TV Deathlist

For some, it was the moment that Dr. Doug Ross left the ER after five seasons, leaving behind the woman he loved and the show we loved. For others, it was when "Felicity" lead Keri Russell cut off her trademark curls in a desperate bid for attention. Or when Dick Sargent replaced Dick York as Darrin on "Bewitched." (Did they really think we wouldn't notice?) Whenever it happens, every great TV show has one — that undeniable moment after which the plot becomes increasingly convoluted and the characters act more and more out-of-character. Finally, the storyline collapses, and the show devolves into an over-dramatic, sappy mess. Instead of dragging out this long and painful death, TV execs should be merciful and give these primetime staples the axe.

"7th Heaven"

One clue that a show should really be cancelled is when it is cancelled and then brought back to life again. After the set was shut down last season because of bloated production costs, "7th Heaven" was reborn, in true Biblical fashion, on a new network after its supposed finale received high ratings. But after 10 seasons of the longest-running family drama on TV, most of the Camden kids have grown up, left the nest and subsequently left the show.

The show has seemed to lose most of its creative edge as well, because, after all, there are only so many do-gooder moral lessons that can be adapted into episodes. CW executives should take note of waning viewership and axe the show — for real this time.
"7th Heaven" airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on the CW.

"Survivor"

Back in 2000, the debut of "Survivor" heralded the dawn of a new era: the genre of television we now know as reality TV, propelling time-honored TV traditions of exploitation, inanity and obscenity to even greater prominence. The real-life struggles of 16 castaways stranded on a deserted island made for great television — for the first few seasons, at least. Well into its 13th season, though, viewers are tired of exaggerated truths and sick of the same-old same-old backstabbing, immunities and tribal councils.

In what seemed like a desperate ploy for ratings, after seasons upon seasons of adventures set in the Australian outback, Africa and on every tropical island known to man, this season, the producers switched it up by separating the castaways by race. The move left viewers confused — did the creators run out of ideas, or were they just desperate for any type of attention at all, however controversial it may be?

The tribe has spoken — it's time for "Survivor" to be voted off the island.
"Survivor: Cook Islands" airs Thursdays at 8:00 on CBS.

"ER"

Like "Survivor," "ER" celebrated its 13th birthday this season, and even for a formulaic show, it's starting to get repetitive. There's always that five-car pileup that leaves multiple people in critical condition; the perky nurse and dreamy doctor who bond over the bone saws, the naïve intern faced with a life-or-death ethical dilemma, the plane crash that brings together the whole ER team, yadda yadda yadda.

No more original cast members remain, (most killed off in bizarre and dramatic ways) and although John Stamos joined the cast this season, even his good looks can't salvage the show. It arguably set the pace for many of the medical dramas of today, but it's time that ER is finally pronounced dead — DNR: do not resuscitate.
"ER" airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. on NBC.

"The OC"

Barely into its fourth season, "The O.C," which started out as a fresh twist to the age-old "bad boy meets good girl" romance, has already turned stale. Season one of FOX's breakout teen drama was addictive, enthralling millions of teens with a glimpse into the privileged lives of those gorgeous, rich and troubled California teens. Though outrageous, it worked — "The O.C." never failed to entertain. Who could resist those beachside parties where a brawl would inevitably break out or those weekly galas where Marissa would get drunk?

This was a show completely founded on the suspension of disbelief — in real life, would a rich lawyer ever adopt the troubled delinquent he's been assigned to represent? — but sometime during the second season, creator Josh Schwartz's plotlines turned from the satisfyingly escapist to the flat-out ridiculous. Ryan's new love interest turned out to be (surprise!) Kirsten's half-sister and Caleb's illegitimate love child, and Marissa decided she was a lesbian.

FOX execs already reduced the number of episodes for this season to 16, so the end may be thankfully in sight, but in case they don't get the message: Cancel "The O.C' and put the poor scriptwriters — and audiences — out of their misery.
"The O.C." airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on FOX.

With November sweeps behind us, the first slew of 2006 primetime shows has just been cancelled. These shows never reached hit status — they never even made it to a second season. May they rest in peace.

"Justice": There are already too many smart-talking lawyer shows on the air, and the viewers have evidently had enough. Case closed.

"The Nine": A critical darling, this drama about the nine survivors of a bank robbery garnered consistently poor ratings and has subsequently been pulled from the airwaves until further notice. Translation? It's been cancelled.

"Vanished": The tale of a kidnapped Senator's wife, "Vanished" never really got off the ground amidst all the other superior thrillers like "Heroes" and "Lost."

"Kidnapped": In a show eerily similar to "Vanished," a wealthy New Yorker's son is kidnapped, revealing dark secrets about the family. Sounds intriguing, but not intriguing enough to stop NBC from pulling the plug.