'90210' and 'PO5' won't be returning
Fox has slots to fill, including possible 'X-Files' exit
"Party of Five," now in its sixth season, will also retire after this broadcast year.
The "90210" news is a bit of a surprise since two weeks ago, Fox execs said the sudser would likely air as many as 12 fresh episodes in the summer, and return for an 11th season (Daily Variety, Jan. 11.) But web execs were apparently unwilling to continue to pay the ever-increasing license fees on the Spelling-produced "90210," which hover around $2.2 million per episode.
With two of its long-term players departing the sked, and the possibility that "The X-Files" also might end, Fox may be forced to fill a large number of holes in its primetime lineup this fall.
As for "90210," the skein's high cost and cast departures all fueled the decisions to pull the plug.
Both "90210" and "Party," two longtime Wednesday stalwarts, have also stumbled in the ratings since being separated this season.
Season to date, "90210" has averaged 8.4 million viewers, while "PO5," which moved to Tuesdays this season, has averaged 6.8 million viewers.
Many of "90210's" remaining original cast members, including Brian Austin Green and possibly even Tori Spelling, were planning on leaving the show at the end of the season. The same is true at "Party of Five": Neve Campbell, among others, was also expected to depart if the show had been renewed.
Fox is unlikely to go forward with a "90210" spinoff.
