LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- NBC, ABC, FOX and the WB have leaked their initial 2005-06 season orders as well as nearly all their renewals and cancellations of existing series.
The news comes with barely 12 hours until NBC presents its fall 2005 schedule to the advertising community, a presentation which for all intents and purposes remains a complete mystery. Nearly a half-dozen variations on NBC's schedule have floated around this weekend with everything from "The West Wing" moving to Sundays to "Joey" moving to Tuesdays. Nevertheless with executives and producers heading to New York City over the weekend, the series that did and didn't make the cut have become pretty clear.
Among the surprise renewals - FOX's "The Bernie Mac Show," ABC's "Jake in Progress" and "Less Than Perfect" - three shows widely considered longshots to return. Conversely, ABC has pulled the plug on "My Wife and Kids" and "Eight Simple Rules," two series thought to have brighter prospects than "Jake" and "Perfect."
Overall here's a breakdown of the pickups thus far. Note that this list comes from a complication of various trade publications and industry insiders. Look for the final rundown as each network presents this week:
NBC
NEW COMEDIES (3):
"four kings"
"my name is earl"
"thick and thin"
NEW DRAMAS (3):
"e-ring"
"fathom"
"inconceivable"
RETURNING SERIES (15):
"apprentice, the"
"crossing jordan"
"dateline nbc"
"er"
"fear factor"
"joey"
"las vegas"
"law & order"
"law & order: criminal intent"
"law & order: special victims unit"
"medium"
"office, the"
"scrubs"
"west wing, the"
"will & grace"
NOT RETURNING (13):
"american dreams"
"committed"
"contender, the"
"father of the pride"
"hawaii"
"last comic standing"
"law & order: trial by jury"
"lax"
"medical investigation"
"most outrageous tv moments"
"revelations"
"sports illustrated: swimsuit model search"
"third watch"
The WB
NEW COMEDIES (1):
"misconceptions"*
NEW DRAMAS (4):
"just legal"
"pepper dennis"*
"related"
"supernatural"
RETURNING SERIES (9):
"blue collar tv"
"charmed"
"everwood"
"gilmore girls"
"living with fran"
"one tree hill"
"reba"*
"seventh heaven"
"smallville"
NOT RETURNING (8):
"big man on campus"
"drew carey's green screen"
"grounded for life"
"high school reunion"
"jack & bobby"
"mountain, the"
"starlet, the"
"summerland"
STILL TBA (2):
"steve harvey's big time"
"what i like about you"
* all contingent on 20th Century Fox Television and the WB working out a deal
ABC
NEW COMEDIES (5):
"crumbs"
"emily's reasons why not"
"freddie"
"hot properties"
"sons & daughters"
NEW DRAMAS (6):
"commander-in-chief"
"the evidence"
"in justice"
"invasion"
"the night stalker"
"what about brian"
RETURNING SERIES (17):
"according to jim"
"alias"
"america's funniest home videos"
"bachelor, the"
"boston legal"
"desperate housewives"
"extreme makeover: home edition"
"george lopez show, the"
"grey's anatomy"
"hope & faith"
"jake in progress"
"less than perfect"
"lost"
"monday night football"
"rodney"
"supernanny"
"wife swap"
NOT RETURNING (8):
"benefactor, the"
"blind justice"
"complete savages"
"eight simple rules"
"eyes"
"life as we know it"
"my wife & kids"
"n.y.p.d. blue"
STILL TBA (7):
"20/20"
"bachelorette, the"
"extreme makeover"
"extreme makeover: home edition - how'd they do that?"
"life of luxury"
"primetime live"
"wonderful world of disney, the"
FOX
NEW COMEDIES (4):
"freebirds"
"kitchen confidential"
"the loop"
"the war at home"
NEW DRAMAS (4):
"bones"
"deviant behavior"
"head cases"
"reunion"
RETURNING SERIES (18):
"american dad"*
"american idol: the search for a superstar"
"america's most wanted"
"arrested development"
"bernie mac show, the"
"cops"
"family guy"*
"house"
"king of the hill"
"malcolm in the middle"
"nanny 911"
"o.c., the"
"renovate my family"*
"simple life, the"
"simpsons, the"
"stacked"
"that '70s show"
"twenty four"
* will continue to air new episodes this summer
NOT RETURNING (15):
"complex, the: malibu"
"jonny zero"
"kelsey grammer presents: the sketch show"
"life on a stick"
"my big fat obnoxious fiance"
"next great champ, the"
"north shore"
"point pleasant"
"quintuplets"
"rebel billionaire, the: branson's quest for the best"
"swan, the"
"totally outrageous behavior"
"tru calling"
"who's your daddy?"
"world's craziest videos, the"
STILL TBA (1):
"trading spouses: meet your new mommy"
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