Despite consistently high ratings, networks are canceling some of this year’s hottest TV shows to avoid renewing high-priced contracts with big-name stars and their high-cost programs.
With a barrage of new reality series and cable channels such as HBO and FX now running their own original series, major networks are forced to spread their spending to fight for ratings and time slots.
The WB took a hit with cancellations, as perennial teen favorite “Dawson’s Creek” went out with a two hour finale after six seasons of teen angst. (If you missed the final episode–a two-hour, five-year trip into the future–Joey ended up with Pacey and Dawson became a director.)
“Dawson’s Creek” was never a top-ten series, averaging 3 million viewers per week and ranking in the 1990s on the ratings charts this past season.
However, the teen/young adult demographic is a major target area for advertisers and kept the show going for years despite mediocre ratings and increasingly repetitive storylines.
The final episode set records for the relatively new WB, drawing 7.3 million viewers in May.
Another WB creation that bit the bullet is Sarah Michelle Gellar’s “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” The show moved to UPN last season and went out in a blaze of glory, guts and gore as only “Buffy” could.
Of the 57,000 TV viewers who responded to USA Today’s “Save our Shows” survey, WB’s “Angel” (A “Buffy” spin-off) and ABC’s “The Practice” were among the top vote-getters.
Although the WB renewed “Angel,””The Practice” may be worse off for continuing its run.
ABC’s “The Practice” almost received a death sentence from the network. In its eighth season, the courtroom drama will be minus six cast members, including star Dylan McDermott.
Although some of the departed actors may return to guest star in the future, the cut in star power also halved how much ABC pays (from 7 million to 3.5 million) in licensing fees for each episode.
Also leaving TV land is CBS spiritual drama “Touched by an Angel,” which sagged in ratings after nine seasons.
Its two-hour finale in April brought criticism from thousands of devoted fans.
“Sex in the City,” the contemporary comedy leader for cable’s HBO, just wrapped its final season, which will run until June 2004.
The program was nominated for a whopping 26 Golden Globe Awards in 2003 and is the centerpiece of HBO’s comedy lineup.
Without “Sex in the City,” which begins its final season June 22, HBO will lack in the comedy division and will have to pull more from its signature drama lineup of gangster epic “The Sopranos” and undertaker drama “Six Feet Under.”
HBO also recently lost prison-drama “Oz,” but the network is depending on shows such as “Curb your Enthusiasm” and “The Wire” to keep up the ratings.