We are heading towards what we refer to as the “TV Bloodbath” finale date – the final date in May when the major US networks renew or cancel most of their shows, prior to the “Upfronts” when they present their new schedule to advertisers. So, we thought now would be a good time to run through what has been cancelled and renewed so far, along with new shows they have already ordered to series. Here are where things stand:
NBC
Renewals
NBC has renewed ‘Chicago Med‘ (Season 10), ‘Chicago Fire‘ (Season 13) & ‘Chicago PD‘ (Season 12), along with ‘Law & Order‘ (Season 24), ‘Law & Order: SVU‘ (Season 26), and freshman dramas ‘Found‘ (Season 2), and ‘The Irrational‘ (Season 2).
Cancelled/Ending
So far, NBC has brought to an end ‘La Brea‘ after 3 Seasons, and ‘Magnum PI‘ after 2 Seasons on the network (5 Seasons overall). They have also cancelled ‘Quantum Leap‘ after 2 Seasons, and the Canadian series ‘Transplant‘ is ending after 4 Seasons (although that was not their decision, as it was an imported series.)
Still To Decide
The following series are still awaiting a decision on their fate:
- ‘Law & Order: Organized Crime‘ – It’s the lowest rated of the “Dick Wolf” series on NBC. It’s also churned through showrunners at a ridiculous rate (7 showrunners in 4 seasons…) so things haven’t been all that stable behind the scenes. Whilst its linear ratings on NBC have not been great, it has faired better via “catch up” on the Peacock streaming series, so one possibility would be to move it to be a Peacock show exclusively (this would make no difference to the UK where it airs on Sky Witness.)
- ‘Night Court‘ — This revival of the popular 80s/90s US sitcom is the most watched and highest-rated comedy of the three still waiting for a renewal “thumbs up”, so is considered likely to get renewed. WBTV produces it, and discussions are ongoing.
- ‘Lopez vs Lopez‘ – This comedy starring George Lopez and his daughter Mayan Lopez is on shakier ground. The show is now in its 2nd Season, and the ratings haven’t been great. They also weren’t all that good for Season 1, but NBC can be a little more lenient with rookie comedies, so they gave it another season last year to see if it found an audience. Very much a 50/50 shot.
- ‘Extended Family‘ – Another comedy, this one starring Jon Cryer, Donald Faison and Abigail Spencer about a couple who, after an amicable divorce, decide to continue to raise their kids at the family home while taking turns on who gets to stay with them. Its ratings were low, but still slightly higher than ‘Lopez vs Lopez’. Given it’s a freshman comedy, NBC may give it the same grace they gave ‘Lopez vs Lopez’, and see if can pick up in Season 2, but again, very much 50/50.
The Pick Ups
The following are the shows which NBC has ordered to series so far this season:
- ‘St. Denis Medical‘ – From ‘Superstore’s Justin Spitzer, this is a mockumentary about an underfunded, understaffed Oregon hospital where the dedicated doctors and nurses try their best to treat patients while maintaining their own sanity – Allison Tolman (‘Fargo’, ‘Why Women Kill’, ‘Emergence’) stars alongside David Alan Grier (‘The Resident’), Josh Lawson (‘Superstore’), Kahyun Kim (‘Cocaine Bear’), Mekki Leeper (‘Jury Duty’), and Wendi McLendon-Covey (‘The Goldbergs’).
- ‘Dr. Wolf‘ – Inspired by the extraordinary life and work of British neurologist, naturalist, and historian of science Oliver Sacks, “Dr. Wolf” follows revolutionary, larger-than-life neurologist Oliver Wolf (Zachary Quinto) and his team of interns as they explore the last great frontier – the human mind – while also grappling with their own relationships and mental health.
In addition to these two shows, which have been officially ordered, NBC has a couple of interesting pilots in the works, which could join the line-up. There is the ‘Suits: LA’ “spin-off”, which stars ‘Arrow’s Stephen Amell, and ‘The Walking Dead’s Josh McDermitt; And ‘Grosse Pointe’ – a drama which follows four members of a suburban garden club, all from different walks of life, who get caught up in murder and mischief as they struggle to make their conventional lives bloom. That stars Melissa Fumero (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Matthew Davis (The Vampire Diaries), Alexander Hodge (Insecure), AnnaSophia Robb (The Act), and Ben Rappaport (Ozark, For The People).
CBS
Renewals
CBS has renewed ‘Fire Country’ (Season 3), ‘Ghosts’ (Season 4), ‘FBI’ (a three-season renewal to Season 9), ‘FBI: Most Wanted’ (Season 6), ‘FBI: International’ (Season 4), ‘NCIS’ (Season 22), ‘NCIS: Sydney’ (Season 2), ‘Tracker‘ (Season 2), ‘The Neighborhood’ (Season 7), ‘Good Wife/Fight’ spin-off ‘Elsbeth‘ (Season 2), and the surprise renewal of ‘SWAT‘ for an 8th Season!
Cancelled/Ending
Coming to an end this year are the long-running police drama ‘Blue Bloods‘, which returns in the Autumn to begin its final 14th Season, and ‘Young Sheldon‘ which ends on Season 7. They have also cancelled ‘Bob Hearts Abishola‘ after 5 Seasons, ‘So Help Me Todd‘ after 2 Seasons, and ‘CSI: Vegas‘ after 3 Seasons.
Still To Decide
CBS has two dramas whose fate is yet to be decided:
- The Equalizer – The Queen Latifah-fronted series has been slipping in the ratings, but NBC is negotiating with the star over a 5th Season. It seems likely to come back despite the downturn in viewers. UPDATE (25/04/24) – Renewed.
- NCIS: Hawai’i – Although Paramount has two more new shows in the franchise already ordered (more on them below), Hawai’i is still performing well, so is expected to land a renewal. UPDATE (26/04/24) – Cancelled.
Pick Ups
The following are the shows which CBS has ordered to series so far this season:
- NCIS: Origins – Set in 1991, years prior to the events of NCIS, the drama follows a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs, narrated by Mark Harmon. In the series, Gibbs starts his career as a newly minted special agent at the fledgling NCIS Camp Pendleton office where he forges his place on a gritty, ragtag team led by NCIS legend Mike Franks. On a side note, Paramount also has a Tony & Ziva NCIS spinoff series ordered starring Cote de Pablo & Michael Weatherly, but that is for Paramount+, not CBS.
- Matlock – Katy Bates stars as the brilliant septuagenarian Madeline “Matty” Matlock, who achieved success in her younger years, and decides to rejoin the workforce at a prestigious law firm where she uses her unassuming demeanour and wily tactics to win cases and expose corruption from within. Inspired by the classic television series of the same name.
- Watson – A year after the death of his friend and partner Sherlock Holmes at the hands of Moriarty, Dr. John Watson (Morris Chestnut – ‘Rosewood’, ‘The Resident’, ‘Nurse Jackie’) resumes his medical career as the head of a clinic dedicated to treating rare disorders. Watson’s old life isn’t done with him, though – Moriarty and Watson are set to write their own chapter of a story that has fascinated audiences for more than a century. WATSON is a medical show with a strong investigative spine, featuring a modern version of one of history’s greatest detectives as he turns his attention from solving crimes to solving medical mysteries.
ABC
Renewals
ABC has renewed ‘9-1-1‘ (for Season 8, although the 2nd Season in its new home on ABC), ‘Abbott Elementary‘ (Season 4), ‘Grey’s Anatomy‘ (Season 21), ‘Will Trent‘ (Season 3), and ‘The Rookie‘ (Season 7).
Cancelled/Ending
Coming to an end this year is ‘The Good Doctor‘, which closes down after 7 Seasons, and they cancelled ‘Station 19‘ after 7 Seasons (much to the annoyance of fans…)
Still To Decide
ABC has two series whose fate is yet to be decided:
- Not Dead Yet – After 2 Seasons, the quirky comedy starring Gina Rodriguez as an obituary writer who sees dead people has not had great ratings. There is love for the show internally at ABC, so it has support to bring it back, but very much in the 50/50 bracket…
- The Conners – Now in its 6th Season, the ‘Rosanne’ spin-off seems to be heading for its farewell. The problem here is cost. The cast are on one-year contracts, meaning they can renegotiate more every season. ABC are in talks with the stars about a possible 7th and final season, however, if they don’t come to an agreement, they have shot an additional scene which can be tagged onto the Season 6 finale as an end to the show. So it will end, but at the moment, it’s up in the air as to whether that will be with the current 6th Season, or with a final 7th Season.
Pick Ups
The following are the shows which ABC has ordered to series so far this season:
- High Potential – Written by Drew Goddard (‘The Good Place’, ‘The Martian’, ‘Buffy’, ‘Lost’) and starring Kaitlin Olson, “High Potential” follows a single mom with an exceptional mind, whose unconventional knack for solving crimes leads to an unusual and unstoppable partnership with a by-the-book seasoned detective (Daniel Sunjata). Based on the popular French series “Haut Potentiel Intellectuel (HPI)”.
- Dr. Odyssey – We don’t yet know much about this series, other than it is a medical procedural set on a cruise ship, and comes from the great Ryan Murphy (‘American Horror Story’, ‘9-1-1’, ‘Pose’, ‘Glee’ and a million other projects!) We also know that Joshua Jackson (‘Dawson’s Creek’, ‘Fringe’, ‘Dr. Death’), Don Johnson, and Phillipa Soo (‘Shining Girls’, ‘Dopesick’, ‘Hamilton’) are set to star.
FOX
Renewals
FOX has renewed most of its animated slate, including ‘Bob’s Burgers‘ (Season 15), ‘Family Guy‘ (Season 23), ‘Grimsburg‘ (Season 2), ‘Krapopolis‘ (already renewed up to Season 3), and, of course, ‘The Simpsons‘ (Season 36), along with comedy ‘Animal Control‘ (Season 3).
Cancelled/Ending
So far, FOX has no shows cancelled or ending this season.
Still To Decide
- The Great North – The one animated show not yet officially announced as renewed… However, co-creator Wendy Molyneux says it has been renewed.
- Alert: Missing Persons Unit – The Scott Caan and Dania Ramirez-fronted drama has slipped in ratings on FOX, but also airs on Hulu, where it is doing well. Seems likely to return for Season 3.
- The Cleaning Lady – The UK is way behind on this series, starring Élodie Yung, which is currently airing its 3rd Season in the USA. After managing to navigate the tragic passing of co-star Adan Canto, and pitching where they want to take the show for Season 4 to FOX, it seems likely it will return.
- The last two stand-outs are ‘9-1-1: Lone Star‘, now separated from its parent series which moved to ABC last season, and anthology drama ‘Accused‘. Both of these are expected to return in the Autumn on FOX, so the network will not make a decision either way until after that.
Pick Ups
FOX has two dramas ordered to series so far this season:
- Rescue: HI-Surf – From prolific, award-winning executive producer John Wells (Shameless, The West Wing, ER) and executive producer/writer Matt Kester (Animal Kingdom, Outsiders), ‘Rescue: HI-Surf’, is an action-packed drama that follows the personal and professional lives of the heavy-water lifeguards who patrol and protect the North Shore of O’ahu – the most famous and dangerous stretch of coastline in the world. Each episode will feature these dedicated, heroic, and adrenaline-seeking first responders saving lives in the difficult and often life-threatening conditions of Hawaii’s Seven Mile Miracle.
- Doc – Based on a popular Italian series, the Fox drama centres on the hard-charging, brilliant Dr. Amy Larsen (Molly Parker – Lost In Space, House of Cards), Chief of Internal Medicine at Westside Hospital in Minneapolis. After a brain injury erases the last eight years of her life, Amy must navigate an unfamiliar world where she has no recollection of the patients she’s treated, colleagues she’s crossed, the man she loves, or the tragedy that caused her to push everyone away. She can rely only on her estranged 17-year-old daughter, whom she remembers as a 9-year-old, and a handful of devoted friends, as she struggles to continue practising medicine despite having lost nearly a decade of knowledge and experience.
Outside of the two orders-to-series, FOX also has a pilot in the works for a reboot of ‘Baywatch’, which is an interesting decision given they already ordered one lifeguard drama with ‘Rescue: HI-Surf’. A script was ordered in March 2024, with a “sizable” penalty commitment if they decide not to shoot a pilot for it. This is being eyed as a possible Summer series, with ‘Rescue: HI-Surf’ as a “Fall” show, meaning FOX viewers could watch people being dragged from the sea all year round, should it move forward!
The CW
Lastly, we come to The CW… The former home of superheroes and the “fluffiest” of networks which used to renew everything, is now under new management, and a very different beast. New owners Nexstar have opted to abandon commissioning its own original shows altogether, instead, buying in international co-productions from places like Canada, along with golf, reality TV, and variety shows. As most of the dramas are bought in, The CW doesn’t have control over whether they are renewed or cancelled.
However, the network has four dramas left over from the previous Paramount/WB ownership, and we already know that ‘Superman and Lois‘ will be ending with the upcoming 4th Season, so that leaves three on the table, and they are not all likely to survive…
- All American – Currently in its 6th Season, CW has actually ordered more episodes, upping the original 13-episode order to 15. Whilst that might look positive at first glance, it seems likely that the reason for this is to give the show a few more episodes to wrap up the story as the lead character heads to the NFL draft. However, it is well-rated, and it’s possible that it could get a 7th Season with a new cast. This would help reduce the wage bill, as you’re not having to pay the stars who have been there for six seasons. Whether it’s renewed or not, it seems likely season six will be the end of Spencer James’s story arc.
- All American: Homecoming – After going through some drastic cost-cutting to secure a 3rd Season, and then being booted to the Summer schedule, it seems unlikely ‘Homecoming’ will make it to Season 4…
- Walker – Now in Season 4, ‘Walker’ is the most-watched series on CW, and stars CW legend Jared Padalecki, so you’d think should be a shoo-in for renewal… Unfortunately, it comes down to money, license fees, and all the other financial red tape when producing a TV series. CBS Studios make it for CW, but it just might not be financially feasible for CBS to continue making the show for the return they are getting from the network. It remains to be seen if CBS and CW can work out a deal to move forward, or if ‘Walker’ will walk no more…
So, that is where things currently stand with the US network’s renewals, cancellations, and pick-ups. The final “TV Bloodbath” date is likely to be Friday, 10th May 2024, as the “Upfront” presentations (where the networks present their new schedules to advertisers) begin on Monday, 13th May 2024. We will, of course, be posting updates to the site as we get more news, and you can always see when these shows are airing in the UK on the UK TV Air Dates page, or in the USA on the US TV Premiere Dates page.
