A&E is Ideal for airing UM - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Old School TV · 09-23-2006, 10:17 AM

I emailed A&E to encourage them to buy the rights to air UM. It is unlikely it will happen but if many people who are fans of A&E shows as CC, IR, and AJ, do a letter campaign it could happen. I got a generic response that the email was forwarded to the proper programming people. Marketing should be easy since alot of the UM audience already watches A&E for those true crime shows. COurt TV might be a second choice. But what does Legends have to with Court Tv?

h20ballerina · 09-23-2006, 11:08 AM

i agree. its just a good idea. i was gettin tired of having to explain to my friends that i had to go home to watch lifetime. just kiddin. but yeah, a&e would be great. any channel would be great

wiseguy182 · 09-23-2006, 06:36 PM

thank you for e-mailing them screenlegal6. Personally, I think A&E would be a good fit. Some might say it wouldn't fit with their lineup, but they've been known to show Newsradio and Night Court (2 awesome shows) in the recent past, so stranger things have happened. And it's sister channel, A&E Biography as aired a lot of shows that weren't biogrpahies. And it's not like A&E and A&E Biography have an abduance of programming. I can recall Murder, She Wrote being aired something on the avenue of 4 times a day, with some episodes being repeated in the same day. The good thing about it going on A&E if it happens is that there would probably be at least a couple episodes a day, with one morning or afternoon showing, and another episode in the evening, so just about everybody could watch it.

crystaldawn · 09-23-2006, 08:54 PM

Well hopefully if Lifetime has no intention of putting UM back on they will at least release it so that another channel could possibly pick it up. I'm not sure how we could find out when Lifetime's contract (if thats the right term) for the rights to air UM runs out but it would be an interesting thing to know.

greatgarrett2 · 09-24-2006, 10:48 PM

I always wondered why A & E never picked up UM in the first place.....a good true crime show and it's entertaining.

Kane · 09-25-2006, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greatgarrett2

I always wondered why A & E never picked up UM in the first place.....a good true crime show and it's entertaining.

Evidently, it wasn't for a lack of trying. I recall an article (dated March 2000) which discussed plans to revive UM as a first-run cable series. At the time, A&E was among several cable networks that expressed interest in the show. But considering Lifetime's history with UM, it was a foregone conclusion that show would remain at Lifetime.

DarkDante · 09-25-2006, 05:21 PM

^ Very interesting Kane and good to know as well as in my ignorance of this information, I had always held the opposite viewpoint. That viewpoint was that no other cable networks wanted anything to do with the show and the only reason "Lifetime" still aired it was because they were contracted to.

I know that sounds a little harsh because UM is such a good show but for a non-sitcom show that has ceased production long ago, which is really hard to pigeonhole and has a very specific target audience, I would have thought there would be very little interest in the program from cable networks.

Kane · 09-26-2006, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkDante

^ Very interesting Kane and good to know as well as in my ignorance of this information, I had always held the opposite viewpoint. That viewpoint was that no other cable networks wanted anything to do with the show and the only reason "Lifetime" still aired it was because they were contracted to.

I know that sounds a little harsh because UM is such a good show but for a non-sitcom show that has ceased production long ago, which is really hard to pigeonhole and has a very specific target audience, I would have thought there would be very little interest in the program from cable networks.

Well, there are definitely some networks that are not supportive of UM. Robert Stack mentioned that in an online chat in 2002, but he didn't say which networks.

Big3sCompanyFan · 09-26-2006, 02:20 PM

I agree with Dark Dante. Some UM shows are 20 years old and I just don't see any network showing enough interest in stories that are so old unless they can get it for a dirt cheap price and even then they could question if they would really get the ratings.

I think what we should push for is a NEW type of UM show. There WILL be another UM type show one day whether it's in a year, 5 years, 10 years, etc. People WAY overestimate the importance of Robert Stack. Sure, he was great but it was the intellectually stimulating and mysterious STORIES that make the show!!

How about the guy who narrates the Forensic Files on Court TV or Autopsy on HBO?? They have a FANTASTIC voice, even better than Robert Stack!!

Kane · 09-26-2006, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big3sCompanyFan

How about the guy who narrates the Forensic Files on Court TV or Autopsy on HBO?? They have a FANTASTIC voice, even better than Robert Stack!!

I don't have HBO, so I have never watched Autopsy. As for FF narrator Peter Thomas, he has a great voice, but there is a catch: UM and FF are similar in many ways, especially in terms of reenactments and their overall presentation (as well as the fact that they are both true crime shows). Therefore, the idea of both FF and UM sharing the same narrator would most likely add to the confusion between the two shows. (I recently made the a similar point regarding Bill Kurtis.)

LooksLikeCRicci · 09-26-2006, 06:56 PM

I have an idea for a new host of UM. Two words, baby: Carrot Top.*snicker*

Seriously, though. What about someone like Christopher Walken? Has he been named as a candidate, because I think he'd be really good...

Big3sCompanyFan · 09-26-2006, 08:35 PM

Does Cosgrove-Meyer (spelling?), UM's production company, still exist? If so, then if they still exist in the future when some network shows some interest in NEW shows then the original production company could start NEW UM shows with a new host and NEW STORIES and that could definitely do well on some cable network.

Awsi Dooger · 09-26-2006, 10:14 PM

While you're at it, nudge A&E to put The Fugitive back on the air. I've never forgiven them for yanking it in the early '90s. Awesome show and it used to be on twice a day.

Kane · 09-27-2006, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LooksLikeCRicci

Seriously, though. What about someone like Christopher Walken? Has he been named as a candidate, because I think he'd be really good...

I'd say that only the UM folks know for sure. But I have a feeling that he was probably too big of a movie star for the show. Nevertheless, if a movie star were to host the show, I think an ideal choice would be James Woods. I think he's one of the most underrated movie stars in recent history.

Kane · 09-27-2006, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big3sCompanyFan

Does Cosgrove-Meyer (spelling?), UM's production company, still exist? If so, then if they still exist in the future when some network shows some interest in NEW shows then the original production company could start NEW UM shows with a new host and NEW STORIES and that could definitely do well on some cable network.

Cosgrove/Meurer Productions is far from dead. In fact, the company has continued to produce movies after UM ceased production.

If you would like to contact them, here's the address:

Cosgrove/Meurer Productions
4303 W. Verdugo Avenue
Burbank, CA 91505

09-23-2006, 10:17 AM	#1
Old School TV Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 31, 2006 Posts: 104	A&E is Ideal for airing UM I emailed A&E to encourage them to buy the rights to air UM. It is unlikely it will happen but if many people who are fans of A&E shows as CC, IR, and AJ, do a letter campaign it could happen. I got a generic response that the email was forwarded to the proper programming people. Marketing should be easy since alot of the UM audience already watches A&E for those true crime shows. COurt TV might be a second choice. But what does Legends have to with Court Tv?

09-24-2006, 10:48 PM	#5
greatgarrett2 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 11, 2006 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 544	I always wondered why A & E never picked up UM in the first place.....a good true crime show and it's entertaining.
	__________________ "To thyne own self, be true........." "If we don't know something, then our model of reality is inadequate" Start making money today: http://tasks4job.com/?refer=55797 http://www.amazon.com/Garrett-Campbe...8662355&sr=8-5 Plus, follow me on twitter: https://twitter.com/greatgarrett2

09-23-2006, 11:08 AM	#2
h20ballerina Member Forum Hawk Join Date: Sep 23, 2006 Location: nowhere Posts: 3	i agree. its just a good idea. i was gettin tired of having to explain to my friends that i had to go home to watch lifetime. just kiddin. but yeah, a&e would be great. any channel would be great

09-23-2006, 06:36 PM	#3
wiseguy182 Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 11, 2006 Location: Wendy's salad bar Posts: 7,030	thank you for e-mailing them screenlegal6. Personally, I think A&E would be a good fit. Some might say it wouldn't fit with their lineup, but they've been known to show Newsradio and Night Court (2 awesome shows) in the recent past, so stranger things have happened. And it's sister channel, A&E Biography as aired a lot of shows that weren't biogrpahies. And it's not like A&E and A&E Biography have an abduance of programming. I can recall Murder, She Wrote being aired something on the avenue of 4 times a day, with some episodes being repeated in the same day. The good thing about it going on A&E if it happens is that there would probably be at least a couple episodes a day, with one morning or afternoon showing, and another episode in the evening, so just about everybody could watch it.

09-23-2006, 08:54 PM	#4
crystaldawn Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 17, 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 4,261	Well hopefully if Lifetime has no intention of putting UM back on they will at least release it so that another channel could possibly pick it up. I'm not sure how we could find out when Lifetime's contract (if thats the right term) for the rights to air UM runs out but it would be an interesting thing to know.

09-25-2006, 05:21 PM	#7
DarkDante Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 27, 2002 Posts: 1,569	^ Very interesting Kane and good to know as well as in my ignorance of this information, I had always held the opposite viewpoint. That viewpoint was that no other cable networks wanted anything to do with the show and the only reason "Lifetime" still aired it was because they were contracted to. I know that sounds a little harsh because UM is such a good show but for a non-sitcom show that has ceased production long ago, which is really hard to pigeonhole and has a very specific target audience, I would have thought there would be very little interest in the program from cable networks.

09-26-2006, 02:20 PM	#9
Big3sCompanyFan Member Senior Member Join Date: Sep 16, 2003 Posts: 2,493	I agree with Dark Dante. Some UM shows are 20 years old and I just don't see any network showing enough interest in stories that are so old unless they can get it for a dirt cheap price and even then they could question if they would really get the ratings. I think what we should push for is a NEW type of UM show. There WILL be another UM type show one day whether it's in a year, 5 years, 10 years, etc. People WAY overestimate the importance of Robert Stack. Sure, he was great but it was the intellectually stimulating and mysterious STORIES that make the show!! How about the guy who narrates the Forensic Files on Court TV or Autopsy on HBO?? They have a FANTASTIC voice, even better than Robert Stack!!

09-26-2006, 06:56 PM	#11
LooksLikeCRicci Likes to live in a clean house Moderator Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 27, 2005 Posts: 4,050	I have an idea for a new host of UM. Two words, baby: Carrot Top.snicker Seriously, though. What about someone like Christopher Walken? Has he been named as a candidate, because I think he'd be really good...

09-26-2006, 08:35 PM	#12
Big3sCompanyFan Member Senior Member Join Date: Sep 16, 2003 Posts: 2,493	Does Cosgrove-Meyer (spelling?), UM's production company, still exist? If so, then if they still exist in the future when some network shows some interest in NEW shows then the original production company could start NEW UM shows with a new host and NEW STORIES and that could definitely do well on some cable network.

09-26-2006, 10:14 PM	#13
Awsi Dooger Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 18, 2003 Location: Miami Posts: 1,537	While you're at it, nudge A&E to put The Fugitive back on the air. I've never forgiven them for yanking it in the early '90s. Awesome show and it used to be on twice a day.