Which of These New Fall TV Shows Will Fail First?
It will happen. At some point this fall, one of the broadcast networks will be the first to pull the plug on one of its once-promising but now ratings-challenged new shows.
But predicting which show will be the first to go is tough. As we've seen in the past, the first-canceled program isn't necessarily the worst show of the fall—on occasion, it is even one of the best. But to help you get a feel for the prospects of this year's newcomers, we have identified some of the pros and cons of each of the 20 new broadcast series debuting this month and next.
Pros: Widely respected creator Michael Schur has a bit of a magic touch, with his recent series as creator, writer, and/or producer (Parks & Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Master of None, The Office) earning critical acclaim and multiple renewals. And The Good Place boasts two likable leads in Kristen Bell and Ted Danson, as well as almost universally good reviews from critics, who note that the series improves as it goes on. The new series got a boost last night with two preview episodes airing after The Voice, and ratings for both were encouraging, though the show may face a greater challenge when it moves to Thursdays later this week.
Cons: NBC no longer has a magic touch with comedies; recent seasons have seen virtually all of the network's new sitcoms fail. (The network's lone "hit," Superstore, serves as The Good Place's lead-in.) The new comedy also has a serialized story, which could make it inaccessible to viewers who would want to jump in after the premiere. Bell's character's awfulness (though tempered a bit by the actor's inherent charm) could also be off-putting to some viewers.
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