Tag Archives: Scorpion

Status update #8 on your favorite new and returning shows

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May is fast approaching, the month when the majority of network TV series reach their season finales, some with cliffhangers galore. We’re still waiting on many network executives to make final decisions on the fate of their shows, and today I’m back with the latest report concerning your favorite ones. Without further ado…

CBS, in typical fashion, is bringing back the majority of its programming next fall. In one fell swoop, The Eye renewed 11 series: dramas Blue Bloods, NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: New Orleans, Hawaii Five-0, Madam Secretary, Elementary, and Scorpion, comedies Mom and 2 Broke Girls, and reality shows Survivor and The Amazing Race. Elsewhere, the time has come to say goodbye to Person of Interest. The addicting crime procedural/serial hybrid from executive producers J.J. Abrams, Jonathan Nolan, and Greg Plageman debuts its fifth and final season on Tuesday, May 3. The EPs released a joint statement for fans, and you can read it after the break.

FOX, meanwhile, is placing lots of confidence in striving drama Gotham and reliably funny comedies Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Last Man on Earth. The DC Comics-based series will return for a third season, and the Andy Samberg and Will Forte sitcoms have secured a fourth and third season, respectively.

ABC swiftly removed biblical drama Of Kings and Prophets from its primetime schedule after two wildly low-rated airings. The end.

FXX is primed to make history with a two-season pickup of veteran sitcom It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia. Seasons 13 and 14 are currently in the works, and if FX’s sister network eventually greenlights a record-breaking 15th season, it will make It’s Always Sunny the longest-running live-action comedy series of all-time.

AMC, in the least surprising move, has announced that it wants more Better Call Saul. The Breaking Bad spinoff is officially coming back for a 10-episode third season in 2017. Elsewhere on the cable network, martial arts drama Into the Badlands secured a second season.

One dislikes ending on a sour note, but here goes: HBO has opted not to bring back Togetherness for a third season. Its second season, which currently has two episodes remaining, will be its last. The underrated drama from filmmaking brothers Jay and Mark Duplass puts marriage and friendship under a microscope and explores adult relationships with strong sense of finesse and intimate emotion. This one will be missed. Continue reading Status update #8 on your favorite new and returning shows →

Early series renewals at CBS, FOX, The CW, and more

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A smattering of networks are showing extreme confidence in some of their series by renewing them for another season. In brief:

CBS has renewed three freshman dramas Scorpion, Madam Secretary and NCIS: New Orleans.

“These freshman dramas have each made a big impact on key nights of the week,” said CBS Entertainment Chairman Nina Tassler. “Creatively distinctive, the series are backed by strong showrunners with amazingly talented casts, and have resonated with a big, broad audience.”

FOX is bringing back cult animated series Bob’s Burgers for a sixth season.

“This gem of a series is a rare feel-good blend of sharp wit and genuine heart that fans and critics alike have continued to love throughout its five seasons on Fox,” said network heads Dana Walden and Gary Newman. “We are proud of Loren and Jim and the extremely talented voice cast who bring these unique characters to life with both humor and charm each week.”

The CW is renewing a whopping eight series to return next fall and they include breakout rookies The Flash and Jane the Virgin and returning series The Originals (for a season 3), Reign (season 3), The 100 (Season 3), Arrow (season 4), The Vampire Diaries (season 7), and Supernatural (season 11).

“Each of these series have helped define what The CW is today, a network that is home to smart, provocative, quality programming, targeting a savvy adult audience,” said CW president Mark Pedowitz said. “By picking up these shows now, our executive producers can start planning next season’s storylines, and rolling these shows out throughout next season guarantees. The CW will have more proven original series for our fall, midseason and summer 2016 line-ups.”

Elsewhere, HBO renewed Girls for a fifth season prior to its season four debut which aired this past Sunday and Netflix is bringing back original series Marco Polo for a 10-episode second season.

Full season orders handed out to 5 network series; 4 others get axed [Updated 11/7]

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Good news for fans of The Eye’s older-skewing programming: four freshman series will live on to see their first season of television all the way through and they are: hacker drama Scorpion, spinoff NCIS: New Orleans, Kevin Williamson’s thriller Stalker, and Téa Leoni top-lined Madam Secretary.

“These four shows have had an immediate impact on our schedule by improving nights, winning time periods and adding more hours of success across our primetime lineup,” said Nina Tassler, CBS’ Entertainment Chairman, in a statement.

Elsewhere, The Peacock picked up The Mysterious of Laura for a full 22-episode first season.

Debra has effortlessly infused Laura with a relatability that is captivating audiences,” said Jennifer Salke, NBC’s President of Entertainment. “We can’t wait to see how Laura will continue to evolve throughout the entire season.”

And now, the sour news. Low ratings are forcing out rom-coms Manhattan Love Story (ABC) and A to Z (NBC), as well as Kate Walsh sitcom Bad Judge (NBC) and FOX’s “social experiment” reality show Utopia. MLS and Utopia were pulled from their network schedules on the dates of their cancellation (10/24 and 11/2, respectively), but in a surprise move NBC is allowing A to Z and Bad Judge finish out their original 13-episode orders. The former comedy has shot 11 of 13 episodes and the latter has produced 10. What this means is that the creatives behind them will be able to scramble together plotline bookends since they’re aware the end is in sight. A silver lining: at least these shows will air final episodes that will indeed serve as series finales with at least some closure before audiences are forced to say goodbye.

If you’re keeping count, these full season orders join previously announced pickups of ABC’s Black-ish and How to Get Away with Murder, FOX’s Gotham, and The CW’s The Flash and Jane the Virgin.

Update (11/7): ABC has cancelled rom-com Selfie and has given a full season order to the Ioan Gruffudd-led drama Forever.