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Article snippet: The circus is coming to town. As television executives make their way to New York to promote a new fall lineup — and ask themselves questions like “Will we find our own ‘This Is Us’ next year?” and “What’s the next old show we should revive?” — they are also starting to take stock of the season that is just wrapping up. One conclusion from the 2016-2017 television season: The gap between a hit and a dud is narrowing by the minute. A show with ratings that would have prompted cancellation not long ago can be the source of some relief these days — the viewership is not that bad, after all, goes the rationale. To wit: Fox announced during Upfront Week two years ago that “American Idol” was finished after 15 seasons. But on Tuesday, ABC will woo advertisers with a presentation for a revival of “American Idol,” arguing that the ratings that got it booted work perfectly now. This season, CBS had the biggest declines of the big four, it will finish as the most watched network for the 14th time in the last 15 years. Fox will finish No. 2 in the 18-49 demographic because of the Super Bowl and the World Series, but it sorely needs prime-time sizzle. As 21st Century Fox’s executive chairman, Lachlan Murdoch, told investors last week, the performance at the network has been “frustrating for us all.” And ABC — weathering another season without a hit while watching old franchises limp along — will finish last among 18-to-49-year-olds for the second consecutive year. As the net... Link to the full article to read more