The TV Show Cancellation Update for the Media curious

[shadowkat]

For anyone who cares or is keeping track of tv shows up for or in danger of cancellation, according to the deathwatch game on the Brilliant But Cancelled website - the current status is:

Kidnapped has been the first series to get the all mighty AX. That's right cancelled. So if you liked it? Sorry. But...If you voted for it on deathwatch - you might get an ipod.

Smith and Happy Hour are in Comas. Justice and Vanished are on Hiatus.

The Class and Studio 60 are in trouble.

Yet, oddly, Jericho is still alive and kicking and looks like it might make it. (which of course was the one I voted would get the ax on deathwatch. I should know better.)

And this my friends is one of the many reasons I have no interest in working in the tv biz.

Comments

[embers-log.livejournal.com]

I'm not surprised about Kidnapped (I like the actors, but I found it unwatchable), and Vanished. I'm afraid I never even tuned in to Smith, Happy Hour, Justice, The Class, or Jericho.

I would think they would let Studio 60 run out the year to see if it picks up viewers since Alan Sorkin is so well respected and it has a strong cast... but the networks can be ruthless.

I'm surprised Stand Off isn't cancelled yet, normally Fox cuts and runs quickly and I understood that it wasn't holding onto its audience.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Oh, Stand-Off is on the list of choices.

The list includes: Stand-off, Ugly Betty (which is odd because it has done so well in the ratings, but the folks on the site don't like it), Runaway (bottom in the ratings), Vanished (still alive - I voted for it this week), Jericho, The Class, Men in Trees, Help Me Help You, and I think Studio 60.

They are ruthless. Used to be - a show could last a season, nowadays because of cost - they are lucky to make it four or five episodes. The big nights are closer to the weekends - that's where the ad dollars are. Thursday is a huge ad dollar night. Wed is too. They don't care quite as much about Monday and Saturday? No one cares about.

I'm hoping Studio 60 will get at least a year. The deathwatch is edgy about 30 Rock - waiting for the premiere. I think it has been overhyped so folks will be disappointed and not tune in if it doesn't knock them dead.

Stand-Off has been doing well in the ratings. Not great. But it held House's lead in without dropping off too much. Ranking within the top 30 for a while. And Fox after scoring on Prison Break, Bones and House, is actually letting shows live longer than it used to.

Agree on Kidnapped. I loved the actors but found it unwatchable. Not a huge fan of the serialized cliff-hanger thriller format popularized by 24 and Prison Break. But first played with by Murder One. The only one I've found watchable of that genre is 24 and that's only because I adore Keifer Sutherland. He's one of those actors I've watched in many bad movies, purely because he's in them. Smith - I saw, watched it for Ray Liotta and Johnny Lee Miller, but it does not work. Style over substance. I did not care about any of the characters. Nor did I find the characters interesting. Plus it was opposite Nip/Tuck and Boston Legal - which are both far more entertaining. Can't watch more than one at a time.

Studio 60 is surprising the networks by how quickly it's dropped. 19 million viewers one week.
Less than 10 the next. It's a crap shoot.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Oops should clarify - by choices, I mean the shows that have the highest odds of becoming comatose or getting cancelled this week.

[elz.livejournal.com]

I'm shocked that Jericho has done so well. Clearly this is because I decided not to watch it.

And I'll be interested to see what happens if Studio 60's ratings go down again this week. I think there's a lesson in there about not making a show so expensive that it needs to be blockbuster hit to break even financially. It's almost impossible to meet those kinds of expectations.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Yep, so am I. Apparently Jericho is number 2 in it's time slot at the moment, but this is before 30 Rock premieres this week. So the only thing beating it currently appears to be Bones.

Not sure where they are putting the money in Studio 60 - there's no location shots, it's all interiors and all just one large set. No big special effects. No action or stunts. So must be the cast and writers salaries? Only thing makes sense.

We'll see what NBC does. NBC is an interesting network - they own Bravo and Sci-Fi channel, by the way. And have put on shows ranging from Star Trek to Hill Street Blues to Homicide Life on The Streets, all of which struggled. They gave Trek two seasons, I think, before cancelling it. (At least I think that was NBC). Of the big three - NBC tends to try to push the envelope the most, do something different. They go after the younger crowd, singles, 30 somethings. CBS is the older more traditional crowd. ABC is families. So we'll see. Of the networks - shows have a greater chance of surviving longer on NBC. Particularly if critics love them. Homicide Life on The Streets had low ratings it's first few seasons (I know, I was the only one I knew watching it when it first showed up late Friday nights), Hill Street Blues (same deal), and Cheers? (it was up for cancellation but they changed their mind even though it was at the bottom of the ratings) Same deal with Seinfield.
So, NBC can be patient. I think Studio 60 may have a better chance of making on NBC than it would have on ABC, CBS or Fox. Again it all depends on how much money it's costing them and how much they are making off of it.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

I'm loving Studio 60 as are at least four other people on my correspondence list and we're not a TV critic or in the industry. So I don't agree. I think it is smart but hardly condescending.

Also I prefer it to Sports Night - but then I'm not into Sports.

So to each their own.