So I figured I would take a little time to chat about something near and dear to my heart,but not writing related: TV Upfronts Week.
For the uninitiated, upfronts week happens in the middle of May every year and is when the broadcast networks (ABC< CBS< Fox, NBC and The CW) announce their upcoming schedule for the next year. Cable networks have their own set of upfronts too, but since the broadcast networks are still the bigger game in town, they get the focus. Along with seeing where you favorite shows end up in the line-up, you also get sizzle reels for the newly ordered shows. This allows viewers to get a glimpse of what's up and coming and decide what might interest them. (For those who are curious, Jen and I over at More TV Please will be doing a post at the end of the week rounding up what's new and what looks interesting to us). Typically, the networks make their final decision on existing shows the week before. Networks have different trends. For instance, the CW renewed their entire line up (at the time) a few months ago and when CBS does their renewals, it usually comes in a big chunk covering most of their schedule. NBC, Fox and ABC hand out their renewals in fits and spurts. But what's most interesting this year is the sheer number of show being cancelled. As one article put it, Thursday has been deemed "Bloody Thursday" because 12 shows were cancelled in one day. All told, 17 shows have met their end in the last two days. Of those, 11 were freshman shows. I can't remember a year when so many new shows got the ax. This year, people are also talking about some of the shocking non-freshman cuts such as Nashville and Castle. Personally, I believe Castle outlasted it's time by a least a season. I can't say one way or the other on Nashville as I've never watched it. But I do think this goes to show just how much network leadership affects what we get on our TVs. ABC recently had a shake up at the top and I suspect all of the ABC cancellations was in part to allow the new president to start fresh with their own crop of shows. Once next week wraps up and we have our post up, I'll share a link to our recap and review of what's new on More TV, Please.
