It's pitch time in New York again... the TV networks need to convince advertisers to spend billions on their new Fall lineups, even as fewer people watch (at least live on their TV). The upfronts are a sort of strange mating ritual, where stars are paraded in front of ad agencies, and network bigwigs plead with marketers to consider the possibilities of their "bold" new dramas or retro game shows (maybe the whole upfronts thing could be a reality show in itself... let viewers vote on what shows they think advertisers should spend money on... metaTV!). ABC (no G-Lo, more Bingo) and NBC (sorry Studio 60, here comes Bionic Buffy) bared their souls on Monday and Tuesday. Today it's CBS' turn (Jimmy's back, Jericho jettisoned), and FOX (American Idol, duh) and the CW (bon voyage Gilmore Girls) bat clean-up on Thursday. What shows are you looking forward to? What cancellations have you swearing-off Tivo?
Blog Of The Nation
Can't believe Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip was cancelled. Great writing. Great cast.
No ones ever talks about BattleStar Galactica. This show is far and away better than Lost or Heros, but since it is on SciFi it doesn't get the press that lesser shows get.
We don't watch tv--we don't even get reception, but we do watch television shows on DVD via Netflix...we figure out new tv shows using browsing features. We save money, don't waste time flipping channels, and can watch tv whenever we want without commercials. Our favorite show right now is Bones.
I'm a big "Heroes" fan, but as a night-shift nurse, often catch shows online (no Tivo here). Anyone who's seen online episodes knows they are available with minor commercial interruptions (that I've yet to figure out how to fast forward through), and I couldn't care less... at least I get to catch up on my show.
Also, anybody know what happened to "Studio 60..."? or more recently "Notes from the underbelly"? The latter I found hilarious!
Jericho was the one show that caught my attention this season. I watched many of the episodes online (fewer commericals than TV).
I really dissapointed it's not coming back. It appears it could not stand up to running against American Idol in that time slot.
In the final episode, they killed off the show's best character, and now they've killed the series.
It's back to video games for me.
I personally will wholeheartedly miss the show Gilmore Girls, and fondly think of the years it made me smile, cry, and of course, laugh. As a teenager, I found the show refreshing, with a sophistication that other teen shows lack. It was an intellectual experience, displaying women with true character, brillance, and independence.
I always wonder about the accuracy of the ratings system and who, exactly, they're getting the information from.
My two favorite shows of the year, including last fall's entire new lineup, were Drive and Raines. Almost every one of our friends were watching these shows. We talked about them over dinner, read websites about them, and yes, were so anxious to see them that we'd usually watch them live and catch all of the commercials (and as a long-time DVR user, that is almost unheard of for me).
Now this week, my husband and I are doing Neilsen ratings booklets. I have to say I was surprised to get their call! While I'm happy that I'm able to have some input on the ratings for some of the other shows I enjoy (like Blood Ties and seemingly anything on the new Chiller network), I sure wish they'd have chosen us a month ago when our data might have helped other shows that I feel weren't given enough of a chance to find an audience.
I find it hard to believe that NPR listeners are interested in the fall lineup of shows you mentioned. I'm a grownup; I like good writing, character development, intelligent plots. And I watch a lot of television. I think American Idol is a kind of torture. That's not just my opinion; the student newspaper at the high school where I teach thinks so too. I wish the networks would get a grip.
Can't figure out how to comment on Rudin minutes. If crime diminished in NYC during Giuliani's mayorship, what credit does G deserve? I thought crime was decreasing all over the country, which means it was in the air, NOT a specific Giuliani credit.
Advertisers beware: I am --and I am not alone-- disgusted with NBC for not giving the excellent Raines a fair chance. What a waste of time, talent and money! Why develop a great show, only to move it into a lousy time slot and then cancel it? Why continue to bombard viewers with trash? I hate NBC. I am tired, tired, tired of the increasingly silly and depressing Law and Order universe. There is NOTHING worth an hour of time on NBC except Medium, and I'm so mad about Raines that I may even boycott that. I am making a list of advertisers on NBC and I will NOT be buying their products. My local station is an NBC affiliate, and I will NO LONGER watch the local news or weather on NBC.
It seemed so many of my favorite shows got cancelled. I LOVEd Justice and Studio 60. Other shows I used to love seemed to take a dive (Veronica mars, CSI, house)perhaps into predictibility. And While I loved Lost and Heros...I felt too much pressure to keep up with the drama. OVerall Psych on USA was one of the only shows that kept its fun balance for me.
Studio 60, Jericho, Raines will all be missed by me! One of the biggest problems with networks is how they hype shows and then don't give them a chance to get a following.
Some of these had 4 new episodes and then you would have to wait for the next sweeps month to see any others. Such sporadic scheling makes it hard to keep people interested.
I like the dramas that assume the viewer has some intelligence. The trouble I had with 2006/2007 was 2 to 3 shows all at the same time period. Even with DVR, it was hard to watch everything I liked.
Another big problem is how they take a show that has a good following in a certain time slot and move it. This year I mainly noticed Medium had moved and now I think it is moving again!
Give us a chance to get in a rythm with a show. I think even The West Wing had a fairly rocky first season and then it really took hold.
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