AXE-WIELDING SEASON...

Next month the US networks announce their preliminary autumn schedules, but already some big shows are heading for a "fall"...

As you know, ER has run its course and is going out with dignity in the geriatrics ward. Prison Break suffered a massive ratings slump in season 4, so that's gone.

Brit actors are suffering (maybe a touch of US trade protectionism?):  Pushing Daisies (Anna Friel) and Eli Stone (Jonny Lee Miller) are cut and Eleventh Hour (Rufus Sewell) isn't looking good for renewal (hope it's not because it lost the "Who are the new Mulder & Scully?" head-to-head with Fringe on Barking At The TV). Damien Lewis's Life looks under threat too. Remakes of Brit shows are also faring badly: as well as Eleventh Hour, Worst Week (from the Ben Miller farce) is gone and Life On Mars bombed. The Sam Tyler actor, Jason O'Mara, was too square-jawed, Harvey Keitel was too serious as Gene Hunt and Michael Imperioli had to carry all the comedy on his own... 

In the animation world, King Of The Hill makes way for the new hit Sit Down, Shut Up (which was a live-action Aussie show, but has been remade as animation by the Arrested Development team) and possibly for unlikely Family Guy spin-off The Cleveland Show (which seems like an April Fool's gag that's gone too far).

Also looking doubtful for renewal is the narrative mess that is Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. And another sci-fi brand is tarnished too: Joss Whedon of Buffy fame, looks like scoring a second miss in a row with Dollhouse (although, unlike Firefly, this humourless bore doesn't deserve renewal).

In the balance are dramas The Unit, Cold Case and Without A Trace; and comedies Scrubs (don't worry, there's the usual petitions) and My Name Is Earl.

Definitely ongoing are Lost (of course), 24 and Heroes; plus procedurals Bones, NCIS, the CSIs and Law & Orders. 

Of new shows, Fringe goes to a second season, hooray, but so does The Mentalist, yawn. And One Brit keeps his job: Tim Roth's Lie To Me (coming to Sky 1 soon) continues. Make that two Brits: House will return for a 6th season with Hugh Laurie.

For the ladies... Brothers & Sisters, Grey's Anatomy, Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives are all go.

And for laughs... Comedy's first lady, Tina Fey, will make more 30 Rock (although the other Rock, Chris, loses his voiceover role on Everybody Hates Chris); The Office: An American Workplace marches on; and Paramount can fill space with repeats of Two & A Half Men for another few years. Finally, the three big animation sit-coms, The Simpsons, Family Guy and American Dad, are green-lit too.