Are Your Fave Shows in Trouble?

[Janice]

http://entertainment.excite.com/cele...21_2005_1.html

TV GUIDE ONLINE

Are Your Fave Shows in Trouble?
by Stephen Battaglio

Just call them Endangered Series — those unlucky shows whose declining ratings are killing their chances of survival. Is your favorite on the list? Here's a rundown of the programs that might get the ax to make room for next season's new shows.

NBC
The West Wing has chosen Jimmy Smits and Alan Alda as candidates for a post-Bartlet White House, and NBC has reelected Wing for a seventh term, but only after Warner Bros. reportedly offered to halve the show's hefty license fee. Ad-buying executive Tim Spengler believes the political drama's appeal to upscale viewers, which makes it valuable to advertisers, convinced NBC to finance another fictional presidential campaign.

Other shows in NBC's danger zone: Third Watch, Medical Investigation and American Dreams. We hear Dreams stars Will Estes and Rachel Boston have already signed on to new shows rather than wait for cancellation.

ABC
Soon the alphabet net's initials could stand for "Anything But Comedy." With the exception of According to Jim, all of ABC's ratings-challenged sitcoms stand a chance of getting pink-slipped. Most vulnerable are 8 Simple Rules, Less Than Perfect and Rodney.

CBS
Fans might want to say a prayer for Joan of Arcadia. Despite heavy promotion, the spiritual drama still hasn't attracted much of a flock on Friday nights. Ditto for the aging JAG, which might spin off a new military drama starring Catherine Bell's character. If JAG does return, it will do so without costar David James Elliott.

Fox
The Bernie Mac Show's ratings have perked up lately, but a fifth season could depend on the star's health. Bernie Mac suffers from the rare respiratory illness sarcoidosis, and production had to shut down last fall when he was hospitalized. Meanwhile, low-rated Jonny Zero's chances of seeing a second season are zilch.

UPN
Kevin Hill never lived up to ratings expectations and now finds itself on shaky ground. "The first show had a lot of buzz," Spengler says. "But the story lines just didn't catch on."

WB
Good reviews will not keep Jack & Bobby's term from being shorter than Gerry Ford's. The show has averaged a puny 2.4 million viewers a week. Steve Harvey's Big Time Challenge also could be running out of time.

[TJL]

My favorite shows were born in trouble.

[Janice]

Originally Posted by TJL

My favorite shows were born in trouble.

I'm still mourning Good Morning Miami.

[TJL]

Originally Posted by Janice

I'm still mourning Good Morning Miami.

I worry about you sometimes Janice. I really do.

[James"Thunder"Early]

I don't have any shows that are in danger. I really think shows like Arrested Development and American Dreams would do better in first run syndication it's a cleaner market than the network where they wouldn't have to compete with network shows and since it is hardly used anymore they could find their own base and grow more than they could at the network.

[Brent88]

Originally Posted by SneakyMcSneak

Is Boston Legal on the bubble? It's getting really good now but the ratings (I heard) are like a rollercoaster, one week they're up, the next they're down.

Not really... It won't be on Sundays after Housewives though IMO... probably Tuesday or Thursday.

[Janice]

Originally Posted by Brent88

Not really... It won't be on Sundays after Housewives though IMO... probably Tuesday or Thursday.

Brent, who were you quoting? Where is SneakyMcSneak's post?

[EmoJoe]

Originally Posted by Janice

Brent, who were you quoting? Where is SneakyMcSneak's post?

Yeah i was wondering that too

Maybe hes on that ignore list thing

[WilCap]

shoulda never cancelled Angel....

[Mr. Monitor]

I'm hoping and praying that Bernie Mac makes it. FOX should at least let the show make it to 100 episodes considering all the drama they've put it through.

[EmoJoe]

Originally Posted by barwars

"SneakyMcSneak".... coincidence?? I think not.

Hmmm

[vashti1999]

Originally Posted by Dr. Phillips

I don't have any shows that are in danger. I really think shows like Arrested Development and American Dreams would do better in first run syndication it's a cleaner market than the network where they wouldn't have to compete with network shows and since it is hardly used anymore they could find their own base and grow more than they could at the network.

I'd agree in the case of American Dreams, but I don't see a show like Arrested Development being strong as a first run syndicated series. A move to say, HBO would suit AD better if FOX cans it, I think.

Originally Posted by barwars

Other "endangered" shows I'd really like to see return -- American Dreams, Bernie Mac, Veronica Mars.

[Brent88]

Originally Posted by Janice

Brent, who were you quoting? Where is SneakyMcSneak's post?

It was there when I posted... must have gotten banned.

[Sal]

Canada's TV Guide has taken on the same project in their March 19 issue, spotlighting 5 shows that they feel are worth saving, plus another 9 critically acclaimed series that don't get enough respect and should be watched more often, or they could be in trouble as well. The issue uses "Family Guy", "Roswell", "Designing Women", and "Cagney & Lacey" as examples of shows that were spared from the axe by successful viewer protests. Having over 2.6 million DVDs sold also helped greatly in the case of "Family Guy". With that in mind, the article also offers addresses where viewers can send their beefs in the hope that someone at the networks will listen. Now since TV Guide Canada has not made this article available on their website, and since I don't want to copy it word for word for fear of getting caught, I'll just list the highlights.

The 5 series that the TV Guide article feels are worth saving are:

1. American Dreams --- NBC Wed. 8:00 pm #71 in the ratings for 2004-05 season so far.

I liked the first couple of episodes with the "American Bandstand" flashbacks and the retro early 60s good-old-days atmosphere, but once they started doing Vietnam storylines, I was outta there!


2. Jack & Bobby --- WB Sun 8:00 pm #152 and dead last. Ouch!

Not a bad idea for a series. Show a pair of brothers growing up in the normal fashion, except that one of them will eventually grow up to be President of the United States. It's a very creative concept, but no one seems to be paying attention, hence its inclusion on this list.

3. The O.C. --- FOX Thu 8:00 pm #88

At one time, this was the hottest show on FOX, and, more specifically, the hottest show anywhere. Now, it appears to be headed for oblivion. The fact that it occupies the worst timeslot in the television universe should give you an idea of how FOX feels about it.

4. Scrubs --- NBC Tue 9:00 pm #75

This is my choice for the most underrated sitcom on TV today. The show is funny, the characters are likable, and each episode is fast paced and well written. What's not to like?

5. Arrested Development --- FOX Sun. 8:30 pm #100

This one might receive the most fan support of the 5 series on the list, as well as the most tearful goodbyes from critics who will hate to see it go. But count me out of that group. I just don't feel it's funny at all!

If you would like to see these shows stay on the air, TV Guide provided some addresses that you can use to make your voices heard. Here they are:

For "American Dreams" and/or "Scrubs" :

NBC Viewer Relations
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY
10112

For "Jack & Bobby" :

faces@thewb.com

For "The O.C." and/or "Arrested Development" :

askfox@foxinc.com

Good luck and I hope you succeed in keeping your favorites alive!


In the same article, TV Guide also listed 9 series that they like to call the "Strong Silent Types", shows that are very well done but don't get the same respect as other series. These shows are very highly recommended by the TV Guide Canada staff, and they encourage you to watch them, otherwise, they also could share the same fate as the 5 series I mentioned above. These series are:

1. MEDIUM---NBC Mon 10:00 pm
2. HOUSE---FOX Tue 9:00 pm
3. BOSTON LEGAL---ABC Sun 10:00 pm
4. MEDICAL INVESTIGATION---NBC Fri 10:00 pm
5. THIRD WATCH---NBC FRI 9:00 pm
6. LAS VEGAS---NBC Mon 9:00 pm
7. COLD CASE---CBS Sun 8:00 pm
8. RODNEY---ABC Tue 9:30 pm (The only sitcom on the list)
9. CROSSING JORDAN---NBC Sun 10:00 pm (opposite "Boston Legal"!)

Looks like NBC could use a lot of help!

I've never watched any of these 9 shows so I wouldn't know first-hand how good or bad they are, but I have heard good things about them. If you like them, keep watching them or they could be gone before you know it.

[snl75]

Originally Posted by Janice

I'm still mourning Good Morning Miami.

me too i miss that show