It’s been a busy morning. Let’s get to the headlines:
* NBC has pulled the plug on My Name is Earl. The show’s sidekick, Ethan Suplee, confirmed the news via Twitter. "Just got the call
that My Name Is Earl has been canceled," he wrote. "They sure did take their time
with that decision — or rather informing us of it." An Earl insider says execs at 20th Century (the show’s producer) are in discussions with Fox and ABC about picking up the four-year-old comedy.
* NBC has passed on ordering another season of Medium. However, CBS, which owns the show, is expected to pick it up and pair it on Fridays with Ghost Whisperer.
* CBS is disbanding The Unit after four seasons. No talk of another network rescuing it.
My Fall TV Cheat Sheet has been updated to reflect all of these developments.
For up-to-the-minute renewal-cancellation-pickup scuttlebutt throughout
upfront week, stay close to both my blog (the one you’re reading now!)
and Twitter feed. And to see the networks’ complete fall schedules, head to the Hollywood Insider blog.
More TV Scoop:
ABC cancels Samantha Who?
Katherine Heigl gunning for another Emmy
Lost’s Juliet mystery solved?
ABC renews Castle, Better Off Ted
Burning Prison Break finale Qs answered
Fox renews Dollhouse
Comments (1-30) of 508 Add your comment
rather that one go than other quality nbc shows.
At least give Joy & Crabman their own spin-off. They are comic gold!
not terribly surprised. it was the lowest rated of the NBC thursday night comedies. it had to go sooner rather than later.
Very sad to see The Unit end. One of the few shows on TV where the men were REAL men and were the focus of the storylines. It will be missed. A lot.
I can’t believe your canceling The Unit The best shoe which shows pretty close to what really happens
Yes; The Unit was a great show, and I really enjoyed it. Dennis Haysbert, Robert Patrick and crew were outstanding. Real men with real stories, and wives that had to bear the burden of what their h usbands did. I hope CBS reconsiders or maybe the show will at least be picked up by another network.
I agree, my husband and I really liked “The Unit”; lets cancel shows like “The Unit” that we can feel patriotic for our country and what our service men are doing for us, for crap reality crap that shows how stupid Americans are
becoming.
I will miss “The Unit” – it’s the only network show I watched on Sunday night.
I can’t believe they moved L&O and Southland to FRIDAYS! WTF.
Bunch of idiots at NBC…
http://tvdonewright.com/2009-2010-season-preview/
I agree wholeheartedly with you Adam. NBC execs are idiots! Glad to see Medium get picked up by CBS and hopefully My Name is Earl will make it on another network cause if they do… I’ll be watching!!!!!
I think EARL lost its way in season 3 but rebounded this past year. I’d sure like to see it stick around for another season or two and end on a high note.
If true, Medium could possibly regain ratings strength against Dollhouse, Ugly Betty and Southland.
Nadine Velazquez. You may now come home to Uncle Peter.
works for me. That means I don’t watch any shows on NBC now. I’ll continue to watch Medium on CBS.
I don’t watch My Name is Earl, but it’s still a bummer that NBC waited so long to tell them. I’m just sick of the networks waiting until a show has wrapped a season to call it quits – if you’re going to cancel something, do it early enough that the show can be brought to a conclusion.
I’m sick to read they cancelled The Unit. One of my very favorite shows. This was Great TV.
yes I’m unhappy about it also. One of the only good shows on Sunday nites.
I can’t believe they canceled My Name Is Earl! I wish they could have known about it sooner to write in an ending… The season finale was so open-ended – and great!
FOX or ABC – Please pick up this show!
I’m so disappointed about The Unit. It was SUCH an under-appreciated show.
I can understand why CBS cut loose “The Unit.” It just got too farcical as each season progressed. What started as an interesting series about life in an elite military unit became a pathetic example of how to badly write a series. Season 4 was just one bad plot after another.
Note sure I like the idea of Medium following Ghost Whisperer, which was always a badly-written rip-off of Medium to begin with. However, if ratings improve then I’ll be happy. Medium is a good series that’s often well-written and usually well-acted.
Come on CBS, pick up ‘Medium’, it will KILL Ugly Betty and Dollhouse, which it already has better ratings than. It will do well after GH, although GH fans will soon see the inferiority of GH versus Medium.
Plus, Medium IS appropriare Friday night demos….it appeals to women and some of the older crowd…
I am very sad that the Unit has been cancelled. The show had very engrosing storyline and made you feel proud to be an American. Something that is sorely lacking lately in this country since the recent apology tour by our current so-called “Commander-In- Chief”.
‘Medium’ would also do VERY well paired with Cold Case on Sundays.
There are many palces it could be fit into the CBS schedule.
come on CBS, for the love of the ‘Medium’ viewers and the syndrication deal to bring you money, get it to over 100 eps!
Who cares? All those shows are crap anyway.
Well NBC the only 2 shows I watched on your network were Medium and Chuck. Seems you can’t help but f*ck with the only two TV shows you have or had.
If they have canceled “My Name is Earl,” which is a travesty, then “Kath & Kim” better be next. It wasn’t NEARLY as funny or clever as “Earl.”
The Unit was the Sh**. It was the only show of its kind. CBS or another station should seriously consider rescuing it ! This is coming from a military man point of view
let me get this straight,a show avg 4.5m viewers a week gets cancelled and 2 networks might try to bring it back, The Unit avg nearly 10m viewers and yet nothing. With all the filth and dreck on TV,they cancel a show that is well acted,written and produced. I guess if it doesnt involve sci-fi,jerry bruckheimer,focus solely on wives,or stupid the top humor,or reality tv, it cant stay on. F**K CBS,f**k every person that works there. I will never watch a show on CBS again,I hope the sniveler who wrote this article,who it seems wasnt a Unit fan since he didnt slurp it like some other shows with much lower ratings,screw him too.
Thank goodness. “Earl” is awful — and gross. Way past its prime — would have been a great one-season wonder but stretched to its paltry limits over three-plus season.
So disappointed about The Unit. It would be a great pick up for another network. And My Name is Earl…one of the funniest shows on TV. Why do all the good comedies die?!
if youngman has to watch a television show to feel proud of his country, he has deeper issues than programming. i thought age seven was when humans realized television shows were scripted with actors.
youngman, if you need a TV show to make you proud of your country, I would highly consider a change in residence.
CBS cancels The Unit but leaves three carbon copies of CSI dreck on the screen, with nowhere NEAR the eye candy quotient of The Unit. GAH.
The Unit was an excellent show – I am VERY DISAPPOINTED that it was cancelled. My sons and I LOVE THIS SHOW!!
Let’s see. Jean Smart winner of 2008 Emmy for Best Supporting Actress for Samantha Who. Samantha Who? canceled. Jamie Pressly winner of 2007 Emmy for Best Supporting Actress for My Name is Earl. My Name is Earl cancled. So let’s get it straight. Make good shows with good actors and get canceled. Be a game show with a has-been comedian where the only skill necessary is the ability to choose a box, stay on forever and get picked up to air 5 nights a week. What has happened to television?