US series including Dracula, The Tomorrow People, Intelligence, Almost Human and Believe won’t return for a second season.
The cull by US networks ahead of this year’s pilot screenings will leave gaps on British TV channels including Sky 1, Sky Living, Watch, E4, ITV and Channel 4.
Channel 4 also loses kidnap drama Hostages, but it will be relieved that Agents of S.H.I.E.LD. has been given a reprieve despite lacklustre performance.
Broadcasters from around the world gather at the LA Screenings in May to see the US networks’ new shows, but there’s always a ruthless cull of older shows.
As ever, the axe has fallen hardest on shows in their first year which haven’t established a broad audience in the US, even if they’ve won fans.
Sky will need to replace new sci-fi thriller Intelligence and two-year-old drama Revolution on Sky 1, and while NBC has driven a stake through Sky Living’s co-production of Dracula.
Watch suffers badly, losing Alfonso Cuaron-created Believe, JJ Abrams-backed Almost Human as it begins its run, and Crisis featuring Gillian Anderson before it’s even aired.
The Tomorrow People had been a ratings hit for E4 despite the absence of vampires or werewolves, but it’s been axed by teen network The CW, while CBS cancelled Hostages with Toni Collette.
Other losses include Friends With Better Lives on Comedy Central, Rake on Universal Channel and Dads on ITV, which had high-profile backing from Family Guy’s Seth Macfarlane.
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