Which SF "Bubble" Shows Will Die?

[Geekyfanboy]

Which SF "Bubble" Shows Will Die?

As 2008 wraps, what started off as a television season filled with science fiction possibilities and second chances has proven to be the weirdest fall season ever.

The delightful Pushing Daisies and Eli Stone (both ABC shows) have been canceled and will soon finish their runs, while the not as delightful CBS series The Ex List, NBC's My Own Worst Enemy and The CW's Valentine are already gone.

Visions of ABC's Lost, NBC's Medium and Fox's Dollhouse are already dancing in our heads for the upcoming midseason, but several fall shows are in a precarious state.

Barring a ratings disaster, the six vulnerable shows listed below will finish out the season. But if ratings fall farther, there's a very good chance that we could be watching their final episodes next year. Here's our assessment of each show's prospects.

Chuck. NBC, season two. Episodes this season: 24. This oh-so-charming series impressed NBC brass so much before it even began airing its second season that they ordered a full season's worth of episodes. And while the ratings aren't thrilling, the show hasn't missed a beat creatively, and those ratings are starting to creep up on the much more hyped Heroes. Filled with funny secondary characters and charismatic leads with the best romantic complications this side of Pushing Daisies, what's not to love? But Chuck remains on the bubble, with just 7 million or so viewers, though they seem to be ticking up.

Odds of getting a third season: Even

What do the producers need to do to improve the odds? Just keep doing what they're doing already. It's not a runaway hit, but this series knows exactly what it is, and nobody does comedy/romance/action better.

Eleventh Hour. CBS, season one. Episodes this season: 18. Who would have thought that being a Jerry Bruckheimer production would hurt a show? Expectations were huge as this series kicked off, and it gets the best ratings of the shows on the bubble. But ratings vary week to week more than they should. CBS did not have enough confidence to give the series a full-season order, which is never a good sign. But ratings have ticked up lately, and the series is beginning to find its rhythm. Hood and Rachel's relationship is growing, and there are plans to bring in a third character to help add some more spice to the mix.

Odds of getting a second season: 1 in 2

What do the producers need to do to improve the odds? The flesh-eating-sexually-transmitted-disease-turned-loose-during-spring-break episode that attracted more than 13 million viewers: Do more like that.

Rufus Sewell, who plays Dr. Jacob Hood in CBS' Eleventh Hour, between takes on the show's set at Warner Brothers on Sept. 22. (Enzo Giobbe)

Heroes. NBC, season three. Episodes this season: 25. What's happened to our beloved Heroes? Season one topped out at just over 16 million viewers, while the final episode of "Volume Three: Villains" wasn't even able to hit 8 million. The first season was brilliant, but how many times can you save the world and have it mean something? The upcoming "Volume Four: Fugitives" holds possibilities for more personal storytelling.

Odds of getting a fourth season: 1 in 5

What do the producers need to do to improve the odds? We already love these characters, but don't be afraid to kill one or two of the regulars off ... permanently. For the world to be real to us, there need to be consequences.

Life on Mars. ABC, season one. Episodes this season: 17. Considering Life on Mars is a tough sell (What is it about, anyway? Time travel? Coma dreams? Alternate reality? Aliens?), the series has developed a consistent fan base. This is no doubt because of a terrific cast and challenging storytelling, with surprising mysteries episode after episode. But 8 1/2 million or so viewers aren't enough to make this series safe. Life on Mars is being moved to Wednesdays after Lost on Jan. 28.

Odds of getting a second season: 1 in 8

What do the producers need to do to improve the odds? Give us some answers, but not too many. We don't really know what's going on with Lost either. In fact, this mind-tripping series probably has more in common with Lost than any other series on television. But can Life on Mars overcome the fact that no series has successfully been able to follow Lost? That one is too hard to predict.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Fox, season two. Episodes this season: 22. When Sarah Connor's first season premiered early this year, Fox executives were doing the happy ratings dance. It looked like it could be the next House. Unfortunately, House isn't even House these days, and no series has fallen farther. Sarah Connor hasn't been able to crack 6 million for most of the season. But there is hope. The series is moving to Fridays, paired with Joss Whedon's Dollhouse.

Odds of getting a second season: 1 in 20

What do the producers need to do to improve the odds? The move to Fridays will make or break Sarah Connor, and partnering with Whedon's latest brainchild can only help. But there's one big problem with the series: It's got terrific action, a powerful mythology, hot actors and the saddest characters on television. But does it have to be so depressing? Lighten up already!

Knight Rider. NBC, season one. Episodes this season: 17. It was a bit of a surprise when the ratings-lite Knight Rider got picked up for a full season. The series does well among the young male demographic, a traditionally hard-to-reach audience. But ratings started to erode, and the audience has dwindled to just over 5 million viewers. The network recently pulled back the order to 17. Now the producers' mantra is "reboot." They promise characters will die and the series will move a bit closer to the original 1982 series.

Odds of getting a second season: 1 in 100.

What do the producers need to do to improve the odds? Let's face it, Knight Rider needs one hell of a reboot to build its audience to a place where it would have a chance at a second season. Right now, the season finale is set for Feb. 25, and unless there's an immediate bump in ratings after the new year, you can say goodbye to K.I.T.T. --Kathie Huddleston

[jedijeff]

Did not realize things were so dire for Heroes, would be shocked if it got cancelled.

[Rico]

I am enjoying "Chuck" even more this season and glad to see it has a decent chance to get another season.  I'd be sad if the "Terminator" series and "Heroes" went away.  I enjoy both still and I think Terminator has been especially interesting this year.  Oh, there is an error above.  It should say after the Terminator series, odds at getting a third season.  Last season was season one (a short one) and the current season is #2.

[Feathers]

I'm terms of numbers Heroes is presumably an enigma. Surely nothing does that well in it's first season and then holds all those viewers. It would be a shame to lose it and it would feel almost self inflicted.