ABC's all-drama Thursday lineup returned this week after three months off the air. Tonight, I'm taking a look at all three dramas and assessing their odds to return in the 2021-22 TV season.
Certain Cancellation:
N/A
Likely Cancellation:
Call Your Mother (0.4, 0.3-0.5)
For Life (0.3, 0.3-0.5)
Leans Cancellation:
Mixed-ish (0.5, 0.4-0.6)
Leans Renewal:
American Housewife (0.6, 0.4-0.6)
Big Sky (0.6, 0.6-0.7)
Coming Soon:
Home Economics
Rebel
Women of the Movement
A Million Little Things: Returning from hiatus with a brand-new series low is never the way any show wants to return. Unfotunately for A Million Little Things, that's exactly what happened. The show returned Thursday after three months off the air and drew just a 0.4 in one of its final post-Grey's Anatomy episodes. That's below six of The Hustler's seven episodes in that slot, despite a stronger lead-in. However, the show still seems very likely to be back next season. First of all, the episode started nearly 30 minutes late due to a speech by President Biden regarding the first anniversary of COVID in the United States. That, of course, led to weaker ratings than normal. It could tick back up next week. Second, it still seems to have an audience on streaming and in delayed viewing, so a decline in L+SD ratings isn't going to doom it. It's not a lock to return, especially since it seems to be something of an afterthought for ABC based on their scheduling this season, but it's probably in good shape. They don't distribute it, so a further drop could endanger it, but at this point, it would still be quite a surprise for it to not return. It remains a LIKELY RENEWAL.
Grey's Anatomy: Speaking of Thursday dramas, Grey's Anatomy also returned last week! it hit a new seires low, as well, but it remains one of TV's top dramas. It's also a huge streaming performer, so ABC continues to make a boatload of cash off of it. The crew and cast, particularly Ellen Pompeo, still are playing coy about the show's future, continuing to fuel speculation that the show will end very soon. It seems so late for one of TV's top shows to be announced as ending, so I don't put much stock in that, but it gives me enough hesitency to make me keep it as a LIKELY RENEWAL instead of a certain one.
Station 19: The spinoff of Grey's Anatomy, however, seems to have a very bright future. Unlike the other Thrusday shows, it didn't even hit a series low last week, or even a season low. It's an extremely solid player for ABC, rating as their #2 scripted series this season by a wide margin. Unlike its parent series, it's very young, so there's no worries about creatives or lead actors ending the show. Just like it's been all season, the show is a CERTAIN RENEWAL.
What do you think of my predictions? What are your predictions? Let me know in the comments and vote in the poll below!
