SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

3 Shows Canceled Including 'Hot Properties'; 'Still Standing' Episode Order Cut

Three network shows have been told to halt production after only 13 episodes--two dramas and a sitcom. The dramas are FOX's Reunion & CBS's Threshold, and the sitcom is ABC's Hot Properties. Reunion has struggled following The O.C., after a decent start. FOX has not given word yet if they will air all or some of the unaired episodes in December. CBS moved Threshold to Tuesdays at 10 p.m. last week and it was a total bomb, so CBS will air an encore of Criminal Minds there tonight for the last Tuesday of November sweeps. As with Reunion, CBS has not given info yet if it plans to air the remaining episodes of Threshold. Threshold did average in its original Friday 9 p.m. slot, but when they moved drama Close to Home in that slot, that show did much much better.
As for the sitcom Hot Properties, ABC plans to air at least the Christmas episode (episode 9) on December 9. There is no word yet if ABC will air the other few episodes in the following weeks, because ABC had scheduled reruns of the show the rest of that month. The cancelation of Hot Properties marks the first time in at least four seasons that ABC canceled a fall sitcom this early. Believe it or not I'm with Her, Married to the Kellys and It's All Relative all lasted a full season, with the latter having made 22 episodes but a few were unaired. Complete Savages also lasted longer with 19 episodes.
So, what will replace these three shows eventually? They have not announced that information yet, but come January American Idol is coming back to FOX, and there is word that FOX might move the results show from Wednesday to Thursday. CBS will probably air encores of crime dramas for a while for Threshold and maybe the new drama The Unit by March. ABC will probably go with three choices, the most logical one would be to air the half hour Dancing with the Stars Results Show in place of Hot Properties (or switch Hope & Faith to 9:30 p.m. and have the Stars Results at 9). They can also bring back veteran sitcom Less Than Perfect and air it in its old slot or they can try new sitcom Crumbs here, too. I would prefer ABC air Stars Results on Fridays and have Crumbs/Less Than Perfect take the 9 p.m Thursday hour, which the canceled drama Night Stalker once aired.

Finally, CBS has cut the episode order for Still Standing from 22 to 18. It makes a lot of sense and this probably means this will be the last season of this struggling sitcom. 19 episodes will aie actually this season, since one is left over from last year.