What’s Cancelled … What’s Coming Back?

I don’t watch much network television. CSI, Criminal Minds, that’s about it. This past season CSI had CSI: Cyber which was excellent. This coming season they’ll be switching up between regular Vegas CSI and the CSI: Cyber.

Here’s an up-to-date list of some of what the cable networks have cancelled and renewed so you can start marathon watching what’s on your DVR and begin making room.

AMC
Hell on Wheels: Season 4 to debut Aug. 2
The Killing: Season 4 to debut Aug. 1 on Netflix (all six episodes)
Mad Men: Part 2 of Season 7/finale season to debut summer 2015
TURN: Season 1 finale aired June 8; Season 2 renewal could go either way.
The Walking Dead: Season 4 finale aired March 30; Renewed for Season 5

BBC America
Copper: Cancelled.
Doctor Who: Season 8, now starring Peter Capaldi, to debut August 2014
Orphan Black: Season 2 debuted April 19; Season 3 renewal a safe bet
Ripper Street: Renewed for Season 3 The last I heared Ripper Street may be on a new network. 

FX/FXX
American Horror Story: Renewed for Season 4 – AHS: Freak Show
The Americans: Season 2 finale aired May 21; already renewed for Season 3
Anger Management: The 90-episode Season 2 premiered Jan. 17, 2013
Archer: Season 5 finale aired April 21; renewed for Season 6 and Season 7
The Bridge: Season 2 to debut July 9
Chozen: Officially cancelled
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Renewed for Season 10 (FXX); already renewed for Seasons 11 and 12
Justified: Season 6 will be show’s last
The League: Renewed for Season 6 (FXX)
Legit: Season 2 finale aired May 14 (FXX); Officially cancelled
Louie: Season 4 debuted May 5
Married: Season 1 to debut July 17 (FX)
Sons of Anarchy: Renewed for Season 7
The Strain: Season 1 to debut July 13
Tyrant: Season 1 to debut June 24
Wilfred: Fourth and final season to debut June 25 (FXX)
You’re the Worst: Season 1 to debut July 17 (FX)

PBS
Call the Midwife:
 Season 3 finale aired May 18
Downton Abbey: Renewed for Season 5
Mr. Selfridge: Season 2 finale aired May 18
Sherlock: Season 3 finale aired Feb. 2; Season 4 a sure thing

TNT
Dallas: Season 3b premieres Aug. 18
Falling SkiesSeason 4 to debut June 22
Franklin & Bash: Season 4 to debut Aug. 20
King & Maxwell: Officially cancelled.
The Last Ship: Season 1 to debut June 22
Legends: Season 1 to debut Aug. 20
Major Crimes: Season 3 to debut June 9
Mob City: Officially cancelled
Monday Mornings: Officially cancelled
Perception: Season 3 debuted June 17
Rizzoli & Isles: Season 5 debuted June 17
Southland: Officially cancelled

USA NETWORK
Burn Notice: Series finale aired Sept. 12, 2013
Covert Affairs: Season 5 to debut June 24
Graceland: Season 2 debuted June 11
Necessary Roughness: Officially cancelled.
Playing House: Season 2 could go either way.
Psych: Series finale aired March 26
Royal Pains: Season debuted June 10
Sirens: Season 1 finale aired May 1; Renewed for Season 2
SuitsSeason 4 to debut June 11
White Collar: Renewed for shortened sixth and final season.

WGN America
Salem
Renewed for Season 2

Canceled – But Rated High? Shows Returning in June.

From The Wrap

From The Wrap

How is that possible? Well it happens all the time, especially in that golden 18-49 demographic. Here is a chart of the 20 highest rated but canceled broadcast shows of 2013-2014 in that magic 18-49 demographic.

Robin Williams return to the small screen brought some bittersweet ratings. His show Crazy Ones was number 1 on the list with a 2.7 rating in the key 18-49 demographic, but it was still canceled.

It tied with FOX’s Almost Human which took up space on my DVR and I never watched a single episode. I usually watch anything with Karl Urban in it. Oh well.

But that 18-49 demo isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. For example, FOX’s Bones‘ runs around a 2.4 but it’s an enduring show that has proven its value to the network.

The Mentalist on CBS is another show earning a 2.0 but it also survived the cut. So it’s easy to say that numbers aren’t the only thing taken into consideration when shows are on the chopping block.

Here’s a list of what’s returning this month (June):

Longmire (Season 3) — A&E (June 2)

Mistresses (Season 2) — ABC (June 2)

Major Crimes (Season 3) — TNT (June 9)

Royal Pains (Season 6) — USA Network (June 10)

Graceland (Season 2) — USA Network (June 11)

Suits (Season 4) — USA Network  (June 11)

Dog and Beth: On the Hunt (Season 2)  — CMT (June 14)

Perception (Season 3) — TNT (June 17)

Rizzoli & Isles (Season 5) — TNT (June 17)

Rookie Blue (Season 5) — ABC (June 19)

Defiance (Season 2) — Syfy (June 19)

Wipeout (Season 7) — ABC (June 22)

True Blood (Season 7; final season) — HBO (June 22)

Falling Skies (Season 4) — TNT (June 22)

Teen Wolf (Season 4) — MTV (June 23)

Covert Affairs (Season 5) — USA Network (June 24)

Big Brother (Season 16) — CBS (June 25)

Unforgettable (Season 3) — CBS (June 29)

Last Tango in Halifax (Season 2) — PBS (June 29)

Under the Dome (Season 2) — CBS  (June 30)

Some canceled shows I know of include Once Upon a Time in Wonderland and Mind Games (ABC) and Greg Kinnear’s Rake (FOX) which seemed to end before it even began.

Returning Series

Have you been wondering if your favorite TV series is returning? Well thanks to our friends at Channel Guide Magazine, here’s the latest list of returning series:

Name of Series, Name of Network, Date

Anger Management, FX, Jan. 17

Archer, FX, Jan. 17

American Idol, FOX, Jan. 16

Anger Management, FX, Jan. 17

Archer, FX, Jan. 17

The Bachelor, ABC, Jan. 7

Being Human, Syfy, Jan. 14

Betty White’s Off Their Rockers, NBC, Jan. 8

The Biggest Loser, NBC, Jan. 6

Body of Proof, ABC, Feb. 5

Celebrity Apprentice, NBC, March 3

Community, NBC, Feb. 7

Cougar Town, TBS, Jan. 8

Dallas, TNT, Jan. 28

Dancing With the Stars, ABC, March 18

Dancing With the Stars Results Show, ABC, March 26

Deadly Sins, Investigation Discovery, Jan. 12

Downton Abbey, PBS, Jan. 6

Enlightened, HBO, Jan. 13

Fringe, FOX, Jan. 18 (series finale)

Ghost Hunters, Syfy, Jan. 16

Girls, HBO, Jan. 13

Grimm, NBC, March 8

Justified, FX, Jan. 8

The Lying Game, ABC Family, Jan. 8

The Millionaire Matchmaker, Bravo, Jan. 10

Necessary Roughness,  USA Network, Jan. 23

Pretty Little Liars, ABC Family, Jan. 8

Revolution, NBC, March 25

Scorned: Love Kills, Investigation Discovery, Jan. 26

Shameless, Showtime, Jan. 13

Smash, NBC, Feb. 5

Southland, TNT, Feb. 13

Spartacus: War of the Damned, Starz, Jan. 25

Suburgatory, ABC, April 3

Suits, USA Network, Jan. 17

Totally Biased With W. Kamau Bell, FX, Jan. 17

Touch, FOX, Feb. 8

True Crime With Aphrodite Jones, Investigation Discovery, Jan. 7

The Voice, NBC, March 25

White Collar, USA Network, Jan. 22

All New Episodes of Suits Return Jan. 17

Suits_intertitleOn Demand is a wonderful thing. If you still aren’t DVRing yet, then you should add a DVR to your Christmas list, get it installed quick and start reading up on the most effective way to use it.

My favorite all time satellite service – DirecTV – has some of THE best high tech toys around, and their On Demand service is so simple to use, my Chiweenie could operate it. USA Network is Ch. 242. The On Demand channel is 1242. How easy is that? You just throw a 1 (one) in front of the channel and you have the On Demand channel number.

Today while I was watching a marathon of N.C.I.S. on USA Network (another one of  my favorite shows) I saw a commercial for Suits. I loved that show from the pilot. I only saw Patrick J. Adams, who plays Mike Ross, in Suits in one other show, and that happened to be an episode of N.C.I.S.

The commercial which pulls this all together said that the first two seasons of Suits is available on On Demand. Sure enough, I grabbed my DirecTV remote and drove to the On Demand screen, found Ch. 1242 which is the USA Network and saw all the episodes of the first two seasons of Suits, just waiting for me to download them and watch them.

And, I just might, because there are some quality actors in Suits. In addition to Patrick J. Adams (Mike Ross), he is joined by Gabriel Macht (Harvey Specter), Rick Hoffman (Louis Litt), Meghan Markle (Rachel Zane), Sarah Rafferty (Donna Paulsen) and Gina Torres (Jessica Pearson).

As the pilot began, Mike Ross is a brilliant college dropout with an eidetic memory who makes a living taking the LSATs for others. Mike also sells marijuana on the side to supplement his income and to keep his grandmother in a private nursing home. When he agrees to deliver a large quantity of marijuana for his best friend Trevor he finds out the delivery is actually a sting operation and escapes the police by accidentally sitting for an interview with Harvey Specter, one of NYC’s top corporate lawyers.

Harvey is impressed with Mike’s quick wit, encyclopedic knowledge of law, and desire to be an attorney. He hires Mike and pretends that Mike is a Harvard Law graduate. Only Harvey’s legal secretary and confidant Donna knows the truth, but as the first season ends and the second season begins, Mike’s secret is in jeopardy and so is the life he’s built for himself and his grandmother.

Season 2 was a total knockout of what I expected it would be, and I can’t wait for the final 6 episodes. It’s a great series created by Aaron Korsh. Season 1 consisted of 12 episodes. Season 2 was split with 10 episodes with the mid-season finale on August of 2012 and the remaining 6 episodes will air beginning January 17.

In October of 2012, USA Network ordered a third season (16 episodes).

There’s a great song called “Greenback Boogie” by Ima Robot that always ends up sticking in my head for at least 3 hours afterward. It’s one of those songs that you screw up the lyrics really bad and something totally funny comes out instead of what they’re really saying.

If you’re looking for some quality TV, which is what I write about, then On Demand the first two Seasons of Suits and get ready for the last 6 episodes of Season 2 starting Monday, Jan. 17.