End of the stunts

As a faux tweet noted, NBC has officially canceled Minute To Win It and Fear Factor. Both had long since departed from NBC's schedule, but the honchos finally got around to the official axing.

Fear Factor may have grossed out too many execs with the donkey semen stunt. The ratings really weren't bad at all by NBC's woeful standards. Minute To Win It had served its purpose as all-round schedule spackle, and maybe Guy Fieri's static-cling hair got old for some people at the Peacock Net. (Just can't resist Variety speak today.)

Some online pundits complained that Minute was an inferior substitute for The Cube, its supposedly more august Brit cousin. I dunno, both shows were just retreads of Beat the Clock with a money tree thrown in. I never saw much reason to prefer one to the other, unless you were a big fan of British accents. And I still think Minute would do fine as a GSN pickup.

ABC is dithering over a renewal of Wipeout for the 2012-13 schedule. We should hear by Tuesday. At least the big balls get a summer run starting June 28. But the ratings have been weakening.

UPDATE: ABC sends out the upfront press release and Wipeout is nowhere to be seen. Looks like the big balls may deflate for good after this summer. After the upfront presentation ABC did confirm outright that Million Dollar Mind Game and You Deserve It are canceled. These are not huge surprises.