Jeremy Renner, "The Unusuals" (though that's not what the picture is from)

Nomination Status: Wishful Thinking, Part 4

Bottom Line: In not renewing "The Unusuals," ABC broke a cardinal rule: If you have a star-on-the-rise under contract, you don't let that star escape just because the ratings stink. Thanks to "Hurt Locker," Jeremy Renner's profile is rising with every week and when he's in the Oscar conversation and he gets an Indie Spirit nomination, his profile will just keep on rising. And ABC will sit there and go, "Hmmm... Maybe if we'd renewed 'The Unusuals' and held it for midseason, we might have had a new hook upon which to promote it." And then they'll go, "Ooops." Renner's performance on "The Unusuals" wasn't showy, but it was confident and interesting. And the show was quirky and distinctive. No wonder ABC didn't want it around. [And to be fair, yes, ratings for "The Unusuals" were horrid. But still...]