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NEW YORK — Harold Perrineau is waiting for a simple yes or no.
He’s waiting, just like his co-stars on ABC’s quirky new cop drama “The Unusuals” (including Amber Tamblyn, Adam Goldberg and Terry Kinney) and the rest of the cast and crew.
“It’s nail-biting time,” says Perrineau. “I’m trying to be cool, but I’m knotted up.”
Welcome to TV’s waiting game, an annual event playing out at dozens of network TV series that are neither slam-dunk hits nor terminal flops but instead (in industry lingo) “on the bubble,” their fate undetermined as each network formulates a fall prime-time schedule.
NBC will unveil its roster Monday. Will struggling series such as “Chuck,” “Medium” or “My Name Is Earl” make the cut, competing for precious NBC real estate against other contenders such as the just-launched Amy Poehler comedy “Parks and Recreation” and gritty police drama “Southland,” not to mention Jay Leno’s forthcoming weeknight hour (which will seize nearly one-quarter of the schedule)? Wait and see what NBC’s scheduling calculus serves up!
At ABC, CBS, Fox and the CW, the waiting game will drag on a bit longer: Upfront week for those networks kicks off May 18.
ABC has already jumped the gun, inviting back a dozen series including “Brothers & Sisters,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Ugly Betty.” But the future remains murky for other ABC shows, such as newcomers “Castle,” “Cupid” and “The Unusuals” (10 p.m. Wednesday).
As the creator-producer of the CBS sitcom “Rules of Engagement,” Tom Hertz is sharing pins and needles with other members of his show. The show is halfway through its 13-episode third season, currently airing at 9:30 p.m. Mondays.
CBS announces its fall lineup to advertisers on May 20. Hertz may not hear the verdict until only days before.