Save Our Shows 2021: Is your favorite series canceled, renewed or ‘on the bubble’?
3 min read
Decision time is here again.
Major broadcast networks are weighing the fates of 25 endangered sitcoms and dramas, hovering “on the bubble” between renewal and cancellation. USA TODAY’s 24th annual Save Our Shows poll asks you to weigh in on which you’d like saved – and which dropped – as the networks set their 2021-2022 schedules to be unveiled in mid-May.
Last year’s winner: NBC’s “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist,” the musical drama that is once again “on the bubble” due to modest ratings and high costs. Many factors go into renewal decisions, including Nielsen ratings, creative quality, profitability, digital viewership and program ownership.
The coronavirus pandemic, which shuttered production of pilot episodes for new series replacements last spring, remains a factor, but network executives say it’s less critical this year in determining the fate of series.
Instead, it may impact when (not if) they continue: NBC’s “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” was renewed last spring for what was planned as its final season. The pandemic prevented a return to production until this month, so 10 remaining episodes won’t air until fall. And CW’s “Supernatural,” due to end in May 2020, delayed its final episodes until last fall.
Here’s a status update for every current series, based on conversations with top executives at each of the major networks. (Shows that haven’t yet premiered are excluded.)
TOP: “Big Sky” MIDDLE: “For Life” ABOVE: “The Rookie”
“Big Sky,” “For Life” and “The Rookie.”
DARKO SIKMAN, Giovanni Rufino, Eric McCandless, ABC
Renewed, or almost
- Big Sky
- Black-ish
- The Conners
- The Good Doctor
- Grey’s Anatomy
- Station 19
On the bubble
- American Housewife
- For Life
- The Goldbergs
- A Million Little Things
- Mixed-ish
- The Rookie
Canceled, or nearly dead
- Call Your Mother
TOP: “The Equalizer” MIDDLE: “MacGyver” ABOVE: “S.W.A.T.”
“The Equalizer,” “MacGyver” and “S.W.A.T.”
Barbara Nitke, Guy D’Alema, CBS
Renewed, or almost
- Blue Bloods
- Bob Hearts Abishola
- Bull
- The Equalizer
- FBI
- FBI: Most Wanted
- Magnum P.I.
- NCIS
- NCIS: Los Angeles
- The Neighborhood
- Young Sheldon
On the bubble
- All Rise
- B Positive
- Clarice
- MacGyver
- SEAL Team
- S.W.A.T.
- The Unicorn
- United States of Al
Canceled, or nearly dead
- Mom
- NCIS: New Orleans
TOP: “9-1-1” MIDDLE: “Call Me Kat” ABOVE: “Last Man Standing”
“9-1-1,” “Call Me Kat” and “Last Man Standing.”
Richard Foreman Jr., LISA ROSE, Michael Becker, Fox
Renewed, or almost
- Bob’s Burgers
- Duncanville
- Family Guy
- The Great North
- 9-1-1
- 9-1-1: Lone Star
- The Simpsons
On the bubble
- Call Me Kat
- The Moodys
- Prodigal Son
- The Resident
Canceled, or nearly dead
- Bless the Harts
- Filthy Rich
- Last Man Standing
- NeXt
TOP: “Black Lightning” MIDDLE: “Stargirl” ABOVE: “Riverdale”
“Black Lightning,” “Stargirl” and “Riverdale.”
Annette Brown, Mark Hill, CW
Renewed, or almost
- All American
- Batwoman
- Charmed
- Dynasty
- The Flash
- In the Dark
- Legacies
- Legends of Tomorrow
- Nancy Drew
- Riverdale
- Roswell, New Mexico
- Superman and Lois
- Walker
On the bubble
Canceled, or nearly dead
- Black Lightning
- Supergirl
- Supernatural
TOP: “Law & Order: Organized Crime” MIDDLE: “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” ABOVE: “Kenan”
“Law & Order: Organized Crime,” “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” and “Kenan.”
VIRGINIA SHERWOOD, Sergei Bachlakov, Casey Durkin, NBC
Renewed, or almost
- The Blacklist
- Brooklyn Nine-Nine
- Chicago Fire
- Chicago Med
- Chicago PD
- Law & Order: SVU
- Mr. Mayor
- New Amsterdam
- This Is Us
On the bubble
- Good Girls
- Kenan
- Law & Order: Organized Crime
- Manifest
- Young Rock
- Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist
Canceled, or nearly dead
- Debris
- Nurses
- Superstore
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