Podcast #1199: TV Renewal Scorecard

On this week's show We rundown the recently concluded TV season and which shows are coming back for another season. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news.

News:

• Netflix rolls out dialogue-only subtitles
• Netflix CEO Says Movie Theater Model Is 'Outdated'
• YouTube Announces a New Viewing Experience on TVs with Enhanced Playback
• LG Elaborates More on QNED evo Lineup Coming Next Month

Other:

• What does $1,000,000 sound like? - My Trip to AXPONA 2025

TV Renewal Scorecard

Each TV season we highlight the upcoming TV season in September and then around the end of April we take a look at which shows are coming back. This list is provided by TV Line and can be found here.

The Scorecard does not include unscripted series. The eight levels in TVLine's annual renewal scorecard are as follows:

• Officially renewed
• A sure thing
• A safe bet
• Could go either way
• A long-shot
• Essentially cancelled
• Officially cancelled
• Too early to tell

ABC

• 9-1-1: Officially renewed
• Abbott Elementary: Officially renewed
• The Conners: Officially cancelled/ending in 2025
• Doctor Odyssey: Could go either way
• Grey's Anatomy: Officially renewed
• High Potential: Officially renewed
• The Rookie: Officially renewed
• Shifting Gears: Officially renewed
• Will Trent: Officially renewed

CBS

• Blue Bloods: Officially cancelled (ended Dec. 13)
• Elsbeth: Officially renewed
• The Equalizer: Could go either way
• FBI: Renewed through Season 9
• FBI: International: Officially cancelled
• FBI: Most Wanted: Officially cancelled
• Fire Country: Officially renewed
• Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage: Officially renewed
• Ghosts: Officially renewed (through 2026-27 season)
• Matlock: Officially renewed
• NCIS: Officially renewed
• NCIS: Origins: Officially renewed
• NCIS: Sydney: Officially renewed
• The Neighborhood: Officially renewed for final season
• Poppa's House: Officially cancelled
• S.W.A.T.: Officially cancelled
• Tracker: Officially renewed
• Watson: Officially renewed

Not on the list is Survivor. There will be a season 50 at a minimum!

CW

• All American: Could go either way
• Children Ruin Everything: Cancelled by CTV (Season 4B premieres on CW June 18)
• Good Cop/Bad Cop: A safe bet
• Joan: Officially ended (limited series)
• Sherlock & Daughter: Too soon to tell (premieres April 16)
• Sight Unseen: Renewed in Canada; CW status TBD
• Son of a Critch: Renewed in Canada; CW status TBD
• Sullivan's Crossing: Season 3 premieres May 7
• Superman & Lois: Cancelled
• Wild Cards: A safe bet

Fox

• 9-1-1: Lone Star: Officially cancelled
• Accused: Could go either way
• Alert: MPU: Too soon to tell
• Animal Control: A safe bet
• Bob's Burgers: Officially renewed (for another 4 seasons!)
• The Cleaning Lady: Too soon to tell
• Doc: Officially renewed
• Family Guy: Officially renewed (for another 4 seasons!)
• Going Dutch: Could go either way
• The Great North: Could go either way
• Grimsburg: Could go either way
• Krapopolis: Officially renewed through Season 4
• Murder in a Small Town: Officially renewed
• Rescue: HI-Surf: A safe bet
• The Simpsons: Officially renewed (for another 4 seasons!)
• Universal Basic Guys: Officially renewed

NBC

• Brilliant Minds: A safe bet
• Chicago Fire: A sure thing
• Chicago Med: A sure thing
• Chicago P.D.: A sure thing
• Found: A safe bet
• Happy's Place: Officially renewed
• Grosse Pointe Garden Society: A long-shot
• The Hunting Party: Could go either way
• The Irrational: Could go either way
• Law & Order: Could go either way
• Law & Order: SVU: A sure thing
• Lopez vs. Lopez: Could go either way
• Night Court: A safe bet
• St. Denis Medical: Officially renewed
• Suits LA: A long-shot

Fun facts about the 2024-2025 TV Season

• CBS Dominates Viewership (Again): CBS claimed the title of the most-watched network for the 17th consecutive season, with shows like Tracker leading as the season's top entertainment program, averaging a larger audience than its debut season. CBS also boasted eight of the top 10 most-watched programs, including new show hits Matlock and Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage.
• Freshman Shows Boost Time Slots: New series like CBS's reboot of Matlock and ABC's High Potential and Shifting Gears improved their respective time slots' viewership. Matlock became the season's most-watched new series, while Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage was the top comedy.
• Reboots and Spinoffs Rule: The season leaned heavily on familiar franchises. Examples include CBS's NCIS: Origins (a prequel to NCIS), Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage (a Young Sheldon spinoff), and NBC's Happy's Place (starring Reba McEntire, echoing her sitcom roots). This reflects a cautious approach by networks, favoring known brands over original concepts.
• Long-Running Shows Keep Going: Iconic animated series on Fox, like The Simpsons (renewed through its 40th season), Family Guy (through its 27th season), and Bob's Burgers (through its 19th season), continued their historic runs, cementing their status as cultural staples.
• The CW's Reboot Continues: The CW, now under new management, focused on sports and unscripted content, airing NASCAR Xfinity Series races and shows like Totally Funny Animals. It also renewed scripted series like Sullivan's Crossing for a third season, signaling a shift from its former teen-drama-heavy identity.
• Broadcast TV Still Draws Older Viewers: Social media chatter on X suggested younger audiences are drifting from broadcast TV, with "boomers" as the primary viewers. This perception aligns with complaints about repetitive genres (cop, lawyer, doctor shows) and a lack of risk-taking, though hits like Tracker and High Potential still pulled diverse viewers.