13 with the option to pick up the back nine if the show does well in the ratings.

During the summer (from four weeks after the upfronts or four weeks after the season finale--whichever comes later), casting changes to the main cast are not a spoiler. This was that Big Thing we went through, before the final season of Angel (or possibly the final season of BtVS).

From the FAQ:

Q. Are all casting news items considered spoilers?
A. Most. When in doubt, treat them as spoilers (see previous Q&A). Certain main cast information is allowed during the Northern Hemisphere's summer off-season, under our Summer Casting Rules.

Major casting changes, to the Main Cast Only, announced by the network or studio, may be discussed, within their respective show threads only (e.g. post Angel news in the Angel thread, not in Bitches, not the other NAFDA threads), 4 weeks after the announcements, or 4 weeks after the previous season finale, whichever comes later. This allows those posters who wish to remain free from all casting news, to safely use the show threads for post-season discussion.

This casting news definition includes cast additions or departures that occur over summer hiatus only (not midseason). Plot points related to the character's arrival or departure are to be treated as spoilers. The Main Cast are those characters appearing in the opening credits. Summertime discussion of news regarding recurring and guest roles is not allowed in the main show threads, and must be contained to a spoiler or spoilers-lite thread.

It sounds to me like P-C's news is safe. It wasn't announced at the up-fronts in May (I don't know what these TCA upfronts are), but it's a change to the main cast, made during the summer, and both the up-fronts to which the FAQ refers, and the finale, were more than four weeks ago.

13 with the option to pick up the back nine if the show does well in the ratings.

So, based on P-C's breakdown, we could be left hanging in the middle of Mystery #2. Poo.

yeah...that doesn't please me either, Jon. let's just hope it doesn't come to that.

So, based on P-C's breakdown, we could be left hanging in the middle of Mystery #2. Poo.

Yeah. Rob's reasoning is that the 13-episode pick-up is an arbitrary number and they can cancel them at any time anyway, so there's no point in writing around that number. If they're not doing well, it's going to be apparent before then, and if they are, they'll get the back nine and it won't matter.

they can cancel them at any time anyway

Accck!

t prepares for a goat sacrifice and a ritualistic non-cancellation dance

See, there were conflicting reports at the time of the renewal as to whether it was 13 with an option to go to 22 or 22 with the option to cut to 13. And I tried to ask Rob to clarify, but he wouldn't give me a straight answer, insisting that it didn't matter to anyone but the accountants. The bottom line being, as he said, that they can be cancelled whenever. All the 13 thing means is that they're only budgeted for 13 right now, I think.

All the 13 thing means is that they're only budgeted for 13 right now, I think.

By extension, I figured it meant that 13 would get filmed. So if they were cancelled prior to all 13 airing, they would at least have 13 eps for the theoretical DVD set.

All it really means is that people will be paid for 13 episodes. They don't have to actually film them. Hollywood is very strange.

ixnay on the ancellation talkaye.