We are approaching the 2024 Upfronts when the broadcast networks and several of the major streaming services announce their lineups for the upcoming season. There have already been quite a number of renewal and cancellation announcements over the last few weeks, and I expect plenty more as we head to mid-May when the biggest Upfront presentations occur. Following are the dates for several of the major players: May 13, 9:00 AM – NBCUniversal May 13, 3:00 PM – Fox Television May 14, 9:00 AM – Amazon May 14, 3:00 PM – Walt Disney May 15, 9:00 AM – Warner Bros. Discovery May 15, 1:00 PM – Netflix ..read more

Sci Fi TV Highlights: A look at the upcoming schedule of sci fi and fantasy shows as well as recent news and/or trailers of note. Sci Fi TV Premieres This Week: Dead Boy Detectives (Netflix): Edwin and Charles are best friends, ghosts… and the best detectives on the Mortal plane. They will do anything to stick together – including escaping evil witches, Hell and Death herself. With the help of a clairvoyant named Crystal and her friend Niko, they are able to crack some of the mortal realm’s most mystifying paranormal cases. All episodes will be available on Friday. Them (Prime Video): Season ..read more

Schedule Rewind: A look back at the Prime Time schedule from seasons past and network decisions impacting sci fi and fantasy shows. In 1977, Star Wars proved a major hit at the Box Office and revived interest in the sci fi and fantasy genre across the entertainment industry. The television networks got into the game and rushed big-budget productions Battlestar: Galactica and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century to their schedules in an attempt to ride the Star Wars wave of popularity to big ratings. But by the 1980-81 season, the former series was gone from the airways and the latter was on its way ..read more

The renewal announcements keep pouring in as Amazon has given the greenlight to a second season of its post-apocalyptic series Fallout and Netflix has given a fifth season renewal in advance for its fantasy series The Witcher. Fallout premiered on April 10th on Prime Video, and we have not seen the Nielsen Streaming numbers for it yet, but word is that it is performing quite well for the streamer so far. It has also been well-received by critics and viewers, currently holding a 94% Fresh Rating and 89% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes. There was also an early indication that a renewal was lik ..read more

The alternate-history space race series For All Mankind will be continuing to a fifth season on Apple TV+, and it will also be getting a spin-off. The streamer seems to be shoring up its lineup of originals as it gave the greenlight to a second season of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters last week. The renewal of For All Mankind has been expected as it is one of the streamer’s flagship franchises and the fourth season finale definitely pointed toward a continuation. The show has also been well-received by critics and viewers, currently holding a cumulative 93% Fresh Rating and 82% Audience Scor ..read more

Cancellation Watch: Status updates for the sci fi and fantasy shows on the broadcast networks, cable channels, and streaming services as well as breaking news on the currently airing, returning, and upcoming genre entries.  Status Updates Star Trek: Lower Decks (Paramount+, Status: Ending): Paramount+ announced last week that this show will be ending with its upcoming fifth season (which should arrive in Fall 2024), but Jack Quaid–who voices Brad Boimler–made the comment on Instagram: “Hopefully we find a new home”. There has been no official word of the show getting shopped around, but S ..read more

Updated 4/15/2024 We are approaching the end of the broadcast network regular season, so now is a good time to take a look at the cancelled and ending sci fi and fantasy shows as well as those that are currently struggling. There have been fewer cancellations than I expected so far in the midst of the Peak TV Crunch, and with the impacts of the strikes taking their toll. Only six shows have been sent to the network executioner so far with four more ending this season (see the full breakout below). Last year started slow for cancellations as well, but things kicked into high gear by this point ..read more

The Greatest Sci Fi/Fantasy TV Shows: Considering the case for the sci fi and fantasy television shows that should be counted among the greatest of all time. What Is It? Based on George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire book series, this show takes place primarily in the land of Westeros as a struggle emerges to claim the Iron Throne while at the same time an ancient enemy appears that threatens the lands. Aired 2011-19, HBO, 8 Seasons Totaling 73 Episodes Starring: Sean Bean, Peter Dinklage, Emilia Clarke, Kit Harington, Maisie Williams, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Jerome Flynn, Lena Headey De ..read more

Apple TV+ has finally gotten around to announcing a second season renewal for its MonsterVerse series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. That show debuted back in November 2023 and there had been no word on its fate since it wrapped up its ten-episode run. It did not place in the Nielsen Streaming Rankings during its first season, but the streamer referred to it as a “monstrous success” in the press release which announced the renewal. And in addition to the second season which is now officially in the works, Apple TV+ has worked out a multi-series deal with Legendary Entertainment for more shows th ..read more

There has not been much need to look at the broadcast network Scorecard this season seeing as so few sci fi and fantasy entries have been airing on those channels lately. But as we approach the end of the regular season, it is worth seeing where these shows stand in the rankings. There are only five original genre entries on the Big Four nets (ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC) this year, two in the Top 30, and one on The CW. Highest on the list is the CBS supernatural comedy Ghosts which is currently at Number 13 (an appropriate number for a scary show) among broadcast network shows. It continues to per ..read more