Michael Hayes- One Year Too Early To Be Successful

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Between when David Caruso left NYPD Blue and starring in CSI: Miami which would be a smash hit most of its run, he starred in a drama on CBS that was one and done. Michael Hayes, about a brooding federal prosecutor, aired Tuesdays at 9:00 the fall of 1997, following JAG's first season on the CBS starting lineup leading off Tuesdays. Michael Hayes did get the back 9 for a full 22 episode season (something broadcast networks are mostly too cheap to give anymore ). That is better than Michael Hayes leadout Dellaventura got, which was capped at 13 episodes. But Michael Hayes had way too stiff of competition in 1997 with Home Improvement's last year anchoring the night at 9:00, and Frasier's last Tuesday season for awhile, being moved to Thursdays as Seinfeld's replacement. Home Improvement and Frasier were in a dead heat for the last overall top 10 spot in the 1997-1998 season. Just Shoot Me had great retention from Frasier at #12, but fell apart completely out of the top 30 when replacing Frasier as the Tuesday anchor fall 1998. Spin City ironically did better replacing Home Improvement, which moved to leadoff for its final season. Spin City made the top 30 fall 1998-1999 which it hadn't 1997-1998, but only at a tie for #25. CBS went back to having Tuesday movies fall 1998. But with Just Shoot Me's collapse and a lot weaker competition from NBC and ABC, Michael Hayes would have had a lot better chance of long term success if it premiered one year later, in fall 1998 instead of fall 1997.