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Bubble Show Update: Will Your Faves Be Back?
Moonlight by Monty Brinton/CBS, How I Met Your Mother by Monty Brinton/CBS, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles by Patrick Ecclesine/Fox
It's pins-and-needles time in the TV biz. Over the next couple of weeks, the suits at the Big 5 will be deciding which bubble shows will be back next season and which ones will be fast-tracked to the MIA network. To help ease your anxiety — well, except in the cases where the bubble's about to burst — I've compiled a list of those shows currently hanging in the balance followed by my own assessment of their chances and, mixing buzz and intel, an Odds of Survival rating of 0-10 (0 being dead and 10 being a shoo-in for resurrection).
Aliens in AmericaThe bad news: The ratings suck.
The good news: The show doesn't. It's really funny. And smart. And the CW knows it.
Odds of Survival: 3
UPDATE: Aliens has been axed.
Back to YouThe bad news: It didn't experience enough of an American Idol bump back in February to make it a lock for next season.
The good news: Fox is as enamored of the show as Kelsey Grammer's character is enamored of himself.
Odds of Survival: 7
UPDATE: Maybe Fox wasn't as in love with the show as I thought -- they just canceled it!
Big ShotsThe bad news: Horrible show + even worse ratings = buh-bye.
The good news: Lots of really talented actors are free to appear in better TV shows!
Odds of Survival: 0
Boston LegalThe bad news: That cast doesn't come cheap. And they'll come even less cheap next year.
The good news: It continues to be a solid, if not spectacular, performer for ABC.
Odds of Survival: 6
CaneThe bad news: Nestor Carbonell is back on Lost!
The good news: Nestor Carbonell is back on Lost!
Odds of Survival: 2
Cashmere MafiaThe bad news: Viewers gave it a lukewarm reception and critics give it a downright chilly one, making Mafia a likely candidate for getting whacked.
The good news: One less Sex and the City clone to clog up the airwaves!
Odds of Survival: 0
CavemenThe bad news: Oh, where to begin....
The good news: I can stop feeling sorry for the inimitable Julie White. She deserves better, and maybe now she'll get it!
Odds of Survival: 0
Eli StoneThe good news: Following Desperate Housewives, it scored its highest ratings since its premiere. Even more importantly, ABC loves it!
The bad news: Eli's audience is still relatively tiny.
Odds of Survival: 7
How I Met Your MotherThe bad news: Rumor has it not everyone at CBS loves this show.
The good news: Ted and the gang have been on a ratings roll since their Britney bump. The laffer is also the Eye's youngest-skewing show. Translation: Wait for it, wait for it... they'd be insane to cancel it!
Odds of Survival: 8
Las VegasThe bad news: For starters, it's been canceled.
The good news: NBC has yet to release the actors from their contracts, raising hopes for a possible two-hour wrap-up.
Odds of Survival: 0
Odds of Closure: 2
Law & Order: Criminal IntentThe bad news: There was no mention of the show at NBC's "infront" last month.
The good news: It's still a contender at USA.
Odds of Survival: 5
Life Is WildThe bad news: The cast and crew are already out of Africa.
The good news: CW has yet to officially cancel it. But that may be because they forgot it exists.
Odds of Survival: 0
Men in TreesThe bad news: The audience is small…
The good news: … but passionate. And loyal. And resourceful. It also enjoys solid support at ABC, schizophrenic scheduling aside.
Odds of Survival: 5
UPDATE: That 5 rating was apparently very optimstic. Trees' has been canceled. Sigh...
MoonlightThe bad news: Another backstage shake-up has left the series without a show-runner.
The good news: Fans are batty over this vampire drama and have even gone so far as to organize a blood drive with the Red Cross to draw attention to it.
Odds of Survival: 8
New AmsterdamThe bad news: The fact that Fox trimmed its initial order for the show doesn't exactly inspire confidence.
The good news: It's held up surprisingly well ratings-wise.
Odds of survival: 6 4
UPDATE: Amsterdam is a goner.
The New Adventures of Old ChristineThe bad news: CBS doesn't own the show. It does, however, own Rules of Engagement, and the buzz is that the network only has room on its sked for one of them.
The good news: It's the funniest traditional sitcom out there. Plus, ABC is waiting in the wings to pick it up should the Eye cancel it.
Odds of Survival: 6
Odds of moving to ABC if CBS should cancel it: 10
ReaperThe bad news: Creatively, it failed to live up to the lofty expectations we had for it after that flawless pilot. And the ratings? Hellish.
The good news: Um, the pilot was really good! And there's no denying that there's a decent show in there. Somewhere.
Odds of Survival: 4
SharkThe bad news: James Woods is a, um, colorful personality. I'll just leave it at that.
The good news: Earned solid, if not spectacular, ratings on Sunday night.
Odds of Survival: 5
Terminator: The Sarah Connor ChroniclesThe bad news: For as much money as Fox poured into this show in terms of promotion and special effects, it should've done better.
The good news: The network seems to think it will do better next season — it's already staffing up.
Odds of Survival: 9
UPDATE: It's been renewed!
The UnitThe good news: Performed consistently for the Eye.
The bad news: As expensive as it is to produce, it needs to be doing consistently better.
Odds of Survival: 5
Women's Murder ClubThe bad news: I hear the cast and crew are looking for other work.
The good news: After knocking at death's door, Club landed a new show-runner and three more episodes to prove itself. It'll have to if it wants a second season.
Odds of Survival: 4
So tell me: Are you more or less anxious now? And if you could save only four of the shows above, which ones would they be and why? The comments section is now open and ready to accept your votes. — Additional reporting by Ben Katner
Related:
• Use our Complete A-Z Returning Favorites Guide to find out when your favorite show will be back.
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Apr 16, 2008 3:43 PM
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Please bring back Reaper.
Please bring back Reaper.
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Apr 16, 2008 3:52 PM
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Did you seriously only like the Reaper pilot?
I think the show is fantastic, not just the pilot. In any case, I really hope it comes back next year.
CW ratings have certainly gone down since...well...it became the CW and lost all it's cred.
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Apr 16, 2008 4:00 PM
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With all my might, I'm praying for a 2nd full season for Moonlight. MickBeth rules!! 
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Apr 16, 2008 4:25 PM
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They need to bring back Cane
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Apr 16, 2008 4:35 PM
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I agree with the network, T:SCC will do better. I think it really started to hit its stride. Nine episodes was really not enough for this show to demonstrate all that it can be. I think Lena Headey really started to shine with some good emotional depth. Not to mention Summer (I just love the emotionally slightly askew hotties).
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Apr 16, 2008 4:36 PM
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Hooray for Eli Stone, HIMYM, and Sarah Conner!!!
Any word on New Amsterdam?
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Apr 16, 2008 4:38 PM
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I love Reaper, too!
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Apr 16, 2008 4:39 PM
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PLEASE bring The Unit back!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Apr 16, 2008 4:45 PM
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The only ones I watch are Eli Stone, How I Met Your Mother, Moonlight, and Reaper. I'd like them all to come back but really, really, really want Mother and Moonlight to come back. Mother is a good ensemble comedy and Moonlight is smoking hot.
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Apr 16, 2008 4:48 PM
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I only care about The Unit, Eli Stone and Terminator. In that order.
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Apr 16, 2008 4:48 PM
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I am glad to hear the news about Moonlight. But there are fans out there supporting another great vampire show, Blood Ties, who had a blood drive last year and are currently having a collection of eyeglasses for people who cannot afford them.
Blood Ties is on the bubble, too. I hope it gets picked up again, as it has so much potential. I would miss it terribly if it was gone forever
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Apr 16, 2008 4:48 PM
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I would have to pick Eli Stone, Terminator, and Aliens in America.
Sorry Reaper fans, but I'm kind of hoping it gets canceled. It's one of those shows I continue to watch even though I haven't really liked it since the pilot.
I kind of want Back to You to come back, but only if the quality of the show improves.
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Apr 16, 2008 4:50 PM
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Honest to god, what is it with you and USA Today?!
How can you fail to include Men in Trees!?!?
You include a show like Caveman and Big Shots that have already been buried with little or no grieving? But disregard Men in Trees?
COME ON, Michael!
I expect better from you!
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Apr 16, 2008 4:50 PM
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No mention of "New Amsterdam" at all? That in itself probably doesn't bode well.
It and "Eli Stone" were the only two midseason replacements my wife and I gave two rips about.
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Apr 16, 2008 4:51 PM
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