I'd like to see J.J. Abrams limited to 2-seasons for any show. Give him 48 episodes in which to tell the story, so we don't have "Alias seasons 3-5" or "Lost seasons 3+" where the world just goes haywire. Let him create his fantastic characters, a few dozen storylines, and bring them all together. No more, "Oh, wait, we've got another season to fill, so let's just turn the whole mythos on its head!"

Word, word, WORD. Especially about the Nielsen ratings. I am so sick of those things being gospel when industry people have evidence that people are watching the shows at other times (after TiVOing) or in other formats (online).

If we lose another Joss show before a full season I may not make it... I fully agree on EVERYTHING listed above.

Anybody out there remember ANTHOLOGY SHOWS? They had a different story every week,usually based on a common theme.TWILIGHT ZONE,OUTER LIMITS,ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS,and Boris Karloff's THRILLER are just a few examples.It would be way cool to have these type of shows come back again,as opposed to Jay Leno in prime time.WHO'S DOWN WITH ME ON THIS? LEMME HEAR YA!!!

I think everyone knows exactly why Private Practice is still on the air: Shonda Rhimes created it. If anyone other than ABC's Grey's Anatomy golden girl had created that show, the plug would have been pulled right along with Pushing Daisies and Dirty Sexy Money -- and a network and a rating system that would deny us more steamy Blair Underwood shower scenes must be held accountable!! (ok, on that point I may be a bit biased... plus let me be the 1,232,429th person to say I wish Ned's magic death-defying touch could be used on the series) Hey, I was the one who thought CBS should have aired the original Blackpool along with captions -- no shame in that. And if there was a way to anonymously submit the programs I actually watch, both on TV and (ahem!) online, I'd participate. Maybe certain science fiction programs would run here uncut (geez, just give it a 1 and 1/2 hour time slot!) and in prime time without US fans having to wait and hope the episodes get picked up and run on cable networks and public television... eventually.

UK and Aussie shows have a big advantage over US shows because they generally only run for a few seasons, and those seasons have far fewer episodes. As a result, the shows are better quality. Kath and Kim has only 8 episodes per season, and the great great great Summer Heights High has, I think, only 8 total? (Which I have watched approximately 27 times each over the past year and a half, and which I hope people are watching on HBO; I no longer live in the US, or I would be!!).

Then of course there's The Office, which was remade from a 12-episode run to a long-standing US series. Luckily I loved the US series, but I think most hardcore fans would agree that the show could have, SHOULD have, ended on the Season 3 finale. It was perfect, and would have preserved the series in its heyday.

So maybe the issue isn't why some great shows are getting cancelled, but why do so many shows go on FOREVER???

(Don't get me wrong, though. If American TV is going to continue to pump out episodes like crazy, I agree with everyone else that it needs to be for the quality shows, not the pieces of crap that keep inexplicably getting renewed.)

Order shows by the season or greater. Meaning no 3-episode shows. No back-9. None of this nonsense. Full orders or no orders, as well as notice on whether it will be renewed or not, so that every show has time to tell at least a specific story before cancellation. I'm sick of watching them air just a few installments of what could be a very good story and then replace it with Who Wants To Marry My Brother: San Francisco or whatever.

I think the execs need to come to sites like this all the time and read what the actual viewers are saying. They'd learn a lot. I was a fan of Moonlight and I was just so angry when they ended it. Every site on the web was saying how big the fan response was to the show but because the Nielson ratings weren't high enough, they still cut it. Luckily I have my dose of vampire love with True Blood, but I'd still be watching Moonlight if it was still on. If one more of my shows gets replaced by reality t.v. I will scream!! I hate reality t.v. It's more scripted than dramas. The need to listen to the viewers or give every other home a Nielsen box.

Private Practice's 10pm timeslot is hardly plum, but the fact is it gets the all-important demos in that slot, and is doing far better than any recent show in that timeslot. Even the repeats garnered 4.5m - the same as an ORIGINAL Pushing Daisies episode. Those bitter about the fate of Pushing Daisies should look for another target to vent at. That show (together with DSM) failed to pull the ratings or the demos so it was axed. End of story.

I hate it when when shows abandon characters you've cared about for bright shiny new ones that aren't half as interesting or well thought-out. And yes HOUSE, I'm talking about you!

So I don't know anyone who has a Nielsen Box but my Mom works for them. Does that count? Some people get the box in their house for a long period of time. Some people get the grid diary for a week or two. Some people get called and asked "What is your TV showing right now?"

If "reality" TV must continue to exist, I'd prefer it were limited to competition programs, like Amazing Race and Project Runway, were participants have to demonstrate a skill other than immediate removal of their clothing and/or staged tantrums.

I can't believe no one has stated this yet, but considering that we now officially have our first black president, how about more television series with lead actors who are minorities? Even with Obama as prez, there is still a striking absence of people of color (not only black, but also asian, hispanic, middle-eastern) doing anything but playing supporting roles on TV. It's time for TV to wake up and realize that its 2009.

And while we are on the subject, how about more plotlines for women that don't involve the two golden oldie standards: marriage and pregnancy. As if these are the only two possible plotlines that can make women interesting.

Commercials, whether on TV or online, must not be broadcast at a louder volume than the regular programming.

I agree that people may not understand the original versions of Aussie or British shows. As an Aussie, let me be the first to volunteer as a reviewer for TWoP to explain the nuances of Australian humour. As long as I don't have to review Aussie soaps - you think the American ones are bad? You know nothing!