March, 2009 Update: Pushing Daisies, Dirty Sexy Money, Eli Stone and Life On Mars have all been canceled. For the latest prospects on current ABC shows click here.
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The Futon Critic is reporting a mid-season schedule for ABC, citing the network’s advertising sales web site.
Eli Stone sticks around on Tuesdays at 10pm, but both Pushing Daisies and Dirty Sexy Money are off the schedule. Life on Mars, which originally was rumored would air after Lost on Wednesdays at 10pm looks to be replaced by new series, The Unusuals.
If true, which seems highly likely, multiple fandoms will be disappointed. Life on Mars being out, and Eli Stone being in may surprise some (and certainly the Renew/Cancel index). But as one insider explained to me earlier in the week, one advantage Eli Stone had, particularly over Dirty Sexy Money was that while it aired at 10pm, it could potentially air anywhere in the schedule, whereas Dirty Sexy Money was a show that could only air at 10pm. The thought being if the show can get some traction, it gives ABC more flexibility with scheduling than keeping Dirty Sexy Money would’ve.
Update just for clarification: this information, even if correct is not predictive of some things. For example, that Life on Mars isn’t on the schedule below doesn’t really mean much by itself. It doesn’t mean it will be yanked from the schedule and as the comments below note, it’s quite possible that LOM would air after Lost until March, before being replaced by The Unusuals. I think it highly unlikely that most of the shows — whether they’re cancelled or not — wouldn’t get to air all produced episodes. For some of these series, we may have to wait until May and the announced fall 2009 schedules before we really know their fates.
The Futon Critic article predicts official announcements from ABC sometime next week.
Here is the reported schedule:
Mondays
8:00/7:00c – “The Bachelor” (New Season)
9:30/8:30c – “Samantha Who?”
10:00/9:00c – “True Beauty” (New Series)
Tuesdays
8:00/7:00c – “Border Security USA” (New Series)
9:00/8:00c – “According to Jim” (New Season)
9:30/8:30c – “According to Jim” (New Season)
10:00/9:00c – “Eli Stone”
Wednesdays
8:00/7:00c – “Scrubs” (New Season)
8:30/7:30c – “The Goode Family” (New Series)
9:00/8:00c – “Lost” (New Season)
10:00/9:00c – “The Unusuals” (New Series)
Thursdays
8:00/7:00c – “Ugly Betty”
9:00/8:00c – “Grey’s Anatomy”
10:00/9:00c – “Private Practice” (New Time Slot)
Fridays
8:00/7:00c – “Wife Swap”
9:00/8:00c – “Supernanny”
10:00/9:00c – “20/20″
Saturdays
8:00/7:00c – “Saturday Night Movie”
Sundays
7:00/6:00c – “America’s Funniest Home Videos”
8:00/7:00c – “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”
9:00/8:00c – “Desperate Housewives”
10:00/9:00c – “Brothers & Sisters”
Sad to see PD pretty much officially gone now, but as the article suggested, it may come back later. Hope’s not over yet!
PD has to move to ABC FAMILY. Send as many mails as you can guys. It survive much longer there and fits the channel perfectly.
The way ABC has worked recently is they will announce new shows and air times. We may not get any “X canceled,” announcements. I’m still shocked on the LOM news.
Also this isn’t “final,” yet either. ABC still has to pick at time slot for CASTLE which they are still planning on airing in JANUARY according to one person I know at ABC.
eli stone over life on mars? im confused on this move ABC.
Funny how they *have to* find spot for Castle but air reality crap like Border Security on a nice time spot no questions asked. Ditch that and put Castle there, problem solved.
Alyssa Milano’s show really won’t see the light of day…
Networks rarely announce shows being cancelled, instead they just announce new schedules with some shows missing. I’m only “shocked” about LOM in relation to Eli Stone, and given the last couple of weeks, I’m not shocked at all, But you’re right Nick, until the official announcement they could change what the advertisers see multiple times (allegedly they have changed that at least once already), but it seems unlikely it will change much.
I’d try Castle in According to Jim’s hour. it’s not like ATJ is gonna be a big lead in for Eli Stone…but didn’t ABC just cut the orders for Castle and The Unusuals?
Alde, I’d hardly call “up against American Idol” a nice time slot for a reality show…or any show, really.
CASTLE, CUPID, and BETTER OFF TED have yet to be added to the schedule. If I was to guess they will air in some of those reality spots. I believe all three were cut from 13 episode orders to 10 recently.
I should swap ‘Border USA Security’ with the comedies
Robert, yes this “schedule,” from ABC changed just in the last week. You had LOM switched out with THE UNUSUALS, and THE GOODE FAMILY in place of back to back SCRUBS.
BETTER OFF TED is 30 minutes right? Perhaps it will get one of the ATJ slots.
We’ll hopefully get it laid out for us next week on which shows will be Winter debuts and which ones Spring. LOM may well air on WED after LOST in the Winter and be replaced in the Spring by THE UNUSUALS for instance.
We just don’t know yet, and using stagepass doesn’t provide the answers for that. We’ll hopefully hear all the announcements next week.
The Alysa Milano comedy was already “canceled.”
I tought that the Courney Cox sitcom was ready for January.
After next week’s scheduled airing of LOM (I don’t think it’s scheduled the following week — Thanksgiving) there will be six left assuming an order of 13. The ratings have been OK for LOM (although it dropped to a 2.6 w/18-49s after the Patriots fans in Boston watching the game on ABC were pulled out), I could see ABC running reruns and other stuff in December and saving the six episodes for the Lost launch, and then replacing it with The Unusuals after that.
In this day and age, especially with the economy I can’t imagine LOM gets yanked from the schedule before airing all its episodes — seems probable that almost all the cancelled series will air their produced shows as NBC seems to be doing with MOWE and LJ.
Eli Stone sucks, though! Also, I think LOM has a lot more upside. Even if Eli survives this initial cut, I think it’ll be cancelled anyway at season’s end. At least LOM has a fighting chance of making it.
Of the ABC shows on the bubble, Eli Stone is probably the cheapest to produce which may have been a factor as well.
My guess is Life on Mars has an expensive cast and they must be paying license fees to the UK producers.
DSM’s cast is bloated and they are probably paying top dollar for them (and the rumors are that they all hate each other).
PD’s cast is probably not that expensive, but it is (or at least was) shot with feature film like production values. Plus it’s not produced by ABC Studios.
Lisa, whatever you might think, Eli at least isn’t a copy.
The DSM cancellation is really a dagger for me. Feels like I might be the only one who feels that way. I always thought the 10pm timeslot was the reason for its low numbers (not to mention its lead-in), and it seemed to me that DSM wasn’t too racy for a 9pm slot. I really will miss that cast and pretty good writing. Oh well.
It figures, the same day I send an comment to ABC to please, please not cancel Dirty Sexy Money, this happens. I don’t even care about any of the other shows, but I’m really into DSM right now, and I haven’t missed any of the episodes so far. Couldn’t they at least TRY it in a different spot before outright cancelling it? The storyline is so exciting to watch, and the characters are all amazing in their own ways. I really hope something changes with this so that DSM is somehow not cancelled. I watch a lot of shows, on each of the networks, but this one was currently my favorite and to say that it’s cancellation is disappointing is an understatement.
It’ll be interesting to see if Private Practice can retain much more of Grey’s lead in than any other show has been able to. It makes sense that it would, but I’m not sure that it will. Anecdotally, I know many Greys fans who have said that they tried PP and can’t stand it. So who knows?
Well I stand corrected. Ditto Stephanie.
Oh ok now LOM is cancelled, LOL guys seriously.
The first fake schedule posted on the Futon Critic made more sense.
The fact is we will not hear now until after the bubble shows air.
It was my understanding LOM was not a Bubble show and would absolutely take our 10pm wed slot as it is a better fit after LOST.
However Eli Stone is not safe and one more 1.9 and they will be done. If DSM pulls a 2.1, it will get the nod over the 1.9 show with a substantially LARGER LEAD IN.
PD seems to be the only show that everyone has as cancelled, I do not even think that is accurate info at this point.
If PD ramps up WED ABC will???
DSM definately has the BEST and most expensive cast, but the show also out earns ELI STONE and LOM , International ratings and syndication as well as current AD rates in the US markets are higher for DSM than they are for Stone or Mars.
Zach we are 90% certain we will get the back 9 and a spot on the schedule
Stone has several ordered scripts and has hired two directors , DSM has 2 script orders after 213 and has hired a director for 214!!
I guess ABC perhaps is testing the waters with “test” schedules? I will ask our exec about this current Futon report and post up the response.
Guys DSM has not been cancelled
dirtysexyj, Unless The Futon Critic is flat out lying (very unlikely), ABC put out this schedule. Of course, it could change based on what happens in the next week or so, but it isn’t “fake”.
Im going to the set to present this latest and greatest schedule. I will post up the result. I bet ABC says “why do you keep reading this BS”?
Someone’s potential schedule is opinion only. and any monkey and take a stab at what ABC’s winter lineup.
ok Holly, I believe it to be pure conjecture, speculation, by someone other than the Network, hence the disclaimer at the bottom. Ok be right back
It’s not pure conjecture, it’s what ABC put up on its advertising sales portal. Futon Critic has NO REASON to lie about this, and we have at least one person who backs up that the info is available there. That doesn’t mean the shows were cancelled or that this is the final schedule (thus the question marks in the headline!), but it’s not pure conjecture or speculation, it’s just the most recent — still subject to change — schedule made available to the advertisers at ABCStagePass.com
dirtysexyj, you were recently complaining about how these “fake” schedules are so horrible to the morale of the crew, yet you are going to go present this to them now? Good going!
Sounds like the next week will be critical for Pushing Daisies. I doubt ABC will officially kill it or DSM until May (public announcement wise). I smell quite a few stinkers from here in the above schedule, and they may have holes to fill earlier than planned. My gut tells me True Beauty will struggle (badly). I can’t help but wonder how PD would do in that slot following Samantha Who?
So, PD fans, watch next week!
Some quotes from Fuller on PD.
http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b68886_pushing_daisies_really_dead.html
Julia,
I do not present “test ” schedules to my crew and cast.
All I can tell you is we would be informed if we were cancelled at least a few minutes prior to a news release. I would hope ABC gave us a few days..
There is more drama with the Futon Critic reporting the scheduule changes then there is on any current ABC show!!!
Perhaps this would make a good Pilot.
Our ABC exec says ” the schedules did not come from ABC” so I got to believe my Employer.
Robert Im glad you pointed out the question mark, but once again we have many people taking this headline as FACT when it is not final. The schedule likely shaping up and they are gonna torture us over the weekend.
As of Today
1. PD is not cancelled
2. Eli Stone is not cancelled
3. Life on Mars is not cancelled
4. DSM not cancelled
Funny you guys would post a schedule that contradicts an OFFICIAL ABC release?
Have a great weekend people and next week on WED nigh for goodness sake do not DVR watch
PD
PP
DSM
TYIA
Dirtysexyj, quit making up stories it’s getting incredibly old. No one has reported that ABC bought more scripts for DSM. No one. ABC would have released something about it just like they did with Eli Stone. The schedules are REAL nightly schedules so that advertisers have a heads up.
You claim to have walked into ABC HQ but then claim you work at the Paramount lot. You claim to work 90 hour weeks, but post here at any given time. You claim to work for DSM. You claim to have “interviewed,” wardrobe and makeup people from MOWE. Your quotes from DSM executives and ABC executives are juvenile and in some cases extremely poor english.
I take it back about being a janitor, I’m now leaning towards you being a stalker of some cast member on DSM.
“Our ABC exec says ” the schedules did not come from ABC” so I got to believe my Employer.”
Sooo… ABC StagePass is some rogue organization that releases fake TV schedules just for fun? Wouldn’t Disney sue them for that?
But I thought you said that MOWE wasn’t informed before the media was informed? Who’s to say DSM would be any different?
Dirtysexyj, so your ABC executive in the dark recesses of your mind doesn’t believe the schedule came from stagepass? Try getting your make believe ABC executive a job at ABC. You can log in to stagepass with your abc email addy.
Julia the crew of MOWE was blindsided, yes it can happen. But the executives on the show certainly know or should be told? Maybe not.
If Nick had a clue he would know ABC has MANY EMPLOYESS WORKING ON THE PARAMOUNT LOT duh!
I AM writing all of this from the top of the cooper building , from the office of DSM.
Nick if you are so confident in the stage pass releases why not call me at 323-956-4200 ask for dirty sexy j, I will bet you 10 grand that schedule is not the final sched.-
lol @ “ask for dirty sexy j”. I’m sorry, Nick may have his flaws like us all, but the man most definitely has a clue. You, not so much. We keep you around for the entertainment value. I know you want to live in a fantasy world where we’d act civil to you like Berman — but we don’t suffer fools nearly as gladly. If not for the sheer entertainment value of your comments (and there definitely *is* entertainment value) we’d have just blocked you long ago.
But if anyone doesn’t have a clue, it’s you. And if you will e-mail me, I’ll definitely go $10,000 that DSM isn’t on the mid-season schedule.
Ok I am on the site there is no such schedule posted, wow you guys FAIL,
Please link that schedule directly from abcstagepass.com
Im on the site and do not see any schedule release
CBS went and extended Worst Week to 3 more episodes, and Garry Unmarried for 7 more episodes…
http://www.futoncritic.com/news.aspx?date=11/14/08&id=7847
Eli Stone’s numbers are going to get sucked down a black hole, nothing like a show that should’ve been canned five years ago as your leadin. Maybe I’m imagining something, but why was Life on Mars on the schedule last week and not this week? They canned a show with better numbers, more retention from its leadin, and that doesn’t rely on guest stars to get its ratings? Wait, are we sure this isn’t NBC?
ok I see it , I stand corrected. Looks like the Unusuals after LOST no Life on Mars,
and yeah no DSM anywhere and PP after Greys.
Ok I guess the President just lied or he has no idea the website is listing the schedule for mid season
call the flippin number Bobby!!!
you guys are smart but , you should seriously feel bad if my employer is palying me like a fiddle
323-956-4200 , HURRY
Phone never rang guess Bobby and his buddy Nick C have no sac. Call my Production office and place the wager?
that little flash schedule likely changes as often as post here
e-mail me or just shut up. thanks.
I prefer you calling my staff @ Dirty Sexy Money 323-956-4200
The entertainment here is that you present a different story as fact and fail to recognize the source.
Did ABC issue a mid season schedule?
If they did nobody seems to know what shows are on it , just a day ago you were hyping LOM after LOST
Now you have cancelled it.
Get real jack
Why must everyone fight? It’s only two or three antagonists that always start this up. It’s unpleasant.
nobody can post a link to the schedule release?
Thats amazing
I prefer you not being an anonymous coward who won’t bet me $10,000 that your show isn’t on the mid-season schedule. Don’t post again anytime soon, or I will block you just for being an anonymous coward…
Wow, you’ll bet us $10,000 that the schedule on stage pass isn’t final when it says it isn’t final?
You’re smart! Now your source is Anne or Steve? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Sorry, but that is too funny. I had half a mind to call Bryan and let him call and ask for “dirty sexy j,” so he could fire your ass.
Also, keep track of your lies. You just stated before that you found the schedule on the site. Now you need a link? You claimed you found it, but now you’re still claiming we’re making it up? This is too entertaining!
Good heavens, why would ABC want to save Eli Stone? To keep Greg Berlanti (who co-created it) happy? The show dropped to 1.8 in the demo (in the final ratings) this week. 1.8 out of DWTS’ 3.6. 50% retention rate! And just 43% retention in total viewers (7.01 million out of 16.52 million). And just what do they think that loser will do airing out of Jim?
Hahahaha… Dirtysexyj, you are pure entertainment. This feels like a lost Seinfield episode. Please, keep going! The thirty minutes aren’t over yet!
Aaargh! I love both Pushing Daisies and Life on Mars. They are both original and brilliantly done. ABC, I am so angry at you!! Once again, quality, thoughtful programming loses out.
@ Sara how is life on mars original, they copied it from BBC
i think LOM is original in the sense of different from the rest of the typical crime procedurals and reality shows on tv right now. i give abc credit for doing things that are different… even though LOM is a remake it was still decided by them to remake it here and have it be a part of their sked. i like how abc tries to do things that are different… too bad people still wanna just see the same things over and over. they just need to copy cbs and have wall to wall crime dramas.
since that crazy dirty sexy money person is working over at paramount
(about 2 miles from me) anyone else in LA wanna go see chinatown at midnight? it’s playing down the street. 
Im just glad Ugly Betty is still there
Robert how am I anonymous? I gave you my office # ?
Nick call whomever you wish, why on earth would you wanna fire me if my show is already cancelled according to you and Bobby?
My email is posted , my office phone #, nobody called?
Im home now and yes we had a nice announcement at wrap.
You keep laughing. My Executive Producer is not a liar, he just stated in front of 100 people that the schedule is not final, you guys cannot possibly be this ignorant. You just watched the schedule change over a few days from supposedly the exact same source. Now you cannot fathom there could be further tweaks?
Once again Nick chill with the libelous comments.
It’s not libelous to call you an idiot if you act like an idiot. Nick, the Futon Critic and I all said the schedule wasn’t final. the ABC site itself says the schedule is not final. We all agree the schedule is not final.
dirtysexyj, well I know how to READ. I know exactly what the information is for at stage pass. We all know the schedule isn’t final. They still have to add CUPID, CASTLE, BETTER OFF TED, etc. to the schedule. Also look up the word anonymous. You might learn a few things.
The schedule DID change, because that is what it is there for! To change, and let ADVERTISERS have a heads up. Advertisers need that information because they come up with entire marketing strategies.
One other thing you lied about: LOM is more expensive commercial wise than DSM.
Also I am going to laugh if some executive producer talked to 100 DSM crew members to talk about the stage pass schedule not having DSM on it because of posts on here!
That is funny. Not true, but funny.
Eli Stone still has a chance? Awesome! It’s one of my favorite shows. Such a terrific cast. I’m rooting for this show to get a full season pick up.
I just don’t want to get my hopes up, though. Is Futon Critic usually correct about schedules and other info?
Ok Robert and Nick maybe I simply do not get what you guys are claiming. Perhaps I am acting in an irrational manner.
So we agree the schedule is not final.
The creator of the show made an announcement yesterday,
tonight an executive producer.
Yes Nick article such as the one Robert wrote titled DIRTY SEXY MONEY CANCELLED, has been taken as literal fact. Even our producers were angry. angry enough to immediatly email the Network and ask, “are we cancelled”?
Our creator and executives actually care about the stress we are going through and decided to squash , quell, dispel the ‘Pushing Daisies’, ‘Dirty Sexy Money, ‘Life on Mars’ Cancelled’? Eli Stone thrown a bone? article written by Robert.
Yes they did confirm one show was cancelled, no way will I say which one.
I have tried numerous times to get you to understand you guys are hurting people by writing something has happened when it has not. Even several posters here have said they were sad DSM was cancelled.
Robert , he cannot call me a liar if I did not lie. That sir is libel.
I may be not the best grammer englesh post creatur but I am no lire.
Nick wtf man you should be backing me up if you are buds with Bryan!
dirtysexyj, we don’t believe you. I know Craig isn’t dumb. I know Bryan isn’t dumb. There is no way they would have reading comprehension problems like you have. See that question mark in the title you quote? That means it’s a question. It isn’t stating anything. Also the article itself mentions what/where/why. No way any Producer reads that and goes “are we canceled?” Especially when the Producer would know WHERE THE INFO CAME FROM!!!!
They’d go ok “we’re in trouble, but we knew that already.” They would also know that ABC is considering “seasonal,” releases for scripted shows (much like reality shows have). So they’d know that there is a slight chance that DSM could come back for next season but be done for this season.
Because ABC has a habit of just not picking up shows, you’ll never get that “canceled,” feeling. They just say “we’re not picking up more shows this season.” Which they have told one show. Then they just don’t bother to ever order another season.
This site isn’t hurting anyone. Bryan has been attached to shows that didn’t go anywhere before. He also has HOUSE. He knows the game. If you want to stay on the air, make quality product. Obviously some think it’s quality, but just not enough, the ratings speak for themselves.
It isn’t as if the producers didn’t know the ratings were bad or that ABC had a plethora of midseason projects ready to replace shows with bad ratings. In fact I was shocked by the number of midseason replacements ABC planned.
I feel sorry for PD fans out everywhere – PD would have been a great compliment to Ugly Betty. Too bad it didn’t catch on. As for LOM, I am shocked they chose that crappy ES over such a ground breaker as LOM which seemed to have been picking up steam since the election madness better than ES. Even that heavy advertisement for the latest ES didn’t seem to register on viewers radars.
They should have really placed LOM after lost.
DONT GET RID OF PUSHING DAISIES!!!! That is my new fav show!!
@ dirtysexyj quit being such a p_ssy, its the internet plz dont take things so personal. BTW go play “tv exec” elsewhere
“BETTER OFF TED is 30 minutes right? Perhaps it will get one of the ATJ slots.”
Nick,
Correct. It’s the half-hour Victor Fresco sitcom. (I’m happy to report it’s more “Andy Richter Controls the Universe” than “Life on a Stick.”) I don’t know if the order was reduced, although it may have been. “Castle’s” and “The Unusuals’” indeed were. I do know from seeing a rough cut of the pilot that it should air with “Scrubs,” as they have the same tone. “Jim?” Has the same tone with any number of comedy classics from UPN.
Am I the only one shocked to see According to Jim back………I really thought that show was over, lol.
moonlightfan, Eli Stone barely gets any kind of publicity or advertisement. I think Pushing Daisies and Dirty Sexy Money have both been heavily promoted, especially PD. While, ES doesn’t get any articles in any magazines. ES’s actors don’t even do that many interviews on talk shows. And the show gets barely any promotion. So I disagree completely with you on your statement on promotion and such.
And I don’t think the show is crappy at all. I think the cast is excellent. And the storylines are emotional. Eli Stone is a feel good show. It’s unique and rare.
Anyone who will miss Life on Mars should watch the original BBC show. It really was a fun show to watch.
Hurting People? What is your job dirtysexyj, getting coffee? What a crap producer you must have if he had to check if he was cancelled from an already ‘bad’ source in your prodcution companies name. No wonder you get no-one watching your (your?) show if your producer has got a clue whether abc is cancelling him before the news does? Plus give you a ring and ask for dirtysexyj? we’d be laughed at, what kind of a retard gives us a number (maybe it is real) and then a made up name, or is that what everyone calls you?
hasn’t *
show if your producer hasn’t got a clue
name* sorry i ment eyes. God i read too much of your writing Dirtysexyj
If LoM gets canned, I’ll be very disappointed. I won’t spend hundreds of dollars mailing crap to ABC, nor will I create 150 fictional identities to post variations of the same script in the comments section of every report of whatever show fills its time slot. (In fact, I’m even looking forward to “The Unusuals”.)
But I will be majorly bummed. I’m really starting to accept this cast as its own separate entity from the UK series, and enjoy the Americanization. And I’ll be perturbed, since there’s still a decent number of viewers there for a show that runs third in its timeslot – and a lot of question marks in ABC’s schedule.
(Not that I’m still a little concerned where they might go once they run out of source material, which they seem to be zipping through.)
Aww, the things I miss because I live on the east coast and have to sleep occasionally.
Dear Dirtysexyj,
I know what you are going through. Week after week I try to convince these people that Moonlight is coming back – but they just won’t believe me…
Aside from the fact that it was picked up pretty quickly by Scifi, to air in its original timeslot, a show to air in reruns before its groundbreaking original programme that will air original episodes… That I believe the scifi channel will watch the ratings of that show and will seriously consider doing a second season, well they just don’t believe me…
I was right about Joel Silver likely making a break from the WB after his contract and getting it on with Cable. But they still won’t believe me…
Not only that but remember when I said that the HBO programmers know much more than I do, apparently a full production pickup is being done for a full fledged ‘dungeons and dragons’ type tv show, similar to the seeker, to air on HBO. They understand that fantasy is the way to go.
But they won’t listen to me when I make these on toward predictions, so just brush that dirt off your shoulders, sit back and relax and whatever happens, happens. Hey life is too short to get in the mix with online personalities, avatars and head butts.
Ps. I am totally enjoying true blood right now, fans of Moonlight, check it out Sundays at 9pm on HBO!! WoooHooo!
new trailer for episode to air tomorrow night here http://www.hbo.com/trueblood/
I’m loving it.
I don’t sleep.
…
I don’t believe Life on Mars will be cancelled. There are 11 episodes of The Unusuals. I wouldn’t be surprised to find either Life on Mars airing post-Lost from January to March an then The Unusuals airing for the balance of the season. In this scenario, Life on Mars instead of receiving the usual back nine order, would probably receive a one to two episode order for the balance of the season. This would basically be the ‘new economics’ of networks trying to save money. For example, CBS renewed Gary Unmarried for the balance of the season, however, instead of giving the normal back nine episode order, the show only received andepisode order for seven shows and a script order for two shows with the option of making them episodes. Moving forward networks may just order less episodes per season for shows, outside of major hits.
Dirtysexyj,
I know what you are going through. Week after week I try to convince these people that Moonlight is coming back – but they just won’t believe me…
Aside from the fact that it was picked up pretty quickly by Scifi, to air in its original timeslot, a show to air in reruns before its groundbreaking original programme that will air original episodes… That I believe the scifi channel will watch the ratings of that show and will seriously consider doing a second season, well they just don’t believe me…
I was right about Joel Silver likely making a break from the WB after his contract and getting it on with Cable. But they still won’t believe me…
Not only that but remember when I said that the HBO programmers know much more than I do, apparently a full production pickup is being done for a full fledged ‘dungeons and dragons’ type tv show, similar to the seeker, to air on HBO. They understand that fantasy is the way to go.
But they won’t listen to me when I make these on toward predictions, so just brush that dirt off your shoulders, sit back and relax and whatever happens, happens. Hey life is too short to get in the mix with online personalities, avatars and head butts.
Ps. I am totally enjoying true blood right now, fans of Moonlight, check it out Sundays at 9pm on HBO!! WoooHooo!
new trailer for episode to air tomorrow night here http://www.hbo.com/trueblood/
I’m loving it.
Julia, you got to be kidding me. I couldn’t flip through the channels last week without comming across that ES commercial with those initials carved in his head and the clear blue sky in the background. Episode was about a woman who was being deported that would surely face an honor killing if she was – and I still didn’t watch it. I am making an honest decision to stay away from depressing storylines these days.
What is really sad isn’t that much your perspective, than the fact that you’re likely not alone. That is exactly why laugh-track comedies for instance are so popular. You don’t have to think. You don’t have to feel. You just laugh when TV set tells you to. Way to go.
Btw, whoever suggested that NBC needs big reality show to get its numbers back on track. Well, here you go.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3i5cb311a1dabd6263fb64962b40df09d8
I think Eli Stone’s gonna do even worse after ATJ. I don’t watch any of these shows (come to think of it I don’t watch anything on ABC) so I’m totally not disappointed by this.
Like I said a couple of weeks ago, Life On Mars is out, and if it is brought back it wont get a second season. I feel bad for Pushing Dasies, Eli Stone and Dirty Sexy Money.
Sorry about the repost, wasn’t coming up for me.
moonlightfan, I retrieved them from the spam filter. While 1 URL in a comment is allowed, best I can tell is that lots of text + 1 URL often gets caught by the filter.
NBC doesn’t need big reality show, they need good shows period. I get the disturbing impression that almost none of the shows this season were appropriated good scripts. What NBC needs is someone to analyze their production, someone like Joss Whedon, to start cutting out bad storylines and killing off characters that serve no use for the show, and then create good ads that compel people to tune in.
Doesn’t LOM have better numbers than ES? Why would ABC cancel the show with better numbers? Besides, if you like brain tumor hallucinations you can just watch Grey’s Anatomy since they seem to have stolen the idea.
LOL @ NBC needs someone like Joss Whedon. They should definitely hire him to produce online content, but a turnaround specialist? The chances of that are about as good as the chances that the amount of on air promotion Eli Stone gets in Trinadad has anything to do with what happens in the US.
Caroline, LOM has better numbers than Eli Stone. We can’t really be sure the list above is the way it works out. Assuming it does work out that way though all I can figure is: 1.) there is some law (that doesn’t make a ton of sense to me) that the network *must* have a legal show of some sort. 2.) production costs — purely speculative on my part and 3.) there’s not much runway for the creative involved with the premise for LOM. The original BBC version everyone raves about only ran for 16 episodes. It may not be something that they could get three twenty-two episode seasons out of.
I really don’t understand why Boston Legal is cancelled and why this season is not a full one?I mean shows with worse ratings are getting a full season..It makes no sense to cancel such a good and consistent (in ratings) show
BL, the ratings for BL have waned for the last two seasons and before this year’s season started, a 13 episode final season was what was negotiated. From a ratings perspective it made sense and for all I know David E. Kelley wanted to move on to something else.
Assuming Eli Stone is kept, yes, they would’ve kept one show that had (ever so slightly, among 18-49 year olds) lower ratings. But again, the end of BL was planned before the season started. If the above list holds true, other than Eli Stone, ABC will have cancelled all scripted shows that performed worse than BL.
David. E. Kelley will do a legal drama for NBC.
So now my producer is “bad ” for showing he cares about his cast and crew?
Perhaps you guys should slow your roll and work in the biz prior to inserting both feet up your az. (Fin) What do you do for a living? You guys say do not take it personal? Wow ok please you do not take it personal when you are reported missing off the mid season schedule or even more alarming reported cancelled.
I Love my writers, producers , cast, crew and if we are cancelled so be it, but please do not down play the stress we are going through. And yes Nick when our show is reported cancelled it alarms all of us.
Nick since you believe what Bryan says ask him if DSM is cancelled and let me know what he says. TIA
Im not playing a tv exec, I never claimed that. I am a guy who just spent two years growing close to a group of people, gaining lifelong friends . I hope to continue despite Nick attempting to get me fired. Can you say redundant?
Thanks for the civil responses by other posters, I would hope at least some of you would understand why someone would be upset over losing a job?
CW , fight on man you created a wonderful show and you have earned the respect of many. I really enjoy working with you and all I can say is lets just keep drinking. We will all find out soon enough. DSM CREW do not give up, we aint in the ground.
I am so disappointed to see PD go off the schedule! Love that show!! Too bad they
couldn’t just move it to one of their other networks(ABC family, maybe?) until a few of their new shows tank, as they inevitably will.
EVERYONE, we don’t know WHEN these shows are going to air. Look at THE UNUSUALS they lowered the order (I believe to 10 from 13). It is quite possible that LOM isn’t canceled but will be airing until March when THE UNUSUALS kicks in.
ABC is looking at seasonal schedules. Plus ES was being thought of for the Winter/Spring when it was doing better. It has dropped some in the last 2 weeks and I’m sure ABC noticed.
ABC ordered a lot of midseason shows (more than usual) and they have to air them. They either cancel shows, or they don’t bring some back until next season.
dirtysexyj, no one believes you. If I called Bryan it would be to make sure you didn’t work again. All they would have to do is read your posts on here, and you wouldn’t be allowed back on any lot. You’re nuts.
That is IF I believed anything you said. I don’t. I know some of the producers and they aren’t as dumb as you make them out to be. That is as dumb as you are.
No way ABC keeps ES if they keep pulling sub 2’s 18-49. One more week and that show is gone same for DSM if we drop.
ABC will not keep a sub par show ratings wise and ES is not going to get any better numbers when the lead in is anything other than DWTS.
Once again this is not a Final schedule.
LOM does better but not that much since it also benefits from GA lead in.
DSM retained its lead in similar to BL, you give us a bigger lead in and we pull better demo’s.
75% retention 18-49 vs 40-48% for ES and LOM
I know that the 13 episode season was part of the deal between DEK and ABC,but i still hoped that this final season would be a full one.As for ratings,the biggest drop was from season 1 to season 2:season 1-(AVG)12.3 million viewers season 2-10.3 million viewers.The last two seasons (3,4) had almost the same ratings that the second season had(s3:9.9,s4:9.8 (in later episodes of the fourth season the ratings were lower,after a timeslot change)).This season,the average is probably 8-9 million viewers.And as far as the demographics are concerned,from the first season,the audience of BL was older.There were not much ads for the fifth season,and some promos were released late.As far ABC is concerned,if DEK did not have the rights for LOM,BL would have ended last year.
I’m about ready to kick the screen in after seeing this. Life On Mars cancelled? WHAT! Oh, man, that ain’t right! Nick C, I hope you’re right with what you said about how we don’t know when the shows listed are going to air. If the list is real that’s all I can hope for. ABC needs to get it’s ass in gear and get something official out and put us out of our misery.
I thought dirtysexyj was going to be banned, Robert?
The entertainment factor is waning.
Nick your dumber LOL..
why do you insist on personal attack?
Im not lying kid.
Monday come to set and you can meet me and call me a lying dummy to my face k?
AC, I can see the web site where the info came from. The shows are listed, but not premiere dates. It is only there to give advertisers a heads up for their strategy planning. It constantly gets updated too.
ABC just ordered a lot of new shows, and they have to air them sometime. I don’t think LOM is in danger of cancellation. Then again ABC does dumb almost as well as NBC.
BLfan, did you watch Felicity? If you did, remember how horrible the ending was? What with the whole time travel thing? Wanna know why that happened? Because the show was given a shortened season order for their final season, but then WB said “Wait wait! Do a few more episodes!” and they had to change the plan they had for the final season at the last minute. That’s what happens when you do that. If I were you, I wouldn’t wish that upon any show I liked.
dirtysexyj, that should be “Nick you’re more dumb,” not “Nick your dumber.”
Trust me on this, you don’t want me flying out to your set. If I do that and you really exist I have one question for you:
Can you say “What size shoe do you wear?”
Why you might ask? Because the only job you’ll get in LA when I was done with you would be selling shoes. Ah, I miss Mr. Silver.
Dirtysexyj we would beleive you but signing out giving hope to your crew? Who the hell would need to read this if they worked for ABC wouldn’t they just known ‘Jim’ and get the ratings of him or have it on a private server?
Plus i would be careful what you say on here; you work for ABC, a family channel and your not representing them too well. Considering you work at ABC you don’t get that ES is more flexible than DSM. You don’t get that and stop going you give us the lead and we’ll pull the demos, who the hell are you talking too? I doubt they give a shit about what someone working for the DSM (even at the bottum) has to say, or giving them motivation like you’re one big team. Do you talk to people from BS??
‘Both my feet up my ass’ Is that all you can say: but to be fair your producers might not be bad; so its them, or the writers, or the directors, so which one? You must known being an insider? Because one must be crap for your numbers.
Gordorn Brown (UK Primeminister) keep up the good work, i known you visit this site alot… lets go get those tory bastards.
Sorry for my english but without DWTS, Samantha Who will Mondays and Tuesdays will be very difficult
Yay Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives (i known they’d never be cancelled but hell). The Unusuals sounds interesting
ABC’s schedule was predictable. Life on Mar finished 3rd in its time period, and lost too much of the lead in from Greys Anatomy. ABC’s decision to move Private Practice to Thursday was also a given as ABC worships Shondra Rhimes and Eli’s/Brothers and Sisters Greg Berlanti.
Dirty Sexy Money was a dud from the gate this year. Good riddens. Pushing Daisies would be good for ABC Family. I am still bafled with sandwiching Samatha Who between junk on Mondays. ABC would be smart to do a comedy lineup on Tuesdays with Scrubs, SAmantha, Jim and the new Goode Family cartoon.
I just hope Private Practice will survive — if not, send Kate Walsh back to Greys permanently!
will failed*
They should put Ugly Betty on Sundays to strengthen ABC’s demos with women
ABC may axed three shows? That is one hell of a clean up.
Only thing I don’t understand is, with the numbers Eli
Stone been having, why isn’t it been canceled too? I guess
cost must have something to do with it.
DirtySexyJ, sorry, but no PD,PP or DSM on Wednesday.
CBS rules in my house with Old Christine, Gary Unmarried,
Criminal Minds(best show on tv!)and CSI:NY.
Working for DSM what channel in the UK is DSM aired on? And what is the cable channel it is also aired on?
Thats for Dirtysexyj
Hi Fin,
I believe it is channel 4? It seems to do very well internationally. This was one reason we were hopeful. We sold the show world wide with great success.
Sorry about my previous comments they were unwarranted
Nick guess you fail at interpretation, I am sorry you do not believe me. But I am done with the high school commentary
@ dirtysexyj give us prove, u dont saying thing that u cant google
Apart from well-established procedurals like Law & Order and CSI franchises, 10pm shows almost never exceed their 9pm lead-ins.
Which is why I don’t see what numbers ‘Dirty Sexy Money’ was supposed to pull in, with its lead-in being the weakest 9pm show on ABC’s Sun-Thu schedule.
For a serialized drama whose momentum was cut short by the writers’ strike and then taken off air for 10 months, its average 75% retention rate out of PP is actually quite good.
I wish we could see what numbers ‘Life on Mars,’ ‘Eli Stone’ or even the supposed hit ‘Brothers & Sisters’ would pull in if they didn’t have their cushy timeslots behind TV’s top-10 blockbusters and had to air after ‘Private Practice.’
‘Dirty Sexy Money’ is the victim of the writers’ strike-induced hiatus and its unfortunate time slot, not its content or premise.
dirtysexyj just lies and lies, just ignore dirtysexyj. I mean first dirtysexyj said the schedule wasn’t on stage pass. Then said they found it. Then said we’re all making it up again. Then said their producer said it was fake (again).
Sure. Right.
I recently worked on a canceled show, and, believe me, that process is not fun.
As a matter of fact, we first heard of our cancellation from a website just like this one. Our showrunner had to call the network to say “What the f%@#?”
So, yes, headlines on this site and other sites DO matter. I know that you’re just speculating and that’s your job, but understand that what you guys write here is read from pa’s to executives.
Nick C lets drop it, whether you believe me or not is moot.
You think DSM is cancelled and I do not, just two opinions.
I agree with LBCOLBY our numbers aint bad
Dirty Sexy Money S1 aired here in the UK on Channel 4 but flopped in the ratings. I believe the channel may have picked up the rights to S2 as well, but I expect it will be pushed to a late am slot (like Brothers & Sisters – airs @ 12.30am) or onto the smaller subsidiary channel.
Not many new shows have been picked up by UK channels this year – they got their fingers burned last year with Bionic Woman, and now Pushing Daisies and Dirty Sexy Money. The only success story has been Private Practice on Living, whose 2nd season starts early next year.
To be fair to DSM; Eli Stone is doing worse. I would proberly keep DSM: but its just where to put it. However they are alot of mid-season replacements.
Jen and Heroes on BBC2 which does well above BBC2’s average and it gives it a good foothold in the timeslot share.
0h… new shows sorry
Seriously. Some people on here need to chillax. Having such an antagonistic board is really unpleasant. Hug it out or whatever the hell you need to do, but I hope we can get back to being civil.
That said, I sincerely hope that DSM is not canceled. I think it’s a fantastic show (though less fantastic than S1. A lot of characters have moved from shades of gray to being completely unlikeable this season). I feel bad for a lot of these sophmore shows that got screwed by the strike. In particular, I think Life would have been a comfortable hit right now if it had finished its first run. IMH(umble)O of course.
Re: the ABC schedule I’d be surprised if LOM got canned, but I wouldn’t be too upset. However, I NEED to see CASTLE on that line-up for sure. ABC swears the episode order cut was just for scheduling reasons…
I really like Life on Mars alot, my hubby says it’s okay but would be better just as a 70’s only cop show and no flashbacks, he says it just drags the show down. As for Pushing Daisies, I never understood the hype about the show it was good for about three episodes then it got old real fast.
Inn Slider, sorry don’t buy it. A headline that questions if something is canceled matters? Nope. Why? Because a producer is going to know that the show is in trouble to begin with. They know the ratings. If there is an article discussing the POSSIBLE future of a show, then why would the producers care?
I know a lot of producers and they know the numbers and the game. In fact most generally produce multiple shows at once. Some make it and others don’t.
Dirtysexyj, look you can lie all you want about DSM and people you talk to, but don’t lie about what I’ve stated. I’ve never said DSM was canceled. In fact I believe I stated that it was my understanding that either DSM or Eli Stone would survive. So go make up things about other people like you’re good at.
I would hope the news is true about Eli Stone, it is a good show and inspiring. It would be great if ABC gives it a chance and after Boston Legal is off the air there will be no more lawyer only based tv shows left on television. Maybe in these times a show about filthy rich people is not so entertaining….. Also ABC spent a lot of money promoting DSM and PD, but practically nothing on ES so that has to tell you something if Eli’s numbers still were not that bad and have maintained, it just needs a chance.
Yeah agree, Jill. Personally I can’t understand why some people like DSM. Only two excellent actors there who can only do so much for a show. No character development, all the rich people are written as streotypically bland as one can get. And seriously, people have to realize that LOM isn’t something original from US TV. It is a straight copy-over from an excellent UK show. If it’ll be canceled now or during Mid-Season, it might actually be a decent thing for a network to do. Ironically however, one can think that’d be gone not because of that, but because major chunk of casual viewers just didn’t ‘get it’.
And before anyone starts to argument. ‘Inspirational’ is a great word for describing Eli. Another ones are ‘heartfelt’ and ‘warm’. Obviously those are just words, but there aren’t many network shows around these days that stem the same spectrum of emotions Eli does. Obviously the premise of the show isn’t nothing in particular either, but it is the way its played out and written that makes it grand. Honestly, these days you don’t really have to push very hard to make a network show that’d actually matter in this scale. All you have to do is put ‘a little heart into it’. Not many can say the same.
LOM is a piece of crap as a US remake, get rid of it! I’ll take the original any day over the shite that ABC is pushing.
As for pushing, Pushing Daisies is one of the best shows on right now and this move has me seriously pissed.
Yeah, same here, glass. However I have checked into this blog since early start of the season and followed up on PD’s numbers each week. While definitely sad, it was something long time coming.
As I’ve said before, I can’t really blame the network though. They can’t make stupid people watch something that is way beyond their comprehension. They always end up watching procedurals where ’story lines wrap within 60 minutes’ or fat people competing for the buck, take your pick.
Ah yes, the classic “Waah, if you don’t like the shows I like you’re stupid” argument. There are plenty of smart people who see PD as the unbearable cutesyfest it is and won’t shed a tear nor rend a garment at its passing.
Back to back episodes of According to Jim? Wow, that sounds dreadful.
“They can’t make stupid people watch something that is way beyond their comprehension”
Sure they can! Networks do it all the time, when they park good shows behind mindless nobrianers like DWTS and AI, or Survivor. But the timeslot is limited in terms of space in that only one good show gets the thumbs up.
As for Robert – Touche, touche…Although I do believe that Joss Wheden will eventually surprise all of us in this industry one day.
Anyway, we all have much more to worry about we are all unhappy people:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20081115/sc_livescience/unhappypeoplewatchlotsmoretv
TV is ruining our lives
Or are our lives running tv?
The whole argument that people are “too dumb,” to understand a stupid show makes me grin. PD is not a “smart,” show at all. In fact the mysteries are extremely simple. They make the mysteries on MONK look genius.
Is the dialogue witty? Sure. That doesn’t make the show “smart.” PD is extremely simple with good dialogue but it definitely is not “too smart,” for the public. The public just doesn’t care for the atmosphere of the show.
Some call the atmosphere “cute,” but what ever it is, the viewing public doesn’t like it as much as the fans wish they did. The British Narration and story book feel with the bright colors and sappy dialogue between “two people in love who can never touch,” just doesn’t SELL with the viewing audience. Is it original? Sure, but is everything that is original “smart?” No.
Lets just end the arguments of “it’s too smart,” for any show.
The real problem at ABC is they ordered an extremely high amount of new shows for midseason: THE UNUSUALS, BETTER OFF TED, BORDER SECURITY USA, CASTLE, SCRUBS, LOST, TRUE BEAUTY, THE GOODE FAMILY, ACCORDING TO JIM and CUPID.
That is a lot of programming that ABC bought and paid for. Sure LOST is a hit coming back, and SCRUBS is an ex-NBC show, but that is a lot of shows. They had so many shows they had to cut orders on some for scheduling reasons.
With those shows paid for, where would you air them? PD & DSM sure look a lot easier to not order new episodes for when you consider it all. The guys over at FUTON CRITIC even went and made screen captures (something I should have thought of) for the schedule and people can see it is from ABC.
I’m not sure it means cancellation for shows or that ABC is going to start pulling a cable and releasing 13 episodes or less of a show during certain times of the year (look at HBO, SHOWTIME, USA, etc. as examples).
The argument of a show not being ’smart’ because it doesn’t ’sell’ with a casual viewer makes me grin. It really isn’t hard to please a ‘casual viewer’ these days. Look at CBS. Making a show fit a certain frame so it’d have a mass appeal, doesn’t make it a ’smart’ show that ’sells’ well. It makes a lot of lazy people who wouldn’t bother with something else because they know it wouldn’t work out with major crowd. You can make the business argument all you like, and to a certain point you’re correct. But television, just like movies *should* be about art, not about earning a quick buck. I suppose we just have to agree to disagree, I for one would take originality over ‘easy sell’ any day.
“Ah yes, the classic “Waah, if you don’t like the shows I like you’re stupid” argument.”
But it makes people feel so much better.
At least, that would seem to be the reason they trot it out over and over and over and OVER again. (This is also a noteworthy phenomenon in politics.)
Alde, sadly you’re just wrong. Make fun of CBS all you want but their shows are definitely not “dumb.” CBS also doesn’t make it fit a frame. How does 11th Hour and The Mentalist fit a frame? There is no magic formula. If there was, it would be all we would ever get.
Even PD made production decisions based on “mass appeal.” It’s for TV!
I hate to be the one to inform you of this but just because you like something doesn’t make it “smart,” or “better,” than the other things out there. This “they have to be stupid to not like it,” attitude is what is wrong with our country today. So many people have that about people with differing opinions.
I think one should ask how don’t they. They’re exactly the same as any other procedural, only difference is that they both have a ‘quirk’, one being a scientific show with a quirky lead character and another one who has the ability to ‘read’ details/signs/human behavior. Those things are just additions, they don’t make the show unfit for the general frame. If you don’t understand that, well what can I say. That being said, 11th Hour is a disaster on its own. Awful acting, together with bad writing (there has been threads on internet about silly factual errors already – stuff that really shouldn’t happen on a science oriented show). Seriously, you know that something wrong with the show when the most eye-catching thing about the show is the you-know-whats of the female lead. Who, sadly, can’t act worth crap though. Rufus is pretty good actor, but on this show he just looks like he’s either falling down to sleep or vomit any second.
some of you on here are getting a little to into it if you ask me all PD, DSM, LOM, Eli Stone need to be off the air, they wont be back next year.
ABC just ran a promo on Saturday Night College Football referring to LOM as a “New Hit Series.”
Reminds me of NBC at times labeling MOWE a “Hit Series”
Nick – we get it, you cannot stand PD. Not to continue the battle (it’s kind of pointless), but PD had enough redeeming qualities to receive 12 Emmy nods, win 3, and received numerous other award nominations last season. I realize that starts another debate on the “accuracy” of the Academy’s picks, but I believe for the most part they get the nominees correct. One could then debate for days on the actual winners. PD smoked all the CBS programs in terms of awards that you personally think are “smarter”. All nominees for best drama were cable programs. As I mentioned in another thread, I was harsh in saying viewers are too dumb to get PD, but I do think they choose programs that are easier to digest.
Do you think PD would do better in a later time slot? I know you think everything about PD should be tarred, feathered and set on fire, but just curious about your opinion. I was at a dinner party last night, and PD came up. I asked my dinner companions why they don’t watch it. They all (6) stated they sampled and liked the program last season, but couldn’t watch it with the kids as there was too much death/un-dead going on and didn’t want to have those discussions with their younger kids. Perhaps it would do better at 10pm. All the kids are then in bed, and Mom & Dad, with a couple cocktails in them, might enjoy it more. Personally, I think True Beauty will not do well, and PD might fit well after Samantha Who? on Monday, especially after reading Robert’s blog entry on buy-in. If they can buy that premise, PD is not that far-fetched.
Assuming the above schedule holds true, I want to take a stab at a couple of predictions. I think Scubs will see about a 20% decline from last years numbers on the move to ABC. Based on current ABC stats, that will give it about a .68, which is not much better than PD. The Goode Family won’t hold enough of the lead-in to make the hour any better than PD.
I am a bit surprised ABC is going so heavy on the sit-com genre with the winter schedule. Probably cheaper, but hasn’t that genre been dead for years?
Phillip, interesting you brought the time slot up. I’ve been thinking the same thing myself. Personally, I don’t find PD ‘childish’ at all (as some people might think *perhaps*, as they’re suggesting the move to ABCF). Thus it maybe really should be better fit for a later time. It is definitely not something to watch ‘with a family’ that apparently 8pm slot eventually ends up being (though unlikely families watch, say, TSCC happily together).
BTW, thanks for the post. I didn’t want to bring awards up myself again, because there seems to be quite obvious bias regarding quality and quantity floating around here.
Oh if they cancel LoM I will be so p.o.’ed.
dirty sexy money? come on, i know im not the only one who cares about this show! i will be pissed if its cancelled. i just bought the first season like two weeks ago and i feel like it was poinless that i bought knowing now that it will most likly be canceled. ABC SUCKS lol
This doesn’t really make any sense about LoM. Just here … http://tvbythenumbers.com/2008/11/10/abc-announces-some-of-the-schedule-nbc-tries-fake-it-till-you-make-it-approach/7883 … the announcement was LoM would be on Wednesday starting in January after “Lost”.
Phillip, why would I “hate,” PD? I’m just a realist and not a fanatic. I watch the show for multiple reasons. Can people stop mentioning the 12 nominations? It was only nominated for I think 4 “big,” awards the rest are things like makeup (in two different categories) and hair! Lets just throw out an example. Think of the worst TV show you’ve seen on the air in recent years. Lets use that Brad Garrett disaster on FOX. What if it won 3 emmy awards? What if they were hair and makeup and set design? Would that make it a good show?
Was PD nominated for best series in any category? Nope.
Are there shows on CBS that are “procedures,” that are smarter than PD? Yes. PD is just bad with the mystery aspect. Overall I think they’re all about the same in terms of intelligence.
ABC thinks PD is a family show. Maybe someone should tell them.
If ABC is going to keep any series of Greg Berlanti’s, it should be Dirty Sexy Money and Brothers and Sisters. They’re the ones (Bros & Sis’ to a lesser extent) that have the revolving door of interesting drama segments that Grey’s Anatomy and Desperate Housewives are able to mesh together so well on a weekly basis. Also, Private Practice should get the Sunday slot behind Desperate Housewives and Life On Mars should stay at home right after GA. ABC needs strong 10pm dramas. One problem with all of their 10pm shows is that light and fluffy factor. There are no solid, hard-nosed shows after 9pm on that network. I remember when the 10 o’clock hour was their strongest hour with shows such as, The Practice, and Grey’s Anatomy. The other problem with all of ABC’s third hour dramas is that none of them deliver a consistently interesting hour of tv. Highly anticipated weekly dramas such as GA and DH are able to deliver a continuous succession of content that holds the viewers attention. Brother’s and Sisters continuously drops the ball. Eli Stone can’t even catch the ball. ABC needs to get rid of it now or wait to get rid of it when it completely implodes behind According To Jim. Either way it has failed miserably to hold onto the Dancing With the Stars audience.
Yeah, Nick, it was nominated for ONLY 5 biggies: OS writing, OS lead actor, OS supporting actress, OS casting, OS directing (a win). That says a lot. What did CBS’ shows receive? And, yes, it received a nod for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy, by the Golden Globes (another biggie).
I think I now understand your position. If you think that the mysteries are the main premise of PD, your not fully getting the nuance of the show. It also tells me why me why you like CBS’ procedurals so much. I hope that doesn’t sound condescending.
Phillip, no but you come off as an elitist who thinks they know someone else because that helps you feel better about your position.
I never said I liked CBS’ procedurals. I said they aren’t any more stupid than PD.
More people enjoy the least watched CBS procedural than enjoy PD.
I’m a realist and stick with mostly facts, while you’re a fanatic of a show that not enough people watch. The arguments of “it’s too smart,” etc. usually just show how stupid the person is stating that opinion vs. the intelligence of the show they’re a fan of. If the show was about quantum physics you might have a point. It’s a show about a guy who touches dead things, and re-animates them to help his PI buddy solve crimes!
It’s almost as bad as ripping on CBS saying they just use a formula with a gimmick. When PD is just a formula with 3 or 4 gimmicks. So it’s better because it has more gimmicks?
The bottom line is not enough people watch it, while enough people watch those CBS shows.
The reason shows usually fail has nothing to do with “being too smart,” for TV, etc. Usually there are real reasons. The Buy In Factor like this site pointed out before. The easier the buy in the easier to catch an audience. This isn’t always the reason. Sometimes the show is given a horrible time slot, not promoted, aired against a monster ratings getter, etc.
For those of you who must cling to PD being too smart I argue this:
There is no such thing as a person who can touch dead people an re-animate them. To believe that you’ve got to be pretty gullible. The producers of the show are asking people to suspend their disbelief. Some people just can’t for certain things. For me, it’s the “they can’t touch, but still love each other!” I think the show jumped the shark with her showing up naked at his place, and him being happy about it!
So if you do buy the whole thing, I’d just argue that you’re MORE gullible.
Phillip
You do have a point re the time slot problem with PD,but I don´t know if changing it would improve ratings.The same people who are in constant denial about the existence of death are probably gonna have problems suspending their disbelief when their kids are in bed.I have friends who have kids,and they like to watch the show with them exactly because they think it´s a harmless and light minded way of approaching the subject of death with their 10 year olds.
Unless of course you give them som really potent cocktails.
Having ‘mass appeal’ is the bottom line here. The best series on television have never been huge ‘magnets’ for casual viewers. Sure there are exceptions, but basically they’re number of shows you can count on one hand (at best). Best example is LOST which, while being clearly a ‘niche’ show, *does get* above avr amount of ‘casual viewers’, however, while having a decent footing number-wise in comparison to other ‘niche’ shows, its numbers are yet low in a general scale of TV. Here’s where ‘mass appeal’ comes in.
You can’t in good consciousness suggest that shows that garner a lot (say, 18K+) viewers are smarter than those that obtain lesser amount. That is just silly. They’re just easier for people to digest. That doesn’t make them smart. It makes them a ’safe choice’. At best, they can be considered to be *smart* business-wise. But that’s it.
Casual viewing public doesn’t care about ‘different’, they only tend to flock to the stuff they know are safe (and if that means investing not more than 60 minutes per week, meaning 1-episode wraps, even better). The best example I could provide here is Dexter. It did *awful* on CBS. Yet it is easily among the best shows in recent years. There’s no suprise the very most of ‘nominated’ shows come from Cable. Sure, ratings mean a lot there, too, but quite rarely shows get canceled. Why is that? It’s because the viewing public there has more willpower to invest themselves. And yeah, sorry, they are more sophisticated because they don’t tend to run to the hills when something different comes along. They’re open-minded, network public generally is not. It isn’t an elitist perspective, it’s a fact.
“You can’t in good consciousness suggest that shows that garner a lot (say, 18K+) viewers are smarter than those that obtain lesser amount. That is just silly”
It’s just as silly to suggest that shows very few people watch are smarter than those that a lot of people watch.
How about instead of trying to build yourself up by claiming that people who don’t like a TV show you like are stupid, you just admit that people have different TV preferences usually having little or nothing to do with IQ?
Alde,
Dexter was a repeat and as a repeat didn’t do that badly especially considering that it was cut from what was shown on showtime. Dexter is good but is as predictable as any procedurals that is on any network.
To say that people watching shows on cable are more open minded is such small minded. Did it ever occured to you that we watch both? Yes I watch Dexter, Weeds, The Wire, The Shield. And from the Networks, Criminal Minds, Without a Trace, CSI:NY, Big Bang Theory, Lost, Desperated Housewife. It isn’t as if I cannot change channels or that like in sports I stick to a team no matter how bad they are. I watch what I like be it on the Network or cable.
As for why shows are rarely canceled on cable, it as nothing to do with willpower from the viewing public but more with lower expectations rating wise and lower cost of production. Most cable shows will not have more than 13 episodes versus Network shows that have 22 and sometime 26 like Criminal Minds does have this year. So yes cable can affort to have low rated shows on the schedule because it cost them less than low rated shows on a network.
Some of this discussion may need to move to beathedeadhorse.com
Alde, the one point of yours I will agree with is peoples’ willingness and tolerance for something different is on a spectrum. But I think that has absolutely nothing to do with sophisitication or IQ, but merely preferences. You can have a 105 IQ and still have preferences. And I’m sure some of them also prefer Pushing Daisies. PD seems to be a show more targeted to women than men, the numbers certainly back that up. That’s also true of shows like Grey’s Anatomy or Desperate Housewives but those shows have much larger scale, particularly with younger women.
Dexter did 6 times plus what it does on Showtime, but Dexter is an experience better for cable. CBS was too scared to run even the regular opening credits/theme sequence — and that’s a part of the overall experience. Plus, the foul mouthed sister on broadcast TV loses a lot in translation. I didn’t find it as predictable as a CBS procedural, especially the first year — but then again it’s run as a 13 part serial, and not a procedural. Many people will not buy into the premise of “sociopath/serial killer but still a pretty cool guy!” While I believe they are missing out on something as a result (at least the first two seasons) I don’t believe their choice is a function of their intelligence or level of sophistication. To suggest it is, is elitist and also, in my opinion, wrong.
I watched a few episodes of Pushing Daisies. I didn’t love it or hate it (actually I did hate the ongoing narrative from the old English guy, that got grating to me after a few times). I’m certainly willing to suspend a lot of disbelief for television, but it wasn’t for me. Neither though are the CBS procedurals. I don’t think that has anything to do with my IQ, sophistication or tolerances — it’s just a matter of personal preference. I don’t like American Idol either — but I know at least a few geniuses who are smarter than I who love it. What can you do besides be more tolerant of people’s viewing preferences?!
Nicely said.
As I’ve read this discussion thread it has put some ideas in my head (always a dangerous thing!) about general interest vs. niche and the long tail of TV programming. I’m off to the 49ers game, but I’ll write something by tomorrow about it with a few numbers attached.
Honestly I wasn’t talking about IQ at all. My latest response stems from the suggestion that ’shows which garner more casual viewers are smarter than those which have lesser numbers’. *Shows*, not *people*. Yeah, I mentioned the sophistication while bringing up Cable shows, and likely it was an incorrect phrase to use. But I’m unsure if ‘preference’ is a better one, though it does correlate perhaps more directly with terms such as ‘tolerance’ and ‘willpower’. The question remains, though, why does broadcast network’s casual viewing public possess that much lower ‘tolerance level’.
I would bring up my own personal take of Dexter in comparison to the argument of the show being ‘just an usual procedural’, but I’m afraid I’m unable to do it without being called ‘elitist’, so I will hold myself back for now.
However, I honestly have to repeat myself about procedurals. For me, personally, their dominance is very easily explainable:
1) story-lines doesn’t ‘bleed’. Every episode wraps within 60 minutes. Random ‘bleeds’ do happen, but they are very easily followable (plus usually shown within the ‘flashbacks’ before the episode commences). Based on that very point, the *most important* ‘winner phenomenon’: PEOPLE DON’T HAVE TO INVEST THEIR TIME INTO WHAT THEY SEE. Not more than 60 minutes per week, anyway.
2) stories are built into a ‘frame’. Stories change, frame doesn’t.
Frame:
2.1 Murder or its like
2.2 Investigation
2.3 Putting bad guy(s) away for good
3) General viewing public easily relates to point 2. It’s always clear. ‘Good’ always competes with ‘Evil’ and eventually obtains victory.
Now… I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. I have yet to suggest that, period.
All I’m saying is that those above points aren’t some magic components for creating a ‘good’ and ’smart’ television. What they do create, however, is a ’safe and sound’ *model* which *sells very well*.
Oh and BTW, I’m a guy who likes PD. Though I may not be the ‘ratings rule breaker’ in a stricktest sense, because I mainly enjoy PD because of Fuller. I’ve loved his work greatly since DLM.
Alde, people don’t have to invest more than 60 minutes per week into Pushing Daisies either.
Making money will win, and obviously CBS figured out a way to generate shows with more mass appeal. I think in addition to the procedural nature of the shows (you can miss the first three seasons, catch an episode and still enjoy the show), it’s the known archetypes (cops, criminals, etc). “Guy who can bring dead people back to life, but only briefly, or…” is not a known archetype. Nor is the sociopath/serial killer as good guy.
But it seems to me it’s not a function of the procedural nature. Even a serial show with known archetypes that people are comfortable with will likely have more appeal than a serial (or procedural) with unknown archetypes. This is just the way it is.
And OK, so you like more offbeat shows that don’t resonate with the general public. I don’t hold that against you, but you seem to hold it against the general public. And if that’s the case, you should get over it.
In the case of Pushing Daisies your love of offbeat shows doesn’t seem likely to work out well, because offbeat shows that don’t resonate with the general public don’t last on broadcast television (save for the CW, where the bar is set much lower). The good news though is with the advent of cable, there are definitely a LOT more offbeat shows that don’t resonate with the general public now than there were 40, 30, 20, 10 or even five years ago.
None of us is free of subjectivity. That’s the way human being is built. For example, You’ve set pretty biased subjects regarding PD and Eli. Even the same ‘thrown the bone’ remark as the header of this very thread. Yet you clearly and publicly root for LOM. As the saying goes, ‘there’s as many options as there are people’. Sure, we disagree. But that isn’t enough of a reason for one side to be silenced, just because another side dislikes it.
Alde, all of my comments regarding quality of shows, and what makes some succeed versus fail are very subjective.
My comments about the ratings numbers for certain shows, however, are objective, based on the numbers. The numbers for Pushing Daisies, Eli Stone and Dirty Sexy Money all suck relative to ABC’s overall average.
Nobody is trying to silence you. There’s no law against being an elitist, or being wrong.
I wonder if it would make sense for certain shows with “rabid” fan bases to be picked up by the cable networks. If HBO were to pick up any of the shows mentioned above, they should get fairly decent ratings. They certainly don’t have the hits they used to have. Maybe there could be a Dexter or FNL/Direct TV deal out there that might work. Just a thought.
Nick, not sure if I should even respond to your last comment, but a few thoughts. Out of curiosity how you would respond, I attempted to engage you in a discussion that respectfully acknowleged our differing opinions, yet you chose to simply throw out more insults. Your use of inflamatory words such as fanatic, elitist, guillible, stupid are puzzling for someone that is so certain his opinion is the correct one. I do not understand why you are so defensive and your responses so hostile when it seems uneccesary. I conceded twice that I was wrong to infer people are too dumb to get certain programs in a previous thread, yet you rattled on and on again with such indignation at a statement NOT even made. You can simply rudely dismiss any discussion that does not fit your personal theories, and rule others elitist, but your responses are rather tyrancial.
Hope you have a great day!
Kathy, I don’t think the fan base of any of the shows mentioned would follow the shows to HBO. In fact thanks to Nielsen we can know the numbers of PD watchers who subscribe to HBO. The only people who bring these things up are fans. I don’t see anyone at HBO going “you know PD would be great for us!”
Phillip:
You “respectfully,” acknowledged our different opinions? You conceded twice that you were wrong to infer people are too dumb to get certain programs? Then considering those two points, lets quote your last reply to me:
“I think I now understand your position. If you think that the mysteries are the main premise of PD, your not fully getting the nuance of the show. It also tells me why me why you like CBS’ procedurals so much. I hope that doesn’t sound condescending.”
Read that, then go back and read my response to you. You asked to be treated just as rudely as you treated me. You practically did call me stupid. That coming from a man who wrote “your not fully getting the nuance of the show.” Well YOU’RE not getting that I think your ability to assume you know what I “get,” is pathetic behavior on your part.
The whole “they’re too dumb,” argument is entirely pointless. It’s just as pointless as my gullible argument. Which was the point of my gullible argument.
Robert said it all better, but seriously Phillip I don’t dismiss all discussion that doesn’t fit my personal theories, I just dismiss your inane ramblings.
Phillip, I have to side with Nick on this at least to the degree that “I think I now understand your position. If you think that the mysteries are the main premise of PD, your not fully getting the nuance of the show. It also tells me why me why you like CBS’ procedurals so much. I hope that doesn’t sound condescending,” are kind of provoking words.
You can try getting away with “Honey, that dress makes you look fat. I hope that doesn’t sound like I’m saying YOU are fat.” But 100 out of 100 times, the results of that experiment will be pain for you
“I think I now understand your position. If you think that the mysteries are the main premise of PD, your not fully getting the nuance of the show. It also tells me why me why you like CBS’ procedurals so much. I hope that doesn’t sound condescending.”
Sorry you found that so offensive, but there was nothing insulting in my comment. I was referring to your comment that you thought PD mysteries were “not as smart”: “Are there shows on CBS that are “procedures,” that are smarter than PD? Yes. PD is just bad with the mystery aspect. Overall I think they’re all about the same in terms of intelligence”.
Comparing PD to a procedural is comparing apple to oranges. PD is not a procedural, but if to you it is, than I can simply understand why you like the procedurals better, that’s all. I would too. Don’t read too far into comments, and I think you’ll be less offended.
Peace.
Just because you like PD doesn’t make a non-procedural.
Robert, finding personal offense in every little thing just results in a constantly angry individual. Conversing in this format is going to lead to misunderstandings that would not happen one on one. I really meant that I was not trying to be condescending, and I hope my further clarification of my comment above helped. That comment could have been taken more than one way, but the NEGATIVE aspect was the one that chosen. Not productive.
I try not to use words like fanatic, guillible, elitist etc., which are purposefully meant to be inflamatory.
Phillip, so it’s not a procedural? Really? Is every episode not “mystery with dead person that needs talking to?” Do they not every episode PROCEDE to follow the protocols of a Private Detective Show?
It’s a procedural with serial overtones. Yes, there are serial elements to the show. VERONICA MARS had a season long mystery, but every episode was generally a mystery of its own. That too was a whodunit procedural. MOONLIGHTING was also a procedural. HOUSE is a procedural.
Maybe you need to learn more about a procedural. It stems from “realistically showing the procedures used to do something.” You have LEGAL, POLICE, MEDICAL, and WHODUNIT genres. These are the most popular.
PD is most definitely a twist on the whodunit procedural. In fact that was EXACTLY how it was pitched.
Again you claim I like procedurals better, and I assume you’re talking about CBS. Have I ever stated that anywhere?
Chris, I classify PD as closer to a serial (just my opinion), that happens to have a procedural element. However, I think the serial aspect is the dominating element. As such, I (personally) would not compare PD to say L&O or Cold Case, where the weekly procedural is the dominating factor.
Phillip — allow me to be blunt. While I agree there are some definitely, beyond a doubt inflmatory words and trust you that you try to avoid them, you simply can’t say something like “you don’t understand the nuance of the show” without being condescending.
It is, in fact, a condescending thing to say whether you meant it as such or not. Adding “I don’t mean to be condescending” doesn’t change that it is condescending. If you don’t see that, then you don’t understand the nuance of your own words. and yeah, I am being a little condescending, but I’m not trying to sugar coat it.
“Maybe you need to learn more about a procedural”.
Easy killer, you just might offend me. Another difference of opinion. See my reply to Chris.
Your are too funny, Nick.
Phillip, where as Bryan Fuller describes it as a whodunit procedural with serial elements. So you’re deciding to think of it as something it wasn’t intended to be. It was intended for the serial elements to get people who like serials to watch it. Of course it was likely pitched as a whodunit procedural because that is hot property right now.
Robert, you can hyper-analyze my comments if you wish, but what I certainly CAN see is a polarizing difference in the tones. Fine, I worded my response poorly. I’ll try to be more careful.
I hyper-analyze numbers. Seeing condescending words doesn’t require much analysis, nor does seeing that you want to have it both ways. You want to say you don’t use polarizing or combative words, and then you want to throw out “you can hyper-anazlyze…” and not have it appear combative or polarizing.
Nicely done! But I’ll bust your chops about crap like that if you insist in going on and on instead of just admitting what you did was wrong, saying you’re sorry and moving on.
“where as Bryan Fuller describes it as a whodunit procedural with serial elements. So you’re deciding to think of it as something it wasn’t intended to be. It was intended for the serial elements to get people who like serials to watch it. Of course it was likely pitched as a whodunit procedural because that is hot property right now”.
Good point. It does seem that the show evolved into having a more dominant serial element towards the end of last season and into the current one. It feels more like an “ER” type of show whereby the character interaction week to week becomes more interesting, not the saving of lives or mystery solving.
Phillip, I find it true that there are serial elements for every procedural I watch! From House, Life and Chuck on broadcast to Burn Notice and Saving Grace on cable. I don’t watch enough of the CBS shows to know whether they have similar serial elements but wouldn’t be at all surprised to find they did.
Robert, I think I’ll just move on to something more productive than fighting with someone who finds hyper-analyze offensive. Sorry, that is what you did. Your selective “chop busting” of certain posters is ludicrous (is that word inflamatory?). I find it HYSTERICAL being criticized and preached to about appropriate wording by someone (you) who replies to a poster as being “dumb” in another thread. Is hypocrite inflamatory?
Frankly this has become a snooze fest. I prefer an atmosphere where differing opinions are valued, rather than hanging out with a bunch of like-minded folks who like to pat each other on the back about how smart they are.
Blocking expected in 3, 2, 1………..
Phillip, and thus the problem that PD has it is more serialized than most procedurals and that makes new viewer retention more difficult.
Robert, I watch THE MENTALIST and that has some serial elements but they don’t appear every episode. The main character had his family slaughtered by a serial killer that no one ever caught. They remind us of it sparingly. Then they have the “will they or wont they,” between two of the secondary characters. That also isn’t touched on in every episode.
So it is no where near the level that CHUCK or HOUSE is at. PD pushes it even farther on their show. BURN NOTICE has always had an overall story arc of “will he find out who burned him and get un-burned?” and it rarely doesn’t get brought up. Still that is so slowly drawn out, missing an episode or two doesn’t seem to mean much.
I don’t really watch any of the other CBS shows except NUMB3RS. I watch that because I like to see how accurately they use math. Some episodes they do a great job, others not so much. NUMB3RS has never really had much serial element until the season finale last year and the “will Charlie get his top secret clearance back?” storyline that existed for the first 5 or so episodes of this season.
So I can’t really say if CBS has much of a serial element to their shows.
Phillip, you need to learn the definition of words. HYPER ANALYZE is generally condescending unless used to describe oneself.
I suggest you try rewording things in the future or you’ll forever be mistaken as a condescending jerk, but that is just my opinion.
PD will get a huge audience this wed. It has a cult following and will do better than any of the shows ABC replaces it with. Characteriztion of the show can garner many opinions as the show can and will change due to network demands.
I am excited to see how the numbers spike for PD and DSM now many project cancellation of both.
Last season the three FROSH shows dominated WED night, ABC has forgotten the devastation the WGA walk out had on all three. PP had a decided advantage as it was a spin off of a top 5 show.
life on mars is excellant ! END OF STORY ……BYE
I wish PD would get a huge number wednesday but it just is not gonna happen. For ABC to even start having second thoughts they would probably have to pull close to 6.5 mil and probably a 2.4-2.6 in the demos and that’s after a 2 week lay off. And while it might have a decent overall due to daylight savings ending i think the best Daisies will pull on wednesday is 6.1 mil with a 2.1 and that is best case scenario.
It would need about 7.5M viewers and a 2.6 to survive. The 6.6M and 2.2 it got last time was still bad. Basically for ABC if you drop below 2.5 you’re in trouble. If you drop below 2.0 (like PD has done twice) you’re in real trouble. I don’t know a show on a major network that has survived having under a 2.0 in a prime time slot.
Life and Knight Rider, or are you calling NBC not a major network.
Yes exactly Nick. PD would need an extravagant number this coming week which is about as close a impossible as you can get especially after a 2 week lay off.
And the only reason i listed 6.5 mil and 2.4-2.6 as a possible threshold for ABC to hold the trigger for another week is because it would show it retained the audience from the Obama special even after two weeks and not really because they are good numbers
Julia, I think KR is in big trouble. I mean they’ve told The Hoff to bugger off a few times in the last year in regards to the show. NBC doesn’t want to give him producer cred and power over the show in addition to the money. Now all of a sudden they are back in negotiations and they know those are the sticking points. You don’t do that unless there is trouble. Last week’s KR numbers are so bad I wouldn’t be shocked if the show gets straight up canceled if they can’t reach a deal with Hassellhoff.
LIFE I don’t know about, but it did do better than its lead in. So they may be thinking it just needs a better lead in?
Just because it’s not on the schedule, doesn’t mean Pushing Daises is canceled. ABC has finished taping the 13th episode, which is the last of the season. No decision has been made on the faith of the show yet.
http://tvseriesfinale.com/articles/pushing-daisies-essentially-cancelled-or-is-there-a-still-a-chance/
Greetings…This is my first time posting. In fact, first time reading this site…
I was recently contacted by the Nielson people, and am going to be one of the sampling people that will help to make these decisions. I have never in my life watched Pushing Daisies. I normally watch America’s next Top Model in that time slot (and three snaps up for that this season). However, I could be convinced to watch PD if I knew more about the plot, characters and on going story plot…
I have read the official synopsis on the ABC website, but I would like to hear from a true fan about what to look for…
Anyone willing to give me the cliffnote’s version???
April, sure it’s about a guy who has the ability to re-animate the dead for up to 60 seconds, after 60 seconds they remain re-animated and something nearby dies. If he touches the dead thing before 60 seconds pass all is ok. He uses this power to help his Private Investigator friend solve mysteries. The guy who reanimates people is also a baker of pies. The Pie Baker (although the show calls him the pie maker) recently reanimated his childhood love (we’re talking when he was 10). They are a couple now, and can never touch each other. Yet somehow their love is strong! Also no one has noticed she is a reanimated corpse.
Also there are back stories that the reanimated corpse/girl friend can never see her Aunts again (she used to live with them) because they believe her to be dead. She also found out recently that one of her Aunts is really her mother. The Private Detective also has an 8 year old daughter he hasn’t seen in 8 years (?) that he is trying to find. Also the pie baker’s father left him in private school when he was 10 and hasn’t seen him since. So there is a mystery revolving the father. Yet another plot is that the pie baker just found out he has to twin half brothers who perform magic (the slight of hand kind).
Oh and the pie baker has a reanimated corpse dog as well. No one has noticed that this corpse is a corpse either. The pie baker touched the dog when he was 9 or 10. So he has a reanimated corpse dog, and a reanimated corpse girl friend. Neither of which he can ever touch.
You forgot the details around who died when the dog was reanimated, but then again, so have I….
It was a squirrel.
(Also, Nick, she asked for a fan’s synopsis.
)
Ah, early senility — but I do remember that. Perhaps I was thinking there was some scenario where he saved his mother, but his love’s father died as a result? Or am I completely off?
Julia, I watch the show. Never said I didn’t. I just know it should be canceled. I know that it isn’t any “smarter,” than other shows. People just don’t like it like I did. I still watch it, but it did jump the shark for me. The whole “lets get back to together, look i’m naked!” scene at the end of a recent episode totally undid it for me. He can’t touch her. So her showing up naked is supposed to be good how?
It’s hilarious how critique about CBS’ shows goes across with discomfort and suggestions about one being ‘elitist’, yet straight forward ironical attitude about a show that is actually different goes unpunished with a pat on the head. And here I was thinking that Phillip was overreacting earlier, go figure.
Robert, you’re right, but I left that out. I figured if I kept throwing in the absurd side stories that makes their love sappier and sappier that I might scare the poor girl off.
desperate attempt at attracting young male viewers?
Alde, you’re right the show is “different,” because it’s about the ability to reanimate corpses. My synopsis still can’t be argued with. It’s all true. I know for an outsider reading that they may be going WTF!!?!?!? That sounds stupid! Which is why the show is in trouble. The building serial elements have gone to the absurd and that does scare away new viewers. If the show had kept it simple with the serial nature just being Ned/Chuck you’d have a possible hit.
Robert, that is EXACTLY what it was. It really turned me off. I immediately thought that too. “They just did that in hopes of getting young male viewers attention.”
If they had kept it simple, and only had the serial element be “will they or won’t they or how can they?” and combine that with quirky and funny mysteries they may have had a hit. That is a lot less to buy in on than the bad soap opera side stories. I swear they stole half their ideas for the side stories from watching ONE LIFE TO LIVE or something.
Oh, I agree, Nick, that scene pissed me off to no end. And I’ve been less in love with the show itself this season, though the colors! They still get me. But the most recent episode made me think everything might end up being all better. Though they’ve still ignored the fact that they introduced the father back into the pie shop in the first episode and then forgot about him.
(And I agree with you on the smart thing and have argued it myself.)
OK…Thank you so much for all your help. So, the show is trying to attract young men. I am not sure I fit into that category, I am more the “bear” type of guy if you get my drift (not that there is anything wrong with that…or wrong with being 52).
Is there anyone who watches PD and tapes America’s next Top Model? Which do you think is better, and why?
This is really helpful in progressing the discussion
April First
April, the show has done a couple of things to try to attract the male demo, but it’s much more of a female show.
April, the show is trying to attract young men because all it has are young women as viewers (for the most part). It’s basically a WHODUNIT show with soap opera elements and the soap opera aspects have grown this season to include:
1. Who/Where is Ned (Pie Baker)’s father?
2. Why did Ned’s father leave him?
2. Aunt (Vivian?) is Chuck’s real mother!
3. Will Cod (Private Detective) find his long lost daughter?
4. Why is Ned’s father’s old friend out to kill someone?
5. Will Olive get over her love of Ned that isn’t returned?
6. Will Ned and Chuck continue their oh so sappy love affair where they can’t touch?
7. Will Olive hook up with the ugly little fat man that she for some reason has a crush on (and is an old friend of Ned’s father who is out to kill someone)?
8. Will Cod hook up with the Dog Trainer?
9. Will the Aunt/Mom find out Chuck is re-animated?
10. Will Ned become a good older brother to his new found half brothers?
While they’ve ditched such story lines like “How will Chuck react when she finds out that Ned killed her father?”
You know, as much as I love Lee Pace, the show would be much better without Ned or Chuck.
Julia, hard to remove the guy who reanimates the dead. I agree the “Chuck,” character could be thrown out along with the Aunts and I would applaud.
Nick- Your description of PD’s plot made me a fan of the show all over again. The whole thing just sounds wonderfully crazy- bravo, PD!
You forgot to mention the fact that the two old aunts are a former synchronized swimming duo named The Darling Mermaid Darlings, and that their careers ended prematurely when one of the aunts lost her eye in a cat litter accident. In a future episode they will encounter their former synchronized swimming rivals, The Aqua Dolls (”We swim for God and Country!”).
Also, the Pie Maker has a sassy little waitress working for him who used to be a horse jockey until her horse trampled a fellow jockey during a race. Now she works for the Pie Maker, who she suffers unrequited love for, and sings pop ballads out loud when she thinks no one is listening. In a future episode, it will be revealed that the waitress/former jockey was kidnapped for ransom as a child by two gay con men who wound up raising her and being better parents than her own were.
Don’t forget the memorable characters and killers paraded through this world so far include the mad CEO of a company producing cars that run on dandelions, a one-legged woman who lives in a windmill and smuggles diamonds in her wooden leg, a perfume expert who lives in the sewers, a monkey who drives a car, a saltwater taffy shop owner who looks like Tippi Hedren and has a pathological fear of birds, a swordsman who is the descendant of the only Chinese immigrant hero of the Civil War, a killer who swarms his victims with bees, a nerd who buys his friends through a Frescorts service, a private eye who knits to relieve stress (he wears gun holsters made of yarn), a nun who swears like a longshoreman and sells truffles on the black market out of her nunnery, carloads of Killer Clowns, a sweet little old lady who tramples her victims to death with a demonic horse at midnight a la The Headless Horseman, a Human Canonball, a prisoner who communicates with the outside world through a carrier pigeon with one cheerfully bedazzled fake wing, and a black British bombshell dog trainer with a weakness for gambling and dim sum.
Bryan Fuller and his writers spoke last week at the Paley’s about how the show’s visual style is influenced by Hitchcock films, Amelie, director Barry Sonnenfeld’s Addams Family Values, and Jean-Jacques Beineix’s Diva. And Fuller said the stylized, rapid-fire line readings of the cast were inspired by American screwball comedies of the 1930’s and 1940’s, which his boyfriend makes him watch.
What’s not to love? PD is the best show on television right now!
The “Chuck” character can’t be removed because as a fairy tale told through a procedural format it is basically about Ned and Chuck. Removing Chuck is like doing Sleeping Beauty without Aurora. The Aunts on the other hand i don’t know why they are regulars. The storyline with the Aunts and Chuck could be wrapped up and the Aunts brought back once in awhile for a 2-3 episode arc at a given time ( obviously this would be if the show was being brought back and not canceled). The show really only needs the main 4 every episode with a couple of recurrings but not so many regulars.
I love the aunts.
A., yep and if it didn’t have the bad soap opera story lines to go with all the quirky fun it would be a hit. One or two is ok, but it has more soap opera story lines than current soap operas have!
Thanks A. for the awesome input. Couldn’t have put it better myself. Quite honestly put, which drew me the most about PD, and still does, on a personal level is precisely the universe Fuller has created. The relative list of influences for the PD you brought up is excellent. One can add though the scene of Olive dancing and singing on the meadow. Additionally of being an excellent scene (both shot-wise and on visual level), it also gave tribute to an older big-screen movie.
Anyway, I find it funny that people compare PD with procedurals and basically choose which pieces to leave out so it would fit the frame more perfectly. Makes me think that the point just hasn’t gone across. And you can argument all you like about how Fuller ‘planned it as a procedural’. And to certain extent, that is probably true. In fact, that’s what I thought myself the very first time, that Fuller tries to please mass appeal need. But obviously it has grown to be more than that.
Actually Nick has been awesome in becoming nearly a poster child for the viewing public. The desperate need for a known framework is exactly the reason why a lot of great shows fail that would otherwise have good chances for potential high-end. Ironically, the same shows also fail when they try to implement the ‘framework’. They’d very easily do without (on a creative level), though, surely, in that case they’d be canceled even faster.
Oh, someone asked which is better, PD or ANTM. Thanks. I needed my dose of laugher for the day.
To me, clichesque love stories/romances among collegues in, say, procedural dramas, stem more soap opera correlations than PD ever would. Then again, here’s where subjectivity comes to play.
I’m telling you, this site is like its own soap opera.
“Tomorrow on TV By The Numbers…
Fans inch closer to the day the fate of their favorite show is announced! Will cult-favorite “Pushing Daisies” be able to stand up in the ratings on Wednesday and make a dramatic turn around? Or will it get pushed to the side and buried for good?
Also, special guest! Dirtysexyj returns!”
Laugh is cure for the soul. Thanks to you, Rachel, I got my second dose today. Good job!
Rachel, I think you meant “Also, special guest dirtysexyj in a new role as Random Crew Member of Another Canceled Show!”
D’oh! My bad, Julia.
And hehe Alde, I try my best.
Alde, “the desperate need for a known framework,” and I’m the poster child?!?!? That is too funny. You fanatics keep labeling me without knowing me. That is too funny.
The facts are still that PD was intended to be a whodunit with serial aspects. The serial aspects have imho gone out of control. A. posted a lot of neat things about the show, but it’s still bogged down by the absurd high amount of serial elements that didn’t exist in the first 4 episodes of last season (and the most watched episodes of the series).
Basically when you go so far off the grid with quirky stuff you need something that acts as an anchor for the viewers to hang on to. The mystery is that anchor. It is what is supposed to allow new viewers the chance to tune in and not feel alienated by their lack of background information.
All Serials must have an anchor of some type or they flounder. Look at HEROES. The anchor for Season 1 was the repeat of “SAVE THE CHEERLEADER SAVE THE WORLD,” and currently they have no anchor.
So, APRIL’s FIRST POST revived a board with over 200 comments with questions asking for a comparison of Pushing Daisies and America’s Next Top Model.
Then signed her name…April First.
I guess signing her name April Fool’s Day would have been too cruel to the people who enjoy “smart” shows er, I mean “smart” posts. It is probably best not to have the obvious tossed in their faces. I for one do plan to see what all the talk is about Wednesday night, but I will be watching with a little chuckle in the back of my mind.
BTW, I do enjoy the website.
April, when you have to use a different name to point out your joke, it means it failed. Try coming up with something on April first if you’re trying to pull some sort of gag.
Julia, unlike the soon-to-be-unemployed-fictional My Own Worst Enemy crew member, that was actually not the case in this instance.
I choose to believe there is a woman named April who was making her first post, but whether that’s true or “Did anyone notice” is correct, they aren’t the same person
hmm wonder what happened to your screen shots, your links, your ABC mid season schedule??
I tried to find it to no avail.
If Nick C tells you its true, oh it must be true LOL!
I am really disappointed about DSM, and PD.
DSM was much better television than most people realized, and the performances were extraordinary…
ABC was on such an upward trajectory before the writer’s strike. I always root for the network and I am not even sure why.
They were on such a roll with Lost, Housewives, Grey’s, Daisies, etc…
Robert Sandy, Lost was on the decline the season prior to the strike. PD was never a huge hit even in its first season.
Dirtysexyj, listen your lies are getting out of control now. How can you not see the screen shots? Are you blind? Your fanatic spinning is getting out of control.
http://www.futoncritic.com/news.aspx?date=11/14/08&id=7848
Does anyone else have a problem seeing the screen shots from the link above?
All these lies Dirtysexyj are getting tiresome. You have no idea of how stupid you look on here now either.
what happened to the stagepass schedule? It is GONE.
Guess dirtysexyj was correct.
Interesting the network pulled it after TFC staff leaked it
DirtysexyJ, you also need to keep track of your lies. You told us you used your ABC email addy to login to Stage Pass and there was no such schedule. Then you posted again saying that you’d found it and we were right. Then you went back to it not really existing. Then you went back to it was stage pass but it’s not final! Now it doesn’t exist again? Now the screen shots provided to Futon Critic don’t exist either!
Do everyone a favor, check your meds. Make sure you’re taking the correct dosage.
Nick the FTC schedule was sourced from http://www.abcstagepass.com
I tried this AM and the mid season schedule is gone.
Robert, let me guess LIVENUMBERSDOTCOM is dirtysexyj again right?
HA!
Also if the schedule isn’t on the site it’s because it’s being updated (the same thing happened last week before the new Wed. change was made). The schedule was there an hour ago though.
livenumbersdotcom, either you’re a liar (and I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt that you’re not) or ABC is updating the schedule again. It WAS on there first thing this morning when I was on the site.
There are going to be updates to that schedule until we get all the midseason shows on it. We still haven’t seen CASTLE, CUPID, BETTER OFF TED, etc. on the schedule.
LiveNumbersdotcom, I’ve read from other places that the schedule was taken down. However, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t there to begin with, which is what dirtysexyj/mowecrew/whatever-new-moniker is claiming. The Futon Critic has screen-shots and no reason to lie, and others have verified that it was up. The fact that it has been taken down simply means that they are still making changes, not that dirtysexyj was right in his/her convoluted accusations.
Why would you make your name here a website that is merely one of those sites filled with advertising and no content?
Nick C we have been attempting to view a mid-season schedule, a current one not the antiquated version available at http://www.thefutoncritic.com
Looks like your final schedule was not so final.
or it could have been taken down because it was causing some whining from dirtysexyj. I mean dirtysexyj was told be Steve (pres over at ABC) that the schedule wasn’t on stage pass!
If it’s not there (and I’m not logging in to check again, but I will tomorrow) then it must be because Steve wants dirtysexyj happy right?
^Did anyone say it was?
If so, please quote.
I’d encourage some of you take some deep breaths
Livenumbers isn’t DirtySexyJ, and I’d actually strongly discourage any of you from making such claims in public in the future. If you’re suspicious and care enough to write me about it, that’s fine.
LiveNumbers: I don’t believe anyone ever said what was on Stagepass was the “final” schedule. In fact, everyone said it wasn’t, and that it was still subject to change.
sorry , I did not realize this would cause such a response. I did see the mid-season schedule yesterday, but last night I could not find it on stagepass.
I just logged in aagin and the schedule is gone.
So I guess I will wait. I wonder when ABC makes final this schedule.
Thanks for all your help
One thing of about the ABC’s mid-season schedule that might be considered final is that Lost is taking the 9pm slot on Wednesdays, and Private Practice is moving to the 10pm slot on Thursdays, in January. Kate Walsh confirmed it on Ellen yesterday, along with the crossover episodes.
Honestly I have a hard time believing that someone sane doesn’t look at the numbers, and does a rough guesstimate of production costs, and has a hard time believing that the even if the ABC scanned schedule that is posted at the futoncritic.com if it is not final, it is very plausible. ES with the music scenes removed is so much cheaper to make than DSM, that it if ABC is keeping any of the 3 lowest rated shows it has to be ES. LoM comes with the tab the right tab they have to pay to the original creators, and that could be the reason it as less palatable than ES, in spite of having better the numbers. Let’s note that ES still didn’t get a full season pickup. Only the order of 4 more scripts that might be produced or not depending on the stage of readiness of the show that is supposed to be it’s mid-season replacement.
Nick C I do not follow?
are you saying I am stupid because I could not find a mid-season schedule that has yet to be finalized?
I use “we” because livenumbers is many people. Back on topic.
I agree with S to a degree. I do believe production cost is a part of the equation. I still think ABC picks LOM over ES and DSM
Thanks Robert!
livenumbers, ABC still has a lot of shaking up to do. The only things I know are set in stone are when Gray’s Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, Extreme Makeover, Private Practice and LOST are scheduled to air. The rest is up in the air. ABC ordered an extremely high number of midseason shows. In fact all their midseason shows could practically fill up a network like the CW. So ABC has to be tweaking their plans.
The one rumor I consistently here and was repeated by someone at ABC was that ABC was considering “Seasonal Schedules,” much like FOX has and cable nets like USA, HBO, Showtime, etc.
The fact that they’ve been shortening orders kind of hints in that direction too. Plus IMHO a show with a 12 episode season is generally higher quality through out than a show with 22 episodes in a season.
If that is the direction ABC is going then shows like DSM & PD may actually not be canceled, we just won’t see them again until next FALL (after they air their remaining eps).
livenumbers, sorry I had Robert delete that. Lets just say we had a problem with dirtysexyj using other names recently. Maybe you haven’t read through this whole long comments list. I never said the schedule was final. I just said it’s a sure thing that PD and DSM aren’t on it.
I also just typed here instead of hear in my previous post. I’m not quite awake yet. I need Caffeine.
Thanks Nick.
That sounds plausible and I appreciate your opinion.
whats the best guess as to when we may see a “final” sched?
TIA
“If that is the direction ABC is going then shows like DSM & PD may actually not be canceled, we just won’t see them again until next FALL (after they air their remaining eps).”
Thank you, Nick, for the glimmer of hope. I think PD would benefit from a shorter, tighter story arc (and a different time slot). I’m sure the fans of PD (myself obviously included), will continue to hold out hope that ABC lets the remaining episodes air, and then brings it back in the fall for a special run.
LiveNumbers, I’m still curious as to your name. livenumbers.com is one of those ad sites with no content. (Not saying this because I believe you to be anyone other than yourself, but I don’t understand the reference.)
livenumbers, I think we should be seeing something this week possibly not until December. I think ES for instance has to improve. When the leaning was going ES’ way it was doing much better, and now it’s not. If I was leaning towards seasonal scheduling (which is ground breaking for a net) I’d definitely have ES in the shorter seasons category. So it’s all really hard to say.
The problem is again that ABC ordered an unusually high amount of midseason replacements. One new show got canceled before it ever aired! Still we have something like 10 midseason shows: ATJ, CUPID, CASTLE, THE GOODE FAMILY, THE UNUSUALS, LOST, BORDER SECURITY USA, TRUE BEAUTY, THE BACHELOR, and BETTER OFF TED (sorry if I left any out). That would make for a complete CW or FOX lineup not counting weekends.
ABC isn’t going to cancel 10 shows, but they have to make room. So for ABC they have a tougher time than anyone else with a Winter schedule.
A., well the idea has merit, but the shows don’t have the ratings for it. PD has hope that as long as they are allowed to air their remaining episodes things will get better if they can slowly build their viewing audience back over a 2.5 in the primary demo. As long as PD is airing in December and DWTS isn’t, the show is in good shape. Because without DWTS the average demo numbers will start to drop, and if PD can raise theirs (2.0 isn’t going to cut it) they would move up on the “renew,” list this site has, and on similar scoring the network has.
Any hope of being picked up for a back 9 is pointless. Getting picked up for a possible 3rd ten episode season is about all you have to hope for. I still wouldn’t get my hopes up. I like the seasonal idea for major networks, but the shows still need good ratings to be brought back.
Julia,
sorry guess it was a shameless plug of one of our umbrella sites.
do I need to sponsor the site to plug a commercial web address?
Live: I don’t think you’re dirtysexy, but the website in your name, is just an SEO sham site. livenumbers.com isn’t an umbrella site, it’s a site set up exclusively for the purpose of getting people to click on Adsense ads. There’s no other purpose for the site at all, it does nothing whatsoever, and provides no service other than linking to adsense ads. I’m not saying you can’t make money doing that, but it’s sort of sleazy and slimy.
What I don’t get is what that has to to do with television or why you link to abcstagepass.com in your hypertext link?
Robert, yeah that is weird. I just went to the site and it’s an SEO sham. How can someone call that an umbrella? Could it be that someone found themselves some proxy software?
Based on the recent FC link given about, I can bet MERLIN will do bad on NBC. It will be against ABC’s reality show and FOX’s animation domination (No clue how CBS’ Millionaire might do but knowing it’s CBS maybe there’s some trick it will use to draw a lot of viewers).
I have a gut feeling that KINGS might not do good either. Though one could argue that the line-up against it goes is somewhat weaker.
hi Mr. Seidman,
We use stagepass merely as a portal to use AVI and see C3 data. My company is an umbrella of numerous clickthrough sites.
It is not sleazy just part of a reasonable income strategy, web based.
we actaully are stagepass members and advertise on ABC and abc affliate websites.
I was curious as to the status of the shows on ABC since so much speculation is bandied about. You guys are the experts on TV so I came here.
Im not sure why i am being compared to another poster for asking about the mid-season sched?
we actually spent alot of money placing products on DSM so we are very curious as to that shows survival or demise.
Livenumbers, to me it’s in the category of legal and legitimate, yet still sleazy (there are many things that fall into that camp for me, I’m not singling out clickthrough sites) but I’m fine agreeing to disagree about that.
I guess what threw me off is on that site you offer no products directly. Advertising your clickthrough sites on ABC web sites makes some sense to me, but what products you advertised on DSM (either via product placement or commercial spots) seemingly have nothing to do with the clickthrough sites.
As for DSM, our take has been Eli Stone, Pushing Daisies and Dirty Sexy Money should all be cancelled (based on ratings, not issues of quality of the shows).
I need a highspeed chase or something tonight during Eli Stone.
I am very happy the schedule tahht was on Stagepass was removed, it gives me hope.
Robert, Nick and Julia, sorry if I over reacted earlier in the thread it was an emotional Friday. I better understand the index and what you and Bill are doing here and have a high degree of respect for the information and opinions presented.
Thanks for keeping us all updated .
I’m impressed a certain someone figured out how to disguise their IP address… if not their writing style. Or their hypertext link.
If anyone was whining about ABC’s Stage Pass schedule, I’d wager it was Bill Lawrence. He whined for about 5 straight years through every single time slot NBC put “Scrubs” in — not a single one of which happened to be opposite “American Idol,” may I add. While the show may or may not get that time slot, I never would have wagered that they were ever considering it in the first place.
Nick, ABC has “a lot” of midseason shows because they only had 2 new fall ones. One of which has already been cancelled. The other of which is on life support. They decided to give some sophomore duds second chances instead of rushing pilot development after it got delayed by the strike. Those sophomore duds proceeded to blow their second chances. If you add up all their new and midseason shows, it’s not even close to the ridiculous amount McPherson threw at the wall during the 2005-2006 season. But then it’s very easy to make room for new shows when you dump the old ones after 4 episodes or less, or only schedule them for 4 weeks in the first place.
Riff, yeah I figured they got a hold of proxy software myself. The slip in hypertext link was the give away for me too.
I understand the thinking for ABC but it’s still a lot of midseason shows. 10 is a lot when you only schedule for 21 especially when you remove Saturday you’re only talking about 18.
Wait, what slip in the hypertext?
Julia, Nick and Riff are suggesting that a certain someone used proxy software in order to spoof a different IP address and assume a different identity without it being trackable. It’s certainly possible. I doubt it for a few reasons, but it’s not important enough for me to even bother explaining why.
P.S. we haven’t blocked anyone in these threads, and I would really prefer that the commenters — all of you — avoid that sort of speculating in the comments. But, it’s just a preference.
Oh, I get that, but they are referring to a slip. I was just wondering what that was. But I agree, it’s probably not the same person. Though I do still wonder about the URL, mostly because if they are using that one now to possibly drive a few extra hits to that site, it should be the hypertext link as well. But I guess I’ll just have to wonder.
Guys I use the hypertext link of stagepass cause I felt it more relavant to this site.
Is there a TOS I can review so I can make the appropriate changes if necessary
Robert, sorry I’ll try to make sure I don’t do it again. I suppose it’s possible they chose the same hyperlink once, and misspell the same word the same way. I’m still wondering how a click through service would have access to stagepass. I’m especially amused that they claim to get C3 listings from it because stagepass doesn’t offer that. The AVI data is limited as well.
who cares about me? why are you guys so fixated on my websites? I came here to discuss ratings, and possible show cancellations.
I’m pretty sure that unless someone was paying us good money, we’d shut off comments altogether or go to a mandatory registration with verifiable e-mail addresses before hassling with a terms of service.
The reason we want to avoid registration isn’t so much because it’s a hassle for us (though it would be at least a bit of a hassle) its because the casual passerby who wants to make a quick comment will shy away and we don’t like putting up barriers.
“Live” sorry, but while you may wish you lived in a world where you get to put a link to a link site as your “name”, and have people look at it, where they didn’t scratch their heads and wonder “what the f…??” — you don’t live in that world.
Riff? what are you talking about?
Riff why you may hate the show it makes no sense why a good buddy of mine from http://www.pifeedback.com would follow me here to uncover some I.P scheme.
Once again, I am sincerely sorry for my prior posts, i was upset that I was losing my job potentially and reacted poorly here.
Anybody watching Eli tonight?
Moving on to …well, the topic of the actual post…
I’ve read a number of times that ABC could be considering relaunching DSM and PD in the fall….My question is, WHY? Didn’t they just do that only to have them completely fail? Both are struggling to keep a 2.0 in the demo already, and a lot of critics and articles seem to think that part of the reason for the drop is the long hiatus. Why would they think that putting them on another nine-month hiatus and doing another relaunch is going to help the ratings any?
Holly, the only reason I’ve seen offered that makes any sense is DVD sales, and possibly that ABC does want more Emmys, though that one I’m not so quick to believe. But I’ve also read that PD’s DVD sales aren’t great anyway, so I can’t imagine that would actually be a reason. I’m with you on this one, though. If they do decide to do this, it’ll have me scratching my head as much as keeping Eli Stone.
I personally thing that the whole re-launch thing is a lie to shut fans up. Its not like it use to be where shows would do re-runs of shows during the summer. Which if actually done could work for a show if they ran re-runs during the summer with the last season ending the week before the new show started. But, even if this rumor was true we would know the latest by MId-January because all the contracts would have to be picked up or people would have to be allowed to leave for other shows.
I think it’s probably either completely manufactured BS by fans/people working on failed shows, or the sort of BS the network manufactured aimed at placating advertisers who don’t want to advertise on cancelled shows.
I could see doing that sort of thing with successful or marginally successful shows that for whatever reason don’t make sense to do a full season run. But, “Yeah, let’s put some of our worst performing shows back on the bench for 9 or 10 months and then relaunch them!” makes no sense at all unless there is really good DVD revenue.
PD’s DVD sales could not have been great. In Dexter season two’s fifth week on the chart, it sold almost as many units as PD sold in its first (and as I remember, only) week in the top 30.
I don’t generally hear “DSM,” when people discuss the “seasonal,” possibilities. I hear it mentioned for PD, and they generally also state that the show MUST improve in ratings. ABC is more than willing to keep the show around if it can get better ratings. I just don’t see that happening and if it does it will be because of the female demo.
ABC may be serious about seasonal shows, but I don’t think PD or DSM will be either of them. I could see LOM being a show they try it with however.
PD DVD sales are actually rather horrible despite them pricing the series at near clearance prices (for a TV series). According to Nash they’ve sold around 71,000 units.
OK…It is Wednesday, and as promised, I am going to tape my beloved America’s Next Top Model, and will for the first time watch Pushing Daisies. I might have a perspective on the possibility that “new” viewers will be able to appreciate a show that has been running for a season and a third. I have read the synopsis provided by fans in earlier posts, and checked the preview for tonight’s episode.
One question…the preview mentions Dwight Dixon, and Lily and Vivian…who are they?
I guess I have another question…Is anyone interested in my opinion tomorrow morning? Or is there a site I do not know about that would better welcome quality of show postings. After all, this is “TV by the NUMBERS”, and not “TV as Smart People Want it to BE”
April (nobodies fool) First
Lily and Vivian are the aunts. Dwight Dixon is the guy we were just introduced to in the last episode. He’s supposedly an old friend of Ned’s father, who is trying to locate him, but he was following Ned and had a gun in his car when last we saw him.
Robert, I’ll do as you command, but I’d rather not you see get played. One of the sentences one of them posted here is an almost exact copy of a sentence the other posted on a certain other site. But enough of that. It’s not worth the time it takes to type the words.
Holly, due to the costs involved with keeping broadcast-network scripted shows up and running, I personally don’t think there is much chance of the studios ever agreeing to that — even if a network wanted to. The studios set deadlines for ordering back 9s (or back somethings) for a reason. Those deadlines are generally in November or December. If the network drags their heels and misses that deadline, more often than not, the studio shuts the show down immediately to save money. If ABC isn’t even going to commit to so much as one extra episode for any of their low-rated shows that are waiting word (and they are all expensive shows), it just isn’t reasonable for them to be be kept up and running for another 5 months after the deadline while the network “thinks about it.”
A strike season was, of course, an exception. And there’s a different model for cable shows, but I’m not really familiar with it.
Nick, McPherson always orders too much. He is a throw-you-know-what-at-the-wall-and-see-what-sticks executive. He just happened to order less of too much this season than past ones. A few of the midseason pickups are pretty much guaranteed to get his patented “4-week trial run replacing the reruns in the regular time slot of a more valued show” before his 5-second attention span runs out and he’s on to the next flop.
see you get played. That, too.
I speak Yoda, it’s OK.
I cannot wait to hear the (what I am sure will be the…) GOOD NEWS about Pushing Daisies. As promised, I watched last night’s episode for the very first time. I did set my mood properly, I lit a candle, turned the light’s down low, snuggled in with Mr. Winkelbottom (my TV watching cat, my other 4 cats do not like to watch TV, but I love them all non the less).
Well, I do not have to tell anyone reading this blog that the show is…magical. The colors, the narrator, the characters; all amazing. But of course, the basic plot of love for love of the soul’s sake, without needing to be the pretty blond pixie is exactly what I have been waiting for the last 40 years. Not since I watched “Beauty and the Beast (Vincent still lives in my heart)” has a show spoken directly to my soul as this one has… Made me even more positive that my pie maker is out there somewhere. This show is aimed at people like me.
I am heading off to my weight watcher meeting, and will be telling everyone there just how much they would all enjoy the series too. Maybe targeting an audience will get the ratings even higher than last nights.
BTW, I totally “get” that only a few more intelligent people enjoy shows like this. Those of you that feel insulted by this post, no insult was intended, and this post was only meant as a way to convey my feelings about the quality of the show and who it is aimed at.
April First
After Life on Mars there was an ad that said LOM would airing the show again starting January 28.
I hope they don’t cancel LOM, it’s a refreshing change…and Jason O’Mara is bone-chillingly handsome. A great actor (and eye candy) surrounded by a great cast and good writing.
I can not believe ABC is cancelling DSM, It is one of the best shows on. Any chance of it being picked up by another, smarter, network?
Thanks April, for your excellent post. You can say that it made my day brighter. And I couldn’t have summarized PD any better myself. Other than the very same magical soul-speaking aspect is what has been appealing to me since the very start as well. Not to speak of the fact that you’re among chosen few (obviously) who actually seem to have gotten the bottom line point of PD. I wish there’d be more people like you.
I am a huge fan of Eli Stone and am so glad ABC has decided to give it a chance, its a great show for anyone of any age. Kudos ABC!!!!!
Missy, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this post is old. ABC has announced that they are NOT ordering any more episodes of Eli Stone after the original 13.
ok…so is DSM cancelled or not?
I can’t believe they’re cancelling DSM. It’s the best show they have!!
DSM, Pushing Daisies and Eli Stone are my favorite shows on ABC! This is the reason that I don’t start watching new shows! Everytime I start to dig something they take them off the air! You just “Lost” LOTS of viewers ABC.
Where in the world do they get these ‘ratings’ from? How can some horrible shows last so long, and creative and entertaining shows like Dirty Sexy Money get canceled so quickly? Soon there will be nothing good left to watch on television!
@ Upset Woman… I totally agree… this is why if I happen to come across a show worth watching, I always wait for it to come out on dvd before I watch the entire series. That and I can’t stand commercials, episodes being pushed back a week because of political events, or planning my evening around a television show.
I love dirty sexy money and I wish they would get rid of Eli stone! I’m sorry but that show is soooo BORING!!I MEAN DESPERATE HOUSE WIVES is aired on Sundays and that is a raunchy show! Just please change the day or schedule on DIRTY so it can stay or cancel all the other shows and Keep DIRTY SEXY MONEY!! I LOVE THAT SHOW!!!!
Are you kidding me! What is wrong with these people who are cancelling these great shows. They are leaving on According to Jim? How old is that show and how stupid. These are some of the most creative and clever shows that have been on TV in many years. Who is picking the shows, chimps. Oh sorry I am sure the chimps would have more taste. How can we protest this debacle? We need to stand up and show them we want shows that cater to the more intelligent people not the lowest common denominators.
Thanks for letting me vent.
As scripted drama shows are more expensive, we should all be prepared to have cheap reality shows and sitcoms shoved down our throats. I think I will permanently set my DVR to TNT or TBS where at least I don’t have to see the lowest common denominator of human existence duke it out for a measly check.
WTF!!! i love Dirty Sexy Money!! and LOM!! why god why!!
Who cares about DSM and ES. I wish that Men in Trees hadn’t been cancelled. I’m sure it was cancelled because it was a choice between MIT and Pushing Daisies. There is no comparison!!! MIT rules!!!
whatever you do leave Money, Eli and Mars on – Daiseys is awful but those other three give us a reason to watch TV
go sign the dirty sexy money petition!!
http://tvbythenumbers.com/2008/11/14/pushing-daisies-dirty-sexy-money-cancelled-life-on-mars-in-limbo-cancelled-eli-stone-thrown-a-bone/8174
Eli Stone is dry
Pushing Daisies was weird
Dirty Sexy Money is awesome!
dirty sexy money and eli stone and the 2 best new shows i love them i hope they arent cancelled!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Does anyone seriously watch Wife Swap or Super Nanny?? Why not keep some of the quality shows(Dirty Sexy Money and Pushing Daisies has some of the best writing) and dump the “reality” garbage.
Good to see that ABC is going down the toilet just like the rest of tv networks… And when will Grey’s be gone? I loved that show until it got too crazy for me to watch.
WOW! What a brutal bunch! Internet posting clearly brings out the “best” in people!! LOL!! I simply clicked on a link to help my wife determine if she had seen the last available episode of DSM… didn’t realize I’d be reading 1000 posts wherein which the bitter intrigue of IP addresses, “who is whom”, and who might be able to call Bryan Singer on the phone to get someone fired! Again: WOW! C’mon – you people wouldn’t really act like that in person, would you? LOL!! I TOTALLY don’t have time for this kind of stuff… but coudn’t resist reading it late on a Sunday night. I guess I’ll have to take a look around whaen I get to the office in the morning and see if all the people I work with are actually posting to things like this (constantly)! Thanks for the entertainment!
I effin love LOM!! Of course I only got into it recently since I don’t have my TV hooked up and so I watch my shows via internet now. So now I’m all caught up, and I want to see what happens!!
Does anybody know the fates of DSM and LOM? I tried to read all these posts, but lets face it…WAY TOO MANY!
And, for the record.. I am a huge Grey’s Anatomy fan and I love love love Private Practice. It’s not as intense as GA, but it’s smart and funny.
Also, I don’t know who posted it, but somebody above said for everybody to prepare themselves to have cheap reality shows shoved down our throats. That’s pretty much the reason why I don’t have my TV hooked up. I can’t stand all those shows, and the complete stupidity of some of the other scripted shows…like My name is Earl…dumb dumb dumb… When did society turn into a bunch of Napolean Dynomites?
does anyone know the truth about dirty sexy money? is it really really cancelled? one of my favorite shoes.
Yes it’s canceled.
You know Ugly betty, greys anatomy and dirty sexy money used to be my favorite shows…now that they have taken off dirty sexy money i don’t even want to watch abc anymore. Ugly betty and greys anatomy have gotten horrible with taking characters in and out of the show and now i’m just pissed off. ABC get a clue for once. Who cares about LOST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am SOOOOOOO bummed that Dirty Sexy Money is off the air!!!!! My husband and I looked forward to watching it every week. I thought it had a great plot, it was funny, interesting and the actors had great chemistry. I will really miss my Wednesday night getaway at 10:00 p.m.
So, ES & DSM have been cancelled. Am very disappointed – to say the least – but not at all surprised. Both had fun, complicated yet good dialogue which is usually a guaranteed death knell for any show. In their quest to save money, ABC has done so. Cheap has won out. I’m very tempted not to hook up my digital converter box. Who wants to see garbage in more lifelike detail? I’m now down to 2 shows – ER (at least NBC is giving it a very graceful sendoff) and Lost (ditto on the proper ending). After that, why bother? Best revenge for bad shows? Don’t watch any of them and pick up a good book, exercise or spend time with friends/family/kids.
It’s a shame that the networks, couldn’t just do a final show on DSM, now all we are is left hanging. It was a great show, better then watching some sports shows or CSI shows even.
I freakin’ loved DSM!!! I can’t believe they killed it!
I looked forward to watching that every week. I swear I just saw and ad for
it on TV?!!!!
I love PD and DSM..don’t take them off.. Please
i loved dirty sexy money! this sux!
DSM is a great show. What in the world is going on with the Network stations? They keep shoving reality TV crap down our throat.
Junk like Super Nanny,Wife swap,House make over.Granted Eli Stone stinks, “can that show”,but come on DSM what the heck. Don’t cancel 1 of the only decent shows on ABC. DSM is possibly the only great show ABC has had for quite some time now. I used to watch ABC all the time during prime time. Now the onlyshow they had that I like and is really was DSM. So masterminds cancel DSM,wrong move !
Bring Back Dirty Sexy Money and Pushing Daisies!!! At least these two shows are entertaining. Please dump the reality TV…it’s getting old already
While we’re on the subject, my friend in Germany just told me that the last three episodes of Pushing Daisies are scheduled to air there in April, I believe. They will be dubbed so no hopes of getting an English download of them, either. Everyone in the US will have to wait for the DVDs.
PLeaaaaas put back DIRTY SEX MONEY!!!! GReat Show!!!
I dont get it why they replace good shows like Dirty Sexy money with reality idiocy, ENOUGH WITH THAT ABC! true beauty??? Really? Bachelor? Again??? Come on!!! ENOUGH!!
I want my DSM. I am NOT happy.
I THINK ITS POOR BUSINESS , UNFAIR AND JUST ROTTEN FOR NETWORKS TO JUST CANCEL SHOWS THAT MILLIONS OF THEIR CUSTOMERS HAE GOTTEN INTERESTED IN. WRITE A FINAL EPISODE AND END THE SHOW . DON,T JUST CANCEL IT.
Send a message to ABC and tell them what you think! I DID!!!!
http://abc.go.com/site/contactus.html
So tehy Cancel Life on MArs which is great and keep the rediculous crapload of a show LOST. I mean cmon Lost teh first season was ok but now its just retarded. Lets drive the island down fifth avenue. Hah O&A lol. LOST sucks cancel that and keep Life on Mars.
LOM is the first prime-time series that was worth watching in a long time. Lost has completely “lost” my interest. I’m going back to reality shows as it seems every time I get caught up in a series it is cancelled.
This is truley very sad news about Life on Mars! ABC sucks! I doubt if you know your ass from a hole in the ground for cancelling this quality and very entertaining show. All the goods ones go away…This really upsets me! I was just saying to my husband last night…this show is great and don;t be surprised that I read about it being cancelled!!!!! Well, how about that!!?? I’m going to email ABC now.
ABC = Always a Bunch of Crap. I’m sick of this station. My wife and I really like Life on Mars. When Lost ends, I’m DONE with ABC. Screw you ABC!!!
So sad to hear the Life on Mars may be canceled hope this is not true
Life on MArs gone? That’s a shame I loved the potential the show had. It’s seems every show I like, no matter the network, gets the hammer. no wonder I’ve stopped watching TV. The networks are to quick to pull the plug on some shows and leave horrible shows on the air.
Life on Mars is a great show! Anything we can do to keep it on the air, we’re in.
Life on Mars was cancelled???!!!!! PLEASE NO!!!!!! This show is AWESOME! Why is ABC doing this? I’m just sick over this.
I am a Caucasian, female, 30 years old and I live in Arizona. Life on Mars is such a great show! It’s one that my husband and I BOTH like to watch together. It’s our Wed. night “thing”. He comes home from work on time, we both really look forward to it. It’s Mars night! I’m very disappointed and shocked to find that some of those shows are staying on and LOM is not. It’s just a way better show than all the same ol’ same ol’ idiotic drama of reality shows. I just don’t understand it, but it will free up an hour of my time because I will not be tuning in to those lame shows that are occupying the time slots listed above. The generation that was into that kind of tv has grown up and we want better shows. Life on Mars is one of those shows. We use our brains, we have outgrown the kind of tv you are producing. Big mistake ABC.
Jess
It’s to bad Life on Mar’s will be cancelled. I watch very little t.v. & Life on Mars is what I loved to watch. It’s different, creative & fun to watch the 70’s. Hopefully ABC will get enough of a demand to keep it on the air.
I am officially done with watching new shows. A new show comes out, you like it and watch it every week faithfully for months… Next thing you know, it’s all over. What is the point? I might as well wait a few seasons and catch up with the show on DVD’s for all it is worth.
My wife and I disagree on everything. She likes intelligent and educating shows, and I like reality and violence. The ONE hour a week that we sit together on the couch and actually enjoy a show together is Wednesday night’s at 10PM.. ABC once again as you always do, you dissapoint!!! Canceling the best darn show that has come along in years!! When I watched the first 2 episodes I thought for sure that Harvey Keitel would win an award for his part! Now I guess we’ll never see that happen… A great cast, great story lines, an original idea, cool ass music, I guess none of that is enough!!?? LIFE ON MARS was a wonderful change to the steady flow of crap you give us on a nightly basis, and I, along with my wife are heartbroken to hear it will be gone soon.
“Life On Mars” IS a GREAT SHOW, unlike all that other REALITY CRAP that the networks thinks is so hot. WHY??? Because it sells to generation “X” who won’t be able to hear anything in the next decade anyway with all the crap coming through their earbuds. Us BABY BOOMERS CAN still hear, LOM is a great show, with thoughtful insight, and good music that – as I said before – WE can still hear!!! Altough I enjoy Extreme Home Makeover, most of that is because ABC is helping families!!! All this other reality belongs with Ty’s demolitions – IN THE TRASH!!! What ever happened to American ingenuity!!! Oh, yeah, that went into the trash instead, just what the networks do with the Baby Boomers!!!
I can’t believe ABC cut Life on Mars. It was an excellent show. Excellent, cast, writers you name it! I was shocked when Dirty Sexy Money was canceled. When shows that have such great actors like Donald Sutherland, Harvey Kietel, Michael Imperioli get cut, it just boggles me. It is so disappointing when networks don’t give a show a chance to develop an audience. Just think if networks did this back in the 70’s and 80’s, shows like All in the Family, Dallas, etc would be forgotten, instead of being comedy and drama classics! No wonder why most TV is garbage now a days. I am a fan of Lost, and Life on Mars. Those were the only two network shows I watched. I am so tired of reality TV crap! The Bachelor…will she get a rose? Or Trump saying “Your Fired” This is what TV has become? I get a kick that it’s even called Reality TV. There is nothing real about it. It just insults peoples intelligence. I am 31 yrs old and I cringe to think what TV is going to like in 5 or 10 yrs!
Given the the original BBC series lasted but 16 episodes (and it was very popular in the UK), it is not surprising the the US version found a limited lifespan, as well. Factor in the low ratings, and it was a fait accompli.
I, for one, am a big fan of this program and am glad that ABC is, at least, going to have ‘closure’ when it’s 17th and final episode airs on April 1st.
I don’t know why it didn’t catch on more here: it was very-well written (a but uneven at times), with an exceptional cast. It even had great lead-ins, as it followed Grey’s Anatomy in ‘08 and Lost in ‘09.
While it’s “only a TV show”, I will be sad when it’s over.
Please don’t cancel Life On Mars.. all the others can go.. Life On Mars is one of the only shows we Tivo! We protest any cancellation of this show!!!!
Cancelling Life on Mars really sucks. Having a show like this that takes you back to a time when you growing up and experienced is a great feeling . It lets you escape the troubles of today and takes you back to a great simplier time . I hope they reconsider this and bring the show back. I loved it.
Just like ABC to cancel an Original show…this is why I prefer to watch other stations that aren’t afraid of being different. Reality shows are ruled by people who prefer to watch others wallow in their own shame, the type of people who usually don’t pick up a good book every once in a while just to stimulate the imagination.
Live on Mars caused me to go out and buy a Moody Blues cd and search for their current concert listings.
I was a teen in the 70’s …this show brought back many memories from hairstyles, to clothes to lingo and much more. I really looked forward to it. What a shame its going to be axed.
I dont waste my time watching reality shows.
ABC doesnt have a clue.
I LOVE “LIFE ON MARS”!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please don’t cancel this show! It SO reminds me of when I was a little kid, when life was simple and fun!
PLEASE ABC, don’t cancel this wonderful show!!!!!
Write ABC and tell them how you feel about life on mars being cancelled:
http://abc.go.com/site/contactus.html
I Totally agree with B.S….They took the words right out of my mouth!!!! Get rid of the Bachelor and all those so called reality shows and send them to MTV and VH1.
You guys in the T.V. industry do this all of the time. You have an excellent show like Life On Mars and you go ahead and screw it all up by bringing in some second rated how. I beleive in the old saying, if it isn’t broken, then don’t mess with it. Please reconsider what I consider to be a bad judgement call by cancelling this show.
Bad judgement call by ABC TV to cancel this show.
These TV exec’s are idiots sometimes. Life On Mars was a fantastic show. I thought it was right up there with NCIS. You had a great formula of characters and storyline to make a very entertaining show, and you went and screwed it up. D**n you! The person that decided this should have their head examined and then should be fired.
Why don’t you get rid of the TRASH TV reality crap that is so prevelent these days and keep REAL entertaining shows like Life On Mars.
I’m so sad that ABC has decided to take one of the best shows since Hill Street Blues off the air…Life on Mars is not only creatively funny, but the lines are ingenious! The characters, including Harvey and the others are PERFECT for these roles! Come on ABC, bring back the old shows in this new generation so our kids have great TV as we did!
Life on Mars is a great show. Why are they taking it off? The casting is great. The characters are entertaining, great guest stars. Jason O’Mara is hot, hot, hot…
Glad to see DSMoney gone. Pushing Daisys too. I loved Life on Mars and Eli Stone. Glad one of them was safe. Networks really do not listen to what people want.
I loved life on Mars. I grew up during that time! I hope they reconsider their decision and bring it back. All my friends talk about the clothes, the hair style and music.
holy crap!!!!!! everytime i find a good show to watch they cancel it!!!! life on mars, pushing daisys, eli stone. what are they basing these cancels on? keeping desperate housewives?? thats crazy!!!!! put this on during the day for all those soap opera people!!!!
I can’t believe Life On Mars may be canceled. Our household loves this show. Though we don’t watch it live it is setup to record every time it is on and we watch it every week. I really hate to see this one go. Sam Tyler’s story has us captivated and now the possibility of something happening with Annie. Come on don’t give up on this show, please.
Jeff St. John, I’m sorry, but ABC has already officially canceled the show. They canceled it a little earlier than usual to allow the writers to wrap up the story for the finale. At least you won’t be left with a cliffhanger.
BRING BACK LOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m so glad to see so much outrage at ABC for canceling Life on Mars. Finally a show that is really enjoyable and has a great storyline with outstanding characters not to mention all the memories it invokes, plus it is not the reality show crap that is so prevalent nowadays. I did write to ABC on their website to let them know about my frustration with the cancelation, however I got a computer generated message in return. I will never watch another ABC show, the executives there in charge of scheduling and broadcasting need to go the way of the GM CEO.
LOM was awesome. Still can’t believe it was cancelled!
First it was Boston Legal, then Eli Stone, Dirty Sexy Money, now Life on Mars — even Ugly Betty disappeared last Thursday. ABC finally got a good line up that brought me back as a regular viewer, now they are dumping my favorite shows in the crapper! It’s becoming clear why I find myself watching USA, TBS, Bravo, CBS and the Travel Channel (Anthony Bourdain is fine) more these days. ABC just doesn’t give a crap about it’s viewers.
The four shows you canceled are four shows I watched every week. So much for ABC. You really don’t know or care about the pulse of your audience.
Back to HBO, TNT, and FX.
I cannot believe they are going to cancel Life on Mars!! What a bunch of idiots! There is nothing on TV like it, and what a cast! Harvey Kitel is a legend and plays a fantastic role on the series. I hope another network has the common sense to pick it up. There is not much on TV these days with the exception of lousy dancers, and singers…………..who cares about those shows they are a joke. Give me the real STARS!
Life on Mars is a GREAT show. Are these networks executives nuts???? It causes people to think and use their imagination………remember those days when that was a fun thing to do. KEEP LIFE ON MARS ON!!!!
man this really sucks i really liked the seris life on mars, and it had a good thing going it isn’t a thing that you shouldn’t end abruptly. The new series the unusuals sounds like its going to bomb worse than this show oddly did.
Omg I agree life on mars was an EXCELLENT SHOW!! Duh………..if it didn’t fit well in the time slot it was end hmm uh change it to higher ratings? BRING IT BACK. like someone else said i remember 1973 and how cool it was back then as a kid. Great cast what can we do to keep it?
Anyone catch the ending of LOM, yeah it’s over, Phuc ABC.
This is from I believe the 2nd episode of LOM, it sums up everything of the show and life itself, enjoy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79NiN7ISW7E
i love life on mars what the hell is wrong with these people i didnt find out it was cancelled until today!!!!! bring it back!!!!!! iam so flippin mad!!!! er is gone too (sad but they had 15 years) crap i guess ill just download movies instead of watching tv. (exspiecially abc) uuuuurrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhh
and nbc included in that too!!!!!
I CAN’T BELIEVE ABC CANCELED LIFE ON MARS!!! I started watching it from the second episode onward and what grabbed me was the unique premise, great ’70s background music and diverse and interesting characters played by good actors with good writing. I thought I had finally found another show to diligently watch from the wasteland that is network TV; the popular dreck and drivel of so-called talent shows like American Idol and Dancing with the Stars, medical dramas like Grey’s Anatomy and ER, etc. and actively recruited my family and friends to WATCH THIS SHOW because they were either kids or young adults in the early ’70s and I knew they would like it as much as I did! Watching Sam Tyler deal with the paradoxes of time travel, like counseling himself as a child at his mother’s behest or being shot after confronting his bad father was interesting and thought-provoking and that’s probably why the show didn’t make it.
I felt cheated when they wrapped up everything in the last 20 minutes of the series finale with the “spaceship sequence”. Gretchen Mol looked really weird but sexy with black hair and I had a hard time believing an almost 70-year-old Harvey Keitel could be a Space Cowboy-style astronaut on a seven-month-long mission to Mars. When ABC moved it from Thursday nights at 10:00 PM to Wednesdays at 10:00 after a strange ten-week hiatus, I was glad to see it return but didn’t know the show had been canceled until just a few weeks ago. The overwhelming consensus I’ve been reading in the blogosphere has been in favor of keeping the show so I wonder if they are giving those Nielsen ratings boxes to monkeys?? Maybe another network will pick up ABCs fumble of a quality show with legions of loyal fans the same way ABC picked up Scrubs after it was canceled on NBC. Good luck to the cast, crew and writers on this show as they are a class act! BRING BACK LIFE ON MARS!!!
Hey, the Unusuals show will end at the end of this season. It is all a dream.
LOM was a new type of show. It was a series but not one that will be around for years. Think of it as a twighlight zone mini series. The end still sucked ass though. I enjoyed it though. DUMB ASS ENDING THOUGH!
I just got around to watching my taped episode of LOM and I’m pissed!! The show did feel like it was dragging a little, but it had so much potential. Great cast, I mean Gretchen Mol was gorgeous on this show and Harvey Keitel and everyone worked so well together. This coming just a couple days after watching the most recent episode of Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles and seeing Brian Austin Green and Charlie, which come to think of it might have been the guy who played Vic on LOM both got killed in real stupid ways. I now know why I tend not to get wrapped up in TV anymore, as soon as I find a show I like it disappears. I loved Eli Stone, and within the past few years there have been countless other shows that died before really having a fair chance. To name a few of the better ones, (i.e. most unusual) Conviction, Tru Calling, Invasion, Threshold, The Loop, etc. Either you wait it out and then have to pour through hours of DVD trying to figure out what the Hell is going on in LOST or you devote your time weekly to following a good show and have it cut off with either no ending or a lame ending. Totally off the wall I guess, but I do think that there should be another attempt at a Tales from the Crypt/Tales from the Darkside/Twilight Zone/The Outer Limits style show. I grew up on all of those, whether on reruns on through the ’90s with the Cryptkeeper and I think it has a place on TV. There is a strange lack of shows like that, I mean even Nickolodeon and Disney had their respective fright shows in the ’90s like Are You Afraid Of The Dark? and So Weird, oh and Eerie, Indiana. I have a son now and TV landscape is looking pretty bleak, I’m going through old shows and buying them on DVD now so that he won’t have to ask what a Thundercat was or what the heck is a Pirate of Dark Water.
WHY IS DSM CANCELED!! i was waiting a year for it to come to the UK!!! it’s brilliant!!! why!!! am really sad
Life on Mars was a unique and interesting show. The writers kept you guessing which keeps you involved. I did not know until the last minutes of the show last week that the show was over. Thank you to the creators for closing the book and explaining the premise.
As for my other favorite show Eli Stone, I hope they do not cancel it as well. The stories are compelling and heartwarming. This is clearly what we want in entertainment, not more reality tv.
Thanks for listening.
I am really disappointed that Life on Mars was canceled. I am just shocked. I thought it was a very interesting show. Hopefully someone else picks it up.
I thought a friend of mine was joking when she told me Life on Mars was cancelled. One of the coolest shows to come down the pike in a long time and am the douche bags decided to cancel it!
Maybe they didn’t like that it wasn’t all PC I guess.
ABC = All Bores Cancel
Its sad i really hate to see Life on Mars, Pushing Daisies and Dirty Sexy Money. I really liked those shows. They keep the stupid ones and cancel the good ones. Are they retarded or something?
i loved pushing daisies i hope it comes back on. i’m so sad now.