A lot of shows on the list won't surprise us: Hank, The Forgotten, Numb3rs, Gary Unmarried, and 'Til Death (each either gets low ratings or has been on for a while), but there are several that I think will actually make it to a another season, including The Good Wife and Parks and Recreation.
I don't want to say that I'm psychic or anything (I'm not, though I can bend spoons), but I had a feeling that Eastwick wouldn't last beyond one season after I saw the new shows at the ABC upfront. I don't know why or how I thought that, probably a combination of the plot, the time slot, the network it was on, and how programming on the networks is these days, but I just didn't think it would last.
There's more news coming from ABC too, and this is actually surprising: they've ordered 5 more episodes of The Forgotten. That's a show I thought would be gone quick too. It still could be, since ratings aren't great (though better than Eastwick's) and it hasn't exactly been critically-acclaimed.
TV Guide has released their list of shows that are safe for the rest of the season and those that are "on the bubble," the shows that are in danger of being canceled. There are a lot of shows on the latter list that aren't a surprise, such as Hank, Gary Unmarried, Cold Case, and The Forgotten (I'm surprised Cold Case even made it to another season).
But among the list of shows are a few that I didn't think were in danger, including Gossip Girl and Fringe. I know that Gossip Girl isn't a show that gets incredible ratings, but that describes The CW in general, and I figure that even if it gets low ratings it's sort of the network's signature show. As for Fringe, the ratings are a lot worse this season than last season, but it would still surprise me if the show went away, especially since it has its fan base and it's produced by JJ Abrams.
Stealing scenes on the small screen is nothing new to Christian Slater. The actor, known for films like Heathers, True Romance and Pump up the Volume, has made memorable guest appearances on shows like Alias, The West Wing and My Name is Earl. His first shot at his own series, the NBC spy thriller My Own Worst Enemy, struggled to find an audience, leading the network to cancel it halfway through the first season.
Slater is back starring in a new series,The Forgotten, produced by CSIhead honcho Jerry Bruckheimer. The ABC procedural follows a team of amateur detectives who work murder cases involving unidentified victims, or John and Jane Does. Slater plays former cop Alex Donovan, whose search for his missing daughter inspires him in the field.
I got the chance to talk with Slater about The Forgotten, his new career in TV, and what one of his most famous big screen characters would think about his latest role.
The networks have had a quiet summer, quietly introducing scripted bomb after scripted bomb, so they're certainly ready to jump into the new fall season. And It looks to be an interesting one. ABC is scheduling a two-hour block of new comedies on Wednesdays as the sitcom tries to make a comeback.
Even more risky is NBC handing 10:00 to Jay Leno every night of the week. Everyone's waiting to see how that one plays out. FOX is banking on huge positive buzz for Glee to make it a hit, while ABC is hoping FlashForward can pick up where Lost is leaving off when it wraps its run this season.
To help you with it all, TV Squad has put together a handy calendar of all the premieres so you can schedule responsibly in this busy time of TV watching. Some nights have as many as twelve premieres scheduled, so you might need to invest in a few more DVRs to catch all your favorites; Monday's still look grim. Bookmark this page and you'll have it handy to help see you through.
Every year, various ad agencies, marketers, and consultants choose which new TV shows they think are going to be winners, and which are going to crash and burn. They're not always accurate, of course, but it's still interesting to see what they pick.
We gave you a quick look at The Forgotten just after ABC held their upfront, but now we have an extended look at what the show is all about. Basically you have a team of investigators trying to figure out the identity of people who have been murdered. There's also a hint of a back story involving the leader of the group, whose own daughter vanished three years earlier and hasn't been found.
I want to give every show (that isn't a reality show) the benefit of the doubt, because even the more mundane premise can be great with the right writing and cast. Having said that, do we really need another TV show about a team of quirky investigators solving crimes? Here's a clip from the first episode of The Forgotten. (And here are previews of ABC's new comedies.)
At 8, ABC has a new V, then new episodes of Dancing with the Stars and The Forgotten.
A couple of weeks ago, I did a post about the shows that were "on the bubble," the ones in danger of being canceled. Now AOL TV has 
TBS has a marathon of The Office all night.
At 8, ABC has It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, followed by new episodes of Dancing with the Stars and The Forgotten.
At 7:30, FOX has Baseball Playoffs, the Yankees vs. the Angels.
At 8, ABC has a new Shark Tank, followed by new episodes of Dancing with the Stars and The Forgotten.
At 8, ABC has a new Shark Tank, followed by new episodes of Dancing with the Stars and The Forgotten.
Stealing scenes on the small screen is nothing new to Christian Slater. The actor, known for films like Heathers, True Romance and Pump up the Volume, has made memorable guest appearances on shows like 
The networks have had a quiet summer, quietly introducing scripted bomb after scripted bomb, so they're certainly ready to jump into the new fall season. And It looks to be an interesting one. ABC is scheduling a two-hour block of new comedies on Wednesdays as the sitcom tries to make a comeback. 
Every year, various ad agencies, marketers, and consultants choose which new TV shows they think are going to be winners, and which are going to crash and burn. They're not always accurate, of course, but it's still interesting to see what they pick.
Mike Henry and Daryl Hall on a Cleveland Show Thanksgiving
The TV Squad Podcast: The Prisoner, '80s TV, soap news and more
Let's talk about spoilers ...
