Every fall a slew of shows, from highly anticipated new programs to returning fan favorites, are axed within weeks of their premieres. On the brighter side, a few get off to a strong start, are heralded as hits, and are even picked up for an entire season. Click through this slideshow to see if your adored shows are showing signs of life.Tuesday, October, 20, 2009, 8:20 PM

"The Good Wife" (CBS) // Apparently, I'm not the only one excited about Julianna Margulies' return to TV. Her addictive freshmen series, "The Good Wife," is averaging a healthy 13.5 million viewers through the first few weeks of fall, making it the second most-watched new drama of the season. With such a strong start and an incredibly talented cast (which includes Emmy winner Christine Baranski and "Sex and the City's" Chris Noth), it came as no surprise when CBS gave the series a full-season pickup after only three airings. CBS/Jason Bell - Tuesday, October, 20, 2009, 8:20 PM

"The Cleveland Show" (FOX) // With "King of the Hill" booted from FOX's "Animation Domination" Sunday lineup, a new show was needed to fill the void between "The Simpsons" and "Family Guy." Enter, "The Cleveland Show," Seth MacFarlane's latest laugher featuring a relocated Cleveland Brown and his motley crew. Speaking of motley crews, all you early supporters of the show should be smiling. In an unprecedented move, FOX recently announced that they have given Seth the greenlight to produce two entire seasons of the comedy, meaning you'll be seeing it on the tube 'til at least the spring of 2011.FOX - Tuesday, October, 20, 2009, 8:20 PM

"The Hills" (MTV) // Everyone said that "The Hills" wouldn't survive sans LC (that's Lauren Conrad for those of you who aren't in the know). Well, truth be told, her departure was a blessing in disguise. Why? Two things: 1) Because she was boring and 2) Because "The Hills" is better than ever thanks to the return of "Laguna Beach" baddie Kristin Cavallari. A sixth season of the show has yet to be announced, but it would be a big mistake on MTV's part to extinguish KCav's fire just as she's starting to heat things up!MTV - Tuesday, October, 20, 2009, 8:20 PM

"The Vampire Diaries" (The CW) // When "The Vampire Diaries" premiered on September 10, 2009, many assumed the supernatural drama would meet an early demise thanks to "Twilight" and "True Blood" overload. Well, the show's debut proved that hordes of young women were thirsty for more. With nearly 5 million viewers on board, it was only a matter of weeks before The CW championed its first homegrown hit and ordered nine additional scripts, bringing its total episode count to 22 (a full season).The CW/Andrew Eccles - Tuesday, October, 20, 2009, 8:20 PM

"Modern Family" (ABC) // Finally! ABC has a comedy hit (actually two, if you count "Cougar Town"). Yes, it's been years. And, yes, we've been waiting for a funny combo since the Disney-owned network dared to pair "Home Improvement" with "Grace Under Fire" back in 1993. (Yes, we feel old.) In any case, "Modern Family" has quickly become a critical darling of the fall season (for good reason). Along with solid ratings and a decent lead-out at 9:30, the ABC suits were excited to hand out early full-season pickups to "Modern Family," "Cougar Town," and "The Middle" after a mere three outings. ABC/Bob D'Amico - Tuesday, October, 20, 2009, 8:20 PM

"Hoarders" (A&E) // If you think the show's subjects are obsessive, lemme tell you how obsessed everyone I know is with this program. Debuting as the most-watched series premiere in A&E history, this mesmerizing hour is a bonafide, buzz-worthy hit. And, like fellow A&E docu-series "Intervention," "Hoarders" is quickly becoming a favorite of critics and fans alike. So, when the Emmy noms are announced next summer, I expect to see it in the running for Outstanding Reality Program (non-competition) . AE / Screaming Flea Productions - Tuesday, October, 20, 2009, 8:20 PM

"Glee" (FOX) // It's quirky. It's bawdy. It's quotable. It's unique. It's Ryan Murphy. And, it's totally fabulous. It’s "Glee." With many things going for it, including undeniably awesome musical routines, a talented cast of kids, and a tart-tongued Jane Lynch as the despicable cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester, the sing-along's immediate rise to stardom has proven that jazz hands are fashionable, dorks are adorable, and that FOX is once again capable of programming something edgy. And, with a full season order, we couldn't be more excited. FOX/Matthias Clamer - Tuesday, October, 20, 2009, 8:20 PM

"FlashForward" (ABC) // How's this for a compliment? After grabbing "FlashForward" from HBO, ordering a pilot, and greenlighting 13 episodes, ABC announced on October 12th it had picked up the series for a full 22-episode season after the sci-fi actioner impressed in three outings. Then, later that same day, the network requested three additional shows, taking the total to 25. For a freshman series?! Now that's some job security. ABC/Bob D'Amico - Tuesday, October, 20, 2009, 8:20 PM

"Bored to Death" (HBO) // With "The Sopranos" and "Sex and the City" long gone and "Entourage" on its last legs, HBO is in desperate need of another successful show. "True Blood" and "Big Love" can only do so much to bolster the brand. But, thanks to a strong lead-in like "Curb Your Enthusiasm," the noir-influenced Jason Schwartzman starrer is averaging a respectable 1 million-plus viewers per episode and has already been renewed for a second season. HBO/Paul Schiraldi - Tuesday, October, 20, 2009, 8:20 PM

"NCIS: Los Angeles" (CBS) // Chris O'Donnell? Check. LL Cool J? Check. NCIS in the title? Check. Seriously, what else does a show need? Needless to say, it should come as no surprise that "NCIS: Los Angeles" has already been crowned the breakout show of the fall season. In an era of rapidly declining ratings, this procedural is already arresting over 17 million fans each and every Tuesday. And, to date, it's the second most-watched program in primetime, trailing only its predecessor "NCIS" by a few million eyeballs. CBS/Joseph Cultise - Tuesday, October, 20, 2009, 8:20 PM

"Top Chef," "Flipping Out," and "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" (BRAVO) // August and September of this year were the most successful months for Bravo in the network's storied history. Who's to thank? Besides Senior Vice President of Production and Programming, Andy Cohen? Padma Lakshmi, Jeff Lewis, and NeNe Leakes, the respective stars of "Top Chef," "Flipping Out," and "The Real Housewives of Atlanta." Buoyed by massive ratings increases, top-dollar demographics, and rabid fans, these veterans are here to stay. Bravo/F. Scott Schafer, Vivian Zink, Quantrell Colbert - Tuesday, October, 20, 2009, 8:20 PM

"Stargate Universe" (SyFy) // With the beloved "Battlestar Galactica" off the air after an impressive four-year run, nerds around the world needed something to repair their broken hearts. Luckily, "Stargate Universe" was ready and willing to fill the void. And by scoring the best premiere performance in the network's history (with well over 2 million viewers), the latest installment of the sci-fi franchise can essentially guarantee itself a second, and likely a third, season.Syfy/Art Streiber - Tuesday, October, 20, 2009, 8:20 PM

"The Next Iron Chef" (Food Network) // The majority of TV fans don't tend to get too excited when it comes to the premiere of a show on the Food Network (Don't get me wrong; I toally love me some "Ace of Cakes" and all things Paula Deen). But, the numbers "The Next Iron Chef" garnered in its debut were bountiful and beyond delicious. Granted, the cable network is currently riding a wave of success (coming off a super-strong summer), but with millions of hungry fans to feed, it doesn't look like they'll be burning this show off anytime soon. The Food Network - Tuesday, October, 20, 2009, 8:20 PM

"The Jay Leno Show" (NBC) // Despite its dismal ratings performance (sorry, but an average of 5.5 million viewers at 10pm on a major network isn't impressive even if the show's production costs pale in comparison to TV dramas) and a devastating dismissal from the critics, NBC is sticking with their go-to guy and his variety show for at least an entire calendar year. His contract has him on-board at the Peacock 'til 2013, but don't bank on seeing Jay (or his chin) in primetime 5 days a week come next fall. NBC/Mitchell Haaseth - Tuesday, October, 20, 2009, 8:20 PM