TV Heartbeat! Game of Thrones starts season 6! Health check on all network shows!

The big news around the screens this week is the return of Game of Thrones! In other news, networks have a few weeks left to finalize their line up for the next season so here’s a look on who may be returning!

On Sunday we will finally (finally!) see how Jon Snow gets resurrected. HBO and the cast have said “Jon Snow is dead” about a million times so, yes, our pretty crow is probably dead. But with the episode titled “The Red Woman,” I think we can expect Melisande and her powers to play a major role. But the big questions is where is Ghost?!?

HBO is pairing their marquee show with the return of Veep and Silicon Valley. Yep, lots of good stuff on HBO!

BTW — HBO is having a free preview weekend so EVERYONE can see the first episode of season 6 this Sunday.

Have you noticed the AMC commercials for Turn: Washington’s Spies this season? They start off with Alexander Hamilton and only mention Washington at the end. They are not throwing away their shot! Rise up!

In the home stretch for the network season (May sweeps begins next week), several shows are returning including the final episodes of Mike & Molly which ends its run this season. Melissa McCarthy clearly has other things waiting for her.

History wraps up another successful season of Vikings, it’s anchor show.

Tonight: Deadbeat debut (Hulu), Scream season premiere (MTV)
Thursday: Inside Amy Schumer season premiere (Comedy), Vikings season finale (History)
Sunday: Game of Thrones season premiere (HBO), Veep season premiere (HBO), Silicon Valley season premiere (HBO), I am Cait series finale (E!)
Monday: Turn: Washington’s Spies season premiere (AMC), Scorpion season finale (CBS), Lucifer season finale (Fox), Reign (The CW) and Mike & Molly (CBS) return
Tuesday: Limitless season (series?) finale (CBS)

Health check

It’s that time of year again! The broadcast networks are deciding the fate of TV for the next year. Final announcements will be out in mid-May, but here’s the low down on the shows which have NOT been officially renewed:

Healthy: American Crime (ABC), Dr. Ken (ABC), Last Man Standing (ABC), The Real O’Neals (ABC), Criminal Minds (CBS), Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders (CBS), Life in Pieces (CBS), Limitless (CBS), The Odd Couple (CBS), Supergirl (CBS), Family Guy (Fox), Grandfathered (Fox), The X-Files (Fox)

Given the boffo ratings, Fox wants The X-Files to come back, but it’s a matter of what they can negotiate. Since fans thought the season was a bit uneven in terms of quality, any return probably wouldn’t be quite as highly rated, but it would still be a winner for the struggling network.

Needs help: Galavant (ABC), Agent Carter (ABC), The Catch (ABC), The Muppets (ABC), Nashville (ABC), Code Black (CBS), Sleepy Hollow (Fox)

The ratings for Galavant and Agent Carter aren’t huge, but both shows got surprise renewals last year so there is still hope. ABC has a pilot for another Marvel show in the works so Marvel’s Most Wanted (with Mockingbird and Hunter), may take that winter slot from Agent Carter.

Sleepy Hollow had what could’ve been a series finale with the departure of one of the lead characters. The ratings definitely dipped this season and, even if Fox grades on a curved for that move to Friday, odds are not great that we’ll see all 7 years of Ichabod’s tribulations.

At the morgue: The Family (ABC), CSI: Cyber (CBS), Rush Hour (CBS), Bordertown (Fox), Second Chance (Fox), The Grinder (Fox), Telenovela (NBC), Undateable (NBC)

I have to say I’m glad that the cringe-worthy Rush Hour falls into this category. It was horrible enough as a 2 hour film. Why would a weekly hour of horrible black and Asian stereotypes sound like a good idea? Ugh. Buh bye!

Buried: Blood & Oil (ABC), Of Kings and Prophets (ABC), Wicked City (ABC), Angel from Hell (CBS), Mike & Molly (CBS), Person of Interest (CBS), The Good Wife (CBS), Cooper Barrett’s Guide to Surviving Life (Fox), Minority Report (Fox), Crowded (NBC), Heroes Reborn (NBC), Heartbeat (NBC), The Carmichael Show (NBC), Game of Silence (NBC), The Mysteries of Laura (NBC), The Player (NBC), Truth Be Told (NBC) You, Me and the Apocalypse (NBC)

Lots of comedies and high concept genres got their official walking papers this year. ABC is reportedly looking at more procedurals and fewer soap operas next year so we may see less ambitious concepts in the fall.

Didn’t see your favorite network show in this list? Than it was renewed for the season. Well, except for newbie Containment which is now called a “limited series” since The CW already renewed their entire programming slate so there’s no room for this late season arrival.

Stay tuned!