I disagree with the above. There was much more than gratuitous violence and sexual tension, and I think TSCC had some very interesting writing. Although, there were some slow episodes earlier in the season, those who kept watching saw that the last few episodes of the season were amazing, and they brought together a number of complicated threads, both in terms of plot and characterization.

A few things that made the writing interesting:
-The innovative way they dealt with artificial intelligence (not just a bunch of stuff on how robots can love just like humans do, like on many shows)
-The relationships on the show were complex and we saw how the characters' tendencies to keep things to themselves took their toll
-The portrayal of the psychological costs of always being prepared for attack
-the cancer storyline which, yes, was often slow, but was otherwise well-done in relation to the themes of the show

Basically, I think that some great shows get cancelled (Pushing Daisies, Firefly from Dollhouse-creator Whedon), and some mediocre ones get renewed again and again. I think it's a combination of show quality, mainstream appeal, proper marketing, a good time slot, and plenty of luck.

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