or


[09/28/09 - 12:34 AM]
The 10 Things You Need to Know About the New Season: #1 - 68% of New Shows Fail
By Brian Ford Sullivan (TFC)

Please note: As a courtesy, please do not reproduce these comments to newsgroups, forums or other online places. Links only please.

Welcome once again to "The 10 Things You Need to Know About the New Season," our annual feature about, well... the 10 things you need to know about the new season. The goal of this venture is to address not only common questions people have about television but to also demystify (or potentially reaffirm) stigmas out there about certain networks, time periods, genres and so forth. So with that in mind let us put on our journalistic caps and give you the cold hard truth about what's potentially ahead for some of your favorite new and returning shows...

1. Only 32% of new network shows make it to a second season.

The CW's "The Beautiful Life" will eventually have a lot of company: in the past 10 seasons, only 32% of new shows on average made it to a second season. Last season it was even worse: just 11 of the 44 new shows (or 25%) made the cut for a sophomore run. The best survival rate? 35% during the 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 seasons. In other words, for better or worse, between 29-34 of this season's 45 (and counting) newcomers will be axed by May 2010. Don't believe us? Check out the hard data:


seasonabccbsfoxnbcupnwbcwtotal
1999-20003/12 (25%)6/12 (50%)2/12 (17%)5/15 (33%)1/7 (14%)5/10 (50%)22/68 (32%)
2000-20015/12 (42%)4/10 (40%)4/12 (33%)5/17 (29%)2/8 (25%)3/7 (43%)23/66 (35%)
2001-20024/16 (25%)4/11 (36%)5/17 (29%)7/15 (47%)2/5 (40%)4/11 (36%)26/75 (35%)
2002-20037/21 (33%)5/12 (42%)4/17 (24%)8/17 (47%)2/6 (33%)5/13 (38%)31/86 (36%)
2003-20042/17 (12%)4/8 (50%)7/22 (32%)3/11 (27%)2/9 (22%)4/11 (36%)22/78 (28%)
2004-20059/21 (43%)3/11 (27%)6/17 (35%)6/20 (30%)2/8 (25%)2/7 (29%)28/84 (33%)
2005-20062/17 (12%)6/12 (50%)4/11 (36%)3/16 (19%)1/5 (20%)1/8 (13%)17/69 (25%)
2006-20077/27 (26%)4/10 (40%)3/14 (21%)6/17 (35%)2/4 (50%)22/72 (31%)
2007-20089/21 (43%)3/11 (27%)3/11 (27%)4/15 (27%)2/8 (25%)21/66 (32%)
2008-20096/17 (35%)2/8 (25%)5/10 (50%)3/17 (18%)1/8 (13%)17/60 (28%)
total54/181 (30%)41/105 (39%)43/143 (30%)50/160 (31%)12/48 (25%)24/67 (36%)5/20 (25%)229/724 (32%)

* the above table has been revised to reflect the fates of 2009's summer series


From this we can also glean a few other pieces of info - CBS (39%) and The WB (36%) had the best survival rates while FOX (30%), UPN (25%) and The CW (25%) had the worst. But considering that both UPN and the WB don't exist anymore, that doesn't necessarily translate into longevity as a whole.

So brace yourself, chances are the majority of the new shows you've added to your viewing schedule won't be back this time next year.

TOMORROW: Which day of the week is the toughest to launch a new show?





  [september 2009]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
  


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)





[10/23/26 - 10:37 AM]
FOX Sports Unveils Elite 2026-27 Regular Season College Basketball Schedule
FOX's Saturday primetime slate features No. 17 Kansas at No. 4 UConn, No. 6 Michigan State at No. 22 UCLA, Villanova at Creighton, Nebraska at Michigan State and Providence at UConn.

[10/23/26 - 09:30 AM]
Season 3 of History's "Mysteries Unearthed" Returns Nov. 12 at 8/7c
Whether it's buried underground, hidden in ice, or concealed deep underwater, the world is full of mysteries just waiting to be unearthed.

[10/23/26 - 09:00 AM]
Comedy Central Announces "Chloe Radcliffe: Eyes Down Here"
The brand new hour-long standup special premieres Tuesday, October 27 on the Comedy Central Stand-Up YouTube Channel.

[10/23/26 - 08:40 AM]
UP Faith & Family to Exclusively Premiere Season 20 of the Hit Family Series "Heartland" in the U.S. Beginning November 19
As part of the premiere celebration, UP Faith & Family subscribers will have the chance to participate in an exclusive live virtual viewing event on premiere night.

[10/23/26 - 08:30 AM]
Record College Football Viewership Propels ESPN to Second Best Start Since 2011 with "College GameDay" on Track for Most-Watched Season Ever
ESPN networks are averaging 2.2 million viewers across 120 games on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU - the second-best start for ESPN since 2011.

[10/23/26 - 08:01 AM]
Bravo Unveils New Series, Returning Favorites and First Scripted Microdrama Ahead of Bravo Fan Fest Charleston
The network expands the "Next Gen" franchise with new series "Next Gen Atlanta" and renews "Next Gen NYC," "In The City," and "Southern Hospitality."

[10/23/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Fallout Shelter: The Experiment" - Date Announce - Prime Video
The all-new competition series arrives January 13, only on Prime Video.

[10/23/26 - 08:00 AM]
TLC's "7 Little Johnstons" Returns for a New Season Tuesday, November 17 at 9PM ET/PT
This season is packed with life-changing milestones, big celebrations, and plenty of Johnston family fun.

[10/23/26 - 08:00 AM]
AMC Global Media's November Streaming Highlights Include a New Season of "The Assassin" and New Episodes of "Yaga" and "Kill Jackie" on AMC+
Other offerings include the return of "The Madame Blanc Mysteries" and A Remarkable Place to Die" on Acorn TV; plus the debut of "Snooki: The Paranormal Rookie on All Reality" on All Reality.

[10/23/26 - 07:00 AM]
AMC Global Media Launches New Unscripted Clip Series, "Cue the Laughs," Premiering Saturday, November 7 on IFC, AMC+ and All Reality
Hosted by comedian and actor Adam Ray, the comical clip show for grown-ups proves that the most outrageous moments in life are the ones nobody scripted, and nobody saw coming.

[10/23/26 - 06:01 AM]
Netflix Announces "The Gentlemen" Is Back in Production for Season 3 and Confirms New Cast to Join, Including Robert Carlyle, Elijah Wood and Orlando Bloom
Other additions include Dexter Fletcher, Bruna Marquezine, Ed Speleers, Saffron Burrows, and Bugzy Malone.

[10/23/26 - 03:01 AM]
Video: "Secrets" - Official Teaser - Netflix
Former sex worker Parni built a peaceful life for her daughter, but her abusive ex resurfaces, threatening to destroy everything she fought to protect.

[10/23/26 - 01:05 AM]
Netflix Adapts the Classic by Clarin: Production Begins on "La Regenta"
This new contemporary version is brought to life by a creative team that reinterprets the classic from a fresh female perspective, with Mar Coll directing, María Zamora producing, and Ester Expósito leading the cast as Regenta.

[10/23/26 - 12:01 AM]
Video: "Style Wars" - Pre-Teaser - Disney+
The looks are fierce, but the competition is fiercer.

[10/22/26 - 05:01 PM]
Video: "The Blue Road" - Official Teaser - Netflix
Two detectives join forces when brutal murders and cryptic messages surface across borders - but the deadly truth lurks dangerously close.