The broadcast networks will announce their fall schedules this week, and viewers will learn the fates of their favorite shows. But before they do, we've sent the network entertainment presidents the results of the Post-Gazette's annual poll, Readers' Remote: Keep or Cancel?

For the better part of the past decade, reality shows have topped the list of series voting viewers most wanted to see canceled. But this year one series more than any other was the object of their derision, and it was scripted: the ABC sitcom "Cavemen."

Hating reality

But judging by the more than 3,000 ballots cast this year, viewer antipathy toward reality shows remains high.

"I am very tired of television programming that demeans the human condition by highlighting the worst in us," wrote Lora Oxenreiter, 60, of Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh native Tim Dean, 42, of Oakland, Calif., called Fox's "Moment of Truth" more than just a train wreck, noting, "It could be the first show that elevates psychological abuse to entertainment."

Molly McKenney, 27, of Friendship, said she won't watch reality shows "unlike many people who profess to hate them and actually watch them," which is obviously what happens given the disparity between the Nielsen ratings and the viewer outcry.

Not everyone hates reality TV.

"I love all of the reality dating shows that are based on personality," wrote Blair Stackhouse, 22, of Uptown, citing VH1's "Flavor of Love." "It makes for extremely interesting television."

TV's tops

CBS's "Two and a Half Men" took the No. 1 position in this year's poll while last year's top series, ABC's "Grey's Anatomy," fell to No. 6. CBS's "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" held steady at No. 2, and several cable series appeared in the Top 10 for the first time: Discovery Channel's "Mythbusters" (No. 8) and USA's "Monk" (No. 10).

Although most of the comments in the poll tended to be complaints, some viewers are satisfied with the state of TV.

"I can't remember a time when there were more quality dramas on TV ; my DVR is working overtime," wrote Leslie Messineo of Pittsburgh. "I look forward all week to seeing "Dexter" on CBS, enough so that I'm actually thinking about adding another premium channel to my already-exorbitant Comcast bill."

Low-rated but loved

Some shows that remain on the bubble for renewal received an outpouring of appreciation from fans, including "Men in Trees," "Eli Stone" and "Moonlight," which hooked Amy Sloan, 43, of Monroeville.

"I haven't made sure I was home or made sure I taped a show in a long time, so that says a lot," she wrote of "Moonlight."

We'll find out what will become of these and other series this week (except NBC, which already announced its fall schedule in April). Read the Post-Gazette's Magazine section for fall schedule announcements beginning Wednesday.

Everyone's a critic

Some of the voter responses included critiques of the networks.

Chuck Angelo, 51, of Silver Spring, Md., referred to low-rated NBC as "the Nada Broadcasting Company," and Bill Hoffman, 66, of Stowe, pondered the upward ascension of NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker, noting, "In the real world, if a company had performed as badly as NBC has over the same period, the person in charge would be gone."

Deb Fett, 43, of Okemos, Mich., lamented the state of HBO.

"How can HBO call itself premium when it has pretentious, stale content?" she wrote. "It's like they took the lives of the executive team and put them on screen: shrinks, sex and politics."

Striking out

Finally, the writers strike received rave reviews from some viewers.

"Thanks to the writers strike, I've rediscovered the joys of reading," wrote Carol Pollard, 60, of Brighton Heights.

Allison Maksin, 27, of White Oak, said she didn't miss the shows she thought she couldn't live without, including "Grey's Anatomy," "Heroes" and "Gossip Girl."

"This ex-TV junkie is going to be more selective when choosing programming from now on," she wrote.

That's a wise approach for all TV viewers to take.

TV POLL RESULTS

Read full results from Readers' Remote: Keep or Cancel? at post-gazette.com/tv. "Cavemen" rated plenty of cancel votes.