Thoughts on the Emmys

Most of you guys who have been reading my articles know that I am not nuts about the Emmys. I fail to see credibility in an organization, which gave the West Wing four Best Drama Emmys but gave none to The Wire. Nothing against the West but I find it hard to believe it was worthy of four straight when it aired right smack dab in the middle of HBO’s prime. It’s nice to see that the Emmys are giving credit to shows like Mad Men and Breaking Bad and that certainly is helping me forgive them for snubbing shows like Battlestar Galactica and Veronica Mars.

Last year I did a run down of what I liked and didn’t like. This year will be a bit different, as I will take the unorganized route.

The two top categories were picked correctly. Some argue that Mad Men does not deserve three straight Emmys but I disagree. Season three was the best of the bunch. Why honor Lost, which has one already, when season three of Mad Men was superior to season six of Lost? I’m a purist when it comes to voting and I believe that the current season of the show is the only one that should matter in voting. Some are mad that Glee did not win, but Modern Family was the better comedy. I laugh out loud every episode of Modern Family. Glee is cute and all, but it isn’t as funny.

I was in a bit of a predicament when it came to the Best Actor Emmy. There are shows I watch regularly and shows I let sit there on my Tivo. I watch Lost, Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Friday Night Lights, and Dexter regularly (got kind of sick of House). As much as I wanted Michael C. Hall to get a win, it was hard to be disappointed when Bryan Cranston got the threepeat, especially after Aaron Paul won. Those two have the best chemistry in all of television and it was only fitting that they won together at least once.

I was originally annoyed to see Kyra Sedgwick win for the Closer when I thought that Connie Britton or January Jones deserved it. But Kyra has never won before and has been excellent in that role, even though The Closer is getting a bit tired.

The comedy categories were tricky. The supporting categories had the correct winners. It was tough to pick the best out of the Modern Family cast but Eric Stonestreet was the best choice. Jane Lynch was the right pick as well. But the best actress was a complete farce. Edie Falco was right, she’s not funny. Is Nurse Jackie a good show? Yes but to see her pick up a best Comedy Actress Emmy was a joke. Jim Parsons wasn’t undeserving but Larry David delivered one of Curb Your Enthusiasm’s best seasons yet. Steve Carrell delivered some of his best work with the Michael Scott Paper Company on The Office and deserved some recognition.

The miniseries and TV movie categories were done right. Al Pacino was great in You Don’t Know Jack. Temple Grandin and The Pacific were the right choices. Claire Daines deserved to win even though I wanted Maggie Smith to win. Not much to complain about.

Were the Emmys perfect? No but the skits were funny and we’re starting to see a shift in voting. The same shows aren’t being nominated every year. That’s the way it should be.

Thoughts about the Emmys? E-mail me at ian@tvhell.net and follow us on Twitter.

SyFy: Does it Have Any Momentum?

SyFy has always struggled to find its place in the cable war. Non-genre specific networks dominate the playing field and even though it had a name change, things are pretty much the same. Since Battlestar Galactica, Stargate SG-1, and Stargate Atlantis left the air, things haven’t really been looking up from the once promising network.

I wrote a brief summary on the cable networks a few months ago and little has changed. SyFy actually has a lot of depth to its line-up. That’s not the problem though. There’s little buzz factor to its shows, with the exception of Warehouse 13. Eureka is showing it’s age but it still serves as a nice summer show. Caprica and Stargate Universe merely serve as memories of their predecessors who have been put to rest. Sanctuary is entertaining, but it’s kind of bland and unoriginal. Same goes for new show Haven. Then there’s Ghost Hunters and Destination Truth, which are both solid in the ratings but don’t deliver a wow factor. SyFy has a larger roster than AMC and FX but doesn’t have as many hit shows.

SyFy will be the new home for WWE Smackdown soon, which is a plus. It moves scripted programming away from Fridays, which could equal better ratings. However it does put its shows in direct competition with the broadcast networks, which could turn ugly.

Battlestar Galactica was a godsend for SyFy. I love Stargate but Galactica was its first real “can’t miss show”. Momentum was at an all time high by the then Sci-fi Channel brought us a string of turkeys like Painkiller Jane, Dresden Files, and Flash Gordon. Now that SyFy is without its flagship program, the network needs a new water cooler show. The cable wars are heating up and SyFy needs to get back into the game.

Possible Replacements for Steve Carrell on The Office:

I don’t usually write about individual TV shows but I figure that The Office is popular enough to merit it’s own article. Headlines reported that Carrell was leaving the Office months before it became a lead story on the big TV websites. It’s not really news and anyone who pays attention to the TV industry knew that months ago as well.

It’s not going to be easy to replace Michael Scott. The man has a certain characteristic about him that set him apart from David Brent (played by Ricky Gervais of the original Office). Unlike Brent, Michael was actually semi-competent and a likable guy. The producers are stuck with the unfortunate task of finding a new manager that does not look like a copy of either Ricky Gervais or Steve Carrell (I’ve seen the French, French Canadian, and German versions but I won’t get into those) Who could it be.

I heard two names that I thought could be potential fits. Danny McBride of Eastbound & Down was the first name. While Eastbound & Down is hilarious, I don’t think he works. For one, his characters are all obnoxious and are too similar to David Brent to ever really work. Secondly he’s under contract with Eastbound & Down and doesn’t want to leave. Good thing because I don’t want him to leave either.

The second man is a much more plausible fit. Rhys Darby, known for his work as Murray Hewitt on Flight of the Conchords. Darby is a perfect fit. While he is a lot like Michael Scott he’s a sympathetic character that could connect with the audience. McBride’s humor is not meant for TV but Darby’s characters could fit quite well. I would hire Darby for the job if it were up to me.

The third less talked about possibility is Ricky Gervais himself. I would endorse this if I thought it would actually happen. I hope that he guest stars with Steve Carrell before he leaves though. I hope that they don’t try to replace Carrell internally. Rainn Wilson is phenomenal but Dwight Scrute was not meant to be the manager. Nor was John Krasinski.

What do you guys think? Who would you want to take over as Steve Carrell’s replacements? Anyone, even guys not on this list send them to ian@tvhell.net. And follow us on twitter, it’s even easier with that button on the main page.

Why Prequel Spinoffs Shouldn’t Exist:

I use the summer to catch up on shows that I don’t normally watch during the year. One of those is the Battlestar Galactica spinoff Caprica. I was a big fan of the new Battlestar Galactica but this spinoff is just plain boring. It lacks the spunk of its predecessor and it doesn’t have as good a cast. I’m a fan of spinoffs but I’ve yet to find a prequel spinoff that is really good.

Prequels are tough in the first place. Unlike a sequel they rarely include more than a few cast members from the previous TV show or movie. The plotlines are generally fairly limited and predictable we often know which characters are going to die. We know what happens in Battlestar Galactica, which makes it tougher for the Caprica writers to come up with a full-length TV show.

We saw The CW pass on Valley Girls, the Gossip Girl prequel spinoff. Many people were angry at the time but it seems to have been the right move. The show failed to differentiate itself from the original and it wouldn’t have been a success. Gossip Girl is struggling enough on its own. It didn’t need a spinoff.

Then there’s Star Trek Enterprise. There are a few reasons the show was cancelled but the core factor is that it wasn’t very good. The series had been running continuously for nearly two decades. But the prequel spinoff lacked the certain “it” factor that the previous four shows had.

The prequel spinoff is something that seems like a great idea. But it seems to be one that gets boring pretty fast. It could work as a movie, but not really as a show that is expected to last long enough to become syndicated. If a series is out of ideas and has to turn to a prequel, maybe it’s time for a rest.

What do you guys think about prequel shows? Send me your thoughts at ian@tvhell.net. And follow us on twitter.

DirecTV Picks Up Damages for Two More Years:

After months of speculation, DirecTV has agreed to air the fourth a fifth season of critically acclaimed FX drama Damages. Unlike the Friday Night Lights deal, Damages will only air on DirecTV. This move was likely put into place because of Damages smaller viewership, or because FX was unwilling to split the cost. However Glenn Close, Rose Byrnes, and the rest of the main cast are expected to stay on board, though I wouldn’t expect to see Ted Danson or Martin Short in more than one or two episodes.

I’m fairly surprised by this pickup. I’ve been a big Damages fan since the beginning but the ratings for season three were truly abysmal. The whole season hovered around the one million mark, truly awful for a network like FX. Cancellation seemed like a no-brainer. I’ve heard mixed things about DirecTV’s reaction to Friday Night Lights performance but clearly it wasn’t bad at all.

I’m not 100% sold on the exclusivity of DirecTV’s deal. Even if the show doesn’t resurface on FX, a smaller network such as Sleuth, run by NBC, which has a great working relationship with DirecTV, could pick it up later. I prefer to watch Damages on DVD anyway so this doesn’t really affect me.

This was the right move for FX, but it doesn’t change the fact that FX has been on a severe downward spiral. Competitors such as USA and AMC are on a role and TNT seems to be getting its act together. FX has a dwindling roster that’s only getting smaller. Rescue Me is down to its final 20 episodes, leaving Justified and Sons of Anarchy as the sole dramas. It fairs better in half hour comedies but none are true ratings draws. USA and TNT have very impressive rosters and FX needs to catch up.

This deal does bode well for struggling critically acclaimed shows. If only Arrested Development had aired a few years later, we might see this deal happen to the Bluth family. Shows like Jericho and Pushing Daisies might have lasted a few more seasons.

That’s it for now. Send your thoughts on this to ian@tvhell.net. I also encourage you to follow us on twitter at twitter.com/tvhell. Also send your what-ifs in.

Could Law & Order Establish AMC as a Legitimate Cable Powerhouse?

If you follow the Ask Ian page you’ll notice that longtime reader Cydlone26 asked me a question about AMC’s talk to revive Law & Order. You can read my comments about Law & Order in that question and in Headlines 61, but this piece focuses on something different. Saving an aged franchise is a risky move, but it’s certainly one that could yield great rewards.

No network in all of television has had as much success as quickly as AMC has had. Mad Men and Breaking Bad are two of the best shows on television. Mad Men is the two time reigning champion for Best Drama at the Emmys and Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston is a two time defending champion as well (supporting actor Aaron Paul is just as deserving). Mad Men was also the first basic cable show to ever win Best Drama. Not too shabby for a network that spent nearly a decade out of original programming.

While its resume is certainly impressive, AMC is still new to the game. AMC lacks the recognition that TNT, USA, and FX have built up after developing a decent sized roster. I’m excited for new shows Rubicon and The Walking Dead but I’m also more involved with TV than the average person. Shows like Memphis Beat and Covert Affairs are going to get noticed because TNT and USA are established cable powerhouses.

Mad Men and Breaking Bad have both seen increases in ratings as they progress. This is great but USA’s Royal Pains started off with a much bigger audience and still managed to build. You could argue that this is because USA has been in the game longer. I wouldn’t disagree but it also paved the way to make it easier for a network like AMC. There’s no reason to believe that AMC can’t do the same here.

Enter Law & Order. Sure you’ll get detractors that want the aging veteran to stay in TV Hell. But there are plenty of people who would still watch. Spinoff show Law & Order: Criminal Intent proved that the franchise could move to cable. The price isn’t that bad either. Law & Order costs about 3 million, not cheap but no more than Breaking Bad or Mad Men. I don’t think ratings would stay where they are now, but even the lowest expectations would be good for AMC. It won’t win as many Emmys as AMC’s other two shows but it could be the one to bring AMC to the level that FX, USA, and TNT are at right now.

What do you guys think? Is this a good move for AMC? Let me know at ian@tvhell.net

2010 Summer Preview:

I know this is a little late guys, but it is the first day of summer. I’ve always enjoyed the summer season since it started to gain momentum when I first joined TV Hell. I’m going to do this network by network, mainly covering the scripted programming. All questions and recommendation requests can be sent to ian@tvhell.net. I’m not going to include every premiere dates because it’s too much work. Send me an e-mail if you’re having trouble finding the date.

HBO:

HBO gets to go first because I often credit Six Feet Under as the show that popularized summer television. They aren’t offering their strongest summer line-up ever but perennial favorite True Blood and Entourage will be back. Entourage will be paired with Hung, which grew on me as it went along. Quality wise, this is a good line-up but I would’ve liked to see some more shows here.

Showtime:

Like HBO, Showtime is not much of a presence this summer. New show The Real L Word had its debut yesterday. Weeds and The Big C come in August. Not sure why Showtime is laying low which is strange since they just lost veteran drama The Tudors.

TNT:

Unlike HBO and Showtime, TNT is going full throttle into the summer season. Saving Grace is wrapping up its run soon. Leverage and HawthoRNe return this week, as does new show Memphis Beat. The Closer returns in July and is followed by Rizzoli & Isles. Memphis Beat has potential and I enjoy Dark Blue and Leverage. This is a good summer line-up.

USA:

USA has been ratings gold lately. In Plain Sight, Law & Order: CI, Burn Notice and Royal Pains are already back. I highly recommend all of these to readers who haven’t seen them. Psych and White Collar will return in July. White Collar is being paired with a new show called Covert Affairs, which looks good. This is hands down the best summer line-up on TV.

FX:

FX only has two represenitives for the summer. Rescue Me, one of my personal favorites, and Louie. I’m going to give Louie a try but if it’s anything like Lucky Louie on HBO a few years ago, it won’t be a keeper.

AMC:

Who would’ve thought that AMC would have as much representation as FX? Two-time Emmy winner Mad Men returns in July. New show Rubicon has done something strange. The pilot episode debuted last week after Mad Men, yet it won’t come back full time until August. I enjoyed the pilot but I don’t know if people will still be interested two months later. Only time will tell.

SyFy:

SyFy brings forth one of it’s best summer line-ups in years. Ghost Hunters Academy and The Phantom have already premiered. I highly recommend The Phantom. July welcomes back Eureka and Warehouse 13 and new shows Haven and Mary Knows Best will make their debuts. 6 shows are more than SyFy has aired at once in a long time. It’s good to see as the network has been struggling since Battlestar Galactica went off the air.

A&E:

The Glades is A&E’s only scripted show for the summer. I don’t know what to think about it yet. Intervention is also on A&E.

ABC:

For once ABC actually has a solid summer line-up. You may wonder why it’s listed so far down in the line-up. I dealt with the networks so much during upfronts that I wanted to get back to some cable coverage. Most of you probably know that I prefer cable anyway. The Gates and Rookie Blue stand out as potential hits. Boston Med looks forgettable. Scoundrels also looks pretty bad. Wipeout and Downfall are game shows that you may like if that’s what you’re into. Shaq Vs. is an abomination. Other than that, ABC could have a good summer.

Fox:
Fox gave up on summer a couple years ago but it looks like they’re making a partial comeback. Familiar shows Lie To Me, Til Death, and Hell’s Kitchen are sent to summer. The Good Guys looks presentable. I don’t think that Sons of Tucson will be a hit.

NBC:

NBC gets to close out the summer preview. Its existing shows are serviceable but that’s about it. Persons Unknown is terrible. America’s Got Talent and Last Comic Standing are entertaining. I never was a fan of The Biggest Loser and Losing it With Jillian isn’t appealing either. I don’t know much about The Jensen Project but it looks like it has potential. NBC could actually be tied with ABC for best summer line-up.

CBS:
Canadian import Flashpoint is a great show. I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys crime dramas. New Canadian import The Bridge comes to CBS in July. It definitely has potential. I also enjoy Big Brother.

2009-2010 TV Season Wrap Up:

The ranking of the broadcast networks stayed consistent. CBS remains on top. Even though CBS was heavy on cancellations this year, there’s little reason to believe that the eye network will lose its spot on top.

We saw the Leno experiment bomb. I can’t say that I’m surprised at all, though most of you guys already knew that. NBC also finally gave up on Heroes. I’m not too surprised with that either. As for Law & Order… I’ve said enough on that topic.

ABC and Fox also need to step up with their rookie shows. Glee has been great for Fox but it’s line-up is getting old. ABC went a mere 1/6 on the drama front, and V was bumped to midseason. This isn’t good.

I’m going to keep the wrap up short because I don’t have much to say that hasn’t been sad before. I invite you guys to send in your thoughts on this past TV season to ian@tvhell.net. The summer preview is up next with some what-ifs thrown in.

2010-2011 Network Analysis Wrap Up:

Over the past two weeks I’ve shown you all the Fall line-ups of the big networks. We’ve seen some good and some bad here, just like any other year. But there’s one word that seems to encompass all five networks.

That word is rebuilding. It ranges from large renovations of ABC and NB, to the modest upheaval of CBS, to the relatively minor changes of The CW. Fox falls in there somewhere between ABC and CBS.

You may think that rebuilding defines every year and to a certain extent that is correct. But this year is different. This year has seen the end of a bunch of long running shows as well as the decline of some others. The youth movement has been underestimated since the writer’s strike and the networks are finally starting to understand that the same shows can’t go on forever.

I’ve only seen the trailers for most of this year’s freshman class but there’s a recurring theme. Most of them have the most idiotic names. From The Defenders to Chase these shows could fail because of the stupidity of their names. The ones that don’t have stupid names are pretty much only the remakes.

I always pick a winner for next season during wrap up and I will do the same here. CBS has shaken things up a bit but they are still the frontrunners. ABC has to recover from its failures last year and Fox needs to prepare for American Idol without Simon Cowell. CBS is taking a gamble on Thursday but is a sure lock for Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday.

That’s it for the wrap up, looks like we’ve got a good year ahead of us. Headlines is done for the summer so the What-If page will see some updates. Send your what-ifs to ian@tvhell.net.

2010-2011 Fall Network TV Analysis: CBS:

CBS surprised me with its number of shows that entered TV Hell this year. The eye network is making an effort to get younger, something that The CW and ABC actually need to do. Let’s take a look at what they’ve got lined up for next year.

Monday:

8:00-8:30 pm: How I Met Your Mother

8:30-9:00 pm: Rules of Engagement

9:00-9:30 pm: Two and a Half Men

9:30-10:00 pm: Mike & Molly

10:00-11:00 pm: Hawaii Five-O

It’s about time CSI: Miami left Mondays. I was getting pretty sick of it there. Hawaii Five-O gets to benefit from two other new shows at 10 so it has a fighting chance, though I like Lonestar on NBC. There’s a big question mark here in Two and a Half Men. Even if it comes back I think the days of ratings dominance are over. Mike & Molly looks generic but this has been a proven night for CBS. Monday’s are pretty much still up for grabs but I still say that CBS has the advantage.

Tuesday:

8:00-9:00 pm: NCIS

9:00-10:00 pm: NCIS: LA

10:00-11:00 pm: The Good Wife

This could be CBS’ best night of the week. I’m not crazy about NCIS: LA but it’s entertaining and The Good Wife was one of the better dramas from last year. Not much to say about this night other than it’s a good one.

Wednesday:

8:00-9:00 pm: Survivor

9:00-10:00 pm: Criminal Minds

10:00-11:00 pm: The Defenders

It’s been a decade since Survivor aired on Wednesdays. I think CBS made the right move here. Survivor is still a strong performer but it needed to get some protection from the rough Thursday night competition. Criminal Minds is a safe bet. The Defenders looks terrible, utterly awful. It reminds me of Just Legal, a show that bombed on The WB awhile back. Other than that this is a solid night for CBS.

Thursday:

8:00-8:30 pm: The Big Bang Theory

8:30-9:00 pm: &#*! My Dad Says

9:00-10:00 pm: CSI

10:00-11:00 pm: The Mentalist

CBS does a half assed attempt at competing with NBC’s comedy line-up on Thursday. I don’t think the Big Bang Theory’s audience will follow it to Thursdays. It works as a package on Mondays but it’s not good enough to survive without How I Met Your Mother and Two and a Half Men. &#*! My Dad Says has potential which is a shame because it should be on Mondays. I would’ve switched it with Mike & Molly if I was CBS. CSI and The Mentalist should perform. Good night for CBS but not as good as it could be.

Friday:

8:00-9:00 pm: Medium

9:00-10:00 pm: CSI: NY

10:00-11:00 pm: Blue Bloods

Goodbye Ghost Whisperer and NUMB3RS. I don’t think CSI: NY will be here long, as The Defenders won’t last. Medium will likely be gone after this year. Blue Bloods won’t last even if it’s good. Donnie Wahlberg was in Boomtown which I was a fan of. That didn’t last on Fridays and there’s not much reason to believe this will either. It has a good lead in though so I may be too quick to judge.

Sunday:

7:00-8:00 pm: 60 Minutes

8:00-9:00 pm: The Amazing Race

9:00-10:00 pm: Undercover Boss

10:00-11:00 pm: CSI: Miami

Not a very noteworthy night for CBS but not a bad one either. They’re playing it safe and it looks like they can win this night. I don’t think I’ll be watching but that’s ok.

That does it for Fall analysis. I’ll be doing a wrap up of the coverage as well as a wrap up of the season this week. Let me know how I did at ian@tvhell.net

2010-2011 Fall Network TV Analysis: Fox:

Fox recently saw Simon Cowell depart from American Idol. While we’ll have to wait for midseason to see how that affects its juggernaut. Fox is historically a second half performer but let’s take a look at how the first half shapes up.

Monday

8:00-9:00 pm: House

9:00-10:00 pm: Lonestar

This is classic use of the lead-in. Fox uses House, its established show, to try and help Lonestar. Lonestar sort of looks like an updated Dallas, which isn’t a bad thing. Its trailer looked promising. House may see some declines due to age but this is a very solid night for Fox.

Tuesday

8:00-9:00 pm: Glee

9:00-9:30 pm: Raising Hope

9:30-10:00 pm: Running Wilde

Glee was last year’s breakout show. There aren’t a whole lot of places to put sitcoms without conflicting with other sitcoms and Fox capitalized on the Tuesday at 9 slot. I’m not crazy about either of these new comedies but I’m not ready to write them off either. Both seem to be built on premises that look like they can only last a few episodes. Glee is a good lead-in for Raising Hope, which appeals to an offbeat audience that won’t change the channel for NCIS. This night has potential.

Wednesday

8:00-9:00 pm: Lie to Me

9:00-10:00 pm: Hell’s Kitchen

After two good nights, we arrive at one that looks like a dud. I grew tired of Lie to Me midway through last year. I might have swapped this night with Friday, which shows much more promise. Hell’s Kitchen is funny but it’s not a show I need to watch all the time. Wednesday is a night that Fox should have tried to capitalize on and I’m don’t think that they’ve done it properly.

Thursday

8:00-9:00 pm: Bones

9:00-10:00 pm: Fringe

I gave up on Fringe as well so I’m okay with seeing it fed to Grey’s Anatomy and CSI. Bones should see some success but should also show some signs of aging. I never thought Fox could win this night to begin with so I’m not all that disappointed here.

Friday

8:00-9:00 pm: Human Target

9:00-10:00 pm: The Good Guys

Fox has had the worst luck on Friday nights so part of me doesn’t even want to waste time commentating on it. I already said that these two shows should be on Wednesday and I stand by that. We’ve only seen a little bit of The Good Guys but it has potential. Too bad it will probably be cancelled by midseason…

Sunday

Note: Fox is prepared for the inevitable NFL overlap so they are not even trying to air something at 7.

8:00-8:30 pm: The Simpsons

8:30-9:00 pm: The Cleveland Show

9:00-9:30 pm: Family Guy

9:30-10:00 pm: American Dad

Animation domination here. No complaints as I enjoy the first three here (I think American Dad is stupid). American Dad gets the bump to 7:30 midseason to make room for this new show called Bob’s Burgers, which looks like a turkey. Animated shows should not be kept in one place like this appears to be. I could be wrong though.

Fox has made some mistakes but this line-up looks pretty solid. Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays all look good. Wednesdays and Thursdays are presentable and Friday is what it is. I’m really looking forward to Lonestar. I’m surprised to see that new show Ride-Along has been bumped to midseason but that could be a blessing in disguise. Fox takes a break in October for MLB playoffs anyway.

2010-2011 Fall Network TV Analysis: NBC:

You guys have endured enough of my rants about NBC over the past year or two. Despite my anger over Law & Order’s cancellation, NBC has actually put together a line-up that looks somewhat promising. Certainly better than what ABC has done. No Leno means 10 o’clock gets actual programming.

Monday:

8:00-9:00 pm: Chuck

9:00-10:00 pm: The Event

10:00-11:00 pm: Chase

Monday night is up for grabs this year. ABC has Dancing With the Stars but that’s about it in terms of powerhouse programming. This night looks risky. The Event looks like it will bomb pretty quickly. This whole conspiracy theory thing just never works. Chase looks like it could show some promise. It has some A-Team like features that could make it a hit. Chuck is kept around which I’m sort of indifferent about. I don’t think this night will be a huge hit but it has some potential.

Tuesday:

8:00-10:00 pm: The Biggest Loser

10:00-11:00 pm: Parenthood

The Biggest Loser is not one of my favorite shows but it delivers in the ratings. Parenthood has turned out to be one of this years biggest surprises. It’s actually quite good. It could expand ratings even more if NBC promotes it properly which may not happen given how many new shows there are on this line-up.

Wednesday:

8:00-9:00 pm: Undercovers

9:00-10:00 pm: Law & Order: SVU

10:00-11:00 pm: Law & Order: LA

Undercovers is a new show from J.J. Abrams, the creator of Lost. It’s been described as a cross between Mr. and Mrs. Smith and The Bourne Identity. This show has a lot of potential and should not be at 8:00. Then again, NBC doesn’t have many shows to use a lead-ins. I don’t approve of pairing two Law & Orders together. I know that NCIS has seen success but this is not a winning strategy. This night has potential but it’s certainly risky.

Thursday:

8:00-8:30 pm: Community

8:30-9:00 pm: 30 Rock

9:00-9:30 pm: The Office

9:30-10:00 pm: Outsourced

10:00-11:00 pm: Love Bites

Before I begin, Parks and Recreation will be back as a midseason replacement. NBC comedy is not what is used to be but that’s not a terrible thing. Community was one of my favorite new shows and 30 Rock should continue to deliver. This is Steve Carrell’s final season on The Office, which could boost ratings if promoted properly. Outsourced has a lot of potential but is being bashed early on for being too offensive. The Book of Daniel faced similar criticisms and didn’t last long. It’s too early to tell how the backlash will turn out but I would be concerned I was NBC. Loves Bites looks like a turkey.

Friday:

8:00-9:00 pm: Who Do You Think You Are/School Pride

9:00-10:00 pm: Dateline

10:00-11:00 pm: Outlaw

Terrible night. Who Do You Think You Are is a show that traces back the roots of celebrities. School Pride looks bad as well. In this one celebrities try and fix up their old schools. Dateline is a safe choice. Outlaw is a new drama with Jimmy Smits. It’s about a guy who quits the Supreme Court. I probably would have put this show on Thursday at ten where it has a shot at survival.

Sunday is football so this is it for NBC. NBC has taken an aggressive approach toward fixing their line-up. They should be prepared for mixed results. This isn’t a terrible line-up though and some of the new shows have potential.

Thoughts About the Lost Finale:

Note: This is pretty much spoiler free. I can’t make any guarantees so if you haven’t seen the finale, skip this article.

Please forgive me; I am taking a break from Network Analysis to share my thoughts with you about the Lost finale. Lost has always held sentimental value to me because it’s one of the few shows that is still around from when I began writing for TV Hell. While everyone is going to have his or her own opinion about the finale, I thought it was a perfect ending to the show.

I learned a trick about finales a few years ago that I will share with you guys because you have taken time out of your day to read my article. Listen to me carefully, EXPECT NOTHING FROM FINALES. That’s just about the only way that you can guarantee that you’ll never be disappointed. You can probably expect to see the main story line resolved but that’s about it. Former cast members don’t always come back and that subplot from a few seasons ago may never see resolution. The writer’s want to deliver a good finale, but there’s only so much time to wrap everything up. They’re also done with you after the finale so I don’t think they care too much if people are going to be picky about their finale.

There are only a few finales that come to mind as being truly satisfying. ER, Monk, Friends, The Shield, NYPD Blue, Newhart, Boy Meets World, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Third Watch, Oz, and That 70’s Show are a few that come to mind. I didn’t spend a lot of time thinking about it and I’m sure there are more but those were the ones that came to mind. Don’t get me started on the finales that I didn’t like.

I don’t have an opinion on the Lost finale, it was it is. I wrote an article bashing Lost back in season 3 on this site and I realized that it didn’t really matter. The writers of Lost got me hooked on the show and I refused to stop watching so they achieved their goal. There were good parts of them finale and there were bad parts but I don’t really know yet if it was good or bad. My standard for finales is so low that it’s hard to be disappointed.

Thoughts on the Lost finale? Send them to ian@tvhell.net and we’ll post them on the site.

2010-2011 Fall Network TV Analysis: The CW:

The CW is a trick network to cover. The days of UPN and The WB were more fun because I could compare them to each other. The CW doesn’t have any direct competition and it doesn’t look like they will have any soon but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t room to grow for The CW. After a fairly rocky start The CW has started to see some success. This year has brought us Life Unexpected and The Vampire Diaries. Let’s see what next year might bring.

Monday:

8:00-9:00 pm: 90210

9:00-10:00 pm: Gossip Girl

90210 gets a new night and that could be a good thing. I thought the show improved a lot this year and Gossip Girls could benefit from a proper lead in. Let’s hope that Melrose Place characters will not resurface on 90210, as that spinoff was terrible. Overall this is a good night for The CW.

Tuesday:

8:00-9:00 pm: One Tree Hill

9:00-10:00 pm: Life Unexpected

The CW paired its two almost cancelled shows together. Life Unexpected was an unexpected (no pun intended) late season gem and I’m looking forward to seeing it develop. Renewing One Tree Hill was a good move but this could be it for the aging dramedy. Overall another solid night for the CW.

Wednesday

8:00-9:00 pm: America’s Next Top Model

9:00-10:00 pm: Hellcats

Hellcats looks bad, really bad. It’s a new show about a girl who tries to earn a college scholarship by cheerleading. I watched the sneak peek and was unimpressed, putting aside the fact that this isn’t really my demographic. ANTM seems to have some fuel left. I hope The CW has something lined up because I don’t think Hellcats will last long.

Thursday

8:00-9:00 pm: The Vampire Diaries
9:00-10:00 pm: Nikita

This is a risky move for The CW. Their remake of La Femme Nikita shows promise and The Vampire Diaries is a good new show. I may have put Nikita on Wednesdays and allowed it to follow ANTM. The Vampire Diaries proved that it could succeed on Fridays so maybe Thursday wasn’t the worst decision.

Friday:

8:00-9:00 pm: Smallville

9:00-10:00 pm: Supernatural

After a year apart Smallville and Supernatural are reunited. This duo has seen success before and is the safest combo for Friday nights. The CW isn’t scheduling any permanent rerun spots this year, which is promising.

Rome wasn’t built in a day and The CW finally realized this. They have been building up new shows and their old shows are holding up. There are only two new shows this year but we should see some new shows midseason if I’m right about Hellcats.

TV Analysis: ABC 2010-2011 Fall Network:

It’s that time of the year again folks. It has been a pretty good season thus far and next year looks like it could be the best post writer’s strike season yet. ABC went fifth last year so it will go first this year. I wrote an article not too long ago that bashed ABC so let’s take a look at how they have responded. ABC went 1/6 with new dramas last fall and V isn’t even on this years fall line-up.

Monday

8:00-10:00 pm: Dancing With the Stars

10:00-11:00 pm: Castle

No changes here. I’m not nuts about Castle’s future but I agree that it should be given more time. The poor performances of last year’s rookies made Castle’s renewal a no brainer. As for Dancing, it still has plenty of life left so this night looks pretty solid for ABC.

Tuesday

8:00-9:00 pm: No Ordinary Family

9:00-10:00 pm: Dancing with the Stars Results Show

10:00-11:00 pm: Detroit 1-8-7

It’s hard for me to get excited about this night. No Ordinary Family is a new superhero drama with Michael Chiklis and Julie Benz. I loved Chiklis on The Shield and Benz on Buffy, Angel, and Dexter but this premise looks passable. The Dancing results show will deliver but I’m going on record nominating Detroit 1-8-7 for first cancellation of next year. Despite have Michael Imperoli, it looks terrible. It looks like a Southland rip-off. Not to mention that no one wants to watch a show about Detroit right now.

Wednesday

8:00-8:30 pm: The Middle

8:30-9:00 pm: Better Together

9:00-9:30 pm: Modern Family

9:30-10:00 pm: Cougar Town

10:00-11:00 pm: The Whole Truth

I didn’t think introducing five new shows on one night was a good idea. Seeing as three of them are back I guess I was wrong. I don’t think The Middle is the right show to lead off though. I would’ve switched it and Modern Family, which is the gem of this line-up. Better Together doesn’t look hysterical but it could be funny. The Whole Truth needs a proper lead in. This legal show is not going to last.

Thursday

8:00-9:00 pm: My Generation

9:00-10:00 pm: Grey’s Anatomy

10:00-11:00 pm: Private Practice

Expect ratings slides for both Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice. My Generation is supposedly a “documentary style” drama which bares a striking resemblance to October Road. I liked October Road but it didn’t last long. I don’t know how long this one will last.

Friday

8:00-9:00 pm: Secret Millionaire

9:00-10:00 pm: Body of Proof

10:00-11:00 pm: 20/20

I think ABC should fire whoever came up with the titles of their new shows. They are literally the most generic names ever. Secret Millionaire aired on Fox in December and had decent numbers. It’s a reality show, which could be ok for Fridays. Body of Proof looks like a terrible cross between House and Grey’s Anatomy. Are people really going to want to watch more ABC medical dramedies? I think not.

Sunday

7:00-8:00 pm: America’s Funniest Home Videos

8:00-9:00 pm: Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

9:00-10:00 pm: Desperate Housewives

10:00-11:00 pm: Brothers & Sisters

Hard to get excited about ABC Sundays but there’s nothing fundamentally wrong with it. This night should be solid but we should expect slight ratings drops for everything. Brothers & Sisters was one of my guilty pleasures awhile back but it’s getting stupid(er). Sadly this could be ABC’s best night.

I haven’t done NBC’s analysis yet but I’m tempted to flat out nominate ABC for most disappointing upfront already. No Ordinary Family is the only drama that I’m somewhat excited about. Its aging veterans aren’t getting younger and these new shows just look plain terrible. Kudos to ABC for reviving its comedies but it now has a huge drama problem on its hands.

Mid Season Debuts. A Dying Breed?:

May 11, 2010

We’ve seen the midseason debut popularized by Fox and ABC gain momentum over the past few years. Fox has practically forfeited the Fall while it waits for American Idol and 24 to lead it to ratings dominance. After failing with reruns, ABC decided that Lost was better off airing mostly uninterrupted halfway through the year. Both 24 and Lost will say goodbye this year though, which makes you wonder whether or not shows will move in to take their place.

Midseason relievers used to be pretty insignificant. New shows have a pretty low success rate and established dramas usually only came back in January because something went wrong with production. Few networks actually plan for this to happen.

There aren’t too many serial dramas like 24 and Lost on network TV right now. It could be a few years before we see another show that regularly begins its run in January. That’s not necessarily a bad thing.

A January debut can be a huge momentum killer. Ratings are typically stronger in the fall than in the spring. Shows that plan to debut midseason need strong ratings to begin with because they will most likely lose some viewers when the switch is made. Newer shows are at a big risk because of this.

V is a perfect show to give a January debut to. However ABC has mismanaged V so badly that it would surely fail if it was put there. It’s a shame because V doesn’t perform very well with reruns and would fit nicely there.

It could be a couple years before we see a veteran drama receive the 24 and Lost treatment. I watch enough TV to be unfazed by these late premieres but I’m sure that there are plenty of people who are not sad to see this trend lose its significance.

Questions? Comments? Words of praise? Send them to ian@tvhell.net

Law & Order:

May 03, 2010

I don’t usually write about specific shows because I don’t want to alienate people reading who haven’t seen the shows I’m talking about. However, I’m pretty confident that all (or 99%) of the readers of this site are familiar with Law & Order. Law & Order is one of those shows that people question me about because I still support it even though it goes against my philosophy as a TV expert. I don’t usually like to see a show go past eight or nine years because I think that they get stale. While Law & Order has not really done anything new in the past few years (unless you count adding Milena Govich as a female detective), I give it a pass.

Law & Order is an institution. It’s on of the few shows that are still around that was a part of NBC back when the peacock network was on top. The empire that was famous for its Must See TV line-up has fallen, but Law & Order is still chugging along.

Law & Order has become one of the bubble shows in its later years. It has been one of last shows that NBC has renewed for the past few years. Unlike Scrubs or One Tree Hill, there has not been a real concern that Law & Order won’t be back, but it is years removed from its prime. There’s a reason for that.

Bubble shows get renewed for pretty much the same reasons. Networks either renew them because they want another years worth of episodes for syndication or their pilot class was less than spectacular. Law & Order gets renewed for another reason. Twenty years worth of episodes is enough for decades worth of syndication deals and NBC hasn’t had a solid pilot class in a long time. Law & Order gets renewed because it has a goal, to become the longest running American prime time drama of all time. Law & Order can pass Gunsmoke if NBC gives it a renewal for next year.

I didn’t write this article because I think there’s a chance that NBC will cancel L&O a year short of its goal. I’ve already said that I believe it will be back. I write this article because I wanted to point out the significance of Law & Order, a show we all can forget about. Last year we said farewell to ER, the only other drama close to L&O’s age. The Simpsons is alive and well but that’s about it. I can’t really say that there’s a changing of the guard because I think that’s already happened. I wrote an article for TV Hell back in 2006 about the changing of the guard and that was four years ago. Law & Order’s age in human years would be around 115 (rough estimate, cut me some slack), and I think it’s important to remember that.

Questions? Comments? Excited for Fall Network TV Analysis soon? Let me know at ian@tvhell.net. Also follow us at twitter.com/tvhell.

A look at The CW:

April 26, 2010

May Upfront Presentations are still a few weeks away so I decided to take a look at The CW’s progress over the past year. Despite my vocal opposition of the network back when it was announced, I’ve grown to tolerate the network as a source for mindless entertainment.

The CW has taken great strides toward pushing its own programming. The days of Gilmore Girls and 7th Heaven are long gone and that’s not a bad thing. One Tree Hill, Smallville, Supernatural, and America’s Next Top Model remain but those shows still had a lot of life left when The CW was formed. 90210 may be a spinoff but it has delivered solid numbers since its debut. Gossip Girl has become the network’s flagship show and The Vampire Diaries is one of this years best new shows. All in all things are looking good for The CW.

While The CW has made progress, it is still far from perfect. While it has launched a few shows of its own, One Tree Hill and Smallville are really getting up in years and are close to the end of their respective runs. Melrose Place was a bomb and I hope The CW does not give up hope of Life Unexpected. It has a fresh feel to it and it would be a shame to see it go.

Ratings are also a big concern for The CW. Gossip Girl always powered by a huge Internet presence and success in the 18-34 demo but it still needs to produce solid ratings. The line-up looks better on paper than it has in years (maybe ever) but there is still work to be done.

One of the downsides of The CW is that it does not really have a network to compete with. UPN and The WB were considered “netlets” (a term I put in the dictionary way back when) and I would write about their war separately from the other four networks. With that being said The CW looks like it will be able to continue to gain ground provided it can develop more successful programs to replace the aging ones. Who knows, maybe it can compete with NBC in a few years…

Network Analysis: Which Shows Are Going to TV Hell

March 30, 2010

It is that time of the year again. This season has not seen any real game changing events such as the Writer’s Strike happen but it has been a fun one nonetheless. Some shows have got to go though so I will take a look at the five broadcast networks and make my predictions as to which will be back next year.

Note: Shows that have already been cancelled are not listed. Shoot me an e-mail at ian@tvhell.net if you are unsure about a show that wasn’t listed.

CBS

There are a few shows on the bubble here. Medium, NUMB3Rs, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Cold Case, Gary Unmarried, and Accidentally on Purpose. I think Medium will be the only drama of these three to be renewed. The comedies could really go either way but right now I’m going with Accidentally on Purpose as the only one to return.

ABC

I recently covered ABC’s current state of affairs so I’m going to be brief here. Castle will probably be back but I cannot say that with certainty. The forgotten is a goner. That leaves V and Flash Forward as the only other shows on the line-up that is up in the air. I’ve said before that I think one of them will be renewed. Flash Forward’s performance has made me reconsider that and I believe it will be cancelled. V is in danger but if it can pull together solid ratings in its return (which is a gamble at best), than it will be renewed. The two of them could easily both be cancelled though.

FOX

Most of Fox’s shows have only one word in their title so this list is actually stronger than it looks. Fox also doesn’t air programming at 10. There’s a lot of talk about 24 recently. Personally I do not think it will be back, even on NBC. Brothers and Sons of Tucson are expected to be cancelled. Lie to Me and Human Target are also both at risk. I think one of them will be renewed. I’ve flip flopped on which one, right now I think Human Target will get the renewal, though I wasn’t expecting Fringe to get renewed.

NBC

There’s only one drama on the list that should tell you what a mess this network is. I’m pretty sure Law & Order and Parenthood will be back but not with enough certainty to place them in the definite category. Trauma and Mercy should be goners. I think Heroes will also be cancelled though I’m less certain. As for Chuck, well its survived a lot in the past. NBC is expanding back to three hours of primetime so it could return. NBC would be wise to move on without Heroes or Chuck though.

The CW

This will be short. Melrose Place will be cancelled. I would like to see Life Unexpected back next year. As long as ratings don’t slide it should be safe.

Send questions as to why I think a show will or won’t be back to ian@tvhell.net

Analyzing the Cable Wars

March 04, 2010

Most of the recent news updates have been regarding the major broadcast networks so I thought I would take some time to do some commentary about the big four cable networks and their ratings battle. TNT, USA, FX, AMC, and SYFY will be covered. Feel free to shoot me e-mail about any other network.

USA

This is clearly the best of the cable networks and its lineup is probably better than NBC or the CW’s. Even without veteran hit Monk, USA has built itself a line-up that will be on top for a long time. Ratings are great and I can honestly say they’re pretty much doing everything right.

TNT

Let me start with the positives. TNT has finally built an actual roster. For a while it was just The Closer and whatever show that followed The Closer and couldn’t hold its lead in. Ratings are good at the front (The Closer, Leverage) and bad at the back (HawthoRNe, Dark Blue, and Men of a Certain Age saw serious drops in ratings as their seasons progressed). This is not a line-up that is going to challenge USA’s first place lead at all. The Closer has aged and Leverage is the only other stable show on this line-up. Southland has some momentum but the transition from broadcast to cable is never guaranteed. TNT has some work cut out for it.

FX

FX is the only network being analyzed that has half hour comedies so this is going to be a bit different. We can start with the dramas. Rescue Me, Damages, and Sons of Anarchy are a solid foundation and perform nicely in the ratings department. Its comedy line-up is good. It’s nice to see FX bouncing back from a rough performance during the Writer’s Strike, which killed The Riches and Dirt. FX could use a few more dramas since Nip/Tuck is ending and Rescue Me isn’t far behind but I’m pleased with the progress.

AMC

The little engine that could has made a lot of progress over the past few years. Its two dramas are among the most successful cable shows currently airing. Like FX, it’s a work in progress but the future is bright.

SYFY

You may wonder why I put SYFY in here. It’s the only genre specific network in here (though USA and TNT shows all fit under the Characters Welcome and We Know Drama slogans). I decided that since I didn’t have enough criticism in here, I’d throw in a network that I have a problem with. Where to begin? SYFY is a mess right now. Caprica and Stargate Universe are underperforming (and bad). Eureka has suffered a ratings dive. Sanctuary and Warehouse 13 are promising but don’t really show me that they can carry SYFY quite like Battlestar Galactica could. The network has become so irrelevant that I actually had to double check, which shows were actually on it to begin with. SYFY needs to spend less time coming up with new ways to spell its name and more time finding a new flagship program. Just to switch things up a bit, let me know what shows you guys are currently watching at ian@tvhell.net. While you’re at it let me know what you think of this new analysis format. If it’s good I might do more of these on a regular basis. Remember to follow us at twitter.com/tvhell

ABC: Making the Same Mistakes

March 01, 2010

Before I begin bashing ABC, I just want to give the alphabet some credit. Its Wednesday night comedy line-up (fueled by Modern Family) is really good. However that doesn’t excuse the network for the way it’s handled its drama department.

I covered the cancellations of Pushing Daisies, Dirty Sexy Money, and Eli Stone last year to the point where even I felt it was redundant. You can throw Life on Mars into the mix, as the four of those shows were mainstays of my lineup. ABC seems to think that midseason breaks are a good idea. Ratings don’t seem to agree. New dramas Flash Forward and V have seen huge ratings decreases since their returns. Shows usually take a month or more during the holidays off but ABC extends this break by a couple weeks.

Fox did this with Prison Break and we all know how that story ended. ABC tried to split up Lost’s third season and that also was a dud. Long breaks, especially for a show in its first year simply do not work.

ABC was on a role before the Writer’s Strike and has suffered a momentum blow that quite frankly isn’t all that different from NBC. It still has a few hits but they are all aging. Eastwick has bit the dust, and the forgotten is soon to be forgotten. The Deep End is also a goner as well as Ugly Betty. Grey’s Anatomy and Desperate Housewives still put up decent numbers but have shown signs of aging. Brothers & Sisters and Private Practice both leave much to be desired, but they are at least consistent. We don’t really think of them as fallback shows such as Law & Order or any of CBS’ middle tier procedurals, but Brothers & Sisters and Private Practice are essentially only still around because they’re stable. Castle has shown minor improvements and while I don’t think it’s going to get any better, there’s no real reason to cancel it with so many other shows in trouble.

ABC will head into next season with no more than six dramas (I still think either Flash Forward or V will get renewed, though both is unlikely) and three comedies (expect Modern Family, The Middle and Cougar Town back). This is not the making of a first place network. This looks more like NBC than CBS. ABC needs to treat its rookie shows better or lost them entirely. The alphabet network has too many old shows and needs to establish some younger dramas or else it’s going to be in a lot of trouble.

I’ve got a few announcements. First off as always, send your questions and comments to ian@tvhell.net. Secondly, I haven’t plugged our twitter page in awhile. You can follow us at http://twitter.com/tvhell. Next, I introduced the TV Hell Spotlight section last news update. I’d like to remind people who submit a spotlight show to include a brief description of the show itself. Finally, I’d just like to let those of you who e-mail asking us to help you find a show that I am not neglecting you guys. I’ve been getting a lot of e-mails lately (that’s a good thing) and it’s harder to put it the time to find missing shows.

TV Hell Spotlight: Shows you may have missed

I was searching for material for headlines a few days ago but I couldn’t really find enough newsworthy things to compile a new edition. It’s been over a year since I introduced a new segment to TV Hell so this is going to be a test one. I get a lot of requests for people to suggest new shows for them and since this website focuses on cancelled shows, why not look to the past? I encourage all of you to submit your own recommendations for this section as Rich and I have been looking for ways to get our readers involved for some time (we revamped the forum but you guys don’t seem to like it).

A couple of guidelines.

1. Don’t pick a show everyone’s heard of. Obscurity is encouraged.
2. Any genre and as many as you wish to do.
3. Include a decent description and why it’s good.
4. Shows can be from any era, including earlier than when the list started.
5. Reader contributions are pretty much necessary for this section to survive. I don’t really have enough time to do it all on my own (though if the hits totals continue to climb we could get some nice advertisers).

Show: Farscape

I chose it first because a really cool complete series box set was just released at a great price (60 bucks for four season, the mini-series, and legitimately good bonus features). Farscape was a show that aired for four seasons on the Sci-fi Channel that was produced by Jim Henson’s production studio. It was a quirky show about an astronaut stuck on a living spaceship with a ragtag group of fugitives. One of the best cult TV shows of the past decade and a must see for any science fiction fans.

Show: Hack

Hack was a show that aired on CBS from 2002-2004. Hack was one of CBS’ most innovative procedural crime dramas of the new millennium. The show starred David Morse and Homicide Life on the Street’s Andre Braugher. It was about a former police officer who tries to help people who the police won’t help. Hack can be seen on the Sleuth cable network and Is definitely worth checking out.

Got Your Own Spotlight Show? Send it via word document to ian@tvhell.net. Hopefully this is an idea that will catch on.

Can Fox Survive Without American Idol?

February 05, 2010
This news may be a bit old but the analysis is certainly relevant. As most of you probably know Simon Cowell will leave American Idol after this season. If there are any long time readers here, you may remember that I made predictions back in 06 that American Idol wasn’t built to last very long. Well I was wrong about that but Simon’s departure is the first real threat to the show. Given Fox’s relatively unstable line-up this could be a very bad thing. Fox has one of the most promising new shows of the season on its lineup, Glee. However Glee’s ratings are hardly good enough to carry the network. House, Bones, and 24 are all performing, but they are also all showing signs of aging. Fringe has basically imploded and Sunday Night Animation Domination is consistent, but not outstanding. This is not a number one line-up at all.

Truth be told, Fox needs American Idol. Ratings will decline but probably not by more than five or six million. That drop would kill most shows, but most shows aren’t ratings juggernauts.

There is another silver lining in Cowell’s departure. Simon plans to bring his UK hit The X Factor to Fox next fall. If both shows can be successful, Fox may become a number one network once again. Fox does need to solidify its drama department however.

Questions? Comments? Words of Praise? Send them to ian@tvhell.net

Jay Leno Back to Late Night?

January 08, 2010
Hate to say I told you so NBC. Ok maybe not since this move was one of the all time worst in the history of television. Leno’s ratings aren’t as bad as I thought they would be but The Tonight Show is in shambles without Leno. Conan just wasn’t right for the job. NBC is expected to announce the end of the Jay Leno Show in a few months. This raises a couple of question as to what will happen to NBC in the up coming months.

Since Leno will most likely return to the Tonight Show, Conan is left without a show. It doesn’t make much sense to uproot Jimmy Fallon since he seems to be doing fine. Conan’s style of comedy was not right for The Tonight Show and we will likely see him move to another network should NBC reinstate Leno.

The other big question is what will NBC do with the 10 o’clock slots that will be vacated. The peacock network hasn’t had much luck this year with new programming (what else is new), so it doesn’t have much to use to fill the holes in the line-up. Both Law & Orders would probably get pushed back to their old 10 o’clock spots. That leaves Monday and Thursday nights free since I doubt they care much about Friday at this point. Dateline would probably be used to fill some holes. Sunday Night Football is over though so this creates even more holes in their line-up.

NBC is really without any consistent performers at this point. Heroes is a mess and Chuck never performed to begin with. Medium is doing well, on CBS now. Friday Night Lights isn’t supposed to air until the summer. I can imagine they will bump it up to March possibly. NBC Universal has very successful programming on its USA network. Burn Notice, In Plain Sight, Royal Pains, and White Collar could use some more mainstream exposure (their ratings are about as good as Heroes though).

I’ve heard rumors that NBC has ordered 18 pilots for next year. This is the biggest order since well before the Writer’s Strike. It looks like they could have as many as ten new dramas on next year. Knowing NBC, there’s a shot none of them will be good!

Questions? Comments? Wish to bash Leno? Feel free to send me your questions, gripes, etc, at ian@tvhell.net

The 2009 Fall Season

December 18, 2009
I tried out this concept last year and I thought it worked pretty well. Last year was unique because it was the first season back from the writer’s strike. This year is a little different and that’s a good thing. Ratings are up and we’ve seen a couple new shows that can have some potential. Let’s see what worked and what didn’t.

The Good:

CBS continues to dominate the ratings war. NCIS defied ratings trends once again and its spinoff is also doing quite well. Medium made a successful transition from NBC to CBS. While NUMB3RS may have taken a dive, the rest of its procedural crime dramas have held up. While ABC has seen some of its older shows suffer ratings drops it has two solid new shows, Flash Forward and Modern Family. I have my doubts about the Flash Forward’s long-term success but for now it is a hit.

The Bad:

Fox. Fox has one hit in Glee but that’s about it. Fringe and Lie to Me have seen terrible ratings drops and Dollhouse is a goner. Fox is traditionally more successful in the second half of the year when 24 and American Idol return but Fox hasn’t been this bad in the fall in awhile. The CW has also been a bust this fall. Vampire Diaries and Melrose Place had potential but neither has been particularly memorable. One Tree Hill and Supernatural are showing signs of aging. Not much is going right for The CW. Maybe it’s time for some new shows…

The Ugly:

Nothing quite like a repeat. NBC was so bad this fall I couldn’t bear to put the Peacock network in with the bad. Leno is a complete failure and most of its shows have seen ratings declines. Heroes was supposed to save the network, instead it has completely fallen apart. I like Community but that couldn’t stop me from bashing this pathetic network. Maybe NBC should follow in Curb Your Enthusiasm’s footsteps and make a real Seinfeld reunion.. Or maybe it should just shut down…

That’s the wrap up. All in all it was a pretty successful fall season. Some good new shows have been established and ratings have been stabilized. I’ll be back next week with a tribute to Monk and Headlines will get an update before the month is over. Now is a good time to send your What- Ifs to ian@tvhell.net as that page will see some updates while Headlines gets a breather. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the TV Hell staff.

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