BLT
04-24-2003, 09:14 AM
'Shoot Me' pulled; Levitan pistol-hot
April 24, 2003
The bullets are flying over "Just Shoot Me." After a disastrous ratings performance earlier this week, NBC informed the producers Wednesday that it was immediately pulling the Universal Studios-produced comedy from the schedule and shelving 13 unaired episodes until sometime in the summer. The workplace comedy starring David Spade will be temporarily replaced with specials through the upcoming sweep, including "The Most Outrageous Game Show Moments 4" on May 6. The move drew an outraged response from "Just Shoot Me" executive producer Steve Levitan, who accused NBC entertainment president Jeff Zucker of breaking his word about the show's future and killing it this season through poor scheduling and a lack of promotion. Levitan said that at the final season taping last month, "Jeff Zucker came and assured our cast, promised our cast, that (NBC) would not pull us and they would be airing these episodes. Now it's clear to me his word meant nothing. It's a real slap in the face to the show and the crew for NBC to treat the show the way they've treated it." NBC and Zucker declined comment
ABC rerun beats NBC's 'Frasier' as Fox wins Tues. night
April 24, 2003
Tuesday was another rough outing for NBC's "Frasier." The veteran 9 p.m. comedy was beaten by repeat of ABC's "According to Jim" in the key adults 18-49 demographic, according to Nielsen Media Research. The 9 p.m. "Jim" rerun averaged 8.3 million viewers and 3.4 rating/9 share in adults 18-49, compared to 9.3 million viewers and 3.2/8 in 18-49 for the original "Frasier" installment. At 9:30 p.m., NBC's "Watching Ellie" slipped to 7.5 million viewers and 2.8/7. In fairness, "Frasier" didn't get much support in the 8-9 p.m. hour from back-to-back episodes of "Just Shoot Me," which opened the night for NBC with an anemic 4.9 million viewers and 1.7/5 in the demo. The 8:30 p.m. episode averaged 4.9 million viewers and 1.9/5 in 18-49. Fox had no trouble winning the night (16 million, 7.5/20) with its regular lineup of "American Idol" (20.1 million, 9.3/26) and 9 p.m. drama "24" (12 million, 5.7/14). CBS was a solid second in total viewers (13.2 million, 3.0/8) with its regular Tuesday drama slate of "JAG," "The Guardian" and "Judging Amy."
WB 'Grounded' for another year
April 24, 2003
The WB Network has given a 22-episode pickup to the family comedy "Grounded for Life," which will return in the fall for its first full season on the WB and its fourth overall. The show, starring Donal Logue as the head of a rambunctious middle-class clan, moved to the WB in late February after running on Fox since its premiere in January 2001. With the pickup, the WB will have 30 original episodes of "Grounded" for next season, including six unaired segments originally produced for Fox last year, which the WB acquired as part of the deal for the series. "It's a dream come true," the show's co-creator/executive producer Bill Martin said about the early pickup. "We were drowning, and the WB pulled us out, and now we've got a new lease on life." All cast members are set to return to the series in the fall, Martin said. He and fellow co-creator/executive producer Mike Schiff will remain as showrunners and will continue to executive produce alongside CWM's Marcy Carsey, Tom Werner and Caryn Mandabach.
April 24, 2003
The bullets are flying over "Just Shoot Me." After a disastrous ratings performance earlier this week, NBC informed the producers Wednesday that it was immediately pulling the Universal Studios-produced comedy from the schedule and shelving 13 unaired episodes until sometime in the summer. The workplace comedy starring David Spade will be temporarily replaced with specials through the upcoming sweep, including "The Most Outrageous Game Show Moments 4" on May 6. The move drew an outraged response from "Just Shoot Me" executive producer Steve Levitan, who accused NBC entertainment president Jeff Zucker of breaking his word about the show's future and killing it this season through poor scheduling and a lack of promotion. Levitan said that at the final season taping last month, "Jeff Zucker came and assured our cast, promised our cast, that (NBC) would not pull us and they would be airing these episodes. Now it's clear to me his word meant nothing. It's a real slap in the face to the show and the crew for NBC to treat the show the way they've treated it." NBC and Zucker declined comment
ABC rerun beats NBC's 'Frasier' as Fox wins Tues. night
April 24, 2003
Tuesday was another rough outing for NBC's "Frasier." The veteran 9 p.m. comedy was beaten by repeat of ABC's "According to Jim" in the key adults 18-49 demographic, according to Nielsen Media Research. The 9 p.m. "Jim" rerun averaged 8.3 million viewers and 3.4 rating/9 share in adults 18-49, compared to 9.3 million viewers and 3.2/8 in 18-49 for the original "Frasier" installment. At 9:30 p.m., NBC's "Watching Ellie" slipped to 7.5 million viewers and 2.8/7. In fairness, "Frasier" didn't get much support in the 8-9 p.m. hour from back-to-back episodes of "Just Shoot Me," which opened the night for NBC with an anemic 4.9 million viewers and 1.7/5 in the demo. The 8:30 p.m. episode averaged 4.9 million viewers and 1.9/5 in 18-49. Fox had no trouble winning the night (16 million, 7.5/20) with its regular lineup of "American Idol" (20.1 million, 9.3/26) and 9 p.m. drama "24" (12 million, 5.7/14). CBS was a solid second in total viewers (13.2 million, 3.0/8) with its regular Tuesday drama slate of "JAG," "The Guardian" and "Judging Amy."
WB 'Grounded' for another year
April 24, 2003
The WB Network has given a 22-episode pickup to the family comedy "Grounded for Life," which will return in the fall for its first full season on the WB and its fourth overall. The show, starring Donal Logue as the head of a rambunctious middle-class clan, moved to the WB in late February after running on Fox since its premiere in January 2001. With the pickup, the WB will have 30 original episodes of "Grounded" for next season, including six unaired segments originally produced for Fox last year, which the WB acquired as part of the deal for the series. "It's a dream come true," the show's co-creator/executive producer Bill Martin said about the early pickup. "We were drowning, and the WB pulled us out, and now we've got a new lease on life." All cast members are set to return to the series in the fall, Martin said. He and fellow co-creator/executive producer Mike Schiff will remain as showrunners and will continue to executive produce alongside CWM's Marcy Carsey, Tom Werner and Caryn Mandabach.