Check Your Local Listings

The new network television season started a few weeks ago with plenty of shows vying for your attention. But the trouble with choosing which new program to watch goes beyond just the quality of the show. One also has to wonder; how quickly could this get cancelled?
Back before the onslaught of cable channels, television shows generally got half a season to prove themselves. That would usually mean around 13 episodes, less if the show was a summer/mid-season replacement series. If a network was floundering in third place, a show would sometimes be given more time, mostly due to a lack of a better option. Of course, if the show was a disaster and had no audience, the axe would naturally drop sooner. The quick axe would happen a couple times a season.
But now with so many choices competing for your eyeballs, the shelf life of a new show seems much shorter. Shows now get cancelled (or put on hiatus) after two, maybe three airings. A television program now has to get out of the gate quickly, or it's put down. And with the current trend of shows with continuing plotlines, it's hard to know what show to invest time in. Fans of "Reunion" discovered that last season. I don't know much about the show expect that it was to follow a group of classmates over I believe a 20 year span and a murder was involved. The show got cancelled and the murderer never revealed. And while the show didn't have a big audience, there were a few million people left with a big question mark.
Of course, big ratings early don't guarantee anything either. Remember "Commander in Chief"? One of the best rated new dramas to start the season, but cancelled by the end of the season. But there, you're dealing with a lot of internal problems that lead to the decline in viewership.
FOX seems to be the most inconsistant with the handling of shows, as they'll nurture some and quickly cancel others. "House" didn't start strong, but when paired with "American Idol", it found an audience, and now does quite well. Meanwhile, "Arrested Development" received strong critical support, but never found an audience. Many fans were upset when it wasn't brought back this year, but I'm more amazed that FOX stuck with it for three seasons. However, FOX is also the quickest in pulling the trigger. When "Family Guy" returned to the air, one segment had Peter naming the shows that had been cancelled on FOX during the time "Family Guy" was off the air. It's quite a list.
I don't know how these frequent schedule changes effect viewers. After all, I've found a couple new shows that have piqued my interest, but with some trepidation. I guess before I sit down, I'll need to check my local listings.