The "Ask TV Squad" column, published every Wednesday, answers your questions about current and past TV shows, as well as about the celebrities appearing on TV. Every week, I will pick a question (or more) sent to us and provide answers in the column. If your question is not picked for a column, it may be answered in a subsequent column or in TV Squad's APB Podcast.
To submit questions to the "Ask TV Squad" column, you can post them below in comments or email them to asktvsquad@gmail.com.
This week, I answer questions about Ghost Whisperer, How to Make It in America and Better Off Ted.
When Andy Richter left Late Night With Conan O'Brien to establish his own career in acting, nobody knew that he'd come full circle and rejoin O'Brien years later. At the same time, nobody knew that creator Victor Fresco would do much the same thing.
Andy Richter Controls the Universe was one of those quirky shows that most people, who enjoy a dash of nonsense in their comedy, really dug. It was a very playful show about a guy working in a massive company. It featured a small ensemble with great chemistry on-screen, and had a unique look at big corporations.
A few years later, Fresco tapped that well again, and we got Better Off Ted, another comedy with absurdist tendencies set in a massive corporation with a small cast. Like Andy, it eked out a second season based more on critical acclaim than ratings. As someone who enjoys both shows, I find myself worrying that Ted will share Andy's ultimate fate, cancellation after the second season.
Did you know that there was supposed to be a new episode ("Jabberwocky") of Better Off Ted last night? But ABC decided to go with a rerun of the Bachelorette finale. Which had already aired. The night before.
Sigh.
Anyway, two episodes next week. In the meantime, there's this.
Why is ABC running new episodes of Better Off Ted during the summer? Not that fans aren't incredibly happy to see new episodes, but I would have thought that ABC would rerun the earlier episodes of the show and then start running new ones this fall (the show has been renewed for the fall).
Surviving Suburbia just can't catch a break. It starts as a high profile return vehicle for Bob Saget over on The CW. Hell, the guy even hosts their fall preview. But it never shows up. So production company ABC snags it and puts it on their air this past winter. But only for a bit before yanking it. Don't worry, they said, it'll be back this summer; which translates as we're burning off the rest of the episodes. And now they're not even doing that!
So I hope you like The Goode Family, because effective immediately Surviving Suburbia is being yanked in favor of back-to-back Goode. I'm thinking online or DVD may be the only chances left to see the last of Suburbia, if anyone even cares. It's not all bad news, though. Apparently to make us feel better about losing Bob (he's still narrating HIMYM so he's still got a job for awhile), they're bringing back the already renewed Better Off Ted with new episodes starting June 23 at 9 Eastern. Maybe with less competition, the goofy workplace comedy can find the audience it deserves.
This was the season finale of Better Off Ted, and it could turn out to be the series finale. ABC will reveal their fall schedule on May 19, so for the next couple of weeks fans of this show will be acting like Arrested Development fans, praying that their favorite sitcom continues and ready to send letters to the network. ABC doesn't really do well with comedies. They usually don't last long or they're grabbed from another network (Scrubs and maybe Old Christine), so maybe this is a show they'd like to keep around.
Last week, TVSquad readers made our "Which shows are renewed, canceled, or on the bubble?" post the most viewed and most commented of the week. Most of the commenters voiced their opinions as to which show should be renewed, and since I also watch loads of TV, it's with no surprise that I wanted to chime in, as well. (Look for my "Series that I think should be canceled" post later this week.)
Here I present you, the 10 shows I think should be renewed. Note that I did not include in this list shows that have been confirmed as renewed by the network (such as Gossip Girl), nor those that have been officially canceled (bye bye Pushing Daisies).
ABC's new comedy Better Off Ted - which aired last night - is one of the on the bubble shows. It certainly has its fan base, but it's also one of those quirky sitcoms that just "feels" like one you can imagine ABC canceling after one short season, and then it goes away forever. And then we grumble about it for months and hope for a DVD release. What do you think? Do you think the show deserves a second season or do you think it's ... better off dead (sorry)?
The "Ask TV Squad" column, published every Wednesday, answers your questions about current and past TV shows, as well as about the celebrities appearing on TV. Every week, I will pick a question (or more) sent to us and provide answers in the column. If your question is not picked for a column, it may be answered in a subsequent column or in TV Squad's APB Podcast.
At 8, ABC has a new episode of The Superstars, then a new Better Off Ted.
At 8, ABC has a new episode of The Superstars, then new episodes of Better Off Ted and Primetime: Family Secrets.
Surviving Suburbia just can't catch a break. It starts as a high profile return vehicle for Bob Saget over on The CW. Hell, the guy even hosts their fall preview. But it never shows up. So production company ABC snags it and puts it on their air this past winter. But only for a bit before yanking it. Don't worry, they said, it'll be back this summer; which translates as we're burning off the rest of the episodes. And now they're not even doing that!
Last week, 
USA has an NCIS marathon all night.
At 8, ABC has a new Scrubs, then new episodes of Better Off Ted, Lost, and The Unusuals.
At 8, ABC has a new 
Mike Henry and Daryl Hall on a Cleveland Show Thanksgiving
The TV Squad Podcast: The Prisoner, '80s TV, soap news and more
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