Let's get this over with: We blew it last year in predicting that ABC's reboot of "Roseanne" would flop. In our defense, the cast's appearance at last year's upfronts was incredibly awkward and did not build confidence in the show's return.
But we certainly empathize with advertisers that must predict three months ahead of time or longer which shows to buy. That's how TV works, however, so we're going to play along again with some educated guesses on which new shows next season will live beyond their freshman run -- and which don't stand a chance.
The hits should include CBS' reboots of "Magnum P.I." and "Murphy Brown" and the CW's "Charmed" revival. The return of "Last Man Standing" on Fox is likely to get plenty of sampling, with a sensibility that's likely do well on the heels of "Roseanne." Similarly, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," which moves from Fox to NBC next season, has a loyal following that should move along with it.
There's also "The Village" on NBC. If you can get past the title, which makes the show sound like a thriller, the drama about a group of people living in a Brooklyn apartment has a similar tone as "This Is Us." ABC did a good job picking up comedies that fit in well with its family-friendly fare. "Single Parents," for example, has a strong ensemble cast that includes Brad Garrett as, unsurprisingly, single parents who work together to make it through the day. And "The Kids are Alright," about a family with eight boys growing up in the 1970s has similar vibes as other successful comedies, ABC's "The Goldberg's" and "Young Sheldon" on CBS.
Misses are likely to include ABC's "Whiskey Cavalier," already marked for death thanks to Jimmy Kimmel. "We're also picking up a show called 'Whiskey Cavalier,'" he quipped at ABC's upfronts pitch. "It took a while, but we finally came up with a title that's worse than 'Cougar Town.'" Fox spent some of its presentation touting how much younger its audience is compared with other broadcasters. Then it unveiled its new comedy, "The Cool Kids," about a bunch of old people living in a retirement home. CBS made some good strides toward diversifying is programming beyond white men. One such effort is "The Neighborhood," starring Cedric the Entertainer, who is upset when a Midwestern white family moves into his predominantly black Los Angeles neighborhood. But the trailer felt like CBS was simply trying to diversify the faces on its network, not make a compelling show. And NBC's "New Amsterdam" will likely be another victim to a sea of medical dramas like ABC's "The Good Doctor."
