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2013 Upfront Presentations: Major Networks
Next week the major networks will head to New York City to make their upfront presentations to the all-important advertisers; i.e. the mega companies who provide the networks with money (aka commercials) that pay to keep their shows on the air.
This is the biggest time of the year for the major networks and TV viewers alike because it is when each network announces their new fall line-up, including the confirmations of the early pick-up orders they made on returning shows, finalizing the pick-up orders for those shows that have yet to be renewed, announcing the new shows that will debut in the fall and providing their planned fall prime-time schedules.
This week-long event is a nail-biter more so for the fans of television than for the powers that be because the networks hold the collective fate of our weekly entertainment in their hands; and they don’t necessarily make the decisions that will make us happy. They cancel shows that we love and they pick-up other shows that some TV viewers just wonder “what were they thinking?”.
But, this is how the industry has been run for more years than any of us want to ponder so let’s take a look at what will happen next week:
On May 13, both NBC and FOX will make their upfront presentations on the same day. For NBC, they have already renewed newcomers Chicago Fire and Revolution as well as existing dramas Grimm, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Parenthood. The network has 10 drama pilots up for consideration with more than half of them vying for a pick-up, including these top contenders Believe, Blacklist, Crisis, the Chicago Fire spin-off, I Am Victor, Ironside, Night Shift and The Sixth Gun.
As for FOX, the network has already renewed the long-running drama Bones and the new drama The Following as well as giving the musicomedy Glee, which received an order for two more seasons. The pilots up for contention that seem to have the most traction (at least as of right now) include Gang Related, Sleepy Hollow and the J.J. Abrams-produced series Human. I would also like to share that I hope the network will consider picking up the series Delirium that is based on the Lauren Oliver novel.
ABC will be up next on May 14. The network has yet to officially announce which of their existing dramas have been picked up nor have they given any early pick-ups to the 12 drama pilots that were under consideration for the fall. That being said, though, it is believed the network will extend renewals to the following dramas: Castle, Grey’s Anatomy, Nashville, Once Upon a Time, Revenge and Scandal. Among the drama pilots that could potentially be picked up include the following: S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Once Upon a Time spin-off as well as Betrayal and Murder In Manhattan.
On May 15, CBS will take to the stage, but since they have already announced the renewal of nearly all of their existing dramas, including Blue Bloods, CSI, Elementary, The Good Wife, Hawaii Five-0, The Mentalist, NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles and Person of Interest there isn’t much more to say. That is except for the pilots that could potentially be picked up, including Beverly Hills Cop, Hostages, the NCIS: Los Angeles spin-off and The Advocates.
Lastly on May 16, The CW will make their announcement. The network already gave early renewals to Arrow, Supernatural and The Vampire Diaries as well as the more recent renewal orders for Beauty And the Beast and Hart of Dixie. The network has already given The Originals, the spin-off to The Vampire Diaries, a pick-up order for the fall and the other pilots that are top on the network’s list include The Tomorrow People, Reign and The 100.
If you would like to learn more about the drama pilots that are up for contention at each of the major networks, please visit the following links:
Needless to say, next week is going to be a big week for the networks and all of the TV viewers. Which shows do you hope get renewed at the major networks that have yet to be announced; and are there any of the pilots that you would like to see make it on the fall schedule? Please share your thoughts below in our comments section.
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