We received an e-mail from our friend Liz Gannes at NewTeeVee and it made me smile so much I had to run home and blog about it. Liz forwarded a link from Wired’s “Underwire” blog with the following headline:
Dollhouse Fans Campaign To Save Show — Before 2009 Airdate
Yep, some Josh Whedon faithful are staging a preemptive strike, fearing the worst and that the show will be cancelled like Firefly. An enterprising Canadian, Nathan, the administrator of dollhouseforums.com is launching the campaign. From a post on his site:
“After seeing some of my favorite television shows get cancelled in the past — as well as the “save this show” campaigns that followed — I had the idea that a fan campaign BEFORE the show begins may be the best thing to do. Maybe not such a negative campaign directed towards saving it from getting cancelled, but something that will get fans motivated to promote Dollhouse to friends/family/coworkers before it airs is smarter than doing it once it’s in danger! If we plan now, we may be able to have several ideas planned by the premiere to make people watch and make advertisers actually want the show on the air.”
While I do applaud the initiative, I’m inclined to agree with a few of the comments left on Nathan’s site that it may be a double-edged sword. One thing doing TVbytheNumbers has taught me is that fans are indeed leery of investing time in shows they fear will be cancelled, Highlighting the risk could potentially work against the show.
But it still brought a smile to my face.
You said the same the *exact* same thing about The Return of Jezebel James and yet just last night you were sneaking some So You Think You Can Dance…
Ok… What you are attempting has already been coined… It's called word of mouth and Dollhouse has a superb creator and star but at this point that's all we really have. Save face and just spread the word about it's beginning and not it's end.
I understand that people are leery of investing their time in a show that might get cancelled, but I just don't understand the logic behind it. Because, if they don't watch, it only helps the show down the path to cancellation even quicker. Then they'll say something about how glad they are that they didn't waste their time getting involved in the show. It's such a self-fulfilling prophecy. It's like not studying for a test becuase you are just going to fail anyway and then low and behold, you fail the test. I'm not saying that viewers, or non-viewers in this case, are the only problem. But, waiting to see if a show gets cancelled before you start watching, certainly isn't helping.
Jason, I too don't understand the entire concept of “investing” in a television show. If I like a show I watch it, if I don't, I don't.
If a show I like gets cancelled, I'm disappointed, but how would I have been better off never watching it at all?
Bill, I agree. If you think you might like a show, then watch it. If you do, then continue. If you don't, then stop. Although, I'm an advocate of giving a show at least two or three episodes before making a final decision. Well, unless it's really bad, like a Cavemen or something, and shows no potential at all in the first episode.
Bill,
You know my fav show of the season, so I won't mention it
The only problem is that FOX has a history with its hour-long dramas and its not a good one. It's too bad because the network always signs up the most creative shows only to cut them down. I have no reason to believe Terminator:SCC (against actual competition), Fringe or Dollhouse will buck this trend.
CBS can live off its procedurals, old and new, forever. NBC and ABC are bleeding ratings. Only reason my other fav, Life, got a renewal.
There's a reason the Emmys side with the cable shows. You can actually watch smart TV without fear that it will be pulled before 10 eps.
What if the reality shows start to claim dramas they way they've claimed comedies? What if all the networks come down to one or two freak drama hits?
BTW, this season saw no drama hits and I think this is not just a fluke.
Andrea, I agree broadcast prime-time seems to be moving away from scripted shows, and I think that's going to continue. Next Fall, Fox will be airing only 6 hours a week of non-animated scripted programming.
In the rest of the world, unscripted programming dominates. The US has some unique conditions that has prevented that, but not entirely.
Bill Gorman said : “In the rest of the world, unscripted programming dominates. The US has some unique conditions that has prevented that, but not entirely.”
I wanted to react, I'm french, and I agree and disagree! I know that's strange. I can just tell for my country, but there is television with everything, unscripted and scripted programs, really bad stuff and all. But our big problem is our bad production. US american shows dominate our television, if we can say (and it's not a complaining I love it!) and we are also our french American Idol, and all reality tv, and bad entertainment program that I hope you don't have.
But I also tinhk france is particular, there is a lot of problems right now, television is evoluate. Few years ago, it was movies and reality and all others stuff a 9 pm (before, it's news), and now, we are tv shows like CSI, House, so it's in mutation if we can say. It's complicated. But I think, reality program are like 50% maybe more, but tv shows are a really good place this year.
But that's really true you have an unique condition! That's really great for you!