It is more common now that shows do not have opening credits or theme songs the way they did in the past. Some shows do work with just a title card. Even at the time it seemed fitting that Lost did not have a theme song or an opening credit sequence. These are some shows I wish had opening credits.

The Vampire Diaries

The Vampire Diaries could have gone in any direction. They could have used the instrumental score that played at the end of the credits. They could have used a moody pop song or a goth rock song. One song I think that could have worked is Help, I’m Alive by Metric. It is a moody alternative rock song that was used in the promos for the show when it was getting ready to launch. It includes the opening lyrics, “I tremble, I tremble, I tremble, They’re Gonna Eat Me Alive, Gonna Eat Me Alive.”  That alone could have been looped for a nice little opening credit sequence featuring the cast.

Pretty Little Liars

Since Pretty Little Liars has a theme song, it would have been nice if the opening credits were a full credit sequence with Secret by The Pierces. They could have gotten creative with how they do the full sequence. It does not necessarily need to show the actors in them. It could have used objects and had the names appear across the screen or it could have used clues to A’s identity. That would have cought people’s attention.

Arrow

They could have gone one of two routes. The first route could have been to extend the opening theme when the logo comes on the screen to do a full credit sequence. The other route could have been to follow Smallville’s lead and pick a song to use.

The Flash

It sort of has an opening theme now. After the Crisis of Infinite Earths event, when The Flash returned for the rest of season 6 it added a new opening. Since it does have one, that could have been used to be a proper credit sequence. The cast is not that big so it could have been done within twenty to thirty seconds. It already has the faces. It just needs the names.

Batwoman

Just like Arrow and The Flash, they could have gone one or two ways with this. They could use the music that it is used for when the logo comes on or they could pick a song. Another option could be if they use the music used in the end credits.

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow

Just like The Flash, this technically has a credit sequence. It just needed to be extended to be a proper credits sequence.

Supergirl

To keep in line with the rest of the Arrowverse, it probably would have been better to use either the theme when the logo comes on or the music that is used during the end credits.

Gossip Girl

This could have used a song plain and simple. Given it was used in marketing as well as being featured in a season 1 episode, Glamorous by Fergie would have been a good choice.

90210

To be honest, I never understood why they bothered using the original theme at the beginning if they weren’t going to do a proper credits sequence. Season 1 had a remix of the theme used in the original show. In season 2 it got another remix this time with a bit more of a beach vibe. That theme stayed for the rest of the run of the series. The cast was not ginormous. They could have extended it to a thirty-five to forty second sequence.

Young and Hungry

Like Pretty Little Liars, this has a theme song. There is only five people in the show. The shortest cast out of the shows on this list. I Like That by Shridhar Solanki & Sidh Solanki is the song. All that needed to be done was to play twenty-thirty seconds of it to include the cast and call it a day.

In the reboot, sequel/revival age there are plenty of shows that have gotten reboots, sequels, or revivals. Some have done it better than others. Will & Grace did it well and stayed true to the characters. Dallas for TNT and the CW’s Melrose Place had mixed results. There are some shows that could at the very least have either a reunion special or a reunion movie. In some cases, a show could have a limited series. Here are some shows that deserve to have a reunion.

Ugly Betty

Ugly Betty lasted 4 seasons. It could have gone on longer. The cast said they would be open to a reunion. I think Ugly Betty would do best to have a movie reunion. It could be a fun movie for the spring or summer or fall. Given its set in the Fashion World, any of those seasons would be a good fit for a release. I could see this as a theatrical movie or it could go to streaming. Ugly Betty currently streams on Hulu so that could be a possibility. A movie could also allow for a musical sequence or several. There were plans to do a musical episode which never happened mostly due to the series ending and there was not enough time to fit one in. The whole cast would probably return.

Melrose Place

Yes, there was one attempt at a reboot/revival. The CW’s one season version was not horrible. The main problem was it ruined the legacy characters. Since it made the choice to serve as a continuation as well as having a new cast, there were higher expectations. If there were to be a reunion, I am referring to a proper reunion. I could see Melrose Place as a movie or a trilogy. I think a movie would be the better choice instead of trying to recreate another show. Also, I think a movie would be a little easier for the cast to agree to instead of committing to six to seven years of a television show. If there were movies, it would be the original cast. The CW Melrose cast would not be involved unless they played new characters to begin with. For the sake of the continuity the movies would use the OG show as cannon, not the CW version.

Desperate Housewives

This would be better suited as a movie. There could be a new mystery that reunites the housewives. Also, there could be a plot that resurrects Nicolette Sheridan’s character Edie Britt. That may be a bit of a stretch for several reasons. Given Desperate Housewives was a soap, anyone could be brought back from the dead. There is a plausible way to revive Edie. She died after getting electrocuted after fleeing from her husband Dave Williams (Neal McDonough) who had just strangled her after learning the real reason he had married her and moved them back to Wisteria Lane to begin with. I did say this was a soap opera. She got electrocuted after crashing her car which downed a pole with live wires. The show said she was dead. She was cremated. There could be a way to say that the ashes weren’t hers and she could have been put in witness protection because of her husband. He could come back as well after learning that she was really alive this whole time. The show was a soap opera but it also was a comedy. There is also the fact that when Desperate Housewives ended, Nicolette Sheridan was in the middle of a lawsuit against ABC and Marc Cherry the creator of the show. There were claims that Marc Cherry had struck Nicolette Sheridan and that after she complained to the network that was why she was written off the show. The lawsuit has since ended. Realistically, there may be some issues with trying to have her in a movie. The film can play to the show’s strengths which was blending both the comedy and soap opera genre. It wouldn’t be Desperate Housewives without adding a new neighbor. I think Oprah Winfrey could the be new neighbor. During Season 1 of the show, there was a little skit that had Oprah move to the lane as a new neighbor. It’s on the bonus features of the DVD set. After getting a little taste of the rest of her neighbors, she quickly hit the road again.

One Tree Hill

Before becoming a show, One Tree Hill was actually supposed to be a movie. It would have been called Ravens after the basketball team that Lucas (Chad Michael Murray) and Nathan Scott (James Lafferty) were part of. The idea was then turned into a TV show and the rest is history. The cast would be open to a reunion. I think a movie would be the better fit. The cast would not have to commit to a long-term deal. Mark Schwahn who was the showrunner and creator of the show does not have to be involved in the movie. They can hire someone else to write and direct it. I think they whole cast would return as long as Mark Schwahn was removed. After the series ended it was stated that he had mistreated the women of the show.

Gossip Girl

I didn’t watch the HBO Max series. I don’t have HBO Max and I also was not that interested in seeing it. Gossip Girl would also be best suited as a movie and possibly a onetime limited series. This would have the original cast. I think a movie would be better for the cast. Several of them I think would be more open to reprising their roles if they did not have to commit to another TV show.

The Vampire Diaries

If Legacies were still on it would have been easier to try to do a reunion four episode arc with the OG cast. Since Legacies is over a film would have to do. The cast has expressed that they do not want to do another TV show. Given it’s a supernatural series since its vampires, werewolves, and witches it would be easy to justify why the whole cast would be in the movie given some of them are dead. RIP Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley), Tyler Lockwood (Michael Trevino), and Vicki Donovan (Kayla Ewell). In the case of Vicki Donovan, she was killed off in episode 7 of the series and popped up throughout the series. I think it would make for a cool movie.

ER

Most would think another show would be the right course since it’s a hospital show. I think to do a proper reunion, a movie would be the best fit especially for George Clooney. Since ER had such a large cast over the years, I could see them all return. Some could be in flashbacks since there were a few major deaths. A one time three hour movie should suffice as long as its compelling. I am saying three hours since it has a large ensemble. If it can be cut down but still do justice to everyone, so be it.

It’s almost March and at this point only CBS has given early renewals to a handful of shows. The CW has only renewed one show, All American. ABC just announced that The Goldbergs current season will be its final season. It is currently in season 10. What shows have a shot of getting renewed? This is the final part of the multi part post. Today’s focus will be NBC.   

NBC

NBC has already given some early renewals and others are waiting. The Blacklist is currently in its 10^th and final season. New Amsterdam ended after five seasons in January. Weakest Link is awaiting a premiere date airing season 2 last spring.

La Brea

Renewed for season 3. Could continue for a few more seasons.

Quantum Leap

Renewed for season 2. Could last as long as the original.

The Voice

Renewed for season 24. Season 23 premiers Monday 3/6. This will probably last for awhile longer. It still does well and is one of NBC’s highest rated shows.

Night Court

Renewed for season 2. This could last awhile as long as it continues to do well.

Weakest Link

Renewed for season 3 which has yet to premiere. This could continue for a while.

American Auto

Currently in season 2. It has a decent shot of getting renewed.

Grand Crew

Season 2 premiers on Friday 3/3. It has a decent shot of getting renewed.

Magnum P.I.

Currently in season 5. This is the first season on NBC after being axed by CBS. It has a decent shot of getting renewed. I see NBC at least renewing this for one more season. A lot will depend on how it does.

Chicago Fire

Currently in season 11. It will get renewed. NBC loves the Chicago shows. This is not going anywhere and could last as long as Law & Order and Grey’s Anatomy.

Chicago P.D.

Currently in season 10. It will get renewed for the same reasons as Chicago Fire. This should have a long lifespan.

Chicago Med

Currently in season 8. It will get renewed. This will last for a long time.

Law & Order

Currently in season 22. This will get renewed. Just like the Chicago shows, NBC will want to keep their Law & Order shows.

Law & Order: SVU

Currently in season 24. This will get renewed. I think at this point the show will end when Mariska Hargitay decides she doesn’t want to do it anymore.

Law & Order: Organized Crime

Currently in season 3. This will get renewed. This will last for a long time.

Lopez vs. Lopez

Currently in its first season. This is a tossup. It could get renewed or it could get cancelled. They may want to get rid of it and give the slot for something else.

Young Rock

Just wrapped season 3. It has a decent shot at getting renewed. If they renew it for season 4 they may just decide to move this to another day and time. Young Rock aired season 3 on Fridays.

There are not really burning questions with NBC. I would be shocked if they axed the Law & Order shows and the Chicago shows. Even if any of them end, I think they will get renewed for a final season. It is not known if The Voice will have a spring cycle next year. It will be launching season 23 on Monday 3/6. For the 2021-2022 season The Voice only had a fall cycle. It did not air last spring. American Song Contest aired in its slot. It was said awhile back that The Voice would only have a fall cycle after skipping out of last spring. However, there seems to be a change of heart since The Voice season 23 is days away from premiering. I don’t know if NBC will skip next spring or put The Voice back on its regular schedule of having two seasons per year. I think NBC will wait to see how Magnum P.I. does before deciding on renewing it beyond this current season. It has been common for networks that save a show to only keep it for a little while longer. ABC rescued Scrubs after NBC canned it and Scrubs lasted two more seasons. CBS took Medium from NBC and Medium went on to last two additional seasons. The only show in recent history that lasted a little longer was The Last Man Standing. It was cancelled after six seasons on ABC. A few years later FOX revived it and it lasted three additional seasons.  Anything is possible but minimally Magnum P.I. could last at least one more season, maybe two more at best.

It’s almost March and at this point only CBS has given early renewals to a handful of shows. The CW has only renewed one show, All American. ABC just announced that The Goldbergs current season will be its final season. It is currently in season 10. What shows have a shot of getting renewed? This will be a multi part post. The focus today will be CBS.

CBS

CBS has already renewed 19 shows. Almost all of its lineup has been renewed. There are only a few shows waiting on decisions. Freshman series, The Real Love Boat was already cancelled in the fall and NCIS: Los Angeles will be ending this year after 14 seasons. CBS has a tendency to keep a fair amount of their shows. Given all the early renewals, that remains to be true.

CSI: Vegas

Renewed for season 3. Not sure how long this will keep going beyond that. I think it will rely on who could stay on the show from the original series. Currently Marg Helgenberger is on this. For its first season William Petersen and Jorja Fox headlined.

NCIS

Renewed for season 21. In the fall NCIS will officially surpass Gunsmoke as one of the longest running primetime television series. I think as long as it continues to do well, CBS will keep this for as long as possible.

NCIS: Hawaii

Renewed for season 3. Just like the OG series, I think CBS will want to keep this as long as possible. As long as this continues to do well, this should be able to have a long lifespan maybe even becoming one of the longest running NCIS shows out of all that have come before it.

Survivor

Renewed for season 45 & 46. Since this is still on, I think this is going to stay on for as long as the Host of the show Jeff Probst is still alive and still wants to do it.

The Amazing Race

Renewed for season 35. This is not going to go anywhere. I think this will stay on for many more years.

Tough as Nails

Renewed for season 5. Unless this drops in the ratings, this will probably last a few more years.

Lingo

Renewed for season 2. Its too new to be able to tell if this could go on beyond season 2. There have been shows that were renewed for a second season and then got the ax.

Fire Country

Renewed for season 2. Unless it bleeds out in season 2, this should be able to have a good lifespan.

Young Sheldon

Renewed for season 7. Season 7 marks the end of Young Sheldon’s three year renewal a few years back. Since this still does well, I think it will get renewed for a season 8, 9 and maybe even 10. I could see this last for a few more years.

Ghosts

Renewed for season 3. Ghosts is critically acclaimed and a smash hit. This will be around way beyond season 3.

The Neighborhood

Renewed for season 6. Unless the cast wants out, I think this will last a few more years. I do not foresee season 6 as the final season.

Bob Hearts Abishola

Renewed for season 5. This should have a long lifespan beyond season 5.

So Help Me Todd

Renewed for season 2. This does very well and unless that changes in season 2, this will probably go on to have a decent run. It will also rely on how long Marcia Gay Harden will want to stay on the show. This may not be long running like CSI or NCIS, but it should get a good run in.

The Equalizer

Renewed for season 4. This is going to continue until Queen Latifah wants to move on. This does very well in its timeslot.

FBI

Renewed for season 6. Just like the CSI and NCIS franchises, CBS is going to want to hold on to their FBI franchise. This will last as long as people continue to watch.

FBI: International

Renewed for season 3. Same as FBI. This should have a long lifespan. If it has a ratings slip, it may be the shortest run of the FBI shows. 

FBI: Most Wanted

Renewed for season 5. Same as FBI and FBI: International. This should last for a very long time.

Blue Bloods

Currently in season 13. One of several shows not yet renewed. It has a decent shot, but it is a bit concerning that this has not been renewed yet. I think given the lifespan of the show, Blue Bloods will get renewed for a final season if CBS is considering closing the book on this. I think another factor is Tom Selleck which could also explain why this was not renewed yet if negotiations are in the midst.

S.W.A.T

Currently in season 6. This is a toss up. Since it was not renewed yet and most of CBS’s lineup was, this may spell the end for S.W.A.T. It could get renewed for a seventh and final season if CBS does not want to keep it anymore. Since they renewed so much already, they may not have space to keep this and give it a proper final season. I don’t know how many pilots they have in the works. If Blue Bloods ends next season, they may want to keep this a little while longer or give this a final season since it has been on for six years.

East New York

Currently in its first season. It has a decent shot of getting renewed but since so many other freshman series got renewed already, this may spell the end of the line. CBS may have more incentive to give farewell seasons to Blue Bloods and SWAT, but since this is a new series, they don’t have to keep this.

True Lies

Will have its series premiere on March 1^st. Its too early to tell if this could get renewed. However, given so much was renewed already there is not enough space for everything. Unless this is a ratings and streaming hit, this will probably be a one and done. Another option could be to send it to Paramount Plus like they did with Seal Team and Evil.

CBS is the only network who renewed most of their lineup months before May. Fans can rest easy knowing most of their favorites will have at least one more season. The few series that are in question right now still have a shot, but it will be tough since there is not a lot of room left in the schedule. There are always workarounds. Blue Bloods and S.W.A.T could get renewed for final seasons and have shortened runs. Some of the other shows that have been renewed could have shorter runs so Blue Bloods and S.W.A.T could have full runs. Given they are both long lasting shows, CBS may want to give them proper sendoffs. Blue Bloods is a long running show. Even today, there are not many series who have lasted thirteen years. Blue Bloods has earned a proper sendoff. S.W.A.T also has earned a proper sendoff as well. Six years is still an accomplishment. In today’s world it has gotten harder for series to achieve 6 seasons. New Amsterdam, Legacies, Manifest, and many more all ended before making it to six years. Manifest is currently in its final season which is season 4. I think minimally S.W.A.T should be given a final season. However, there have been long running shows that did not get farewell seasons. DC’s Legends of Tomorrow got axed and it was in its seventh year. Cold Case lasted seven years and got axed two weeks after airing its season finale that ended on a cliffhanger. Without a Trace lasted seven years also. It was announced the morning of the finale that it would not get renewed for an eighth year. Cold Case and Without a Trace were both on CBS. These are just examples of long running shows that ended without getting farewell seasons. There is the chance S.W.A.T could have a similar fate. Time will tell what CBS does with Blue Bloods and S.W.A.T.

It’s almost March and at this point only CBS has given early renewals to a handful of shows. The CW has only renewed one show, All American. ABC just announced that The Goldbergs current season will be its final season. It is currently in season 10. What shows have a shot of getting renewed? This will be a multi part post. The focus today will be ABC.

ABC

ABC is not known for giving out early renewals the way other networks have. The fact ABC renewed Abbott Elementary this early shows how much the network loves the show. Even hit shows typically had to wait until May for the official renewal including Lost, Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy, and many more. There are a lot of shows that were sure bets they’d get renewed. No one thought Lost or Desperate Housewives would end without having proper final seasons. Even though most of ABC’s roster has yet to be renewed, I think a fair amount of the lineup will be intact next season. When it comes to Grey’s Anatomy, I believe Grey’s will get the final season treatment whenever that may be.

Abbot Elementary

Renewed for season 3. Given it’s critically acclaimed I foresee that this will last awhile.

Alaska Daily

Currently in its first season. This could go either way. It has a slight chance of getting renewed however I think ABC will end up axing it. From my understanding the show does not have the type of buzz the network was hoping for especially given the star power of Hilary Swank.

American Idol

Currently in season 6 for the ABC version. It probably will get renewed. Until this bleeds out ratings wise, I think ABC will keep it for many years to come.

The Bachelor

Currently in season 27. It will probably get renewed. The Bachelor and its spinoffs are still very popular. ABC is not going to want to get rid of Bachelor Nation.

Big Sky

Just wrapped up season 3. It has a decent shot of getting renewed. Given the buzz this show attracts and the stars it gets each season, I could see this lasting a few more years.

The Company You Keep

Just had its series premiere. It probably will get cancelled. Given the late date and the fact it did not break any ratings records, I think ABC will let it air its season and get rid of it. There is always the slight chance it could get renewed. It is also too early to tell. It did not hold that great following American Idol. I think ABC will take that into consideration. Maybe this will get a streaming boost.

The Conners

Currently in season 5. It has a good shot of being renewed. It’s a consistent performer and it is an established sitcom. With The Goldbergs ending in May, The Conners will be ABC’s current longest sitcom. I think it will get a season 6 and could probably last a few more years.

The Good Doctor

Currently in season 6. It will probably get renewed. The only way I could see it not getting renewed is if star Freddie Highmore wants to end the show. Even if that were the case, I think it would get renewed for a final season to have a proper farewell. Also, an upcoming episode is supposed to serve as a backdoor pilot to a spinoff series, The Good Lawyer. Given they are planning a spinoff, I think ABC plans on keeping The Good Doctor for a while.

Grey’s Anatomy

Currently in season 19. I think it has a good chance of getting renewed and making it to 20 seasons. The big question is if the show can survive without star Ellen Pompeo who just exited the show in the last episode. I think the rest of the season will be a test to see if it can go on without Meredith Grey. If the remaining audience starts to flee, it may be time to end the show. I do see ABC renewing it for one more final season. When all is said and done Grey’s Anatomy is the longest running hospital show and is one of the longest running shows in primetime only behind Gunsmoke, Law & Order: SVU, Law & Order, and of course The Simpsons which is in season 34.

Home Economics

Currently in season 3. It has a good shot at getting renewed. With The Goldbergs ending, I think ABC will want to keep as much of its sitcom block in tack.

Not Dead Yet

Currently in its first season. Too early to tell but I think it will probably get cancelled. I think if ABC has limited slots for sitcoms, they will choose their veteran sitcoms over this and use this slot to launch a new show.

The Rookie

Currently in season 5. It will probably get renewed. It launched a spinoff this year and it is a consistent performer.

The Rookie: Feds

Currently in its first season. It is a spinoff of The Rookie. It will probably get renewed as well. I think ABC will want to keep both The Rookie and The Rookie: Feds for as long as possible.

The Wonder Years

Season 2 premieres in the summer. Too early to tell, however it doesn’t look good that ABC delayed this to the summer. It was originally set as a midseason show. There is a stronger chance this will end up getting canceled unless ABC decides to have this a summer series.

Shark Tank

Currently in season 14. It will probably get renewed. It’s a consistent performer.

Station 19

Currently in season 6. It will probably get renewed. I think regardless what happens with Grey’s Anatomy, that ABC will want to hold onto this for as long as possible. I see it lasting a few more years.

Will Trent

Currently in its first season. It will probably get cancelled. I see ABC using this slot to try to launch another show.

ABC has a lot to think about before May hits. I think the big question will be what to do about Grey’s Anatomy. What happens if Grey’s does not hold up in the ratings now that the lead is gone. Grey’s Anatomy has survived numerous cast changes through its nineteen years including some heavy hitters like Patrick Dempsey, Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl, and Justin Chambers to name a few. As time has gone on people have stopped watching once more and more characters have exited. One constant was Ellen Pompeo, and most have assumed that the show would end once she was ready to leave. We will see if this season ends up being the end or if it will make it to a landmark 20^th season and also possibly serving as a final season. The Bachelor and Shark Tank are no brainers. They will probably last until there isn’t an audience anymore. The Conners will probably go on for a few more years. I think that will come down to if the cast starts to want out. Once the leads of the show want to leave, that will probably mark the end for the series. Even though they have not handed out many early renewals, there is not really a mystery to what ABC will do. Whereas there is mystery with the CW and the fate of their shows, people can rest assured that a fair amount of their favorites will continue for another season. ABC just usually waits until May to reveal their plans.

It’s almost March and at this point only CBS has given early renewals to a handful of shows. The CW has only renewed one show, All American. ABC just announced that The Goldbergs current season will be its final season. It is currently in season 10. What shows have a shot of getting renewed? This will be a multi part post. The focus today will be The CW.

The CW

The CW does not have many shows left. The Flash, Riverdale, and Nancy Drew are all ending this year. Riverdale and Nancy Drew will be premiering in the coming months. The CW also axed a huge chunk of their shows last year. It was also announced Whose Line is it Anyway? would be ending this year as well. The CW has three new shows this season. The Winchesters and Walker: Independence which will be airing their season finales soon. Gotham Knights will be premiering on March 14^th. Superman & Lois has a good a shot at getting renewed. James Gunn said he could see the show go for one to two more seasons. If that is the case, Superman & Lois would last up to season 5.

All American

Renewed for season 6. This could end up being the final season if the CW does not want to keep it going beyond a sixth year. Also, it will achieve one hundred episodes by the end of next season as well.

Superman & Lois

Season 3 premiers on March 14^th. Has a good shot at lasting one to two more seasons which would also allow this to have a proper final season unlike Batwoman & DC’s Legends of Tomorrow.

All American: Homecoming

Currently in Season 2. Since All American was renewed, this has a good shot at being renewed for season 3, given it’s a spin-off. It is also possible season 3 could end up being the end if the CW is looking to end All American next season.

The Winchesters

Currently in its first season. The season finale is set to air on March 7^th. This has a decent shot of getting renewed. Fans were concerned when The Winchesters did not get a full season pickup. All the freshman shows did not get full season pickups. I think the CW will wait to see how The Winchesters does once it hits streaming. Streaming is what helped All American and Riverdale.

Kung Fu

Currently in season 3. It has a decent shot of getting renewed. If anything, it should be allowed to have a proper final season. Hopefully it will be able to continue for a few more years.

Walker

Currently in season 3. It has a decent shot of getting renewed. It really will depend on if the CW wants to continue with the Walker World.

Walker Independence

Currently in season 1. Like The Winchesters, this did not get a full season pickup. Both shows are ending with thirteen episode seasons. This is a spin-off of Walker. It has a decent shot at getting renewed. It is going to come down to if the CW wants to continue this franchise or if they want to move on.

Gotham Knights

Its series premiere will be on March 14^th. It has a decent shot of getting renewed but if it were to come down to this or Superman & Lois, I think the CW may lean toward Superman & Lois. With the Flash ending, the Arrowverse will be coming to a close. Given plans for the DCU, which consist of one cohesive world across various mediums, this may not go beyond a first season. James Gunn has not said anything about Gotham Knights. This may come down to a decision by the CW without any input from James Gunn and Peter Safran.

All American is the only show renewed for season 6. I would not be surprised if they announce that season 6 will be All American’s final season. It seems some of the shows were given a proper final season even in the midst of the bloodbath last year. I am referring to The Flash, Riverdale, and Nancy Drew which are all ending. The CW could renew some of these shows for one more farewell season. All American has been successful for the network. It would make sense if they wanted to give it a proper sendoff instead of a last minute announcement that it is ending forcing the writers to change the plans to craft an series ending. The reason the network has had a mass exodus of shows is because of the purchase by Nextstar. Nextstar seems more interested in focusing on sports which would explain killing off so many shows. It is not known how much scripted programming they want to retain or if the goal is to eventually get rid of all scripted programming. Answers will be revealed sooner than later.

Here is another round of some of my favorite opening credits, in no particular order.

Gilmore Girls 2000-2007 WB/CW

Theme Song: Where You Lead by Carol King

Charmed 1998-2006 WB

Theme Song: How Soon is Now? by Love Spit Love cover of How Soon is Now? by The Smiths

Cheers 1982-1993 NBC

Theme Song: Cheers Theme by Gary Portnoy

The Muppet Show 1976-1981 ABC

Theme Song: The Muppet Show Theme by The Muppets

Teen Wolf 2011-2017 MTV

The O.C 2003-2006 FOX

Theme Song: California by Phantom Planet

Melrose Place 1992-1999 FOX

One Tree Hill 2003-2012 WB/CW

Theme Song: I Don’t Want to Be by Gavin DeGraw

Beverly Hills 90210 1990-2000 FOX

What I Like About You 2002-2006 WB

Theme Song: What I Like About You by Lilix cover of What I Like About You by The Romantics

A new Frasier show is coming, and it will be set in Boston, Massachusetts. The title has not been revealed yet. It will once again star Kelsey Grammar as Frasier Crane. This time around he will be moving back to Boston which is where he originally lived on the show Cheers. Once Cheers ended Frasier moved to Seattle which was where Frasier was set. No other cast members from Frasier will be starring on the new show. I am sure there are open invitations for any of them to guest star. The show has announced its cast which will include Frederick, now an adult and played by a different actor, Jack Cutmore-Scott, who is Frasier’s son. It was also revealed that Frasier’s nephew David (Anders Keith) will be on the show as well. David is the son of Frasier’s brother Niles Crane (David Hyde Pierce) and his wife Daphne (Jane Leeves). There have been attempts to do another Frasier show since Frasier ended. Shortly after Frasier aired its series finale in 2004, there were talks of doing another spin-off following Frasier in Chicago. The finale ended with Frasier heading to Chicago to presumably be with Charlotte (Laura Linney) a woman he fell in love with toward the end of the series. This never got off the ground. It seemed that Laura Linney did not have an interest in starring on a television show. It is one thing to do a few episodes. Given Cheers and Frasier both lasted eleven seasons, there was a good chance the third show would last equally as long. There is still a chance this one will last as long but who knows? The thing that surprised me was that this new Frasier will be returning to Boston instead of having the setting somewhere else. With its Boston setting does that mean Ted Danson could pop up as Sam Malone or get a visit from Norm Petersen (George Wendt)? A Boston setting seems to make it a little easier for the Cheers cast to at least recur on the show assuming most of the characters still live in the area. This got me thinking about reboots in general. This is nothing new. There are tons of reboots and sequels and revivals. How many have been successful? How many have been liked?

The new Frasier show sounds like its another spin-off and is a continuation from Cheers and Frasier following the next chapter of Frasier’s life. It has been said that the new Frasier would focus on where Frasier is now in his life. There is a chance this one will be successful and well liked.

As everyone knows there are tons of reboots, revivals, and sequels that do not pan out and do not do justice to the legacy of the history. There are dozens of shows that have been short lived. Dynasty for the CW was a reboot. It had the same characters and recast the roles. It was not a continuation of the 80s soap. Dynasty lasted for five seasons. It had its audience. It was not made for the original audience. That probably worked in its favor. I did watch Dynasty and enjoyed it. I did not watch the original, although I am aware of the original and some of the storylines the show had.

Melrose Place and 90210 were reboots and continuations of their predecessors. Both aired on the CW. Both had different results. Melrose Place lasted one season. 90210 lasted five. Melrose Place and 90210 both brought original cast members back. One of the stars of 90210 was the sister of Kelly Taylor (Jennie Garth) and David Silver (Brian Austin Green). Kelly was a guidance counselor at Beverly Hills High. The sister was Erin Silver (Jessica Stroup), who went by Silver. Silver lived with Kelly which gave an organic way to have Kelly involved on the show. Several other Beverly Hill 90210 alums made appearances including Tori Spelling and Shannen Doherty. After season 1, season 2 got retooled and Kelly and Kelly & Silver’s mother were the only original characters on the show. Midway through season 2 they were both written out never to been seen from again. There would be a line here or there about Kelly. 90210 was able to continue for a few more years. It seems what worked for it was it just focused on its own thing. A lot of fans of the original did not stick with the show. I watched the original and I watched the new one. 90210 had its own fanbase. Melrose Place was a different story. It could not get an audience from either direction. Fans of the original had no interest in the new show. Those who did were disappointed or frustrated with the treatment of the legacy characters. Melrose Place had a new group of characters living in the apartment complex. One of the main characters was the son of Melrose’s scheming doctor Michael Mancini (Thomas Calabro). Michael was on the show. A big mistake that was made was the show kicked off with a murder mystery, but they killed off the landlord Sydney Andrews (Laura Leighton). Sydney was a popular villain on the original. What made things worse was she was killed off in the season 5 finale of the original. She was resurrected for the new one only to be killed off again. She recurred throughout the season in flashbacks. Midway through the season Heather Locklear reprised her role as wicked Amanda Woodward. This time around she was not able to save the show like she did the last time. There was a much hyped episode that reunited Michael, Amanda, Michael’s ex-wife Jane Mancini (Josie Bissett) and photographer Jo Reynolds (Daphne Zuniga). Jane and Jo guest starred earlier in the season and were in separate episodes. Fans were looking forward to the mini reunion. The scene itself lasted two minutes at most. Fans were very disappointed. Fans did not find Melrose Place to be addictive like the original one was. I watched it and I did enjoy it. I think it should have been given a chance to find its footing. The original Melrose Place did not become the crazy over the top soap until the end of season 2. Really Season 3 is when it kicked into high gear. The CW’s Melrose Place did not respect the history of the original. A big complaint was that they changed history and changed a lot of the OG characters.

This was not the only show to do that. TNT did Dallas that brought back Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, and Patrick Duffy. Dallas started off strong and lasted 3 seasons. Part of that was probably due to the fact that Larry Hagman died during season 2. Another part was probably the fact Dallas ignored the history with its legacy characters. There were some actors who were open to reprising their roles. It seemed the producers of Dallas were not that interested in having some of them on. For a lot of these shows, the producers and showrunners were new people. They did not have anyone who actually worked on the originals.

The list can go on and on. There have been some successful ones as well. Will & Grace came back for three seasons and did well. It also seemed to respect the history of the original and also was able to retcon the series finale which was not liked by a lot of the fans. The Conners, a spin-off of Roseanne is currently in season 5. Roseanne came back for one season. It was hugely successful but there was controversy surrounding Roseanne Barr which led to her being fired from the show. Roseanne became The Conners, and the show is still on. There was recently the new Gossip Girl that focused on a new generation for HBO Max. The show lasted two seasons. I did not watch it, but I have read that it was not the most liked. I know some OG characters appeared but none of the main stars from my understanding. Personally, I would be more interested in seeing a Gossip Girl movie with the original cast or a limited series to see what they are up to now.

There have been more disappointments than successes, yet they are still making them. Lizzie Maguire was supposed to get a grown-up continuation since Hilary Duff is in her 30s. There were creative differences that led to the show not happening. iCarly is getting ready for season 3 and stars Miranda Cosgrove, Nathan Kress, and Jerry Trainor all from the original. It is doing well, and it is more grown up since they are also adults. The audience who watched iCarly the first time around are adults now which has probably helped it be successful. Fans are hoping to eventually see reunions for Victorious, Hannah Montana, Wizards of Waverly Place, and others. It will really come down to if the stars want to do it and if it can be done well. Also, some things don’t necessarily need another show. They could have a reunion special or movie. I am interested to see what happens next and I will check out the new Frasier when it airs. I think it has a good chance of being a good show. Kelsey Grammar knows the character very well by this point.

It recently revealed that The Flash which is currently in its 9^th and final season for the CW actually was aiming to have a 10^th and final season. The showrunner said they originally had a two season plan and 40 final episodes. I presume both seasons 9 & 10 would have 20 episodes each. It was also said that the series would have made it to 200 episodes and there were big plans for that milestone. After learning this it bummed me out. When it was announced that The Flash season 9 would be its final season I had figured it was because Grant Gustin who is the star of the show wanted to end the show Arrow ended because Stephen Amell wanted to move on to other things and thought eight years was a good run. This seems to suggest that it was the network that wanted The Flash to end. This is not the only long lasting CW show ending this year. Riverdale will be having its seventh and final season later this year. Nancy Drew will begin its fourth and final season at the end of May. It seems that the CW which is now owned by Nextstar has different plans in mind given how many shows have been axed or getting final seasons. Last year was a mass exodus of shows R.I.P. Legends of Tomorrow, Batwoman, Legacies, etc.

From what I know, Riverdale is ending on its own terms. When I mean own terms, I mean that the people involved with the show feel it is time for the show to end. From a story point of view it was said that The Flash had two more seasons left in it to tell the story. It may be getting a proper final season but it is not what the showrunner and producers wanted. It is not on their own terms. They have to cram a lot of those ideas into 13 episodes. Riverdale, is a different story. The main cast had expressed not necessarily wanting to continue after a seventh season. I believe the contracts were for seven seasons. If Riverdale were to get renewed for season 8 or beyond it would mean new contracts for the cast. It makes sense that Riverdale would be ending this year. It would be hard to keep the show going if a lot of the cast wouldn’t return. We have to wait and see what they say about Nancy Drew, but to be honest given its only going to be in season 4 when it airs, I feel there were probably hopes the show would continue for a little while longer.

The Flash is not the only show where the intentions were to have it going a little while longer. There were other shows that had plans that then were changed as well. Desperate Housewives was actually renewed for seasons 8 & 9 and ended in season 8. That may not be the network in this case. Desperate Housewives aired on ABC and the stars were signed up to season 9. The cast was signed for two more seasons. Marc Cherry said that he wanted the show to end on a high note and not overstay its welcome which is why he chose to end in season 8 instead of season 9.

New Amsterdam and Manifest are other shows that were in a similar situations. New Amsterdam had a massive renewal a few years back. When season 2 was nearing completion New Amsterdam was renewed for 3 seasons bringing it to season 5. The show just ended its run in its fifth season. It was suggested that the hope was to have a sixth season. It seems in this case NBC which is the network New Amsterdam aired on is the reason why the fifth season was a final season. New Amsterdam recently ended. Maybe in time further explanations will be given to why exactly New Amsterdam ended. Manifest used to air on NBC and was actually cancelled. Netflix saved the show for one additional final season. Manifest was axed after 3 seasons. It had just aired the first part of season 4. The second part is due later this year. It was revealed by the producers that they were hoping Manifest would have continued for a fifth and possibly sixth year. This is another case similar to The Flash where there is more story to tell. Like The Flash, Manifest will end properly. It just means that they have to cram things into the final episodes and some things will probably not make the cut.

There are many reasons why this happens. This is a different case then when shows end at the last minute. These shows were given proper final seasons. It just that the creatives had more stories left to tell. A lot of these decisions were made by the network. Desperate Housewives is a bit of an anomaly since the creator was the one who decided to end it earlier than the network wanted.