Smash
Smash, on NBC (cancelled)

I hope you weren’t too fond of “Smash” or “Go On”. It seems as though ‘Smash’ never quite found the adoring fan-dom of ‘Glee’ (you know, that other TV show based on signing and dancing?). And Matthew Perry is experiencing the same one-hit wonder phenomenon that so many of his Friends have. Both shows I loved, by the way, and yet Nashville was renewed. Interesting.

Though some of the cancellations come as no surprise. ‘90210’, filled with teenage drinking and promiscuity, just couldn’t hit the same bulls-eye that it’s predecessor found, in a different time and with a different audience (a la this thirtysomething), that loved Brenda and Brandon moving from the Midwest and searching for their new place among new people and carving entirely new identities.

But I applaud these shows for at least attempting originality (yes, even the 90210 2.0, at least they didn’t re-cast Brenda for this series). Cancelled shows like CSI:NY and Body of Proof, while they may have been cast with talented actors, writers, directors, and the like, they still recycled the by-now overly-used concept of crime drama.

I’m not sad to see ‘1600 Penn’ go. I had hope for the show, with a knock-out line-up including Bill Pullman – not his first time playing Commander in Chief, by the way – and Jenna Elfman, and I understand the premise of the blended family moving into the White House. You must admit we’re likely not far off from this being a reality someday. But the plots were just too much for an audience who just didn’t embrace the ‘stepmom’ as a First Lady and the pregnant-and-unmarried First Daughter storyline. Take this family out of the White House, and we might have had another “Modern Family” (8+ Emmy Awards, renewed) on our hands.

It seems even Chevy Chase couldn’t save ‘Community’ – not even with the help of Ken Jeong (of The Hangover fame).

As far as renewals go, I’m surprised (albeit pleasantly) to see The Carrie Diaries picked up for another season. Having grown up with the original Carrie Bradshaw, it’s not that I don’t think AnnaSophia Robb doesn’t have it – she does! – but the show is suffering from two heady setbacks: lack of relatable chemistry among cast, and the very fact this is a ‘remake’ of sorts (see my notes above on remakes, a la 90210.

Ah, Suburgatory. I was also pleasantly surprised to see this one get the chance to have another go. Tessa’s teen angst is different from most teens, in that she has the “Manhattanite-transplanted-to-suburbia” syndrome on top of dealing with boys, cliques, and so many other teen pressures. But she always makes the best of her situation, and embraces challenges – a lesson which I hope is the biggest lesson teens pull from this show in its next season.

Full list of cancellations and renewals:

Cancelled
“1600 Penn” (NBC)
“666 Park Avenue” (ABC)
“90210” (CW)
“Animal Practice” (NBC)
“Ben & Kate” (FOX)
“Body of Proof” (ABC)
“CSI:NY” (CBS)
“Cult” (CW)
“Deception” (NBC)
“Do No Harm” (NBC)
“Don’t Touch the B In Apartment 23” (ABC)
“Emily Owens, MD” (CW)
“Go On” (NBC)
“Family Tools” (ABC)
“Fringe” (FOX)
“Golden Boy” (CBS)
“Happy Endings” (ABC)
“How to Live With Your Parents for Your Life” (ABC)
“Last Resort” (ABC)
“Made In Jersey” (CBS)
“Malibu Country” (ABC)
“Monday Mornings” (TNT)
“Private Practice” (ABC)
“Partners” (CBS)
“Red Widow” (ABC)
“Rock Center With Brian Williams” (NBC)
“Rules of Engagement” (CBS)
“Smash” (NBC)?”Southland” (TNT)
“The Mob Doctor” (FOX)
“The New Normal” (NBC)
“The Office” (NBC) – The Series Finale airs this week
“Touch” (FOX)
“Up All Night” (NBC)
“Vegas” (CBS)
“Whitney” (NBC)
“Zero Hour” (ABC)

Renewed
“Bar Rescue” (Spike TV)
“Boston’s Finest” (TNT)
“Carrie Diaries” (The CW)
“Community” (NBC)
“Criminal Minds” (CBS)
“Dallas” (TNT)
“Glee” (FOX)
“Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC)
“Modern Family” (ABC)
“Nashville” (ABC)
“Nikita” (The CW)
“Once Upon a Time” (ABC)
“Parks and Recreation” (NBC)
“Revenge” (ABC)
“Scandal” (ABC)
“Suburgatory” (ABC)

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