ABC's plan: TGIF and the mainstream - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 04-07-2002, 01:55 AM

> From USA Today
>
> ABC's new plan: Back to its roots. Quirky comedies out, mainstream
> fare in, with occasional 'Millionaire'
> By Gary Levin
> USA TODAY
>
> ABC is going back to the ABCs of its history to recover from a serious
> tailspin.
>
> With ratings down 23% this season, ABC has commissioned 29 pilots --
> more than any other network -- to fix its woes. Family comedies and
> escapist dramas are priorities for new shows.
>
> Other changes: a return of TGIF, the kid-friendly comedy block on
> Fridays they abandoned almost two years ago, and an end to Who Wants
> to Be a Millionaire as a weekly series, though the quiz show will air
> in the short bursts that made it an instant hit.
>
> ABC's fortunes rose with The Partridge Family and Happy Days in the
> 1970s, Home Improvement and Roseanne a decade later. More recently, a
> series of programmers shifted focus, attempting to mimic NBC's success
> with yuppie comedies like Friends. Most failed. (Remember It's Like,
> You Know . . . ?)
>
> Disney's marching orders: Mainstream commercial fare that appeals to a
> wide swath of viewers, as opposed to quirky comedies such as The Job
> or rarefied dramas such as Once and Again, which pleased critics but
> not enough fans.
>
> ''For years, people knew what to expect when they tuned in to ABC,''
> says new entertainment president Susan Lyne. ''Family-oriented
> comedies were a staple for ABC and a big part of its success. There
> really is an opening for us there, and an opportunity to refocus our
> brand and re-identify us to our audience.''
>
> Will the new plan work? Like most entertainment, it's all in the
> details.
>
> ''It's very plausible, very safe, a very smart strategy,'' says David
> Verklin, CEO at top media-buying firm Carat North America. ''It's kind
> of like saying I want to hit the ball right down the middle of the
> fairway. But saying it and doing it are two different things.''
>
> ABC is encouraged by two modest new successes this season -- stylish
> spy drama Alias and comfy family sitcom According to Jim, which are
> near-templates for the kinds of new shows you'll see come September.
>
> But once-reliable hits like Dharma & Greg, Spin City and The Drew
> Carey Show faded fast, forcing the network to count on new hits that
> didn't materialize.
>
> Fall drama contenders include a Nancy Drew mystery, a series about
> astronauts, another about a family of Wutan temple warriors battling
> evil and an Indiana Jones-style saga about father-and-son
> archaeologists. There's also another attempt to revisit a
> Dynasty-style family soap, this one about a media baron from veteran
> writer Larry Gelbart (M*A*S*H).
>
> On the comedy side, ABC is mulling proposed series about a small-town
> mayor, an eccentric family, a group of solar-panel salesmen and an
> unglamorous secretary. Another comedy, 8 Simple Rules for Dating My
> Daughter, stars John Ritter -- a familiar face from ABC's Three's
> Company heyday -- who now plays an overprotective dad.

vienna waits · 04-07-2002, 02:12 AM

TGIF is coming back?!?!? Thats great!!!!!!

JT · 04-07-2002, 02:39 PM

Nooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!
How am I gonna watch ABC and TheWB at the same time???
Please say "8 Simple Rules" will be on when Raising Dad is on.I almost never watch that show.I still like it though.

TJL · 04-07-2002, 09:46 PM

I will believe it when I see it.

However, quirky comedies like The Job and rarified dramas like Once And Again make for good TV and should be given a chance to flourish, rather than be abandoned in favor of the mainstream.

TV Favorites · 04-07-2002, 10:27 PM

17Mar59 · 04-07-2002, 11:08 PM

It will be good to see John Ritter back on tv for good.I just hope
that they don't do a dumb stunt like schedule 8 Simple Rules
opposite Enterprise.

Is it me,or has anyone else noticed that ABC Friday nights were
at their height with shows like Step By Step,Perfect Strangers,
Full House,Family Matters,Boy Meets World and Sabrina,The
Teenage Witch?(Though not all at the same time.)

btw:Let's all hope that John Ritter's new show is as successful
as Step By Step was for Suzann Somers.

Superbatboy · 04-08-2002, 07:50 PM

I remember back in the days when the original TGIF was on. I always looked foward to Fridays (Family Matters, Full House, Boy Meets World, Step by Step). I probably won't watch it now because I'm too old of comedies geared towards kids.

Central Perk · 04-19-2002, 06:48 PM

That sounds good I guess, but I wonder if people really want to watch a lot of family shows.

04-07-2002, 01:55 AM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 127,384	ABC's plan: TGIF and the mainstream > From USA Today > > ABC's new plan: Back to its roots. Quirky comedies out, mainstream > fare in, with occasional 'Millionaire' > By Gary Levin > USA TODAY > > ABC is going back to the ABCs of its history to recover from a serious > tailspin. > > With ratings down 23% this season, ABC has commissioned 29 pilots -- > more than any other network -- to fix its woes. Family comedies and > escapist dramas are priorities for new shows. > > Other changes: a return of TGIF, the kid-friendly comedy block on > Fridays they abandoned almost two years ago, and an end to Who Wants > to Be a Millionaire as a weekly series, though the quiz show will air > in the short bursts that made it an instant hit. > > ABC's fortunes rose with The Partridge Family and Happy Days in the > 1970s, Home Improvement and Roseanne a decade later. More recently, a > series of programmers shifted focus, attempting to mimic NBC's success > with yuppie comedies like Friends. Most failed. (Remember It's Like, > You Know . . . ?) > > Disney's marching orders: Mainstream commercial fare that appeals to a > wide swath of viewers, as opposed to quirky comedies such as The Job > or rarefied dramas such as Once and Again, which pleased critics but > not enough fans. > > ''For years, people knew what to expect when they tuned in to ABC,'' > says new entertainment president Susan Lyne. ''Family-oriented > comedies were a staple for ABC and a big part of its success. There > really is an opening for us there, and an opportunity to refocus our > brand and re-identify us to our audience.'' > > Will the new plan work? Like most entertainment, it's all in the > details. > > ''It's very plausible, very safe, a very smart strategy,'' says David > Verklin, CEO at top media-buying firm Carat North America. ''It's kind > of like saying I want to hit the ball right down the middle of the > fairway. But saying it and doing it are two different things.'' > > ABC is encouraged by two modest new successes this season -- stylish > spy drama Alias and comfy family sitcom According to Jim, which are > near-templates for the kinds of new shows you'll see come September. > > But once-reliable hits like Dharma & Greg, Spin City and The Drew > Carey Show faded fast, forcing the network to count on new hits that > didn't materialize. > > Fall drama contenders include a Nancy Drew mystery, a series about > astronauts, another about a family of Wutan temple warriors battling > evil and an Indiana Jones-style saga about father-and-son > archaeologists. There's also another attempt to revisit a > Dynasty-style family soap, this one about a media baron from veteran > writer Larry Gelbart (MAS*H). > > On the comedy side, ABC is mulling proposed series about a small-town > mayor, an eccentric family, a group of solar-panel salesmen and an > unglamorous secretary. Another comedy, 8 Simple Rules for Dating My > Daughter, stars John Ritter -- a familiar face from ABC's Three's > Company heyday -- who now plays an overprotective dad.

04-07-2002, 02:12 AM	#2
vienna waits avatars are stupid. Forum Superstar Join Date: May 18, 2001 Location: Ravenclaw Common Room Posts: 29,859	TGIF is coming back?!?!? Thats great!!!!!!
	__________________ Me: Did you see Dunkleman in the audience at the finale? Crystal: No! Me: Yeah, that's because he wasn't invited.

04-07-2002, 02:39 PM	#3
JT Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 29, 2001 Location: USA Posts: 7,223	Nooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!! How am I gonna watch ABC and TheWB at the same time??? Please say "8 Simple Rules" will be on when Raising Dad is on.I almost never watch that show.I still like it though.
	__________________ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrEbJBFWIPk

04-07-2002, 09:46 PM	#4
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,588	I will believe it when I see it. However, quirky comedies like The Job and rarified dramas like Once And Again make for good TV and should be given a chance to flourish, rather than be abandoned in favor of the mainstream.
	__________________ "I think I'll stroll up to the front to see how the shooting's going..." - Capt. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce Read my blogs! http://centralparkamisguide.com/ http://dvdcriticscorner.com Visit me on Facebook!http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=641138880 Hey, I do the tweet thing too! http://twitter.com/TomLevier My shop of handmade items! http://www.etsy.com/shop/ColdGarageCreations

04-07-2002, 10:27 PM	#5
TV Favorites Star of Family Feud Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 19, 2001 Location: United States of America Posts: 3,153
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04-07-2002, 11:08 PM	#6
17Mar59 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 03, 2002 Location: washington state Posts: 475	It will be good to see John Ritter back on tv for good.I just hope that they don't do a dumb stunt like schedule 8 Simple Rules opposite Enterprise. Is it me,or has anyone else noticed that ABC Friday nights were at their height with shows like Step By Step,Perfect Strangers, Full House,Family Matters,Boy Meets World and Sabrina,The Teenage Witch?(Though not all at the same time.) btw:Let's all hope that John Ritter's new show is as successful as Step By Step was for Suzann Somers.

04-08-2002, 07:50 PM	#7
Superbatboy The Brandon Show Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: California..USA Posts: 793	I remember back in the days when the original TGIF was on. I always looked foward to Fridays (Family Matters, Full House, Boy Meets World, Step by Step). I probably won't watch it now because I'm too old of comedies geared towards kids.
	__________________ "Marion, stop cackling I've been waiting 10 years for you to lay that egg"

04-19-2002, 06:48 PM	#8
Central Perk ~~~~~ Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 10, 2002 Posts: 4,553	That sounds good I guess, but I wonder if people really want to watch a lot of family shows.