UPDATE: More renewal and cancellation news came in over the last 24 hours. Each network is updated accordingly.
The Big Five networks are on the warpath this week, renewing this, canceling that, slashing episode orders and announcing final seasons for a few low-rated favorites. Next week, the networks announce their fall schedules, and while a few choice programs will have to wait until then to discover their fates, most shows know if it's good news or bad.
Today, in a special edition of Ecks Factor, I'll keep you as up-to-date as possible on all the happenings of the week. Is your favorite safe for one more, 22-episode season of stress, heartache and nerves leading to next May? Or are you one of the few, the proud awaiting the last-minute news, resigned to the fact that, at best, you'll get a 13 episode commitment.
Let's break it down by network:
ABC
-Rookie dramas Once Upon a Time and Revenge received second season orders yesterday, securing their serialized fates for one more year. Both are prime suspects to take over the Sunday at 9pm timeslot occupied by Desperate Housewives since Fall 2004.
-Rookie sitcom Suburgatory will be back for Season 2, joined by veterans Modern Family and The Middle (both in their fourth seasons).
-Long-running medical drama Grey's Anatomy has been renewed for next season, along with Monday night mainstay Castle.
-Reality fare Dancing With The Stars, The Bachelor and Shark Tank will all be back next season.
-Cougar Town has been picked up by TBS for two more seasons, in what appears to be an unprecedented move by the network. TBS also saved Conan O'Brien in 2010.
-ABC renewed Happy Endings for a 22-episode third season, while Don't Trust the Bitch... will be back for a second go, with 13 episodes ordered with the 6 episodes held back from Season 1.
-Private Practice will be back for one final, 13 episode season, along with Dana Delany drama Body of Proof for its third season. Scandal has also been given a second season.
-Tim Allen sitcom Last Man Standing has been renewed.
-GCB and Missing have been cancelled, while The River is expecting the same fate.
CBS
-CBS put a long-overdue nail in the coffin of Patrick Wilson medical drama A Gifted Man, cancelling it after one season.
-The majority of CBS's lineup was renewed weeks ago, including newbies 2 Broke Girls and Person of Interest, as well as veterans The Big Bang Theory, NCIS and The Good Wife.
-No official word on NYC22, Unforgettable, Rob, CSIs NY and Miami, Rules of Engagement or Two and a Half Men, though word of a contract deal with Ashton Kutcher puts Men in a better place than the rest.
The CW
-Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries and 90210 enjoyed renewals a few days ago.
-The word is Nikita is dead in the water after two seasons. UPDATE: Well I was wrong. Nikita has been renewed for Season 3
-Hart of Dixie has been renewed for Season 2, along with Season 6 of Gossip Girl for one final, 11-episode run.
-Rookies Ringer and The Secret Circle have been axed.
-Canadian import The L.A. Complex won't likely be back in the US after horrid-even-for-CW numbers. Those rules don't apply for Canadian viewers.
FOX
-Family Guy and American Dad will both be back in the 2013-2014 seasons. Hard to believe that ten years ago, FOX cancelled Family Guy for what would be the second time.
-Touch has been renewed for a second season.
-With the surprise final season renewal of Fringe for Season 5, the network cancelled new dramas The Finder and Alcatraz.
-Fringe, The Cleveland Show, Raising Hope, New Girl, Glee, Bones and The Simpsons will all be back next season.
-I Hate My Teenage Daughter, Breaking In and Terra Nova are all goners.
-No word on animated fare Bob's Burgers or Napoleon Dynamite.
NBC
-Stars John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer and Ed Helms have all signed contracts to star on a 9th season of The Office. Mindy Kaling will likely depart to star in her new FOX pilot, It's Messy, while Rainn Wilson is most likely going to appear until the potential spinoff is picked up by the network, taking Paul Lieberstein with it as showrunner.
-Law & Order: SVU, the last remaining in the franchise, will be back next season.
-NBC renewed low-rated Parenthood for a fourth season of 15 episodes, as well as 30 Rock for one final, 13-episode season.
-Community fans need not fret any longer. The comedy will be back for a fourth season, of at least 13 episodes.
-Grimm and Smash were picked up earlier this month.
-NBC cancelled Bent, Awake, Are You There, Chelsea? and Harry's Law.
-NBC renewed Parks & Recreation for a 22-episode fifth season, as well as freshman sitcoms Whitney and Up All Night.
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PERSONAL GUESS ON UNCERTAIN FUTURES (I'll provide my own guess at percentage of chance at renewal for shows without renewals)
90%-100%
Two and a Half Men
75%-90%
CSI: Miami
55%-75%
Bob's Burgers
CSI: NY
Less Than 50%
Rules of Engagement
NYC22
Rob
Napoleon Dynamite
The River
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LAST WORD
Of course we'll all likely feel the pains of at least one cancellation this week, or perhaps a sad reminder that one of our favorites is entering its final season. Private Practice and Gossip Girl are expected to get a final season renewal, joining 30 Rock and Fringe in their swan songs. And the bloodbath isn't necessarily over for a few other favorites with uncertain prospects. Just keep in mind, the hardest part is hearing the news and coping with it. Just sit back, enjoy the summer programming and look forward to a fall full of fresh new shows to make us forget the pains of television loss.
Stay tuned.
