This may be just a personal thing, but it could be more wide spread. The show has been funny, but nothing close to the gut-buster sitcoms that the shows two stars came from.

It's still early and probably expecting too much to be hoping this show to even come close to the heights of Frasier and Everybody Loves Raymond. But with the cast, director and producers; there is the hope that gold might be struck again. Maybe the show is still trying to find it's footing. Maybe they have a plan. Maybe they don't, and it's work in progress.

Frasier and ELR had a definite plan; the focus of those shows was family. In those shows, even the characters who weren't blood family seemed like family -- Ros, Daphne (who eventually became family). With BTY, maybe their trying to find a mix. It will be interesting to see if they can find the right mix of family -- Chuck, Kelly and Gracie -- and office hijinks.

I agree, a lot has been expected of this show because of its star power. However, it needs time to find its footing. Not all great sitcoms happen over night. To compare it to either Frasier or ELR is completely unfair.

I agree, a lot has been expected of this show because of its star power. However, it needs time to find its footing. Not all great sitcoms happen over night. To compare it to either Frasier or ELR is completely unfair.

And if I remember correctly, "Everybody Loves Raymond" wasn't an instant smash either...

I agree, a lot has been expected of this show because of its star power. However, it needs time to find its footing. Not all great sitcoms happen over night. To compare it to either Frasier or ELR is completely unfair.

Exactly, everybody was expecting an instant hit and many are quickly referring to it as a huge disappointment which is quite unfair because the show is quite good. Yes the ratings haven't been stellar, but that doesn't neccesarily mean that the show is a failure.

I think they got a bit unlucky wth the strike because they won't have the chance to develop the full season and grow in quality. They are in a very taugh spot and their fate will depend on the Spring ratings. But then again, they'll have to air only repeats so who knows how it goes :crazy:.

The good thing is that FOX is supporting it. Depending on how the strike goes and how the next development season evolves, they might give them a 13 episode order for a second season, mostly because of Grammer and Heaton, but that's just a guess. Or should I say my hope ;) ?

And if I remember correctly, "Everybody Loves Raymond" wasn't an instant smash either...

Yes, ELR used to air on Fridays initially with very low ratings. Once they moved on Monday they started to have higher ratings ... the rest is history.

By the way, I am a huge fan of ELR (discovered it in the 9th season) and I can say that their first season, although quite funny, is their weakest compared to the rest. Nine years latter they became The Sitcom of Our Times ;) !!!!

Exactly, everybody was expecting an instant hit and many are quickly referring to it as a huge disappointment which is quite unfair because the show is quite good. Yes the ratings haven't been stellar, but that doesn't neccesarily mean that the show is a failure.

And though FOX has been supportive of the show, I still think it's on the wrong network. If this show was on CBS, I'm almost positive the ratings would be double of what they are now. And it would get more attention in general.

And if I remember correctly, "Everybody Loves Raymond" wasn't an instant smash either...


Not at all, neither were shows like Cheers and Seinfeld and countless others.

And though FOX has been supportive of the show, I still think it's on the wrong network. If this show was on CBS, I'm almost positive the ratings would be double of what they are now. And it would get more attention in general.

I think CBS really should have thought about grabbing this show before FOX or ABC did. Right now, CBS is the network for mutlicamera sitcoms. They could have easily picked it up and made it a hit.

The thing with CBS though is if the show was getting only 7 million on their network, it would have been already gone. FOX, knowing that they don't have many shows to fall back on, is really supportive of this show, and they'll stand behind it no matter what ratings it gets.

I think CBS really should have thought about grabbing this show before FOX or ABC did. Right now, CBS is the network for mutlicamera sitcoms. They could have easily picked it up and made it a hit.

The thing with CBS though is if the show was getting only 7 million on their network, it would have been already gone. FOX, knowing that they don't have many shows to fall back on, is really supportive of this show, and they'll stand behind it no matter what ratings it gets.
I don't think it would be getting 7 million on CBS - I think it would be doing just as well as all their Monday night sitcoms.

And I think the reason FOX got it was because they offered more money than any other network. Or at least I think that's what I read last summer...