Renewed Or Cancelled? Predictions On 17 Network Sci-Fi And Fantasy Shows

We’re just days away from learning the fates of the broadcast TV line-up, as the 2013-2014 season draws to an end and the networks announce their plans for the fall. Which current shows will be back for another year? Which will get the dreaded cancellation pink slip?

The network’s media upfront presentations begin Monday, May 12 (NBC and FOX). ABC makes its announcements on Tuesday, CBS on Wednesday, and The CW on Thursday of next week.

Today we’re looking at sci-fi and fantasy-themed shows on the five U.S. broadcast networks: ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, and The CW. This list excludes summer series, which are a different ball of wax. Stay tuned for additional coverage of pilots for new shows, and what’s happening in the world of cable and Internet TV.

Our predictions for these shows are entirely unscientific, based on a combination of TVbytheNumbers‘ ratings tracking and predictions, industry chatter, and a dash of gut instinct. First up:

AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.
Prediction: Renewed
The first live-action network TV show set in the Marvel cinematic universe, S.H.I.E.L.D. seemed like a sure-thing back in the fall. It started out at a terrific 12 million viewers, but its wobbly creative legs quickly cut that in half. The show has been averaging fewer than 6 million since the beginning of March — while, in the meantime, it has creatively really found itself. The stories are interesting and well-plotted, and the characters are starting to be people we care about. Expect ABC to keep the team flying next season.

ONCE UPON A TIME
Prediction: Renewed
Once continues to be a strong performer on Sunday nights, and is about as “on brand” as the Disney-owned network can get in its 8 p.m. family programming. After a ho-hum second season this year worked really well, with self-contained storylines in the fall (Peter Pan and Neverland) and spring (the Wicked Witch). With spring ratings around 7 million, plan for another trip to Storybrooke this fall.

ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND
Status: Cancelled
This show was conceived of as having a limited run, though with the potential to expand into a full and on-going series should it prove a hit. It turned out to be just OK in the ratings on a pretty competitive Thursday night, and ABC pulled the plug on the experiment at the end of its 13-episode run.

RESURRECTION
Prediction: Renewed
It was one of those mid-season premieres that could have flopped and quietly faded away — but instead Resurrection made a rather sizeable splash when it premiered in March, to the tune of almost 14 million viewers. An 8-episode season works to its advantage, keeping its average at 9.3 million. ABC would be crazy to nix the show now, when the mysteries have just been established … especially when it can bring it back for another short run in the neighborhood of 13 episodes.

INTELLIGENCE
Prediction: Cancelled
This is the closest that CBS has to a sci-fi show right now, and things don’t look good for renewal. The Josh Holloway show premiered its 13-episode run in January, averaging 6 million weekly viewers (after its monster 16.5 million premiere).

ALMOST HUMAN
Prediction: Cancelled
The Karl Urban sci-fi show had real promise, but didn’t connect with enough casual viewers in its 13-episode winter run. Multiple sources are reporting this as already cancelled, though FOX hasn’t made an official announcement yet.

SLEEPY HOLLOW
Status: Renewed
FOX has already renewed one of the fall’s biggest hits for a second season. Ichabod Crane and Abbie Mills will be back in the fall for another condensed, 13-episode season … which seems wise. This is an over-the-top premise that could wear out its welcome with 24 episodes every year. John Noble (Henry Parish) and Lyndie Greenwood (Jenny Mills) have been promoted to series regulars.

BELIEVE
Prediction: Cancelled
Another mid-season show with only 13 episodes to its name, Believe had an up-hill climb in many ways. After a heavily-promoted debut after The Voice on March 10 (10.5 million viewers), Believe has collapsed below 5 million on Sundays. The fact that NBC has just yanked the show from the rest of the May sweeps period isn’t just the final nail in the coffin … it’s the first shovel of dirt on top of it. I wish I could say this was a bigger loss — FOX’s Touch did “supernaturally gifted youngster who helps people” much, much better.

GRIMM
Status: Renewed
The monster drama Grimm continues to be a strong player for NBC on Friday nights, and was renewed in March. So there will be more Wesen adventures in and around Portland in the fall!

REVOLUTION
Prediction: Cancelled
Revolution is one of the hardest genre shows to call this year. Its numbers on Wednesday night this year have not been wonderful — steadily sliding down from a 6.8 million premiere and recently averaging in the neighborhood of 4.5 million viewers — but, then again, after poor performances across the network Revolution isn’t looking so bad. It wouldn’t surprise us if the series eeks out another season, but it would surprise us if NBC left it on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. and continued with business-as-usual. The more likely scenario is that NBC will give its place on the schedule to a new show and hope for the best.

THE 100
Prediction: Renewed
Intel suggests that The CW may renew either The 100 or The Tomorrow People, but not both. The latter did decently behind Arrow on Wednesday nights before being moved to Monday, where things don’t look so great. The 100 has done even better on Wednesdays, and also has the advantage of avoiding the very common spring slump … since it didn’t premiere until March. We’re calling this one for The 100, which so far looks to be the better show anyway.

ARROW
Status: Renewed
The CW announced back in February that Arrow will be back for a third season — no surprises here. It’s one of the network’s highest-rated series and is riding a critical and creative high. Now only is Arrow coming back, but there are good odds it will get a spin-off in Flash.

THE ORIGINALS
Status: Renewed
The vampire spin-off is officially a success, earning a Season Two renewal back in February.

STAR-CROSSED
Prediction: Cancelled
I couldn’t make it past the first episode on this series, which seems to be not so much about aliens and alien-human relations and more about teen love, lies, cheating, and hurt feelings. Ratings have gone from bad to terrible, even by The CW standards: 1.28 million for the premiere, falling below the 1 million mark for the last five episodes in a row. Stick an Atrian fork in it.

SUPERNATURAL
Status: Renewed
The CW announced in February that it will bring back Supernatural for an amazing tenth season, tying the record set by Smallville. Things are also looking good for the show’s spin-off series, Supernatural: Bloodlines. So don’t touch that dial!

THE TOMORROW PEOPLE
Prediction: Cancelled
The series premiered to a very strong 2.3 million people back in the fall, and averaged around 1.6 million before the holiday break. Since moving to Mondays in March, The Tomorrow People has averaged 970,000 viewers. It’s a fine example of a typical “bubble” show: probably good enough to merit another season, if only there weren’t shiny new series looking for a spot on the schedule.

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES
Status: Renewed
Already renewed for its sixth season, TVD remains a mega-hit for The CW. This year it was the number 2 show in its time period for the network’s key young adult demographics.