May 11, 2015 4 min read

The rollout began Thursday morning.

• Fox retires “The Mindy Project”

• CBS picks up “Supergirl”

•ABC retires “Forever”

• CW chooses DC’s “Legends of Tomorrow”

• ABC retains “Fresh Off the Boat” for a second season

• ABC picks up “The Muppets”

• NBC passes of “Curse of the Fuentes Women”

• Fox retains “Bones” for an 11th season

• CBS retires “Battle Creek”

And so the announcements continued at 20- to 30-minute intervals through Thursday and Friday of last week, bearing an uncanny – or was it intentional? – resemblance to the NFL Draft.

In terms of drawing attention to the major networks’ picks for the fall season, it worked. Television websites were inundated with responses to each announcement that were every bit as opinionated, enthusiastic and frantic as those on draft day football sites.

Some viewers complained about the slow reveal from ABC (the only network that doesn’t telegraph its pickups in advance), while others harped about missing work to keep up with the barrage of TV scheduling news. And, of course, each cancellation of a new or veteran show brought extreme responses from fans.

I’m not sure if this two-day tease of the official 2015-16 television schedules (to be announced this week) is a new concept, but it certainly fulfilled something networks desperately need – proof that they are indeed “the big leagues” in the broadcast industry. If this faux network draft took place 20 or 30 years ago, it would certainly have been a big deal. I can distinctly recall, for instance, that when CBS canceled all of its rural comedies (“Beverly Hillbillies,” etc.) even though they were still Top 20 shows, It made the evening news on all three networks. But last week’s cancellation of “The Mindy Project,” was most likely relegated to side note status on syndicated entertainment shows.

I mention “The Mindy Project” not because I watched it, but rather because I didn’t. And that is the big news. For the first time in several years, networks dumped several shows with distinct younger appeal while adding a significant number of series that fit into their 1960s-80s wheelhouse (in other words, shows that might interest the over-50 crowd). Could it be that new network brass has finally identified the network brand as being “broad appeal”?

To be sure, networks still dismiss older viewers. On two recent vacations, I was solicited to watch new network shows and even offered a small stipend for doing so. But as soon as I told them my age, my opinions were no longer needed because “advertisers prefer younger viewers.” Although both tourist destinations advertise heavily on television, I suppose I understand that thinking. What I’ve never understood is why networks moved toward niche programming when cable was created for just that purpose – and because of less rigid standards, can do it so much better.

The real headline news, perhaps, is that networks finally seem to understand their rightful place in the 500-channel universe. This coming season, we’re getting “The Muppets,” “Supergirl,” a new look at “Coach” and several sitcoms in the mold of “The Middle,” “The Goldbergs,” “blackish” and “Fresh Off the Boat” (all of which were renewed) Most new dramas have broad appeal as well, even if several are crime procedurals. What we’re not getting, thankfully, are sitcoms aimed strictly at milennials, “Walking Dead” knockoffs (cable excels at this type of program) and high-concept dramas (a “Breaking Bad” on network TV would be a disaster). I’m not suggesting network programming need be stale or set the bar at an eighth-grade intelligence level to succeed. But programming does need to include a wider swath of audience.

This coming TV season, it seems to do just that.

By the way, if a network really wanted to spike daytime ratings for two days, it could broadcast last week’s network “draft.” Kermit holding up his ABC jersey – now that’s television!

The scoreboard

Some highlights from last week’s announcements:

Canceled: “About a Boy,” “Backstrom,” “Battle Creek,” “Constantine,” “Cristela,” “The Following,” “Forever,” “Hart of Dixie,” “The McCarthys,” “The Messenger,” “The Mindy Project,” “Resurrection,” “Revenge,” “Stalker” and “State of Affairs”

Renewed: ABC’s Wednesday comedies, “American Crime,” “Bones,” “Fresh Off the Boat,” “Galavant,” “Marvel’s Agent Carter” and “Secrets and Lies”

Added: “Angel From Hell” (Jane Lynch sitcom), “Coach,” “Code Black” (ER medical drama), “Criminal Minds” (Gary Sinise spinoff), “Grandfathered” (John Stamos sitcom), “Limitless” (based on the film), “The Muppets,” “Of Kings and Prophets” (Biblical saga), “Rush Hour” (based on the film), “Supergirl” and “Uncle Buck” (based on the film)

In limbo: “Last Man Standing,” “The Mysteries of Laura,” “Blue Bloods,””Hawaii 5-0,” “CSI.”