‘Castle’ gets a fortress of support

Fans also want to keep ‘Laura,’ ‘X-Files,’ ‘Last Man Standing’

TV fans want to keep their Castle.

ABC’s drama about the novelist-turned-detective was the overwhelming favorite among voters in USA TODAY’s 19th annual Save Our Shows poll, which lets readers weigh in on which of 26 network series “on the bubble” between renewal and cancellation should come back for another season. Fifty-five percent voted to keep the series around for a ninth season, a far greater show of support than for the No. 2 pick, NBC’s The Mysteries of Laura, which 38% want back.

There’s good news and bad news about Castle: Though many readers praised the chemistry between series stars Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic, news surfaced in mid-April that ABC opted not to renew Katic’s contract. But the network probably would not have taken that step if it were planning to cancel the series outright.

Other top picks to return were Fox’s The X-Files (which would skip a season), ABC’s Tim Allen comedy Last Man Standing, and perennial bubble series

Nashville, which has promised to bring in new producers if the show is renewed.

The weakest support went to Fox’s animated comedy Border

town (a meager 2%) and NBC’s Undateable, along with CBS’s Rush

Hour, which had just premiered when the survey went live. And which shows do viewers most actively want killed? ABC sitcom Dr. Ken topped that list with 36%. The romantic Castle had more female fans (60% wanted it back, compared with 52% of men), but it was tops among both genders. Women also favored Laura (42%) and Nashville (40%), while men leaned toward XFiles (42%) and CBS’s Limitless (39%). Other shows generating chatter from small fan bases included low-rated Rob Lowe comedy The Grinder, which will most likely duel with the John Stamos-led Grandfa

thered for renewal. “The Grinder has become our family’s absolute favorite comedy this year,” says Don Reece, 54, of Oklahoma City. “Please don’t take our Grinder away!”

We’ll find out in two weeks when the networks announce next season’s lineups in New York.

NATHAN FILLION AS RICHARD CASTLE BY ABC

RICHARD CARTWRIGHT, ABC If top pick Castle returns, it will be without co-star Stana Katic (with Nathan Fillion); Debra Messing, left, and The Mysteries of Laura also aim to be back.