Could The Big Bang Theory, Modern Family or The Goldbergs end next season?
Heading into May upfronts, ABC and CBS are faced with major decisions 
about three of their flagship comedy hits. CBS' The Big Bang Theory 
and ABC's Modern Family and The Goldbergs are heading into the final year 
of their multiple-season renewal deals, and sources say both networks have begun
 talks to determine if all three of the top 10 comedies 
will continue on beyond their existing deals.
As for the The Big Bang Theory, the show is heading into its 12th season in the fall after 
producers Warner Bros. Television signed the cast to new deals last year. 
Co-creator Chuck Lorre told The Hollywood Reporter in August that 
"...[o]ne could easily presume [season 12] would be the end of the series...." 
while acknowledging that producers never imagined they'd get to season 11.
Sources say WBTV and CBS have had some conversations about potentially continuing
 the series beyond season 12, which would require signing the stars to new mega-deals 
to return to the comedy. Big Bang continues to be a ratings cash cow,
 with the network using it to launch prequel spinoff Young Sheldon this season.
Showrunner Steve Holland told THR in late April, "We know we have season 12; 
we don't know what we have beyond there." He added, "Our goal of doing season 12 is to not
 leave anything on the table. If this is going to be the end, they should tout it as 
the final season, but I'm not sure when we'll have a definitive answer on that." 
CBS and WBTV declined to comment.
Moving over to Modern Family, the pending $52.4 billion Fox-Disney deal is expected to play 
a larger role in talks between ABC and 20th Century Fox Television about whether
 the Emmy-winning comedy will run beyond its upcoming 10th season. 
Co-creator and co-showrunner Steve Levitan previously said was the "...plan is to end it at 
10...." though that was before producers 20th Century Fox Television were poised to become a 
Disney property should the deal close as expected. That would eliminate one of the biggest 
obstacles to the show's renewal, with ABC no longer left to pay a sizable licensing fee
 to 20th TV for the series.
Complicating matters is the fact that Levitan and co-creator/co-showrunner 
Christopher Lloyd's overall deals with 20th Century Fox TV expire this month,
 with sources noting that Netflix has set its sights on the former for a lucrative pact. 
Levitan told THR, "I'm open to the best opportunity. I don't know what it's going to be
 going forward, and that's the big unknown." ABC and 20th TV declined comment.
As for The Goldbergs, the 80's-set series was renewed for two seasons last year 
and is heading into its sixth season. The comedy from Sony Pictures Television Studios
 has become a solid performer for ABC and helped open its Wednesday night comedy block. 
This season, the series celebrated its landmark 100th episode with creator Adam F. Goldberg
 already having an endgame in mind.
Goldberg told THR last year, "The last episode is Adam's [aka Sean Giambrone's] 
high school graduation, which marks the end of his childhood." He added, 
"I'd love to go beyond season six, but it will always be set in the '80s. 
We have yet to run out of any videos of mine, and there's just so much from 
that decade I love."
ABC recently went straight-to-series on a 1990s-set spinoff after Goldberg pushed to air
 last season's pilot as a special episode of the flagship and the writers reconfigured the series 
with A.J. Michalka reprising her role of Lainey.
Goldberg also told THR, "At the start of every season, I always plot out an arc for the family 
members, and there is no plan whatsoever for this to be the last year of The Goldbergs." 
He added, "I would go well beyond season six. All I need is the word that ABC
 wants it to continue." ABC and Sony TV declined to comment.
While it's unclear whether ABC and CBS will announce final-season decisions before 
their respective upfront presentations May 15 and 16, some industry sources 
say those deals could come in the weeks or months that follow.
For more on this story, be sure to head to THR.com. And let us know which of these shows
 you would miss the most if they do end in the comments. Until next time, 
for The Hollywood Reporter News, I'm Tiffany Taylor. 
