To Be or Not to Be: TV Renewals and Cancellations

First the bad news. Well, it really depends on your perspective, because some shows are just ready to go. But the following shows have been cancelled. “Gilmore Girls,” “The King of Queens,” “Reba,” and “Seventh Heaven” among others, and let’s face it; a lot of those are definitely ready to be put to bed. Then, we enter the dead before they had a chance to live category with “The Black Donnellys,” “The Wedding Bells,” “Andy Barker, PI” and the most promising new show that died prematurely, “Drive.”

Among the shows being picked up for another season, we have “Boston Legal,” “Lost,” “American Dad,” “Family Guy,” “Bones,” “House,” “Heroes,” “Law & Order: Special Victims,” “Medium” and “The Office” among others. These are probably the most understandable renewals with large audiences and good material to keep chugging along while other shows are burning out from either a lack of interest or they’re hurting for decent episodes. Sadly, “Scrubs” has become one of these shows that’s just hurting, but the jury still seems to be out on that one.

Stuck in limbo and still up in the air are quite a few shows I would personally very much like to see get picked up for another season. At the top of the list are “Supernatural” and “24.” And though I’d really like to see “Smallville” go out this season before it has a chance to outstay its welcome, I do hope it’s picked up for a seventh season, but I would sincerely hope that’s the last. Let Clark become Superman already! Either make a new series called “Metropolis” or let Clark fly off into the blue horizon to his destiny.

For a complete and current list of the new, old, and returning shows, visit the Futon Critic