable finish?

Chances of Returning: 30%

FOX's number one comedy came roaring out of the gate last season.  If I'm not mistaken, nearly no one expected a huge 10 million viewers and a whopping 4.8 demo.  That even outpaced the season premiere of Glee by one million viewers and eight tenths in the demo!  It wasn't all good news for New Girl.  When FOX experimented with its two hour comedy block, New Girl fell as low as a 2.2 demo.  The show did eventually rebound when Glee returned as its lead in, but it was still a shell of its former self (after only one season).  This fall, New Girl will be airing as a part of the two hour comedy block once again.  FOX is hoping that two new comedies will give the series higher ratings, but its entirely possible it'll stay as low as a 2.2 demo once again.  Even with that, it's hard to see FOX cancelling it's number one comedy.

Chances of Returning: 100%

Even though Raising Hope will never become a breakout hit for FOX, it's still been a reliable performer.  FOX has struggled with comedies since the networks inception, but they've found a few along the way.  Since its premiere back in 2010, Raising Hope has hovered around a 2.0 demo, which is good enough to squeeze out a renewal.  Like New Girl, however, Raising Hope also took a hit when the two hour comedy block went into effect.  The show dipped to series lows in its 8pm timeslot, where it will also air this fall.  It's possible that Raising Hope could recover, but its also possible that the lower ratings will stick around.  Raising Hope has to stay above a 2.0 demo, or it will be out the door after three seasons.

Chances of Returning: 51%

Now onto NBC, which may be the hardest to read this season.  With so many random renewals, the one that made the most sense was Parks and Recreation.  While never a huge hit for NBC, the series has been an okay performer for the struggling network.  When you have nearly nothing that performs, you have to take what you can get.  This year, Parks and Recreation was one of the few NBC series to get a full 22 episode season.  Whether that be to get it closer to syndication levels quicker, or just to put something on the air, it has to mean something.  Now that The Office is heading into its ninth (and likely final) season, NBC needs something familiar on the air next season.  With the lead in of NBC's number one comedy (The Office), Parks and Recreation is likely to do fine (1.7-1.9 demo) this season.

Chances of Returning: 75%

If there is one show that has generated a lot of debate, it would have to be Whitney.  Just why in the world did NBC renew a comedy that was below average - at best - anyways.  Did the network executives see the improved reviews?  Were they expecting viewers who enjoy mulit-camera comedies to flock to the show?  Or is it possible that Whitney was renewed just to fill a timeslot?  Whatever it may be, Whitney is on the fall schedule.  The odds are already stacked against Whitney once again this year. It's only one of two multi-camera comedies on the network, it will be airing on Friday night, and viewers have already tried the series - with most rejecting it.  Whitney did pull a 1.6 demo for its season finale, which was only one tenth behind the season finale of Parks and Recreation.  If it can hover around a 1.4-1.6 demo on Friday nights, NBC would have no choice to renew the series.  Who knows, this could be the next According to Jim or 'Til Death and run for years!

Chances of Returning: 49%

This is just eight of the twenty possibilities.  To share what you think, just comment below.  You can also vote in the poll, which is open for one week.

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