What's the one word for someone who loves, really loves TV?
Movie lovers are called cinephiles (cinema), and an audiophile is a music lover. A bibliophile is passionate about books.
Let's go with videophile ("one who loves sight") even though one definition says the term refers more to a stickler for the quality of a video and not the entire experience.
In the quality instance, a videophile elitist might never consider watching a program on anything less than an ultra high-definition (4K), 65-inch flat screen TV, in a home theater with 7.1-channel soundbar with wireless subwoofer.
But most of us get by with far less and indulge our videophilia each May by keeping track of which shows will be coming back in the fall.
Just as there are rabid (and frequently obnoxious) sports fans (I call them sudorephiles) who tune in to the excruciatingly soporific minutiae of NFL draft day, and fill out March Madness brackets ad nauseam, and belong to three fantasy football leagues, there are those who anxiously tally the TV shows that have been renewed and those that have gotten the ax.
It all gets sorted out each May during the network upfronts. That's when the fall lineups are announced so advertisers can get on board early. This year, the upfronts begin May 15 and run the rest of the week.
Meanwhile, ahead of the announcements, here's the current scorecard broken down by network. Is your favorite show safe? The list was compiled by TVLine.com, which keeps tabs on this sort of thing far more closely than I do.
Note the categories. Many shows have already been renewed. Others, for whatever reason, haven't been officially renewed, but most certainly will be. Some are safe bets and likely to be back, while others are toss-ups (on the bubble). Finally, some series are long shots that probably won't make the cut, and others have already been kicked to the curb.
ABC
Officially renewed: The $100,000 Pyramid; Bachelor in Paradise; Celebrity Family Feud; Grey's Anatomy; How to Get Away With Murder; The Middle; Scandal.
Sure thing: America's Funniest Home Videos; The Bachelor; black-ish; Dancing With the Stars; Fresh Off the Boat; The Goldbergs; Modern Family.
Safe bet: American Housewife; Designated Survivor; Match Game; Once Upon a Time.
Toss-up: Dr. Ken; Last Man Standing; Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.; Quantico.
Long shot: American Crime; The Catch; Imaginary Mary; The Real O'Neals; Secrets and Lies.
Canceled: Conviction; Mistresses; Notorious; Time After Time.
CBS
Officially renewed: The Big Bang Theory; Big Brother; Blue Bloods; Bull; Criminal Minds; Hawaii Five-0; Kevin Can Wait; Life in Pieces; MacGyver; Madam Secretary; Man With a Plan; Mom; NCIS; NCIS: Los Angeles; NCIS: New Orleans; Scorpion; Superior Donuts; Survivor; Zoo.
Toss-up: 2 Broke Girls; The Amazing Race; Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders; Elementary; The Great Indoors; Undercover Boss.
Long shot: Code Black.
Canceled: American Gothic; BrainDead; The Odd Couple; Pure Genius; Training Day; Doubt (lasted two episodes).
Fox
Officially renewed: American Grit; Bob's Burgers; Empire; Lethal Weapon; Lucifer; The Mick; The Simpsons (for two more seasons); Star; The X-Files.
Sure thing: Family Guy; MasterChef Junior; World's Funniest.
Safe bet: Brooklyn Nine-Nine; Hell's Kitchen; The Last Man on Earth.
Toss-up: Gotham; New Girl; Prison Break; Shots Fired.
Long shot: 24: Legacy; APB; The Exorcist; Making History; Rosewood; Scream Queens; Sleepy Hollow; Son of Zorn; Wayward Pines.
Canceled: Bones (series concluded); Pitch.
NBC
Officially renewed: America's Got Talent; American Ninja Warrior; The Good Place; Shades of Blue; Superstore; This Is Us; The Voice (for two seasons).
Sure thing: The Biggest Loser; Chicago Fire; Chicago P.D.; Law & Order: SVU.
Safe bet: The Blacklist; Chicago Justice; Chicago Med; Little Big Shots.
Toss-up: Blindspot; Great News; Trial & Error.
Long shot: The Blacklist: Redemption; Celebrity Apprentice; Emerald City; Taken; Timeless.
Canceled: Aquarius; Grimm; Powerless.
The CW
Officially renewed: The 100; Arrow; Crazy Ex-Girlfriend; DC's Legends of Tomorrow; Jane the Virgin; Riverdale; Supergirl; Supernatural; Whose Line Is It Anyway?.
Toss-up: iZombie; The Originals.
Long shot: Frequency; No Tomorrow.
Canceled: Reign; The Vampire Diaries.
Will the list change? Most certainly. Each season a number of series remain "on the bubble" until the last minute. It may be a contract dispute. It may be the bean counters are weighing cost vs. profits. It may just be, well, the networks want to make us sweat.
The TV Column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Email:
mstorey@arkansasonline.com
Style on 05/07/2017