The fall television schedule is beginning to fill up and shows are being told their fates as this article is written. Some shows are returning, some shows are ending and some are on the Great Divide between a renewal and cancellation. The below is a selection of renewed shows that should be cancelled and cancelled shows that should have been renewed, along with the shows that are on the fence that need just a nudge to the side of renewal or cancellation.
Ridiculous Renewal:
2 Broke Girls (CBS) – While it pains me to even write the title in the first place and acknowledge its existence, it pains me further to see this show is up for renewal of another season. It comes as no shock, seeing as how CBS is enough of a ratings juggernaut that is pumped with so much cash they can keep any show going for however long they please. Yet this show in particular is a surprise, seeing as it offers no interesting, well-written, material of any redeemable quality. The lead acting is nothing to rave about and the side-characters are another unlikeable, distasteful entity on their own. It is fascinating that a show like this can be renewed, yet so many other higher-quality productions can falter.
Crazy Cancellation:
Fringe (FOX) – While its season concluded back in January, it is still a sore-spot in the realm of television that this show has been cancelled. It was surely one of the most unique shows on network television, but that’s what may have been its Achilles Heel. Created by J.J. Abrams, it offered twists and turns like that of “Lost”, yet didn’t hold the strength of the cast nor the main plot that “Lost” used to enthrall legions of dedicated fans. Another interesting thing to note is that some of the episodes were based on actual seemingly cockamamie theories based on fringe-science. This show may have been able to pick up some better ratings seeing as a recent drama, “The Following”, is a similar dark and mysterious show and the two shows back to back could have offered a great two-hour block of drama during primetime.
On The Fence/Feel Free to Kick to Cancellation:
Whitney (NBC) – If this show does not see the light of day ever again, we as a nation can sit back comfortably and breathe a sigh of relief. There really is not much to say about this show in terms of how good or bad it is. It’s quite the anomaly of a show, sometimes one has to remind oneself of its existence even while watching. It’s not memorable in the least bit, you’re not exactly going to be running off to school or work quoting lines or having long conversations about it. It’s really quite odd that this was picked up in the first place, but the idea of having Whitney Cummings as the lead protagonist (her significant following of fans from stand-up and endorsement from Chelsea Handler) appealed to the big-wigs of NBC. Then again, these are the same big-wigs who green lit “Animal Practice.”
On The Fence/Save From Falling to Failure:
Community (NBC) – Here we have NBC once again at the forefront of the article when it comes to tough decisions. While the quality has suffered some since the creator of the show, Dan Harmon, left before the most recent started, the show still lives up to the hype. It is one of the most unique and original sitcoms on-air and deserves to be renewed for more seasons to come. It has won Hulu.com’s Best in Show Tournament beating out the top-tier programs of the year the last two years and has won a Primetime Emmy Award, among others. The cast as an ensemble works wondrously and the chemistry is now at a near-perfect level. While the show has floundered in certain aspects (the entire story arc of Ben Chang is abysmal at best), it still offers engaging and hilarious episodes each and every week.
In Memoriam:
Futurama (1999-2003 – 2010-2013) – Futurama first aired in 1999 on FOX, created by The Simpsons creator Matt Groening. After a short five-year stint, the show ended and was figured to fade into relative obscurity, becoming another “great show, cancelled too soon.” That is, until Comedy Central obtained the rights for syndication to the episodes and began airing re-runs. Four straight-to-dvd episodes were released in 2005 and the renewed popularity resurrected the series, finally, in 2010. For the last four years, Futurama has been the cult-hit of all animated shows. Even as popular as it is, and on a major channel such as Comedy Central, it was special if you met another person who shared the same interest. One of the great things of this series in particular was the fact that it was a glaring social satire, subtly laid out in the year 2999. While Family Guy is known for its cut-away gags, South Park for its social commentary and gross-out humor, Futurama was always just a little bit further outside of the realm of possibility and reality due to the fact it was so far into the future. The possibilities were endless seeing as how the writers were, in a way, writing the future to suit them.
It is sad to see such a good show go, but a good show ending “too soon” always leaves a better feeling in the minds of the fans rather than overstaying its welcome. It can now sit comfortably in the company of “Arrested Development”, “Freaks and Geeks” and “Firefly” as shows you can discuss with friends about episodes you always wanted to see and can grasp on a fleeting notion you don’t want to let go of just because a network wants to shut it down. Futurama will live on for years, quite possibly even in syndication, through the ever increasing online-world of today where it can be shared internationally with millions in the blink of an eye; fitting enough that such a futuristic idea could propel such a show like Futurama.