CBS:
Bad Teacher
The Crazy Ones
Friends with Better Lives
Hostages
Intelligence
Audiences never flocked to any of the following, though CBS never really gave midseason replacements Bad Teacher and Friends with Better Lives a chance. The others, however, were high-profile failures.
Like Michael J. Fox over on NBC, Robin Williams found a less-than-welcoming TV audience with The Crazy Ones, which was ordered based mostly on his appeal. Hostages was a political thriller that not enough people like, and Intelligence similarly couldn’t bring in the high ratings CBS demanded. Keep in mind that CBS has much higher standards than other primetime networks; even a show that would be considered a hit on another network isn’t always safe on CBS.
In addition to the recent cancellations: CBS’s TV season also saw the death of We Are Men.
FOX:
Dads
Enlisted
Rake
Surviving Jack
Critics rejoiced at the demise of Dads, a vile and sexist sitcom which, based on ratings alone, actually appeared to stand a chance of a renewal for a while. There was a lot more sadness at Enlisted getting axed; the military-set comedy attracted positive reviews but never gained tractions in the ratings.
As a midseason replacement, it had an uphill battle to renewal, and Fox wasn’t willing to give it time to grow. The same goes for Surviving Jack, which the majority of people first heard about as Fox was announcing its cancellation. Rake, on the other hand, was killed by generic commercials that never set it apart from other law dramas.
In addition to the recent cancellations: Fox’s TV season also saw the deaths of: Almost Human, Raising Hope and The X Factor.
The CW
The Carrie Diaries
Star-Crossed
The Tomorrow People
The CW has notoriously low standards as far as ratings are concerned, caring more about producing shows that appeal to its coveted teen audience. However, The Carrie Diaries had proven over the course of its two-season run that it didn’t have much ability to build a following, so its cancellation was easy to call.
Star-Crossed and The Tomorrow People, both mediocrely received but decently rated shows, were a little more uncertain. As it turns out, even The CW is more than willing to chop and change.
Will you miss any of the cancellations? Let us know in the comments section below.