ABC should be getting more "Desperate" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Sal · 03-06-2005, 09:02 PM

I still can't believe it! As I looked through my Sunday TV magazine, I have noticed, much to my utter dismay, that for the second week in a row, and for what I believe is the 6th time overall (I'm not exactly sure. I lost count after Christmas.), "Desperate Housewives" will not be on ABC tonight. Normally, this might not sound like such a big deal---networks pre-empt shows all the time---but it's different when you're talking about the big guns. Right now, it's currently 4th overall in the 2004-05 ratings race, behind back to back "American Idol" episodes and the original CSI series, the only other series that can average more than 20,000,000 viewers each week. That makes it the #1 show on ABC at the moment and it's being treated like dirt! I can understand bumping it off the air for a big event like the Oscars, but an Oprah Winfrey movie special? Sorry, that doesn't cut it with me.

Let me state again that "Desperate Housewives" is ABC's current #1 hit, and a fairly unexpected one at that. You would think that the network would take advantage of that by airing it and promoting it every chance they get. I mean, think about it. Did NBC ever give "The Cosby Show" a week off when it was at its peak? Never! Not even once! Did they do it with "Seinfeld" or "Cheers" or "Friends"? Not that I can remember, or very rarely if it happened at all. Why? Because these shows were NBC's meal tickets. Mess with any of them and the entire network might as well go out of business, not to mention the anger and anguish that would follow from disenchanted viewers. Back then, if a World Series game just happened to be scheduled for a Thursday night and had to be shown on NBC, it would have aired at 8:30 pm at the earliest so as not to pre-empt "Cosby". Both baseball fans and Cosby fans understood the situation and shrugged it off without much complaint.

So why is ABC being so stupid with their latest prize? After waiting years for a legitimate smash hit, they now have two---the other being "Lost"---and it seems like they can't handle success. Or maybe it's because they'd rather turn their attention to heavily promoting drivel like "Jake In Progress" than they would for a real good show. (Hey, we can't offend all those John Stamos fans out there! After all, he's special to us---and so gosh-darn cute, too!

)

Bottom line: "Desperate Housewives" should be on every week. I know it. You know it. Their fans deserve it. If only ABC would realize it, too!

Brent88 · 03-06-2005, 09:05 PM

It's not on next week and the 20th is a repeat.

This is a way to turn viewers off! I don't like it at all.

Pavan · 03-06-2005, 09:16 PM

It would have been reruns anyway (March 6, 13, and 20). Look at the math, Sept-May is more than 22-23 weeks.

barwars · 03-06-2005, 09:22 PM

Not airing it makes fans want it more. When DH returns in a few weeks, I suspect it will have some of its' biggest ratings yet.

If DH aired repeats, it WOULDN'T be 4th overall in the ratings. This way, it may have a chance of superpassing CSI and possibly even AI.

Pavan · 03-06-2005, 10:25 PM

I agree with barwars. ABC is smart by not airing reruns on that 9pm Sunday slot.

barwars · 03-06-2005, 10:35 PM

I also notice that ABC isn't airing Lost or Boston Legal reruns anymore.

Funny that FOX and NBC were so into the "full year scheduling" -- yet ABC seems to be the network that will pull it off the best.

Mr. Television · 03-06-2005, 11:29 PM

They should up their order for a couple more episodes.

Pavan · 03-06-2005, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barwars

I also notice that ABC isn't airing Lost or Boston Legal reruns anymore.

Funny that FOX and NBC were so into the "full year scheduling" -- yet ABC seems to be the network that will pull it off the best.

Lost reruns are airing. Reruns start this week, until March 30. Instead of BL reruns, we will see Grey's Anatomy.

Brent88 · 03-07-2005, 02:40 PM

Well... that Oprah movie paid off BIG time. It pulled slightly better than Desperate Housewives did back in February.

A staggering 16.4/24!!!

Brent88 · 03-07-2005, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barwars

I also notice that ABC isn't airing Lost or Boston Legal reruns anymore.

ABC has never reran Boston Legal have they? Desperate Housewives has always repeated at 10...

barwars · 03-07-2005, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brent88

ABC has never reran Boston Legal have they? Desperate Housewives has always repeated at 10...

They may have early on, I'm not positive.

spunkygirl · 03-07-2005, 06:26 PM

I agree with Barwars and Pav. Plus ABC has always done this, they did it with Lois and Clark in the early 90's which also aired on Sundays. It gets viewers wanting more, yes it's annoying, I would take a repeat over nothing, but it's not much longer till new episodes.

03-06-2005, 09:02 PM	#1
Sal Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 20, 2001 Location: Oakville, Ont. Canada Posts: 6,181	ABC should be getting more "Desperate" I still can't believe it! As I looked through my Sunday TV magazine, I have noticed, much to my utter dismay, that for the second week in a row, and for what I believe is the 6th time overall (I'm not exactly sure. I lost count after Christmas.), "Desperate Housewives" will not be on ABC tonight. Normally, this might not sound like such a big deal---networks pre-empt shows all the time---but it's different when you're talking about the big guns. Right now, it's currently 4th overall in the 2004-05 ratings race, behind back to back "American Idol" episodes and the original CSI series, the only other series that can average more than 20,000,000 viewers each week. That makes it the #1 show on ABC at the moment and it's being treated like dirt! I can understand bumping it off the air for a big event like the Oscars, but an Oprah Winfrey movie special? Sorry, that doesn't cut it with me. Let me state again that "Desperate Housewives" is ABC's current #1 hit, and a fairly unexpected one at that. You would think that the network would take advantage of that by airing it and promoting it every chance they get. I mean, think about it. Did NBC ever give "The Cosby Show" a week off when it was at its peak? Never! Not even once! Did they do it with "Seinfeld" or "Cheers" or "Friends"? Not that I can remember, or very rarely if it happened at all. Why? Because these shows were NBC's meal tickets. Mess with any of them and the entire network might as well go out of business, not to mention the anger and anguish that would follow from disenchanted viewers. Back then, if a World Series game just happened to be scheduled for a Thursday night and had to be shown on NBC, it would have aired at 8:30 pm at the earliest so as not to pre-empt "Cosby". Both baseball fans and Cosby fans understood the situation and shrugged it off without much complaint. So why is ABC being so stupid with their latest prize? After waiting years for a legitimate smash hit, they now have two---the other being "Lost"---and it seems like they can't handle success. Or maybe it's because they'd rather turn their attention to heavily promoting drivel like "Jake In Progress" than they would for a real good show. (Hey, we can't offend all those John Stamos fans out there! After all, he's special to us---and so gosh-darn cute, too! ) Bottom line: "Desperate Housewives" should be on every week. I know it. You know it. Their fans deserve it. If only ABC would realize it, too!
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03-06-2005, 09:05 PM	#2
Brent88 Member Forum Star Join Date: Aug 01, 2003 Location: Alabama Posts: 16,174	It's not on next week and the 20th is a repeat. This is a way to turn viewers off! I don't like it at all.
	__________________ Brent

03-06-2005, 09:16 PM	#3
Pavan SO News/Reviews Director Administrator Forum Superstar Join Date: Feb 17, 2000 Location: Linden, NJ (Where Hal Linden got his last name from!) Posts: 26,821	It would have been reruns anyway (March 6, 13, and 20). Look at the math, Sept-May is more than 22-23 weeks.
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03-06-2005, 11:29 PM	#7
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,133	They should up their order for a couple more episodes.
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03-06-2005, 09:22 PM	#4
barwars .. Forum Star Join Date: May 04, 2002 Posts: 13,273	Not airing it makes fans want it more. When DH returns in a few weeks, I suspect it will have some of its' biggest ratings yet. If DH aired repeats, it WOULDN'T be 4th overall in the ratings. This way, it may have a chance of superpassing CSI and possibly even AI.

03-06-2005, 10:25 PM	#5
Pavan SO News/Reviews Director Administrator Forum Superstar Join Date: Feb 17, 2000 Location: Linden, NJ (Where Hal Linden got his last name from!) Posts: 26,821	I agree with barwars. ABC is smart by not airing reruns on that 9pm Sunday slot.

03-06-2005, 10:35 PM	#6
barwars .. Forum Star Join Date: May 04, 2002 Posts: 13,273	I also notice that ABC isn't airing Lost or Boston Legal reruns anymore. Funny that FOX and NBC were so into the "full year scheduling" -- yet ABC seems to be the network that will pull it off the best.

03-07-2005, 02:40 PM	#9
Brent88 Member Forum Star Join Date: Aug 01, 2003 Location: Alabama Posts: 16,174	Well... that Oprah movie paid off BIG time. It pulled slightly better than Desperate Housewives did back in February. A staggering 16.4/24!!!

03-07-2005, 06:26 PM	#12
spunkygirl Member Moderator Forum Celebrity Join Date: Apr 26, 2003 Posts: 21,563	I agree with Barwars and Pav. Plus ABC has always done this, they did it with Lois and Clark in the early 90's which also aired on Sundays. It gets viewers wanting more, yes it's annoying, I would take a repeat over nothing, but it's not much longer till new episodes.