This week, by request, we're taking a look at the top ten new shows that got cancelled.
Previously:
Comedy Seasons
Drama Seasons
New Scripted Shows
Scripted Newbie Reach Renewals
Network Seasons
Netlet Scripted Seasons
Scripted Episodes
Top 10 of the Last 10, Newbie Cancellations | A18-49+ | A18-49 | ||
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10. Eleventh Hour (CBS, 2008-09) | 99 | 2.97 | |
The list's only crime procedural got the axe because it paled in comparison to its CSI lead-in (159). This Bruckheimer production had no second shot even though similar-rated Shark (103) was renewed two years earlier after a much stronger CSI (185). | ||||
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9. How to Live (ABC, 2012-13) | 102 | 2.14 | |
As in the reach renewals list, I opted to hold averages to regular season airings, since the lists are based on decisions made on regular season numbers. How to Live premiered to a 2.9 after Modern Family and settled in-season at around a 2.0. Though Apartment 23 was renewed at the same level a year earlier, it wasn't enough here. | ||||
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8. Accidentally on Purpose (CBS, 2009-10) | 103 | 2.87 | |
This was one of Jenna Elfman's least unsuccessful post-Dharma and Greg TV failures, retaining How I Met Your Mother (126) at an OK but ultimately unacceptable clip. Like most other CBS comedies on this list, it got a short episode extension but not quite a full season. | ||||
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7. Worst Week (CBS, 2008-09) | 104 | 3.11 | |
During a very positive year for most of CBS' comedies, the network could not accept some of the worst-ever retention from this post-Two and a Half Men (171) offering, though it did get a small extension beyond the initial 13. Worst Week was notable as a rare CBS foray into the single-camera comedy game. | ||||
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6. Terra Nova (Fox, 2011-12) | 105 | 2.49 | |
Terra Nova was one of the very few shows on this list (joining the one just below it) that pulled off its ratings as a "self-starter." But it was clearly not treated like the normal new show; with its reportedly exorbitant costs came very high expectations, and steadily decent-rated Terra Nova did not meet them. | ||||
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5. Bionic Woman (NBC, 2007-08) | 106 | 3.48 | |
One of the great post-premiere collapses you will ever see, Bionic premiered at a huge 5.7 and had evaporated to 2.2 by its last ep a mere two months later. At that point it was out of eps due to the writer's strike. NBC promised it would return with some major re-tooling, but it never happened. | ||||
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4. Napoleon Dynamite (Fox, 2011-12) | 110 | 2.60 | |
Once we get into shows cancelled at a 110+ level, we're usually talking about short orders heavily inflated by early numbers. Napoleon premiered with 8:30 (4.4) and 9:30 (3.3) episodes after an NFL playoff game but settled around 2.0 in the subsequent four episodes. | ||||
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3. $#*! My Dad Says (CBS, 2010-11) | 118 | 2.97 | |
Bleep aired as many episodes (18) as the rest of the top four combined. The first of The Big Bang Theory's many Thursday lead-outs, its 4.0 premiere was the largest of the 2010 premiere week, but it settled in the upper-2's, well below Big Bang's low-4's. | ||||
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2. Rob (CBS, 2011-12) | 140 | 3.30 | |
To repeat what I said on the new show list: "Perhaps Rob was undone by its drops in the last two weeks, including a 2.6 demo when Big Bang was a repeat." It may have also been hurt by CBS' comedy development strikeout, which kept the net from adding a fourth comedy hour in 2012-13. | ||||
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1. Coupling (NBC, 2003-04) | 154 | 6.25 | |
Again repeating from a previous list: "Before NBC got it right with The Office, Coupling was the cautionary tale about the perils of remaking a British sitcom. It aired just four episodes, rating 7.8 -> 6.7 -> 5.6 -> 4.9 after much bigger Will and Grace and wasn't seen again." |
Notes: Though it seemed last season's Partners (98) was an even clearer failure than many of the above CBS shows, it still very nearly made this list. 2005-06 CBS comedies Out of Practice (96) and Courting Alex (92) were also in the ballpark. And two-and-through How to Be a Gentleman (83) would make the list if I threw out its one in-season burn-off episode. (Mostly I included the in-season burn-off episodes here because I would be afraid of forgetting something if I had to manually weed all of those out.)
The biggest lead-in of the last decade, American Idol, somewhat surprisingly didn't put any lead-outs on this list; I guess most of them just got an opportunity to fail somewhere else. 2004-05's Life on a Stick (97) was closest. (And 2010-11's Breaking In (96) would've been even right there as well if not for its un-cancellation.)
2013-14 Update: Continuing the dominance of CBS comedies on this list, The Crazy Ones (111) would've checked in at #4. Two-and-through We Are Men (101) is #11 and Almost Human (100) #12; both would've beaten the 99 from last year's #10 Eleventh Hour.