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[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) |
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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:
| season | abc | cbs | fox | nbc | upn | wb | cw | total |
| 1999-2000 | 3/12 (25%) | 6/12 (50%) | 2/12 (17%) | 5/15 (33%) | 1/7 (14%) | 5/10 (50%) | | 22/68 (32%) |
| 2000-2001 | 5/12 (42%) | 4/10 (40%) | 4/12 (33%) | 5/17 (29%) | 2/8 (25%) | 3/7 (43%) | | 23/66 (35%) |
| 2001-2002 | 4/16 (25%) | 4/11 (36%) | 5/17 (29%) | 7/15 (47%) | 2/5 (40%) | 4/11 (36%) | | 26/75 (35%) |
| 2002-2003 | 7/21 (33%) | 5/12 (42%) | 4/17 (24%) | 8/17 (47%) | 2/6 (33%) | 5/13 (38%) | | 31/86 (36%) |
| 2003-2004 | 2/17 (12%) | 4/8 (50%) | 7/22 (32%) | 3/11 (27%) | 2/9 (22%) | 4/11 (36%) | | 22/78 (28%) |
| 2004-2005 | 9/21 (43%) | 3/11 (27%) | 6/17 (35%) | 6/20 (30%) | 2/8 (25%) | 2/7 (29%) | | 28/84 (33%) |
| 2005-2006 | 2/17 (12%) | 6/12 (50%) | 4/11 (36%) | 3/16 (19%) | 1/5 (20%) | 1/8 (13%) | | 17/69 (25%) |
| 2006-2007 | 7/27 (26%) | 4/10 (40%) | 3/14 (21%) | 6/17 (35%) | | | 2/4 (50%) | 22/72 (31%) |
| 2007-2008 | 9/21 (43%) | 3/11 (27%) | 3/11 (27%) | 4/15 (27%) | | | 2/8 (25%) | 21/66 (32%) |
| 2008-2009 | 6/17 (35%) | 2/8 (25%) | 5/10 (50%) | 3/17 (18%) | | | 1/8 (13%) | 17/60 (28%) |
| total | 54/181 (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?
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[05/19/26 - 07:44 AM]
FOX Nation Finds Its Next Fox-Worthy Stand-Up Special with Jeff Foxworthy's "The Joke's on Me" Premiering June 1
Filmed at the Gas South Theatre in Duluth, Georgia, the special offers a heartfelt and hilarious look at Foxworthy's life, career, and signature comedic style.
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[05/19/26 - 07:31 AM]
"America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders" Season 3 Premieres June 16, 2026
This season follows the 2025-26 squad from high-pressure auditions and training camp all the way through the NFL season, continuing to offer candid, behind-the-scenes access to one of sports' most iconic teams.
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[05/19/26 - 07:07 AM]
TNT Sports Posts Its Most-Watched NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Second Round Ever
Thursday's Game 5 of the Montreal/Buffalo series averaged 1.9 million viewers, making it the most-watched, Second Round, Game 5 on cable ever featuring a Canadian team.
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[05/19/26 - 07:05 AM]
Video: "The Agency" Returns - Trailer, First Look and Premiere Date of the Second Season on Paramount+
All 10 episodes will be available June 21 at 12:00 AM PT / 3:00 AM ET on Paramount+.
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[05/19/26 - 07:03 AM]
"South Park's" 29th Season to Premiere Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 10:00 PM, ET/PT on Comedy Central and Next Day on Paramount+ in the U.S., Canada and Australia
Additional new episodes will premiere on Wednesdays: September 30, October 14, October 28, November 11, and November 25.
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[05/19/26 - 07:02 AM]
Video: "Rosario Tijeras (Mexico)" Season 5 - Official Trailer - Netflix
After years of surviving in a dangerous neighborhood, a vengeance-obsessed woman from humble origins becomes a legend - and a curse.
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[05/19/26 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "Milky Subway: The Galactic Limited Express - the Movie" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Six delinquents are tasked with cleaning a train as part of a community service program. But when the train suddenly takes off, chaos ensues.
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[05/19/26 - 07:01 AM]
"BET Awards" 2026 Nominations Are In!
Cardi B leads the nominations with six, Kendrick Lamar and Mariah the Scientist tying with five nominations, and Doechii, Doja Cat, Clipse, Teyana Taylor, Olivia Dean and Latto earning four nominations each.
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[05/18/26 - 04:03 PM]
"The Rookie" Season 8 Finale Surges to Over 9 Million Total Viewers
Setting new records with its exceptional momentum this season, "The Rookie" finale earned an all-time streaming high for the series based on views over seven days on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.
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[05/18/26 - 01:05 PM]
FX's "Very Young Frankenstein" Picked Up to Series on FX and Hulu
The series, based on 20th Century Studios' "Young Frankenstein," features Zach Galifianakis, Dolly Wells and Spencer House.
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[05/18/26 - 12:02 PM]
Next on Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN - June 2026
Upcoming premieres include "Doctor on the Edge," "Not Suitable for Work," "Alice and Steve," and "The Season."
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[05/18/26 - 11:16 AM]
FOX Sports Races Full Throttle Into Indianapolis 500 Powered by a Stacked Roster of Elite Broadcasters
Play-by-play announcer Will Buxton is alongside nine-time Indianapolis 500 competitor James Hinchcliffe and 10-time Indy 500 racer Townsend Bell on the call for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.
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[05/18/26 - 11:00 AM]
AMC Global Media and Chris Hardwick Announce Partnership on Relaunch of "I Think You're Overthinking It" Podcast
In this vodcast series, Hardwick invites friends and fellow celebrities for deep-dive, free-flowing conversations that explore the intersection of personal hobbies, life lessons, and the obsessive side of fandom - all while attempting to navigate the beautiful, neurotic mess of overthinking everything.
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[05/18/26 - 09:45 AM]
ESPN Presents the 2026 NBA Eastern Conference Finals: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks Exclusively on ESPN Networks
ESPN's lead NBA broadcast team - Mike Breen, analysts Richard Jefferson and Tim Legler, and reporter Lisa Salters - will provide commentary throughout the series.
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[05/18/26 - 09:31 AM]
"Call My Agent! The Movie" Premieres Globally on Netflix September 10, 2026
The original cast officially reunited Friday night on the Cannes Film Festival red carpet to announce their return in a brand new feature film.
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