Paul Reiser: I Wish My Show Was Called 'Seinfeld' - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 04-15-2011, 04:19 PM

Paul Reiser had the unfortunate experience of being trotted out on stage before the Los Angeles press corp. mere minutes after the ratings for his return to television came through with a dud.

The comedian’s self-titled series, The Paul Reiser Show, drew just a 1.1 rating in the 18-49 demo (3.3 million viewers overall) Thursday night, delivering the NBC’s lowest rating ever for an in-season comedy premiere.

But if you were looking for a sulking actor, you wont find one in Reiser. The man who had little interest in returning to television after 12 years out of the spotlight is at peace with the results because, as he sees it, it was out of his control.

“Listen, this was shortest ramp up in the history of television. Literally 20 days ago [NBC] said, ‘We’re putting you up,’ and we said, ‘OK, great,’ ” he told The Hollywood Reporter at NBC’s Summer Press day in Pasadena.

“To me, this is a show about the long range, which is why we wanted to do seven shows as opposed to just a pilot,” he added. “This is a show that’s going to be on hopefully for awhile and the audience will get a chance to hear about it – when you have 20 days, its hard to get the word out.

If you believe the long-time comedian, he didn’t read any (of the particularly poor) reviews. And while the Emmy-nominated actor is aware of how much the landscape has changed since Mad About You went off the air more than a decade ago, he says his process has not.

“The ability for people to weigh in and talk about and Twitter has changed,” he told THR. “But the actual act of making a show hasn’t changed. You’ve got to get great people and great scripts and you have to see it through. So I kind of like to shut everything else out and just work on the show. “

In this case, he was particularly attracted to the “sane” and “casual” pace of the production, two words infrequently used in the TV business. He says he was able to write all of the scripts and flesh out where the seven episodes would go before shooting.

As for the show’s title, that was NBC’s idea. What would he have preferred?

“Seinfeld,” he quips, “Figured it had a built in audience.”

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/liv...wish-my-179048

Dr. Thong · 04-15-2011, 08:26 PM

The poor ratings are deserved. I watched it. It's 30 minutes of my life I'll never get back. Absolutely terrible.

TV Knowledge Fan · 04-16-2011, 02:59 AM

...in my comments on the "Can NBC Be Fixed?" thread, I said that the network should....

Schedule more sitcoms that don't just appeal to "twentysomethings" and jaded, cynical viewers [how many variations of "THE OFFICE" and "30 ROCK" can one stand??]. How about a good "old fashioned" family comedy....or two? Or more?

Apparently, this time NBC wanted their own version of "CURB YOUR ENTHUSAISM" (never mind that primarily appeals to a "limited" audience on HBO), and suckered Paul into starring in it [it's telling when the network gives you the "green light", and schedules your series just 20 days before its initial telecast; and never allow the network to name it after yourself...remember "THE MICHAEL RICHARDS SHOW" in the fall of 2000?]. Well, it's their loss...and apparently a big one. Of the seven episodes Paul has already produced, how many do you suppose will appear before they pull it off the schedule and "burn off" the rest this summer?

I suspect an extra repeat of "THE OFFICE" will fill Paul's 8:30 time period very shortly.....

04-15-2011, 04:19 PM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Paul Reiser: I Wish My Show Was Called 'Seinfeld' Paul Reiser had the unfortunate experience of being trotted out on stage before the Los Angeles press corp. mere minutes after the ratings for his return to television came through with a dud. The comedian’s self-titled series, The Paul Reiser Show, drew just a 1.1 rating in the 18-49 demo (3.3 million viewers overall) Thursday night, delivering the NBC’s lowest rating ever for an in-season comedy premiere. But if you were looking for a sulking actor, you wont find one in Reiser. The man who had little interest in returning to television after 12 years out of the spotlight is at peace with the results because, as he sees it, it was out of his control. “Listen, this was shortest ramp up in the history of television. Literally 20 days ago [NBC] said, ‘We’re putting you up,’ and we said, ‘OK, great,’ ” he told The Hollywood Reporter at NBC’s Summer Press day in Pasadena. “To me, this is a show about the long range, which is why we wanted to do seven shows as opposed to just a pilot,” he added. “This is a show that’s going to be on hopefully for awhile and the audience will get a chance to hear about it – when you have 20 days, its hard to get the word out. If you believe the long-time comedian, he didn’t read any (of the particularly poor) reviews. And while the Emmy-nominated actor is aware of how much the landscape has changed since Mad About You went off the air more than a decade ago, he says his process has not. “The ability for people to weigh in and talk about and Twitter has changed,” he told THR. “But the actual act of making a show hasn’t changed. You’ve got to get great people and great scripts and you have to see it through. So I kind of like to shut everything else out and just work on the show. “ In this case, he was particularly attracted to the “sane” and “casual” pace of the production, two words infrequently used in the TV business. He says he was able to write all of the scripts and flesh out where the seven episodes would go before shooting. As for the show’s title, that was NBC’s idea. What would he have preferred? “Seinfeld,” he quips, “Figured it had a built in audience.” http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/liv...wish-my-179048
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

04-15-2011, 08:26 PM	#2
Dr. Thong a/k/a "ACK!" Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 10, 2001 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 5,546	The poor ratings are deserved. I watched it. It's 30 minutes of my life I'll never get back. Absolutely terrible.
	__________________ "Sunday has been cancelled due to lack of interest. That is all."

04-16-2011, 02:59 AM	#3
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	As I've previously noted.... ...in my comments on the "Can NBC Be Fixed?" thread, I said that the network should.... Schedule more sitcoms that don't just appeal to "twentysomethings" and jaded, cynical viewers [how many variations of "THE OFFICE" and "30 ROCK" can one stand??]. How about a good "old fashioned" family comedy....or two? Or more? Apparently, this time NBC wanted their own version of "CURB YOUR ENTHUSAISM" (never mind that primarily appeals to a "limited" audience on HBO), and suckered Paul into starring in it [it's telling when the network gives you the "green light", and schedules your series just 20 days before its initial telecast; and never allow the network to name it after yourself...remember "THE MICHAEL RICHARDS SHOW" in the fall of 2000?]. Well, it's their loss...and apparently a big one. Of the seven episodes Paul has already produced, how many do you suppose will appear before they pull it off the schedule and "burn off" the rest this summer? I suspect an extra repeat of "THE OFFICE" will fill Paul's 8:30 time period very shortly.....