It doesn’t take much to get a TV show canceled — a lack of viewership and no trophies on the mantle usually gets it done in the current environment. TheWrap set out to find the average rating for each network’s slate of axed series in 2014, finding some inconsistencies — or at least measurable surprises — along the way.
Over the 2014 calendar year, CBS had the highest threshold for cancellation, with its cut shows averaging a 1.6 rating in the advertiser-sought 18-49 demographic per Nielsen’s “most current” data, which included Live + 7 Day numbers through Nov. 30 and Live + Same Day data for the first two weeks of December 2014. Notable canceled series on CBS included “The Millers,” “The Crazy Ones” and “Friends With Better Lives.”
CBS was pretty equal across comedy and drama cancelations, actually, and didn’t wave goodbye to any reality shows.
NBC was next, with its canceled primetime shows averaging a 1.4. Notable canceled series on NBC included “Revolution,” “Believe” and “Crisis.” NBC was also about even between dramas and comedies going the way of the Dodo and kept its reality slate intact.
ABC — which canceled notable series like “Suburgatory,” “Super Fun Night” and “Trophy Wife ” — and Fox — which canceled notable series “Dads,” “Utopia” and “Almost Human” — tied with mean ratings of a 1.3 per canceled show.
ABC cut a lot of dramas, several comedies and no reality shows. The lost reality projects crown went to Fox, which cut four unscripted series in 2014. It was fairly even on comedy and drama cancellations, ending up with the most even across-the-board cuts. Fox also ended up with the unwanted distinction of having the most series canceled in 2014.
CW’s threshold for its canceled shows was a mere 0.4, on average. This year, those included notable series “The Tomorrow People,” “The Carrie Diaries” and “Famous in 12.” CW lost the fewest series of the lot, a couple comedies, a couple dramas and one reality series.
Of course, these are simply averages, and they don’t mean that every show falling below the threshold was thrown in the proverbial woodchipper. NBC hung on to several series below its average threshold: eight, technically, if you count “Dateline” and spinoff “Dateline Mystery” as separate programs.
Here are the below-1.4-rated shows either renewed or yet to be given up on by NBC:
| FOOD FIGHTERS | NBC | 1.2 |
| HOLLYWOOD GAME NIGHT | NBC | 1.2 |
| DATELINE-SUN 7P | NBC | 1.1 |
| TAXI BROOKLYN | NBC | 1.1 |
| UNDATEABLE-9:30P | NBC | 1.1 |
| UNDATEABLE-9P | NBC | 1.1 |
| DATELINE MYSTERY | NBC | 0.9 |
| WELCOME TO SWEDEN | NBC | 0.8 |
| AMERICAN DREAM BUILDERS | NBC | 0.6 |
Fox was in some ways the most consistent broadcast network, actually canceling every single show that fell below its average threshold. That is presuming that the halted production on “Red Band Society” is to be taken as a cancellation. CW kept just one that fell under its low Mason-Dixon Line: “Masters of Illusion” (0.3), which is an atypically scheduled series as it is.
CBS could also be considered quite consistent, keeping just two lower-rated series that weren’t going anywhere anyway: news magazine show “48 Hours” (1.0) and its sister broadcast “48 Hours Presents.”
As for ABC, that network kept the most programs that fell below its cancellation average. That said, we feel it is important to reiterate that some of these series may not see another season — they just haven’t officially been chopped yet. Again, that goes to all nets, not just ABC.
Here are ABC’s 13 programs that haven’t met the ultimate fate yet are below its own Mendoza Line:
| CELEBRITY WIFE SWAP | ABC | 1.2 |
| CRISTELA | ABC | 1.2 |
| EXTREME WEIGHT LOSS | ABC | 1.2 |
| MOTIVE | ABC | 1.2 |
| NY MED | ABC | 1.2 |
| RISING STAR | ABC | 1.2 |
| WHAT WOULD U DO | ABC | 1.2 |
| TASTE | ABC | 1.1 |
| WIPEOUT | ABC | 1.0 |
| 20/20-SAT | ABC | 0.7 |
| NIGHTLINE PRIME | ABC | 0.6 |
| QUEST, THE | ABC | 0.5 |
| BET ON YOUR BABY | ABC | 0.4 |