Which returning comedies will not make it to another season? For my predictions, check out the article!
There are a total of 15 comedies returning to the broadcast networks this season. ABC and CBS each have five, FOX has three, and NBC has a only two. As of July 2013, one of those comedies knows where it stands after this season:
How I Met Your Mother, which is heading into its final season. That means 14 comedies still have fates to be determined. Take a look at the situation for each of those 14 comedy series' and their chances of returning beyond this season.
For the 2012 Predictions, Click Here
ABC's Friday night comedy will once again be anchored by
Last Man Standing, which held its own this past season, averaging close to 8 million viewers. Unless a major collapse occurs, the show should be safe for a fourth season. ABC does not own the series (20th Century FOX) but I do not see ABC cancelling one of the strongest Friday night series because of their lack of ownership. Even with year-to-year losses likely to happen, it will remain one of the strongest scripted programs on the night, barring any major surprises.
Chances of Returning: 85%
ABC's underrated, fan-favorite,
The Middle, has successfully lead-off the Wednesday night comedy block for the past three seasons and heads back to that same timeslot this season.
very stable since moving to 8 o'clock, averaging over 8 million viewers in each of those seasons. If any show has remained remarkably stable, that show is
The Middle. Unless the comedy sees a dramatic fall this upcoming season, it will return to the Wednesday 8/7c timeslot once again next year.
Chances of Returning: 100%
The number two comedy in all of television,
Modern Family experienced small year-to-year declines this past season. I would expect those declines to continue, but unless any of the new comedies are breakouts, it will remain the number two comedy. I do not expect syndication to help the series this season. If syndication does help the series, I do not think we will see any bumps until the following season. Either way, there is no chance
Modern Family is ending anytime soon.
Chances of Returning: 100%
To be honest, I was surprised to even hear
The Neighbors would be returning for another season. The show was the lowest-rated in ABC's Wednesday night comedy block and went as low as a 1.4 A18-49. With the show moving to Fridays (leading out of
Last Man Standing) I can see the show losing even
more of its already small audience. Since one of the network comedies will have to make room for a new comedy the following season, I do not see
The Neighbors advancing past a short thirteen episode second season.
Chances of Returning: 30%
If any show surprised me more this past season, it was
Suburgatory. In its freshman season, the show became a breakout hit, easily filling the bridge timeslot between
The Middle and
Modern Family. When ABC announced it was getting the post-
Modern Family timeslot I am sure nearly everyone predicted large year-to-year gains. Instead, the show collapsed and fell to
series lows. In fact,
Suburgatory flirted with cancellation up until ABC upfronts. The network then announced
Suburgatory would become a mid-season filler, losing its fall timeslot. If ABC's new comedies hit,
Suburgatory is going to get the short end of the stick. How quickly its fate changed!
Chances of Returning: 49%
Many pounced on CBS for moving
2 Broke Girls to the Monday 9 o'clock timeslot prematurely. The show fell
hard season-to-season. Unlike a few commentators, I believe some of the loses are due to the increased competition (
The Voice). There is no telling how
Two and a Half Men would have fared in the timeslot, but
2 Broke Girls held up as well as could have been expected. With three new shows joining the Monday night lineup, I think we could see an even
2 Broke Girls this season. Even if the show suffers year-to-year declines once again, I do not see a situation where the show is cancelled.
Chances of Returning: 100%
Is any renewal discussion even needed for broadcast televisions number one scripted series,
The Big Bang Theory? If there is a discussion of any kind, it would have to be this: can the show grow again and top its series high (20 million viewers, 6.4 A18-49). In my opinion, the growth has stopped.
The Big Bang Theory has reached its peak and it will be downhill from here. If the show were to see a new series high, however, I would not be in the least bit surprised. After all, did
anyone expect a 6.4 A18-49 demo this past season?
Chances of Returning: 100%
CBS' new utility player is
Mike & Molly, filling the void left by the now-cancelled
Rules of Engagement. The most recent season of
Mike & Molly was the weakest yet, but it still held its own throughout the season. I would say the 22 episode fourth season order was a vote of confidence from the network. Even with another year-to-year decline, I cannot see CBS pulling the plug on
Mike & Molly just yet, especially with older comedies still airing on the network.
Chances of Returning: 95%
Eleven seasons. I am quite honestly surprised to see
Two and a Half Men on the air, especially with all the behind-the-scenes drama the show has endured. CBS is giving
Two and a Half Men a new timeslot, Thursdays at 930/830c - its third one is as many years. With the move to the last half hour in a two hour comedy block, it spells bad news to me. The show is a shell of its former self, both creatively and ratings wise. If CBS has a lot of luck with its new comedies,
Two and a Half Men will likely get the short-end of the stick. I predicted a cancellation last season, so I am going to predict the same, giving the show a slightly worse chance.
Chances of Returning: 15%
Similar to
The Neighbors, I was shocked when FOX gave
The Mindy Project a second season renewal, especially since it was two months before upfronts were announced. The season finale posted a small 1.3 A18-49, holding only 60% of its lead in. If
any of the new FOX comedies hit, I cannot see the network sticking with low ratings for another season. The reviews have been positive for the
The Mindy Project, but that is about the only good thing the show has going for it. Unless a dramatic uptick occurs in season two, Mindy is done.
Chances of Returning: 25%
After having the lead-in of
Glee for a season, FOX assigned
New Girl to be the tentpole of a new two hour comedy block on Tuesday nights. The results were less than stellar, with the show falling dramatically from season one, pegging low 2.0 A18-49's nearly all season - a far cry from the 4.0+ for its series premiere. FOX experienced hefty drops on a large majority of its schedule, making the decision to renew
New Girl an easy one. As with last season, it is hard to picture
FOX cancelling its number one non-animated comedy.
Chances of Returning: 100%
Even though
Raising Hope will never be a hit comedy, it has been a reliable option for FOX since its debut. Heading into its fourth season,
Raising Hope is scheduled to move to its fourth different timeslot: Fridays at 9/8c. I am a bit skeptical the move will ever happen, especially since its not scheduled to happen until November. If anything, its a timeslot for the show while the network waits to see which of its new comedies will fail. If the move to Friday does actually happen, I believe this could possibly be the final season of
Raising Hope. However, I am going to stay positive and say the show advances to a fifth season.
Chances of Returning: 51%
For the past two seasons,
Community has cheated death. The show squeaked out another last-minute renewal and with the fifth season debut, it will regain its creator, Dan Harmon. Similar to season four,
Community will once again take on a midseason role, filling in for wherever NBC may need the help. Since the network has a slew of new comedies in the wings,
Community is going to have post year-to-year gain to have any shot at a sixth season. The show has been lucky before, but I think the luck is about to run out.
Chances of Returning: 5%
NBC's highest rated comedy,
Parks and Recreation, returns for full 22 episode sixth season. The show finished its season with a respectable 1.6 A18-49, better than every other NBC comedy that week (excluding
The Office). This season, the show moves to one of the roughest timeslots in all of television: Thursdays at 8/7c, against
The Big Bang Theory. I believe ratings in the vicinity of
Community (1.1-1.3) are to be expected.
Community made it this far with low ratings, so it would leave me to believe
Parks and Recreation can get one additional season with those type of ratings.
Chances of Returning: 51%
NBC's highest rated comedy, Parks and Recreation, returns for full 22 episode sixth season. The show finished its season with a respectable 1.6 A18-49, better than every other NBC comedy that week (excluding The Office). This season, the show moves to one of the roughest timeslots in all of television: Thursdays at 8/7c, against The Big Bang Theory. I believe ratings in the vicinity of Community (1.1-1.3) are to be expected. Community made it this far with low ratings, so it would leave me to believe Parks and Recreation can get one additional season with those type of ratings.
