Sunday, May 15, 2005 - 11:46 AM
NBC, ABC, FOX and the WB Set Initial 2005-06 Season Orders
By The Futon Critic Staff


LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- NBC, ABC, FOX and the WB have leaked their initial 2005-06 season orders as well as nearly all their renewals and cancellations of existing series.

The news comes with barely 12 hours until NBC presents its fall 2005 schedule to the advertising community, a presentation which for all intents and purposes remains a complete mystery. Nearly a half-dozen variations on NBC's schedule have floated around this weekend with everything from "The West Wing" moving to Sundays to "Joey" moving to Tuesdays. Nevertheless with executives and producers heading to New York City over the weekend, the series that did and didn't make the cut have become pretty clear.

Among the surprise renewals - FOX's "The Bernie Mac Show," ABC's "Jake in Progress" and "Less Than Perfect" - three shows widely considered longshots to return. Conversely, ABC has pulled the plug on "My Wife and Kids" and "Eight Simple Rules," two series thought to have brighter prospects than "Jake" and "Perfect."

Overall here's a breakdown of the pickups thus far. Note that this list comes from a complication of various trade publications and industry insiders. Look for the final rundown as each network presents this week:

For the list of the shows go to:
http://www.thefutoncritic.com/cgi/newswire.cgi?id=6904

yay for 'extreme makeover:home edition' returning! (god that program is just TOO adictive) and family guy, er, scrubs and joey- all good!

can't really see any that have been cancelled that I will shed a tear over....

Yay!!! WIFE/SWAP is staying!!!

Cancellations that caught my eye

Law & Order: Trial By Jury - L&O spin-off not making it, pretty surprising.
Jack and Bobby - Supposedly a good show, I never watched it.
The Contender - Loved the show but I already knew it wasn't back since Sly made the announcement some time ago.

Where can I find similar info about CBS?

NO
THEY CANNOT CANCEL 8 SIMPLE RULES.
I dont know if i can cope...

Thank god they renewed Less than Perfect. Seriously im very upset about 8 Simple Rules, its one of my favourite shows


Summerland got cancelled? Im kind of surprised.... Merrin Dungey was on that show :/

Ugh! I'm so bummed 8 Simple Rules is getting canned, it was beginning to finally hit its stride without John Ritter.

On the other hand, I'm shocked (yet thrilled) ABC decided to renew Less Than Perfect, which I thought was a lock to go.

8 Simple Rules is gone?!?!?!?

Me too What a Debbie Downer.

8 Simples Rules is cancelled? WTF. It got better ratings than Less Than Perfect and Jake in Progress!!!

Any news if they would pull the crapfest known as According to Jim and Hope & Faith. Im surprised they kept Jake in Progress due to its very low ratings. They must feel sorry for John Stamos for being dumped by his wife so they kept his show

According to Jim and Hope & Faith are both renewed.

Bummer for the devoted fans on here. I even thought they'd go ahead and give it a second try, actually.

8 simple rules just cost too much money to produce.

Well, Joey was rumored to be going to Tuesdays and it didn't. That's not quite as different as one show being rumored to have been cancelled, and then announced that it's coming back, but I will have to believe it when I see it. Especially since 8 Simple Rules has been doing better than Hope and Faith, Less Than Perfect, and Jake in Progress. Is the power getting to ABC's head or something?

I think ABC is going for the female audience. Hence Less Than Perfect remaining on the schedule. Jake in Progress, however, is a real head scratcher.

Of all the ABC shows, I'm most curious about Kolchak, the Nightstalker. Can a recycled 70's show starring Stuart Townsend (aka Not-Aragorn) and Gabrielle Union be made to work in the 2000's.

Jack and Bobby being cancelled is probably the worst news I have and will hear all month long!

Less Than Perfect and 8 Simple Rules are ABCs only two competent comedies; if they set them up on a solid night and really sold them with the same advertising they give other major shows then they could turn into supernova hits. Remember how many people watched the show when Ritter passed away? That was a potential viewership they could have held onto.

AICN has some hints/rumors about CBS's schedule.


http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=20258

It includes

How I Met Your Mother (Starring Alyson Hannigan, in a drama/comedy set as a flashback)
American Crime (A female, suburban crime prosecutor/mom.)
Quantico (Set in the FBI)
Threshold (A female leads a government agency as they investigate a mysterious alien threat.)
The Unit (Stars Denis Haysbert, focuses on a special forces unit and their families.)

Comedies

Everything I Know About Men
Flesh & Blood

Dissapointed that two good shows, Father of the Pride and Drew Carrey's Green Screen Show, got cancelled, though I think they were cancelled earlier in the season?

I never watched 8 Simple Rules, though I may end up watching it if the DVDs are released at any time, similar to other shows that I've started on.

The Unit, Quantico, and of course Threshold for me.

I didn't even see the one for "Threshold" but I'll definately take a look at that one as well.

Too many shows to watch, especially with Grey's Anatomy being renewed for a full season plus Lost coming back for Season 2.

I'm curious about CBS' The Ghost Whisperer, which sounds like it may make the fall (or midseason) schedule.

Jennifer Love Hewitt...and ghosts.

It does have Aisha Tyler, though.