The Goldbergs Canceled After Ten Seasons

After 10 years, it's time for ABC to leave 1980something. The Goldbergs, ABC's nostalgic family comedy, will end its run after its current tenth season, with just eight episodes remaining in its run. The comedy series debuted on Tuesday nights in 2013 to middling ratings, but survived and flourished in its move to Wednesdays behind The Middle. It eventually became the block's lead-off series, but steady ratings declines and behind-the-scenes turmoil led to questions about its future in those later seasons. Eventually, it was downgraded to 8:30 ahead of its current season, perhaps a sign of things to come. Its current season - its first and only without longtime star Jeff Garlin - averaged 0.38 in the 18-49 demo, its first Wednesday season below the league average. Wendi McLendon-Covey, Sean Giambrone, Troy Gentile and Hayley Orrantia starred in the series as its titular family. The Goldbergs aired over 200 episodes over its run, launching one spinoff - the short-lived Schooled.

The Goldbergs Renewed for Season 10

One of TV's longest-running comedies, The Goldbergs, will extend its run to a milestone tenth season. The ABC comedy has long been a keystone of the Wednesday night lineup, airing as the 8 PM anchor since The Middle's 2016 departure from the lineup. Though its ratings have seen a marked decline in recent season, The Goldbergs remains ABC's #1 comedy, this season averaging 0.57 in the key 18-49 demographic. The show was the subject of controversy this season amid the surprising firing of longtime leading actor Jeff Garlin, due to alleged misconduct on the set. Garlin's ouster left the show's fate looking at least vulnerable, but ratings have more or less remained steady without him, and allowing the show to move on. Wendi McLendon-Covey, Sean Giambrone, Troy Gentile, Hayley Orrantia and Sam Lerner comprise the show's leading cast. This is a correct prediction for the TV Ratings Guide.

The Goldbergs Renewed by ABC For Ninth Season

The longest-running live-action comedy currently on TV will extend its run, as ABC has ordered a ninth season of The Goldbergs. The family comedy has been a strong part of ABC's schedule since it moved to Wednesdays in season two, following a weak first season. The series saw a large 26% decline from season seven, but was ABC's #1 comedy this season, averaging a 0.66 across the season. It was also the network's #3 scripted series this season overall. Wendi McLendon-Covey, Jeff Garlin, Sean Giambrone, Hayley Orrantia and Troy Gentile star in the series. This is a correct prediction for The TV Ratings Guide.

In Memory of George Segal (1934-2021)

George Segal
1934-2021

The Goldbergs Renewed for Season 8

ABC's signature comedy set in 1980-something will return for an eighth season, with the renewal of The Goldbergs being announced today. The show has remained a solid performer for ABC throughout its run, even with its recent large year-to-year ratings declines. It has led the Wednesday night sitcom block on the network since The Middle exited the lineup in 2016, spawning a spinoff last season. Averaging 0.87 for season seven, The Goldbergs is the #3 sitcom on ABC this season. Wendi McLendon-Covey, Jeff Garlin, Sean Giambrone, Troy Gentile, Hayley Orrantia and George Segal star in the series. This was a correct prediction for The TV Ratings Guide.

The Goldbergs Renewed by ABC

The Goldbergs will be back on ABC next season. One of the network's Wednesday anchors, the show remains a top network performer despite being down 19% with a 1.18average. The series spawned a spinoff this season as well, lead-out series Schooled, which stars multiple recurring characters from The Goldbergs and has featured multiple guest appearances by main characters from Goldbergs. The Goldbergs stars Wendi McLendon-Covey, Jeff Garlin, Sean Giambrone, George Segal, Hayley Orrantia and Troy Gentile as the titular family from 1980-something. This was a correct prediction for The TV Ratings Guide.

What do you think of this news? Will you be tuning in for season 7 of The Goldbergs? Let us know in the comments below!

The Goldbergs Launches Its Backdoor Pilot Later This Month

Written Grateful at Second Chances by Bridger Cunningham

Last spring, ABC passed on The Goldbergs' 90's spinoff, Schooled.  It had stiff competition as ABC picked up four comedies with The Mayor, Alex, Inc, Splitting Up Together and a revival of Roseanne onto its roster.  The network is giving the series a second shot via a backdoor pilot.  The episode, appropriately titled "The Goldbergs: 1990-Something" is slated to premiere on January 24.

The premise for the series follows Tim Meadows' John Glascott now running the school he taught the Goldberg children in.  Also woven from the parent premise is Coach Mellor (Bryan Callen), and of course the queen of meddling, Beverly Goldberg (Wendi McClendon-Covey).  It appears Beverly will be the episode's outlandish comic foil, as all of her children have graduated and moved on.  Enriching the premise is Nia Long appearing as John's sister, Lucy, who enrolls her teenage daughters Felicia (Rachel Crow) and Gigi (Summer Parker).  The premise is cookie-cutter, yet holds potential as Long and Meadows could crackle and carry the show.

The backdoor pilot is an ideal compromise after ABC passed on an independent order for a spinoff series.  The timing may be two seasons too late, as majority of successful spinoffs launch between 3rd and 4th seasons (or after the original series concludes).  The Goldbergs is in its 5th season, and despite being one of Wednesday evening's strongest players, has eroded to demo ratings between 1.3-1.8.  However, it also hosts a prime development bed's lead-in and may prove suitable if critical reviews (and hopefully Nielsen deliveries) are favorable.  The backdoor pilot also ingeniously mined two recurring and well-received characters already established into the parent season.  Without John or coach Mellor, the Goldbergs will carry itself just fine.  Could The Goldbergs successfully birth a sitcom?  Watch on January 24, and read the ratings report the following day.

2017-18 Autumn Sitcom Scorecard's Best and Worst

Written Lauding and Lambasting 2017's Performances by Bridger Cunningham


5+ weeks of sitcoms have graced and defaced the TV landscape, creating marvels and mudslides.  Who is reinvigorating the genre, and who is rendering it a relic? Take a moment and examine the year's end of the best and worst network television has to offer.

Best Veteran Sitcom -- The Big Bang Theory

Naming The Big Bang Theory the leading veteran may seem another trite attempt to grab page views from the network's most popular brand.  But the 11th season opener demonstrated the series can reinvent itself despite its extended age.  Experiencing continual declines in viewing patterns since 2014, the season opener experienced a brief ratings spike to a 4.1, a high they had not seen in nearly two years.  The spike can be attributed to the "Shamy" proposal cliffhanger, which did not shock but rather explored option A (yes) and B (no).  TBBT took option A+ (yes, followed by twists viewers couldn't wait to see unfold).  Ratings have since graveled downward in the expected trajectory to measures as low as 2.8, but demonstrate the premise is capable of reviving itself much like a Grey's Anatomy disaster.  Can TBBT break past its expected Season 12 ending?  Rather than expect the show to turn into the Zombie Bang, Chuck Lorre seems vested to keep this show from expiring in the near future.

Most Improved Veteran Sitcom -- The Goldbergs

Its ratings have not underwhelmed since the 1st season's dreadful Tuesday scheduling.  Quality, however, hit its lowest in last year's 4th season, and ratings erosion accelerated.  Instead of resorting to gimmicky measures and plot-driven twists, the show-runners delivered its greatest development in returning the show to its lovable roots.  Goldbergs is down from the prior season, yet stands as the durable Wednesday evening lead, ranging between 1.4-1.8 on given Wednesdays.  Renewed through 2019, Goldbergs needs to remain on its A-game and help carry ABC into the next decade as this season's crop is underwhelming and steady.

Most Disappointing Veteran Sitcom -- The Simpsons

Now juxtaposed in its 29th Season, The Simpsons is still rating in-line with evening and cross-network averages.  They are still down from previous seasons as theyfinally reflect the diluted creative quality of earlier seasons.  Now dubbed Zombie Simpsons, it is a shell of its former self and no longer a prime development bed for new series.  Simpsons is FOX's highest-rated sitcom and is capable of surprising viewers and needs to start investing in renewal potential as 2019 is fast approaching.  Its 1.6 delivery this week was only two-tenths off from FOX's highest-scripted show, Empire's 1.8 showing on October 18, indicating the Simpsons can still entertain viewers.  But it needs to reinvigorate the premise to parallel that brilliant quality from October 22.

Most Resilient Sitcom -- Fresh Off The Boat

Inside three calendar years, Fresh Off the Boat has been bounced seven times around the schedule, ranking as one of ABC's weakest sitcoms in the 2016-17 season.  However, the show delivered impressive, steady ratings during last springs's frosty ratings damaging many sitcoms.  Come Autumn 2017, FOTB was moved, yet again to 8:30 on Tuesdays.  The results?  1.1 seems to be this sitcom's favorite number, right in line with many sitcoms this season.  The show's reward?  It seems to be groomed to assume The Middle's 8:00 timeslot in 2018 with its likely renewal.  Steady = growth in 2017.

Best Use of a Timeslot Move -- American Housewife

Last year's breakout crass-com helped reinvigorate Tuesday ratings, making American Housewife the next tentpole in ABC's future.  For the first half of the season, AH outperformed veteran lead-in The Middle.  Ratings cooled in the Spring frost, so ABC gave the series some well-earned TLC and upgraded it to Wednesday evenings, where it fits the tone and Nielsen yield of the evening.  Its ratings are down from last fall, ranging from 1.3-1.6.  But so are everyone else's.  The beauty with ABC's calculated chess move is American Housewife is positioned to succeed Modern Family if the show leaves the air in 2019.  Brilliant maneuvering and a better guarantee laughs will live on into the 2020's.

Worst Use of a Timeslot Move -- Great News

A stunning cast, a heralded show-runner, and a contiguous tone with shows of network past.  Great News appeared to be handicapped by scheduling, so NBC handed it a plum development bed behind the Will and Grace continuation.  The results?  Yet another under-performing sitcom weighing down Thursday evening.  Unlike W&G's lead-in The Good Place, GN is not utilizing the potential of its exposure.  Given W&G has wrangled between 1.7-2.0 after its hyped premiere, GN should manage a 1.1-1.2 at minimum and has thus far ranged from 0.8-1.3.  Other sitcoms such as Superstore and Trial & Error would have flourished in this development bed, instead squandered as this show cannot find an audience or hold stable at a 1.0 to gain notice.

Best Use of a Desired Timeslot -- Young Sheldon

The post-Big Bang timeslot real estate is a premium and is either indicative of a favored or weak show.  YS is indeed favored by CBS, but it took that favor as a leg-up vs. a handout and delivered a grandiose 93% retention of its star lead-in.  The hype and ample exposure undoubtedly aided a 3.8 from a 4.1 lead-in, but that premiere rating has left viewers clamoring for more next fall.  The only part leaving much to be desired is a 5-week wait for episode 2, which will likely retain above average 18-49 adult demos.  CBS has perhaps located not only a predecessor to its aging flagship, but perhaps another anchor for both evenings if TBBT lives on into Season 13.  Will Young Sheldon continue as a heavy-hitter, or descend into the 1-range?  Either way, that premiere demonstrated promise and the best use of this development bed.

Worst Use of a Desirable Timeslot -- 9JKL

Unlike the last praiseworthy mention, 9JKL delivered at the opposite pole, setting a record-low 42% TBBT retention on October 16.  Its ratings rebounded slightly this week, but the mock address formula is not utilizing exposure as KCW did in 2016 to get the audience to invest.  Ratings have ranged from 1.2-1.6, with this week making a welcome rebound to 1.4.  The real test will come October 30 and November 6, as 9JKL needs to perform at a 1.0 or higher to demonstrate its contribution, or it may be evicted for monetary losses from a show expected of a higher caliber.

Best Use of an Undesired Timeslot -- Black-Ish

Stare down the big, bad This is Us?  How would ABC manage that task?  ABC took several bold scheduling strokes  with mixed results.  Its Friday/Sunday reinvention has turned into a a laughable lesson in fractions, but its sitcoms were positioned to forecast the franchise's future into the 2020's.  The network made a daring move by relocating Black-ish to Tuesdays in last season's ho-hum 9:00 space on Tuesdays.  The results?  Black-ish has taken a mild beating, now delivering between 1.1-1.5 for the season.  However, the victory lies in taking 2nd or 3rd in their timeslot against NBC's winner.  Black-ish now leads the Middle of the Pack, tied with FOX's Family Guy in 11th Place (1.28).  Black-ish is likely to return next year and appears to have dispersed viewing patterns on Tuesday Evenings to ensure the resurgent Tuesday Comedy Block survived with 4 hours of programming intact.  Nicely done, and praises to show runners, as well as a phenomenal ensemble featuring bold Anthony Anderson, beautiful Tracee Ellis Ross and bemusing Jenifer Lewis.  Keep the magic coming, and Tuesdays alive!

Most Improved Performance -- The Good Place

What a forkin' difference new neighbors make, even in a Heaven-esque Utopia.  The Good Place always shadowed Superstore within tenths in 2016.  Enter a popular neighbor in the Will and Grace return, and the dynamic has shifted in The Good Place's favor.  After W&G exits after it completes its 16 episodes, rating will indeed edge down.  But The Good Place can enjoy saintly praises and additional exposure to increase odds of staying in the clouds in 2019.

Most Disappointing Sitcom -- Kevin Can Wait

Last year's leading freshman sitcom takes the plunge into a sophomore slump, weighing down the last half of CBS's tenuous Monday comedy block.  The controversial firing of Erinn Hayes in favor of Leah Remini held potential to reinvent the premise due to notoriously killing off Hayes' Donna.  The results?  A promising 2.3 premiere out of Young Sheldon, then shedding a full tenth in the next week, now ranging between 1.1-1.3.  And CBS expects KCW to lead Mondays starting October 30!?  KCW is capable of stronger performance, having remained a tick above its neighbors last season.  Once TBBT moves, Mondays inevitably will drop, and KCW is not holding a higher standard of Nielsens it is capable of.  With superb chemistry between Kevin James and Remini, the series should be crackling fireworks to lead the evening, not failing to ignite a spark in ash-doused ratings which leave Mondays burned out.

Sitcom Most Likely to be Moved -- Speechless

Last year's leading ABC freshman is down 0.36 from its glorious season average as the 6th highest sitcom, now weighted down in the lower reaches in 16th Place.  Unlike Black-ish, which was delivered an undesirable move, Speechless is poised in one of ABC's prime development between Modern Family and The Goldbergs.  Both are down, but Speechless now rests in a lowly valley between, commonly delivering a 1.1 rating while its neighbors deliver between 1.4-1.7.  Speechless' odds of cancellation are still light as The Mayor is tanking and the Middle treks into finality.  But its probability of eviction is high as the rest of the evening performs at a higher bar.  A mysterious drop has few answers, and perhaps Speechless is demonstrating its viewing strength matches Fresh Off The Boat.

Best Return of Scheduling Tone -- 

Will & Grace, The Good Place, Superstore and Great News

Will and Grace's 9th season returned to heralded results after an 11-year break due to crisp writing and durable dynamics.  NBC wisely positioned this evening's prized pony in the 9:00 timeslot, regularly whooping the competing networks as it rings welcome nostalgia of Must-See-TV past.  Not only can viewers enjoy the revival, but enjoy a crisp, canned-laughter-free set of surrounds of sophisticated caliber.  NBC ended last season in 1st place but longed to resurrect its signature sitcoms.  This season is on track for another win, and is delivering welcome growth on Thursdays.  Aided by Scandal's last ailing season, NBC stands high odds in reclaiming the 9:00 hour with only CBS' Mom posing as a threat to usurp their 1st Place victory.  NBC's tone is sophistication thanks to W&G, while CBS' tone is Chuck Lorre's crass showpieces.  Both wonderful for their niches, but NBC holds true to its roots dating back to 1984.  Well done!

Best Sitcom Deserving More Viewers -- Last Man on Earth

Too bad Mary Steenburgen's Gail never rises before 11:00, because Last Man on Earth takes on the last timeslot on FOX.  Utilizing a serialized tone with clever undertones, LMOE's ratings remain as apocalyptic like its backdrop between 0.8-1.0.  The good news for devoted fans is the series will have amassed 67 episodes by May, and nary a sitcom can stick as strong as LMOE can in one of FOX's least-desired scheduling real estate offerings.  Tragically, LMOE may never achieve the stellar ratings it badly deserves.  Perhaps stability will help LMOE anchor against unilateral drops, and a 0.8 will sparkle like Gail's spirit(s).

Most Likely Shows To Meet the Felling Ax -- 

The Mayor, Me, Myself & I and Brooklyn 99

Cancellations on Network Television are inevitable, as the business model needs fresh blood to guarantee the duration of their enterprise.  Unfortunately, that means some shows viewers love must be parted with to make space.  The Mayor was elected with two strikes against it due to its 9:30 timeslot and competing with NBC powerhouse This is Us.  Unfortunately, history has repeated itself as The Mayor already matches last year's failures The Real O'Neals and Imaginary Mary.  Add a third strike with Roseanne, Alex, Inc and Splitting Up Together waiting competitively on the bench, and the Mayor will be outvoted sometime soon.  Over at CBS, Me, Myself & I was also saddled with undesirable scheduling.  Dipping into fractional territory so soon decreased survival odds, and the next two weeks of performance will test how fast  MM&I can avoid the network's swing of the silver slaughter.

Unlike the latter two mentions, Brooklyn 99 has enjoyed a lengthy run, passing the syndication benchmark this year.  B99 shares the same cursed strike as The Mayor competing against TIU, but its paltry delivery is in line with a CW platform, now averaging 0.65.  It currently surpassed last year's record-low ratings for Making History and will need to prove it can improve in another timeslot to survive.  The problem is FOX has few underperforming spaces to repair, and B99 is now viewed as dead weight.

2017-18 Week 4 Sitcom Scorecard -- The Goldbergs' 100th Episode Holds Permed Against Unilateral Drops

Written With To Much Explanation by Bridger Cunningham

As expected, the 2017-18 roster presents a lower Nielsen yield than previous seasons.  However, the bar has dropped for Leading The Pack to a record-lenient 1.35 Delta to enter the range.  And the Middle of the Pack is back to last season's bar with a 1.10, expected as the ranges become uneven or bottom-heavy.  And who hasn't noticed this article series' greatest blunder down below?  Everyone knows Dynasty is not intended as a sitcom, but has become a source of laughs which the show-runners should be honored to be roasted with.  That joke of a range is a placeholder as one regular show is edging dangerously low for an Anemic ranged show and will instigate the return of "The Abyss" when their average drops below 0.60.  Again, the Anemic classification is more lenient this season as lower yields are expected.  Speaking of 80's jokes, happy 100th episode, Goldbergs!  This week's episode gave us iconic visuals as Beverly sported a trend solid to the era without the mullet mocking.

Sunday, October 15 delivered an expected drop for FOX's non-inflated roster, surprisingly with decent results.  The Simpsons dropped nine-tenths to a 1.3 with plenty of room for movement.  Ghosted's 3rd episode delivered its true weight with a 1.0, again a hair above its 2016 fall predecessor  Son of Zorn, yet within a greater range of retention to its neighbors.  Family Guy dropped a mere two-tenths to a 1.2, as did Last Man On Earth with a 0.8.  Both shows are down from last year, yet the Sunday roster is boasting stable performance.

The same cannot be said for CBS Mondays.  October 16's The Big Bang Theory ticked down a tenth to a 2.8.  Down indeed from last year, yet TBBT was the 2nd highest-scripted show of the week!  9JLK dropped two-tenths to a 1.2, sadly setting a record-low post TBBT retention of 42%.  Last year's casualty The Great Indoors bottomed at 50% (1.4 out of 2.8), and 2014 failure The Millers held the previous low of 46% (2.1 our of a 4.5).  9JKL's ding-dong-ditch from the Nielsen ferry shaved another tenth off of Kevin Can Wait with a disappointing 1.1, and timeslot-troubled Me, Myself & I held sadly steady with a 0.9.

Tuesday, October 17 presented another round of general lows, with only Fresh off the Boat (1.1) and The Mick (0.8) holding steady.  The Middle ticked down to a 1.3, as did Brooklyn 99 with its series low 0.6.  Blackish (1.1) and the Mayor (0.8) hit series lows following a two-tenth drop.  Happily, Wednesday, October 18 presented a sturdy delivery with The Goldbergs' 100th episode (1.5), Speechless (1.1) and American Housewife (1.4) all holding their previous week's deliveries, while Modern Family ticked down a tenth (1.7)

And Must-See TV found NBC's trimming girth off its belt line.  Superstore held steady with a 1.1, and The Good Place reduced its weight to match that same measure.  The Will & Grace revival is still losing inches of its Nielsen fat, but the losses appear to be plateauing as this weeks 1.7 was only down one-tenth.  Sadly, Great News is NBC's Biggest Loser this week, having dropped two-tenths of its already light ratings to a 0.8

PERCENTAGE CHANGES

Only one show downgraded this week, as The Mayor slid from 55% odds of renewal to 45%.  So why is this Freshman series the target of a premature downgrade?  The Mayor, while sophisticated in quality and perhaps fitting with NBC's pallet, is cursed with a poor timeslot indeed.  However, it has hemorrhaged at an alarming rate, losing 27% of its already-weakened lead-in Black-ish' 1.1 rating.  ABC has three sitcoms (Alex, Inc, Roseanne and Splitting Up Together) on the bench looking to bat.  Upgrades are still a possibility, but it appears The Mayor's fate appears to be sealed.

Other shows stand poised for changes in status.  So who is eyeing a promotion?  Three more episodes of performance are needed to upgrade The Good Place and American Housewife to 90%, and the same benchmark will cement Superstore's and Family Guy's fates at 100%.  TGP and AH are enriching their network's rosters, yet they need 43-52 episodes beyond May 2018 to hit the syndication mark.  Superstore, however, needs 33 episodes and has three seasons coupled with an excellent use of leading timeslot in its favor.  And FG has passed syndication ages ago and stands as FOX's 2nd-highest rated sitcom.

The opposite trajectory awaits CBS freshmans 9JKL and Me, Myself & I, who already rest sadly at 45% renewal odds.  Unless 9JKL dips fractional out of its prime TBBT-lead-out, or MM&I sinks to a 0.7, these shows' fates will change in Week 7's Scorecard, due November 10.  This card will expose the shows' true weight minus TBBT in two showings.

Shows forecast for changes further into the season are Bob's Burgers, Ghosted, Last Man On Earth, Kevin Can Wait, Black-ish, The Mick, Speechless and Great News.  So why do they receive more ground before changes are warranted?  Let's examine their performance:

Bob's Burgers -- The durable FOX performer sits in the week's least-desirable timeslot on Sundays at 7:30.  And thus far, BB is performing above average early in the season.  However, a motion picture is planned for 2020, and FOX would be foolish to ax the show prior.  What else can handle this dreadful show-killing timeslot?

Ghosted -- Factors working in favor of this FOX freshman is it performs slightly above Son of Zorn, its surrounding sitcoms are down.  Factors working against are it has not plateaued, and the ratings are not "breathtaking".  Retention/Lead-Up to Simpsons and Family Guy will factor in over 8 episodes.

Last Man On Earth -- FOX's last Sunday picture show is down slightly, yet LMOE will reach 67 episodes by the season's close.  It is till straddling close to its series low (0.7).  But like BB, what else would FOX schedule on this evening?

Kevin Can Wait -- The Sophomore Sitcom could receive an upgrade in three weeks' time.  However, it continues to drop and has not plateaued.  Its odds of renewal run high as its competition is performing pitifully, and a precise gauge of performance will play out after the show's November 6 performance.

Black-ish -- The 4th season critical darling is an in-house ABC production, and it has proven resilient against NBC juggernaut This is Us.  It needs to hit its plateau to upgrade to 90%.  ABC would be foolish to cut Black-ish with The Middle exiting in 2018 and Speechless and The Mayor now the weakest links in the network's comedy roster.

The Mick -- Season 2 has disappointed and regularly taken 4th place in its timeslot.  However, surrounds Lethal Weapon and Brooklyn 99 are also fractional, so the premise has some salvaging leverage.  If the show delves deeper into fractional territory, it could downgrade.

Speechless -- Like Black-ish, Speechless is an in-house production and as of late registers 1.1 demos. It appears it has plateaued.  However, its lead-in and lead-out perform between 1.5-1.9 regularly, a stark difference which leaves disappointing egg on Speechless' face.  The show currently sits at a 70% renewal prediction and could change in November.

Great News -- Last year's lowest-rated renewal was given the prime Will and Grace lead-in to develop.  Out of that, it has performed between 0.8-1.3 out of W&G's 1.7-3.0 range.  The show has performed decently compared to past performance of failed NBC sitcoms in the 2010's despite this week's fractional drop.  W&G will only produce 16 episodes, so NBC needs sitcoms to paste in the roster between now and May.  If Great News can continue to perform closer to Superstore and The Good Place, it may see 2019.  If it continues belting out fractions, it's forked!

2017-18 Week 3 Sitcom Scorecard -- Initial Predictions Are Made For Renewals

Written Grateful Phoenix Powers Solar Calculators by Bridger Cunningham

After 2-4 showings of data, The Sitcom Scorecard has made its first predictions for sitcom renewal vs. cancellation, ranging from 20-100% renewal odds.  Criteria to evaluate the odds holds a delicate balance between Nielsen performance (the largest factor), In-House or Outsourced productions (large factor), scheduling needs, retention and episode counts to reach the syndication/streaming line (the smallest factor).  These calculations are subject to change, and most will change as the season progresses.

Sunday evening enjoyed generous helpings of FOX's favorite banquet, Football Inflation.  Bob's Burgers took the evening off due to tight scheduling, leaving the Simpsons to enjoy a healthy boost to a 2.2 demo, up 57% from last week's 1.4 entry.  This extreme boost also powered the show from an 11th Place tie in the Middle of the Pack to 5th Place the leading classification.  Ghosted matched last week's 1.4, retaining 63% of its rich lead-in (Son of Zorn retained 59% last year with a 1.6).  Family Guy ticked up a tenth to a 1.4, a disappointing gain considering the same showing last year garnered a 1.7.  And Last Man On Earth gained one tenth as well.  However, LMOE's rooting value is it is holding steady against an overall trend of network erosion.

CBS Mondays exhibited heavy losses on October 9 as The Big Bang Theory lost three tenths and landed at 2.9, down from last year's 3.5 registry for the 10th season's 3rd episode.  Shall we have a moment of silence?  Nahh....  The show is beyond healthy in its 11th season.  9JKL dropped two-tenths as well, landing at a dismal 1.4.  This is troubling, as the show is 36% lower than Kevin Can Wait's 2.2 in the same 8:30 timeslot on 10/10/2016.  9JKL retained 48% of TBBT's lead-in, whereas KCW heralded an impressive 63%.  Speaking of KCW, it delivered a disappointing 1.2, down one tenth from last week and down 14% from 2 Broke Girls' performance in the same 9:00 timeslot one year earlier.  Me, Myself & I dropped below the 1.0 line with a 0.9, matching The Odd Couple's same delivery in the 9:30 timeslot the year before.  Before declaring this show dead, please note MM&I's retention was 75% vs. TOC's 64%.

Tuesday October 10 delivered softer ratings for the six shows over ABC and FOX.  The Middle held strong with a 1.4, only shedding one tenth.  A pity this show is on its way out, as Fresh Off the Boat fell three tenths from last week's showing to a 1.1.  Blackish retained a modest portion of its debut rating with a 1.3, tying for 2nd place in its respective timeslot.  And The Mayor polled a 1.0, down 20% from its debut rating, though up 10% from last year's showing of The Real O'Neals' 0.9.  FOX remained screwed into 4th place for both of its showings as The Mick dropped a tenth to 0.8, and Brooklyn 99 made a mild bump a tenth with a 0.7.

ABC Wednesdays appear to be losing steam, with only American Housewife holding steady at 1.4 on October 10.  The Goldbergs (1.5) and Modern Family (1.8) each dropped a tenth, and Speechless' alarming freefall tied its series low 1.1 with a two-tenth drop.  A disappointment, as this is one of ABC's most lucrative timeslots.  Thursday, October 12 proved successful for NBC with slight losses.  Superstore ticked down to a 1.1, The Good Place posted a decent 1.2, Will and Grace retained 90% of their previous week's helpings with a 1.8 and Great News held steady at a 1.0.

THE NUMBERS ARE IN

Before breaking down the calculations, the first error of the season has occurred in the Sitcom Scorecard, as Bob's Burgers had a shiny green "RENEWED" label attached.  This has been stripped in place of a purple "TBD" label, as only one showing is available for data.  Also, Brooklyn 99's episode count was off by 2 episodes.  Noticeable changes from Week 2's scorecard is an accelerated need to amend the entry deltas in each classification.  Both Leading the Pack and The Middle of the Pack's entries were relaxed a tenth (1.45 for Leading, 1.20 for Middle) as averages dropped faster than anticipated.  Either way, TVRG is letting its cherry rip on a ripe sitcom season.

100% -- CERTAIN RENEWAL

Currently, Fresh Off The Boat resides alone in this category as it will hold 82+ episodes by May 2018.  It has been bashed and abused around the ABC schedule since 2015 with 7 timeslot changes and proved its sturdy value last spring as it retained its viewers while nearly all sitcoms suffered devastating spring ratings.  And The Middle's final season announcement leaves a demand for a replacement on ABC's newly established comedy evening.  FOTB is outsourced, but would ABC really ax a show this durable when The Mayor ranks below and Speechless is exhibiting a Nielsen drop?  Not impossible as Channing Dugney runs the network, but foolish and unlikely.

90% -- LIKELIER RENEWAL 

Superstore and Family Guy hold stronger promise for renewal than the next classifications as they are the 2nd-strongest performers in their respective stables.  Superstore will have 55+ episodes amassed in 2018, and Family Guy hits 300 episodes this season.  Five more showings of competitive ratings will earn these stronger links upgrades to 100% if they continue above their network bar.

80% -- LIKELY RENEWAL

Kevin Can Wait, American Housewife, Black-ish, The Good Place and Last Man on Earth are a necessity to keep their respective networks' schedules intact.  KCW has experienced appalling drops from the 2.3 premiere, but has outranked every CBS show not adjacent to The Big Bang Theory.  Unless KCW drops to a 0.9 by December, the show is likely to return in some form next season.  American Housewife is down from last season's run on Tuesdays.  But it stands as ABC's strongest yet to be renewed player.  Black-ish is also down, but valued as it stands as ABC's strong tentpole in the Tuesday 9:00 hour.  It is taking 2nd in its timeslot against This is Us, something worthy of writing home about.

The Good Place has returned to a strong season on NBC, and is also gaining mild exposure as the Will and Grace lead-in.  Unless the network decides to scale back to two showings of sitcoms per week (an unlikely odd, as NBC is embarrassed about losing its stranglehold on the evening), The Good Place is needed to command a strong(er) performance.  And Last Man on Earth ranks toward the bottom of the pack with what many networks still brandish as embarrassing ratings.  However, they reside on Sundays at 9:30 and have housed stable performances in-line with the last season.  LMOE will have 67 episodes by 2018, so why not keep a stable performer in play?  If the show ends, it will likely be due to a Nielsen drop or the writers deciding to retire the serialized premise.

Five more weeks of performances are needed to change these shows' renewal predictions.  Otherwise, these shows are counted as a likely guest seated in the networks' 2018-19 banquet.

70% -- LEANS RENEWAL 

ABC's Speechless and FOX's Ghosted rank in the same position in Nielsen performance and mid-comedy-block-scheduling thus far.  Both are capable of doing better, yet blend into their timeslot landscape.  Ghosted has mildly improved its predecessor Son of Zorn's performance as it narrowly retains more from its surrounding performers.  Yet a runaway hit would have pulled a 1.6 or higher out of the Simpsons' football-inflated 2.2.  Speechless has hit a creative lull in its 2nd season, down considerably from the 1.8-2.0 sensational ratings it enjoyed early in its run.  While surrounding supports Goldbergs and Modern Family are both down this season, Speechless is down further.  This week's stark drops are alarming, and continued losses or patterns below 1.2 may warrant a downgrade.  Ghosted and Speechless have yet to give warrant for cancellation.  Rather, a warrant seems to be in order for being moved to a less desired timeslot in 2018.

55% -- ON THE BUBBLE LEANING RENEWAL

Great News and The Mick both debuted mid-season in 2017.  The Mick is delivering under performance with 0.9 entries out of 1.1 and 1.2 lead-ins and taking 4th Place regularly.  Great News experienced an inauspicious late-season debut and was given a surprise renewal.  It currently retains half of the rich Will and Grace lead-in, leaving it an obvious underperformer.  ABC Freshman The Mayor debuted with two strikes against it, as it not only received the network's worst timeslot (Tuesday 9:30), but also mixed reviews from critics. However, these shows have pros and cons to evaluate:

PROS -- FOX Tuesdays have not delivered strong ratings for some time, and The Mick is improving the 9:00 hour from the season before.  It is generously overperforming Brooklyn 99 at 9:30.  B99 is likelier to get axed first and New Girl is finished in 2018, so would FOX can The Mick too?  Their schedule is still tenuous with Friday being problematic.  Over at NBC, they are desperate to revive sitcoms on Thursdays and have laid the perfect foundation.  NBC seems jettisoned on keeping all sitcoms on this evening and also fancies giving shows 13 episode runs.  W&G only airs 16 episodes this season, and Trial & Error needs a home.  Great News has earned a home through 2018 at the least, as NBC would scramble to locate a fit for its least-desired sitcom timeslot.  The Mayor is running a hair higher than The Real O'Neal's and has yet to plunge fractional.  Also, Speechless is tanking early in its Sophomore year and has become a fire spot for the network.  A 1.1 on Wednesday makes it weaker than any show pulling a 1.0 on Tuesday.

CONS -- The Mick is already seeing fractional deliveries in its Autumn numbers.  If FOX locates a winning drama, they could scrap the troubled evening and load comedies on Sundays.  Great News is the weakest comedy NBC has to offer and may be dispensed if space is needed.  And it will not take much to impeach The Mayor if it begins seeing 0.8 ratings regularly.  The campaigns are stacked against this cursed timeslot.

These shows have a season of performance to defend their renewal, so stay tuned, as they still have promise.

45% -- ON THE BUBBLE LEANING CANCELLATION

Unlike the previous classification, this phylum holds less promise for higher performance.

CBS currently claims sole ownership of this losing category with freshman comedies 9JKL and Me, Myself & I.  9JKLosingMyNielsens has squandered its rich TBBT lead-in, only retaining 48% of its performance only 2 episodes in.  These figures performed under last season's failure The Great Indoors and descend downward toward The Millers' appalling Autumn 2014 performance of similar measures.  It is also down 37% from last season's 3rd showing of post-TBBT lucrative KCW (1.4 vs. 2.2).  Me, Myself & Ilene Cancellation is already dropping into sub-1 territory with a 0.9 three weeks into its run, in line with The Odd Couple's 3rd episode in the Monday 9:30 timeslot.  The promising factor for MM&I is it retained 75% of the 1.2 KCW rating, whereas TOC only retained 64% of 2 Broke Girls' 1.4 showing.

The big test for these struggling sitcoms will come on Monday, October 30 when KCW leads the evening at 8:00.  If MM&I matches or outperforms 9JKL, it will be spared.  If it deflates further, it could be the choice to get axed.  Superior Donuts and Man With a Plan did not hit the 0.9 measure until late into Spring, and CBS may be willing to compromise Superior Donuts giving that benchmark vs. one of the newbies.  Also, Man With a Plan needs an anchor and can suffice in either the 8:30 or 9:00 timeslot.  October's performance will shine greater light on which show is stronger, and November will have fates determined if the shows continue to deflate lead-ins.

Another burgeoning question is would CBS consider a mid-October swap of timeslots to test each show's weights?  Stranger things have happened in CBS scheduling.

20% -- LIKELY CANCELLATION

Brooklyn 99 made the fast descent to this season's first endangered show, thanks to pitiful performances of fractional viewings in line with damaging Spring Doldrums numbers.  It is down 35% from last year's performance (0.67 vs. 1.03 for the season's first 3 episodes' data), and outlived its syndication goal.  And sadly, it has already matched last year's lowest sitcom, Making History's average.  Many may argue This Is Us's meta performance is harming the show, but competitors ABC and CBS manage to register showings above the 1.0 mark.  TVRG's Summer Project of profiling Historic Ratings sets a stark reminder that networks reserve the right to cancel shows in the Fall, even if they are a veteran.  CBS axed Rhoda in December 1978 midway through its 5th season, ABC fired Mr. Belvedere in December 1989 midway through its 6th season, and NBC tore down Veronica's closet in December 2000, 81 episodes into the 4th season.  Could the same fate befall B99?  If it dips to regular airings at 0.4 and 0.5, FOX may be prompted to give this show an early hook and showcase reruns or other ventures.

5% -- CERTAIN CANCELLATION

No shows have entered this last rites classification before slapped with the red CANCELLED label.  Keep an eye out though, as B99 is treading close if its average drops below 0.60.

FATES DETERMINED

This category traverses a greater bounty early in the season, as 7 shows have already had their fates determined vs. 2 in 2016.  RENEWED are ABC's The Goldbergs and Modern Family, CBS' The Big Bang Theory, FOX's unkillable Simpsons and NBC's Will and Grace revival.  And viewers shall bid ABC's The Middle and FOX's New Girl after 9 and 7 glorious years adieu after graceful runs as the 2017-18 is their FINAL SEASON.

EARLY RENEWAL PREDICTIONS

Predictions for pre-March renewals leave NBC's Superstore and The Good Place as mid-season champions.

2017-18 Week 1 Sitcom Scorecard -- 14 Sitcoms Deliver Original Material During Premiere Week

Written Grateful Original Network Programming Has Returned by Bridger Cunningham

Welcome back, folks!  Wednesday, September 20 delivered the first two ratings helpings with back to back showings of The Good Place.  The 10:00 showings delivered a 1.3, up from its last original 1.1 telecast in February 2017 and already below the 2016-17  average of 1.35.  Fret not, as that 13-episode season had two plum post-Voice airings which rated 2.3.  And a 1.3 is far above the rest of that season's renewed sitcoms' averages, so The Good Place has plenty of territory to display its true grit.  For week 1, CBS again claimed 1st place, a throne in sitcoms they've owned since 2004.  ABC and NBC tied for 2nd place as ABC Wednesday returned down, and NBC powered up with Will-power and Grace-ful Writing.  And down in the cellar, FOX is in an anemic 4th place this week.

The meat of the conversation starts with the Monday, September 25 premiere of CBS' only comedy block of the evening.  The 11th season premiere ofThe Big Bang Theory returned to am impressive 4.1, up 7% from last year's 3.8 premiere in the same timeslot and up a landmark 64% from its last showing in May 2017.  Thus proving instead of allowing shows to wither on the vine, fix the writing! A special airing of freshman pilot Young Sheldon enjoyed an unheard of 3.8, up 41% from Kevin Can Wait's 2.7 premiere in the same timeslot, as well as matching the TBBT season 10 premiere that season and retaining 93% of this season's TBBT premiere.  Kevin Can Wait registered a 2.3 in its Autumn timeslot in the wake of Erinn Hayes' controversial firing and Leah Remini's first appearance on contract.  This was down 15% from the previous 2.7 premiere, yet drastically up 109% from the 1.1 finale in May.  Housed in the undesirable 9:30 timeslot is the premiere of Me, Myself and I with a softer 1.6, on par with last season's 60 minute premiere of 2 Broke Girls.


Tuesday, September 26 evening had sparse to report as ABC will debut October 3, and only returning favorites The Mick and Brooklyn 99 premiered t horrid results.  The Mick delivered a saddening 0.9, drastically down from its NFL-Inflated 2.8 January premiere and only up slightly from its series low 0.7 rating in May.  Brooklyn 99 delivered a sickening 0.7, down 36% from its meager 1.1 premiere last fall and only up a tick from its disastrous 0.6 season finale in May.  It appears the Silent Spring ratings will haunt this block well into the new season.  Wednesday, September 27 spelled the return of ABC's prized sitcom block with The Goldbergs returning to a 1.8, down 10% from the previous season premiere of 2.0 and up from the 1.4 May finale.  Speechless delivered a disastrous 1.4, 30% down from the 2.0 series premiere and up from the 1.2 May finale.  The 9th season premiere of Modern Family bolstered a 2.1, down 19% from the 2.6 season premiere last season and up from the 1.7 finale last May.  American Housewife debuted its 2nd season in an upgraded timeslot with a disappointing 1.6, down 15% from the 1.9 series debut last fall and up from the disastrous 1.2 May finale.

And Thursday, September 28 allowed NBC to debut its laughers free of sit-competition as Superstore's 3rd season premiere registered a 1.3, down 14% from the 1.5 premiere last fall and way up from the 0.8 depressed May finale.  The Good Place's timeslot premiere stilted a 1.4 in a W&G lead-up, up 7% from the week before.  The heralded return of Will and Grace after an 11-year hiatus delivered a glorious 3.0, and Great News scored a series high 1.3, up 8% from the 1.2 April debut and over double in showing from the pitiful 0.8 May finale.

So what do weeks 0 and 1 forecast for the debuts?  The Big Bang Theory exhibiting a great episode displayed in a rare uptick for the 11th season sitcom.  CBS' plugging of Young Sheldon advertisements and speculation over premise paid off.  Too bad the show will be off the air for weeks, although it's premiere rating is stronger than Kevin Can Wait and double the delivery of The Great Indoors.  Speaking of KCW, the controversy over Erinn Hayes' firing and Donna's death drew a respectable boost.  KCW's true test will be how it holds with 9JKL, aka [The Address Sitcom]'s premiere next week.  Me, Myself & I has a hard road ahead of it as the 9:30 timeslot is a tough sell.  If it manages to deliver respectable ratings straight through to its last showing in this slot on 10/23, it can easily endure a nice shelf life.

Much of Tuesday has yet to be determined as ABC's comedy block marks its debut next week, and FOX delivered embarrassing ratings in like with the Spring Doldrums.  Wednesdays on ABC ended a three-year unstoppable streak as it appears the network is regressing to the previous pattern of the showings surrounding MF not retaining the rich ratings bed.  MF has faded with age, but Speechless losing 33% of a 2.1 lead-in spells trouble.  And is American Housewife a good fit following MF?  The ABC block has shown quality of writing now reflects in their ratings.  AH fans not fret, as last season's 2nd episode outperformed the premiere in creativity.

NBC can enjoy a brief windfall with a highly publicized Will and Grace revival, as shows seldom reach the heights above the 3.0 mark unless tied to The Big Bang Theory.  NBC's Thursday roster still performs soft and best utilize W&G's 13-episode fall run for development.  Great News enjoyed the largest bump as last season's spring afterthought seldom perked above the 1.0 mark.  The Good Place has to prove itself this season, and Superstore isn't going anywhere as it is the strongest show next to Will and Grace.  How will the NBC roster fare when CBS comedies return?  More than likely they will rate under, and FOX's The Orville is showing a stability plateau.  NBC will more than likely compete for 3rd Place with FOX, as ABC and CBS still reign on this evening.  FOX Sundays have yet to perform and await FOX's prized return of post-Football inflation.

Scroll down the colored table beneath the ranking sitcoms and see some revealing data in the averages.  Often, CBS' average minus its strongest show presents a wide margin, and this week only sports a difference of .15.  That will change when Little Sheldon returns in November.  ABC's range is similar, as MF is no longer a power player, but a nice piece performing above average.  NBC's range is widest, as the averages minus W&G drop .42.  And FOX?  More debuts are needed to form an opinion, albeit Tuesday evenings appear to be losing.

The Sitcom Explained Part V: 10 Sitcom Characters That Improved the Show

                                                   

Adding and removing characters from an ensemble is a gamble, as some shows benefit from a consistent roster.  However, these shows improved with additions who altered the dynamics, dating back to 1974 when Henry Winkler ignited Happy Days to iconic status.  Take a stroll through the TV landscape and examine these 10 shows benefiting from cast changes:

1. Family Matters -- Steve Urkel

Before the entrance of Jaleel White, Family Matters was a homespun Friday performer profiling a middle-class black Chicago Family.  Enter nerdy Steve Urkel, purposed a guest star in episode 4.  White's performance and catchphrase "Did I do that?" accelerated the freshman series' ratings from 33rd to 15th place in the span of one season after his addition as a contract player.  Urkel's eccentric presence led the series straying from realistic to outlandish, it helped the show gain recognition and score three seasons in the top 30.  The show would enjoy nine seasons from 1989-98 between ABC and CBS.

2. Mom -- The AA Gals

During its first season in 2013-14, Mom struggled in balancing its cast, profiling a disjointed mess featuring the chaotic leads' family, an ex-husband, a granddaughter's teenage boyfriend and Faris' coworkers.  Pacing and appearances continue to plague the cast, yet it has wisely chose to expand the ladies' AA support system.  Season 1 featured recurring appearances by Mimi Kennedy and Octavia Spencer as Marjorie and Regina, and CBS wisely upgraded Kennedy the following season.  That season opened the opportunity for Beth Hall and scene-stealing Jaime Pressly as fellow addicts Wendy and Jill, and CBS moved them into contract spaces of exiting characters.  The premise drifted away from Anna Faris' children and ex-husband, as well as leaving the restaurant a distant memory.  The five vice-addled ladies have solidified the show's justification and keep the addiction element close to the show's purpose at inception.

3. Happy Days -- Fonzie

Richie Cunningham's antics were the initial vision for this mid-1974 addition to the ABC roster.  Guest star Henry Winkler ignited the show's popularity as Fonzie and overtook Richie's place as the lead of the series, driving the show into 1st place by the 4th season from 1976-77.  Happy Days remained a top-3 player the next three seasons and remained in the top 20 until 1982.  A succession of cast and timeslot changes caused the show's erosion as it entered its 10th season, yet Fonzie has become the show's icon fans vividly remember when reminiscing about the landmark nostalgia jewel. 

4. Cheers -- Woody, Frazier, and Rebecca

Debuting an ensemble of five characters, the sleeper sitcom went through a succession of cast changes, enlarging its cast to eight characters by season 10 in 1991.  Following the untimely death of actor Nicolas Colasanto as Coach in 1985, NBC opted to fill his void with Hoosier-based bartender Woody Boyd in Season 4.  His naivety placated fans mourning Coach's loss.  The cast expanded the following year when Kelsey Grammer was upgraded to a contract player as neurotic, sophisticated Dr. Frasier Crane.  Shelley Long's exit in 1987 left the show's fate in the air, leaving Kirstie Alley to seamlessly energize the series, leaving no ratings loss.  The series would remain a top-5 player through 1992, becoming the TV landscape's 1st place show in the 1990-91 season.

5. The Big Bang Theory -- Bernadette and Amy

CBS's groundbreaking sitcom sported a lone-female lead in Kaley Cuoco's Penny for its first three seasons, save for Sara Gilbert brief contract status in season 2.  Enter microbiologist Bernadette and neurobiologist Amy, and Big Bang gradually climbed the ranks after being added in season 4.  The show has remained a ratings juggernaut, claiming 2nd place since the 2013-14 season.  The ladies' addition to the cast cannot be cited as the soul factor for the show's surge into prominence.  They can be heralded for giving the previously male-dominated cast a woman's touch expanded the story potential as our beloved nerds explored love at various paces. 

6. Mike and Molly -- Peggy

Already sporting a diverse, well displayed ensemble, the plus-sized sitcom struck a crude well when Rondi Reed guest-starred as Mike's crass and cantankerous mother, Peggy.  Her blunt, rude and brash tone melded with the colorful characters, adding a direct sourness to accent the seemingly happy ensemble of misfits.  Sour, biting and aged, Peggy seldom strayed from these defining characteristics down to her last insult in the series finale.  An energetic terrier complimented her abrasive presence and made the pair an icon for this durable take on plus-sized love and chaos.

7. Married With Children -- Jefferson

David Garrison's exit as Steve Rhodes in season 4 left a hole in this Crass-Com's ensemble.  Only episodes later, MWC introduced his antithesis in Jefferson D'Arcy (Ted McGinley).  Jefferson's unemployed, freeloading presence contrasted Steve's successful and condescending nature of antagonizing Al Bundy.  The result?  Jefferson became the male equivalent to leaching Peg, forming an unlikely friendship with Al.  More poetically, he deepened the mutual abhorrence displayed between Al and Marcy.  These dynamics drove the remaining six seasons and kept these unlikable characters on our screens.  And thankfully they never entered our homes beyond our TV screens.

8. The Goldbergs -- Lainey

Someone idolizes Beverly Goldberg?  Snuggies for AJ Michalka's natural presence contrast against the show's scenery chewing principles. Adding a character to The Goldberg's well-crafted ensemble of six family members proved a well-defined challenge.  Enter Barry's girlfriend and Erica's best friend, who flawlessly fits into plots without overtaking the overbearing nature of her scene-mates.  The remaining family members exhaust of Beverly's smothering antics, while Lainey embraces the effusion of love.  Let's hope the Goldbergs manages to save some space for Lainey as a regular, as Beverly surely deserves some praise lacking from her less than appreciative family.

9. blackish -- Ruby

Audiences saw the writing on the wall when Jenifer Lewis was typecast as monster-in-law Ruby Johnson on blackish.  Her needling, overbearing presence proved to be the catalyst to explore deeper into Dre's psyche, Earl's lechery and antagonizing the ever-perfect Rainbow.  Ruby's presence instills moral demands in her grandchildren, as well as painting a tumultuous childhood not solely faulted on Earl's hard-living.

10. 2 Broke Girls -- Sophie

Before Kat Dennings' Max famously insulted Polish immigrant neighbor Sophie Kachinsky on 2 Broke Girls in 2012, the ensemble centered on the women with the three supporting cast members having the dimension of a movie poster.  Enter Jennifer Coolidge, injecting her sex appeal known through the American Pie series melded with a quirky take on Eastern European culture.  A thriving businesswoman who encourages the women to follow alternative avenues to success, Sophie also helped the show succeed in tying the additional characters into prominence, thanks to a romance foiling greasy cook Oleg.  Sophie's presence is over the top and steals the show, even painting Poland in a bleak tone.  However, she proved to be the missing puzzle piece to flesh out the cast's purpose.

Goldbergs Spin-Off In Development at ABC

Per Deadline, The Goldbergs is potentially getting a spin-off to its name, taking place in the 1990s starring a recurring character played by Bryan Callen. Who said ABC can't have two 1990s family comedies?

What do you think of this news? Let us know in the comments below!

ABC: The Winners and Losers

Welcome to the first edition of "The Winners and Losers", where I take a look back at ABC's 2015-16 television season and access which shows were the biggest winners and which shows could have done better.

WINNERS

Grey's Anatomy
After years of trouble in the Thursday at 8pm time slot, ABC saw its second straight season of success there with Grey's Anatomy. It's currently ABC's #2 scripted show, averaging a 2.23 A18-49 rating, and is down just over 6% year-to-year--less than almost every other show on broadcast. It's skewing slightly older this season, as shown by the fact that it's lost less than 2% of its total viewers. It's been clear for a while that when this ends, it'll be a Shonda decision and not a Mouse decision.

The Bachelor
The Bachelor is perhaps the show on broadcast television people most love-to-hate, because for all the people who complain about the show, it's still UP (0.31%) year-to-year, which is something no other ABC show can say. It averaged a 2.36, making it ABC's #2 show and #1 non-scripted show. Not bad for a bridge series airing its 19th cycle.

The Little Comedies That Could
Rounding out the winners list for ABC are "the little comedies that could". I'm referring to The Middle, The Goldbergs, and Last Man Standing, all of which were by and large marginal renewals that some questioned when they made it into a second season. The Middle and The Goldbergs have blossomed into hits, with both doing better in ratings relative to other shows than ever before. The Goldbergs is currently averaging a 2.03, down less than 7% year-to-year and remaining ABC's #2 comedy and #4 scripted show. The Middle is just a tad behind it at a 1.91, down a little over 4%. It's ABC's #3 comedy and #5 scripted show overall, showing how strong ABC's comedy department is compared to dramas this season. In fact, in recent days The Goldbergs and The Middle have been ABC's #3 and #4 shows due to Scandal's recent ratings collapse.

Meanwhile, Last Man Standing is still chugging along on Fridays with a 1.21 A18-49 average, a rating that neither of the Tuesday comedies can say. Down less than 5% year-to-year, this show would be an obvious renewal if it wasn't for Tim Allen's contract. Most expect a renewal like always though. Last Man Standing has the 2nd-healthiest year-to-year trend in ABC's scripted department, behind only The Middle.

LOSERS

Bridge Season
Bridge season for ABC is still more of an experiment that is a great idea that hasn't been executed properly--kind of like The Muppets. American Crime was ABC's highest-rated bridge show this season--and oh yeah, it's #20 in the scripted department of 25. At least it gets critical attention, something Marvel's Agent Carter (0.79, down 47%), Galavant (0.63, down 52%), and My Diet is Better Than Yours (0.65) can't say.

The Muppets
It's a bit deceiving that The Muppets is currently ranked #11 on ABC's scripted ratings chart. It had everything going for it: a well-received pilot presentation, promos that got everyone excited, a new girlfriend for Kermit, bringing a Disney brand to ABC, finding a way to bring new life into Tuesday, guest stars, and the list goes on. It premiered to a 2.9 A18-49 demo. The problem was that not many people were particularly compelled by the pilot episode. Because that 2.9 turned into a 2.0 for the second episode, and by the time they hit the fourth episode it was at a paltry 1.3 rating. Not exactly the rating anyone was expecting, leaving Fresh Off The Boat to fend for itself and spend a second straight season making do with a not-so-ideal situation. Since this show was really supposed to succeed and ABC spent so much money promoting it, they decided to switch show runners and retool it, and even slightly upgraded it to the 8:30 time slot, which only sent it into fractional territory for its final six episodes. There has been talk that it will return for a second season, possibly in a Galavant-like role, but don't be fooled if it does; this was a giant ratings loss for ABC and if it returns will be because they're The Muppets, and are owned by Disney.

Tuesday at 10
What ABC has aired Tuesday at 10pm this season and two seasons ago make last season's Forever actually look good. A total of five weeks have been devoted to scripted programming in the time slot before they got replaced by equally low rated, yet cheaper, reality filler. I don't think anything has ever gotten a rating that wasn't fractional there this season. Even Beyond the Tank, which was holding almost all of Shark Tank in its three-week event last May was hitting consistent 0.5s in the time slot. The sad part is that the competition isn't overly intimidating; Chicago Fire does well for a 10pm show but Limitless shouldn't be something that you're afraid to counter-program against.

Paul Lee
Paul Lee's time at ABC had its ups and downs. They had a great season last year, but there has been some slippage this season. Reportedly his vision for the network wasn't in line with Ben Sherwood's, who wants more procedurals to Lee's serials. Time will tell if bridge season is kept, but Paul Lee's term came to an abrupt end in the eyes of the public a couple months ago. I do think that his bridge season idea was a great idea and hope to see it continue in some capacity.

The Future of the Night: ABC Wednesday

Welcome to a segment I call "The Future of the Night". The format is I take a look at a night on the network's schedule, see what could use improvement, and come up with scenarios which could potentially solve it. First, I present a short argument as to why it could work, then play Devil's Advocate with my reasoning, and then present the bottom line. Enjoy, and fee free to leave your opinions by leaving a comment!
____________________________
There is just so much that ABC could potentially do to Tuesday that I had to extend it to another edition, in counterpart to coverage of ABC Wednesday. If you recall, Option 1 presented for ABC Tuesday was to move a comedy from Wednesday to Tuesday to help out Fresh Off The Boat. Which one, if any, should move? Check out the options. This time, in no particular order.

Option 1: Move The Middle to Tuesday, The Goldbergs to 8pm
Why It Will Work: The Middle is about to enter its 8th season, and ABC needs to prepare for a future without it. Fresh Off The Boat could highly benefit from its compatibility.

Why It Won't: Though it airs in a tougher time slot, The Middle still has been the lowest-rated Wednesday comedy as of late. Apply declines for both the league average and for moving to Tuesday,

and will it really help out Fresh Off The Boat? It would also require an overhaul that sees The Goldbergs moving to Wednesday at 8pm to launch an unknown player, which could flop.

Bottom Line: ABC may need to go outside of the box and try a Wednesday comedy on Tuesday. But is The Middle actually it? I tend to think not, especially considering off all comedies to move, moving The Middle would cause the most disruption to the schedule.

Option 2: Move The Goldbergs to Tuesday, New Comedy After The Middle
Why It Will Work: The Goldbergs is a stronger show now than in its 1st season and is perhaps the most compatible of them all with Fresh Off The Boat. It will also be less moves for veteran shows if The Goldbergs moves instead of The Middle.

Why It Won't: The Goldbergs could very well be a time slot hit (I don't count the Wednesday at 8 highly-promoted special as an indicator) and could crumble on Tuesdays. That doesn't help FOTB, leaves a hole on the Wednesday schedule, and makes it less desirable to cable channels interested in picking it up for syndication.

Bottom Line: The Goldbergs may be an integral part in the future of Wednesdays without The Middle or Modern Family. It might be a solid idea for it to stay put for now.

Option 3: Switch Modern Family and Fresh Off The Boat, New Comedy After Modern Family
Why It Will Work: Modern Family is perhaps the least compatible of all the ABC Wednesday comedies + FOTB. FOTB is very compatible with a Goldbergs lead-in (80s/90s family comedies, respectively) and just as much with Blackish (assimilation family comedy). It would be able to grow with a Goldbergs lead-in, yet Goldbergs wouldn't have to change time slots to provide it. Modern Family and a new comedy can lead off a revamped Tuesday night.

Why It Won't: Will ABC really be willing to move their #1 show? It's a risk that may not be worth
taking when it could crumble. It'll make it too expensive to even continue to a ninth season, and no favors would have been given to the show it was supposed to launch.

Bottom Line: Switching Modern Family and Fresh Off The Boat will actually be less schedule overhaul than moving The Middle, while Blackish gets to stay steady at 9:30pm to lead into what is most likely to be a new show at 10pm. The Wednesday average will drop, but the median probably won't, and Tuesday will most likely have a much stronger hour. Finally, ABC would have found 3 of 4 shows needed in a future on Wednesday without its two oldies-but-goodies.

Option 4: Move Blackish to Tuesday, New Comedy After Modern Family
Why It Will Work: Blackish and Fresh Off The Boat, being family assimilation comedies, would fit well together. It would allow for a slightly stronger comedy hour on Tuesday, while allowing Modern Family to launch another show before it's too late.

Why It Won't: Blackish will be the first ABC Studios sitcom to make it to syndication in like forever. The last thing ABC wants is its prized possession to stumble along to syndication and not get as good a deal as it could have. Plus, the new post-Modern Family comedy is not a surefire success and could be a poor lead-in to a potential new show at 10pm. At the end of the year you're left with two aging sitcoms, one or two holes, and The Goldbergs.

Bottom Line: This is the option I have advocated the most throughout the season. After all, ABC repeated Blackish on Tuesday for the entirety of last summer and it did decently.

Option 5: Stay Steady
Why It Will Work: Wednesday is one of ABC's best nights right now, if not the best night. Let's keep The Middle, The Goldbergs, Modern Family, and Blackish together for another season, and while we're at it let's also renew Nashville. For the comedy block, why fix what isn't broken, and for Nashville, if given a 5th season then schedule stability could make its ratings at least predictable.

Why It Won't: Nashville is already fractional, and if they renew it then why would they keep it on what's otherwise most definitely their best day? Also, Tuesday will continue to struggling without some outside help.

Bottom Line: I'm a little hesitant about breaking up Wednesday at all, especially the comedy block. ABC has bigger problems, and it's not clear whether or not ABC should move anything to help solve them.

Which option do you think is the best? Are there any other somewhat-plausible options that I didn't cover? Let me know in the comments below!

The Future of the Night: ABC Sunday

Welcome to a segment I call "The Future of the Night". The format is I take a look at a night on the network's schedule, see what could use improvement, and come up with scenarios which could potentially solve it. First, I present a short argument as to why it could work, then play Devil's Advocate with my reasoning, and then present the bottom line. Enjoy, and fee free to leave your opinions by leaving a comment!
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Right now, ABC gets respectable 7pm ratings out of America's Funniest Home Videos, which probably costs pennies. Thing is, the way things are going it will be ABC Sunday's #1 show! And that's not a good thing for the rest of the line-up. Once Upon a Time is showing its age at marginal numbers, Quantico is hanging in there in the low 1s but never really became the breakout hit it had potential to be, and nothing will resonate at 9pm. Sunday doesn't have to be a Wednesday or Thursday for ABC, but the network should also think about making itself a little more competitive on the night. Once Upon a Time might not have much left in it, and we can't have a night where the highlight is America's Funniest Home Videos. Here are a couple options ABC has:

Option 1: How to Get Away with Murder
Why It Will Work: How to Get Away with Murder, despite ratings declines, still remains a solid player for ABC and could be able to bring ratings above a 1.0 to Sunday nights. Which sad as it is, would be an improvement over what's there now.

Why It Won't: Being a serialized drama that's losing buzz, can we really trust HTGAWM all that much away from TGIT? And that they'll find something to replace it on Thursday?

Bottom Line: This could be a solid option, as it'll provide a solid lead-in to Quantico, which will no longer have to stand 100% by itself, and will save a new show from having to be launched out of Once Upon a Time.

Option 2: Marvel's Agents of SHIELD
Why It Will Work: It will stop from ABC have to try a new show on Sundays, so why not try the struggling SHIELD here? During breaks, the time slot could be kept warm by a Marvel bridge series or even Marvel movies.

Why It Won't: If SHIELD is fractional now, why would it do better on Sunday? To add on to that, it's a male-skewing show airing on an hour already dominated by male-skewing shows.

Bottom Line: They probably won't see much time slot improvement here, though at the very least it won't be worse nor at the expense of a new show.

Option 3: New Drama
Why It Will Work: If ABC just schedules the right show here, people will find it. A political drama like ordered-to-series Designated Survivor or pilot Conviction could work, as fans of The Good Wife will be looking for something new to watch. Well, unless CBS moves Madam Secretary there. But we can't make assumptions.

Why It Won't: Ever hear of the "throw it against the wall and hope it sticks" theory? It's one that's been tried before and failed. If networks want a new show to work, they have to give it lead-in support, and Once Upon a Time isn't that.

Bottom Line: This is the conservative option, and it's what they've been doing for the past couple years. It hasn't worked. I think it's time to move on from this option.

Option 4: Comedy Hour
Why It Will Work: America's Funniest Home Videos is a cheap, retro comedy-variety show. That could pair nicely with 80s Goldbergs and 90s Fresh Off The Boat at 8pm, shifting Once Upon a Time to 9pm.

Why It Won't: Too many moves? Possibly. ABC is a network that needs to focus on dramas, so I'm
not sure how radical they'll get with comedy.

Bottom Line: Compatibility-wise this seems like a nice match. But if we move The Goldbergs and FOTB to Sunday, we're leaving holes somewhere else. It's a puzzle that can't be solved. Unless ABC does a schedule overhaul, I think they'll shy away from a comedy hour. For now, at least.

What do you think? Are there any other somewhat-plausible options that I didn't cover? Let me know in the comments below!