TV Freak: Aaaannnnddd....Cancelled: The New Show Slaughter

Statistically, only about half of new shows will survive into their second season, and this year's crop of boring crap looks to be no different. So who's first to the chopping block?

Let's cut them down to size, shall we?

The Playboy Club, NBC

Almost guaranteed to be the first victim of fall, no one is watching this well done show. It's a shame if for no other reason than no one is seeing the scene stealing Broadway vet Laura Benanti, who is fabulous as "den mother" Carol-Lynne.

Glad you got a keepsake, sweetie.

Free Agents, NBC

I don't know what NBC is going to put on air (I'm guessing reruns of The Biggest Loser) but this show is losing a big chunk of its lead in audience from fellow new show Up All Night, and that wasn't a lot to start with. This rote and cliche show frankly deserves to be put out of its misery. Watch the original British version instead.

Mostly just to watch Giles be a dirty old man.

How to Be a Gentleman, CBS

Speaking of rote and cliche, this Odd Couple type sitcom premiered last night, losing more than half of its Big Bang Theory lead-in audience, and not being very funny doing it. CBS does not put up with this sort of thing for long, though the rest of the successful schedule might keep it on through midseason.

Charlie's Angels, ABC

This flashy and flat "action" show dropped more than half of its audience from week one to week two, and is ABC's only real dud of the season. So far, that is.

Because you do not believe that these girls, and whatever the hell they are wearing, are capable of ass-kicking.

Man Up, ABC

This show has not premiered yet, but I have high hopes for its ultimate demise.

Whitney, NBC

I tried, y'all. I really, truly tried. And I laughed. Once. In two episodes. It's just not working for me, and based on the ratings, I'm not the only one that feels that way. So off it goes into the comedians-who-make-crap-shows-that-get-cancelled ether. You've got good company, Whit. Say hi to Paul Rieser!

On an unrelated side note, did you repurpose all of the Will and Grace sets?
You should have borrowed some of their humor, too.

Prime Suspect, NBC

I wanted to like this one, too. I love Maria Bello. I think she's pretty, and a badass, and a really good actress. And she's playing a really unlikeable character who wears terrible hats. I'm also just having a really hard time with the whole "boys club" thing, and perhaps this is naive of me, but I just don't think the world is quite that way. Or if it is, then I have no interest in watching it. I'll give it another shot or two, but I'm not expecting much, and if ratings continue to decline like they have been, I won't get many more opportunities to tune in.

Person of Interest, CBS

I'm not completely convinced this will be eliminated right away, but I am convinced it will never earn a second season. It feels like too intense of a premise for me, and I don't see any chemistry between the leads. Michael Emerson is a brilliant character actor, but he's just not capable of carrying a show, and Jim Caviezel's voice bugs the crap out of me. Seriously, what is that accent? What are you doing?