Amy Poehler's comedy about a small-town Indiana bureaucrat won the biggest show of support in USA TODAY's 15th annual Save Our Shows poll, which asks viewers whether wavering programmers should keep or drop 22 scripted series "on the bubble" between renewal and cancellation.
Among more than 62,000 voters, Parks won a thumbs-up from 39%, followed closely by other low-rated cult favorites: NBC's family drama Parenthood, which finished its third season in February, nabbed 38%; and Fox's freaktastic sci-fi series Fringe drew 37% support. (Those Fringe fans have reason to cheer: The network renewed the series Thursday for a final, 13-episode season.)
PHOTOS: The voting results
MORE: Readers send out an SOS
Community, a big social-media magnet and, like Parks, part of NBC's flagging Thursday comedy lineup, ranked fourth with 33% voting to keep it.
"Parks and Rec is one of the funniest sitcoms on television, and there aren't enough on TV now," wrote Lori Leitch of River Falls, Wis. "Some of us do not like reality shows, and we are tired of the cop dramas."
Rex Henry of Washington, D.C., argues for "the Arrested Development defense," referring to Fox's beloved but canceled comedy now being resurrected by Netflix. "Subtle, witty and smart shows like Community and Parks and Recreation, a imed at intelligent viewers, get passed by for the popular programs which cater to the general audiences with cheap jokes, everyday Joe familiarity and emotional responses. Would shows like Seinfeld and Fraser actually make it in today's programming schedule?"
And Fringe had perhaps the most passionate backers. Victoria Schultz of Edwardsville, Ill., calls it "by far one of the greatest shows on TV. My entire family watches, from my 45-year-old husband to my 13-year-old son. I have never been a fan of sci-fi, but somehow or another, this show has gotten it right."
All your votes, our best guess
What your 62,000-plus votes said in our
15th annual survey, and the outlook
from USA TODAY's Gary Levin:
Keep/Drop/Outlook
• Parks and Recreation (NBC) 39%/22%/Promising, but not a shoo-in.
• Parenthood (NBC) 38%/21%/Tossup; ended season in February.
• Fringe (Fox) 37%/18%/Just renewed for fifth and final 13-episode season.
• Community (NBC) 33%/21%/Cult contender despite low ratings.
• CSI: NY (CBS) 32%/25%/Younger spinoff is battling with CSI: Miami for spot on schedule.
• Alcatraz (Fox) 29%/17%/Odds dimming for J.J. Abrams prison mystery.
• CSI: Miami (CBS) 29%/31%/See CSI: NY.
• Unforgettable (CBS) 28%/21%/Potential casualty as CBS lacks space for new shows.
• Rules of Engagement (CBS) 28%/26%/Chances improve if CBS opts for expanded Thursday comedy block.
• Touch (Fox) 27%/21%/Looking good for a second season.
• Cougar Town (ABC) 26%/36%/Slight chance for Tuesday comeback.
• Up All Night (NBC) 25%/27%/Tossup pending NBC’s comedy needs.
• Missing (ABC) 24%/24%/Likely missing from ABC’s schedule.
• Private Practice (ABC) 22%/32%/Could go either way.
• Whitney (NBC) 20%/39%/Still in contention, though Cummings has new talk show on E!
• GCB (ABC) 18%/37%/Controversy, low ratings equal cancellation.
• Nikita (CW) 14%/28%/Cheated death last year; will it repeat?
• Rob! (CBS) 8%/42%/Not much enthusiasm for sitcom unless pilots are weak.
• Secret Circle (CW) 7%/29%/Potential, but CW in need of overhaul.
• Breaking In (Fox) 6%/23%/Dead.
• 90210 (CW) 5%/44%/Better than even odds for a return.
• Napoleon Dynamite (Fox) 4%/43%/Not promising; animation would spell lengthy delay.
One hopeless case to save:
• Harry’s Law (NBC) 25%
• Terra Nova (Fox) 17%
• Pan Am (ABC) 14%
One sure thing to kill:
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) 26%
• Glee (Fox) 16%
• Gossip Girl (CW) 10%
• Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) 10%
• 2 Broke Girls (CBS) 10%
Source: USA TODAY online survey
of 62,539 respondents
Voters were least enthused about Fox's animated spinoff of Napoleon Dynamite (just 4% want it back), CW's 90210 (5%) and Fox comedy Breaking In (6%). And by another measure, CBS' Rob Schneider sitcom, Rob, was also loathed, with 42% of voters urging CBS to drop the midseason series. In the battle for survival between spinoffs CSI: NY and CSI: Miami, the Big Apple version won, with 32% voting to keep it, compared with 29% support for Miami.
We also asked voters which of about 10 probable returnees they'd have killed (CBS' Two and a Half Men won by a wide margin over runner-up Glee) and, conversely, which doomed show they'd save (NBC's Harry's Law, also by a long shot over second-place Terra Nova).
Allegiances were predictable among age groups: Voters 50 and older were the biggest supporters of CBS' CSI duo, Unforgettable and ABC's Missing, while thirtysomethings were the most ardent boosters of Community, Parks and another NBC comedy, Up All Night, along with Napoleon and 90210. Napoleon, Rob and CBS' perennial bubble show Rules of Engagement won most of their support from men, while predictably, ABC's Private Practice and GCB were much more heavily favored by women.
What are the odds that voters will be pleased? Which of two CSIs makes the grade is a tossup, as one (but not both) will likely be canceled to make room for a newcomer. Some shows' chances will be bolstered by networks' desire to expand their sitcom lineups, and given NBC's low ratings, it's possible that < i>Community and Parks will both be renewed.
"We're not counting our chickens, but I'm hopeful we get another season," says Parks executive producer Michael Schur, joking that even "Tuesday mornings after the Today show, we'd be fine with that." He appreciates that fans have been "very passionate about it and care very deeply" but is a bit perplexed by the invented rivalry with Community.
"The funny thing on the Internet is that people argue which one is better, and it's so silly to me," Schur says. "I don't see why there has to be a winner declared. There's no competition between us at all. Everybody should stop arguing and pull for both shows to succeed."
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