I haven’t seen a single good review of this show, and I think both Bill and my eyes widened when we learned ABC had picked up Surviving Suburbia, a show born out of The CW’s ill-fated partnership with MRC (Media Rights Capital). Here’s the 90 second review round up from our friends at Broadcasting & Cable:
BC Review: Surviving Surburbia from Broadcasting & Cable on Vimeo.
But wait, wasnt this the much-heralded show that was going to save multi-cam sitcoms and stop the evil single-cams in their haughty tracks and vanquish them once and for all?
128, B&C is obviously part of the evil anti-multi-cam conspiracy.
Julia, do you think they were also behind the plot to put Dollhouse and Terminator on Fridays for the sole purpose of destoying both shows ratings?
I don’t really understand why ABC picked this up at all.
These are the kind of decisions that led NBC to where it is now only this actually seems worse.
I think EW gave it a pretty good review.
iwll be whacing it
The shows critics usually hate, tend to do good in ratings.
Shows that critics absoultely love always seem to do crappy.
I hope Surviving Suburbia does good!
I agree with you RJ, i think ABC might just have the next According to Jim on their hands. I could actually see it’s generic qualities helping it leading out of Dancing with the stars as it technically has a wider appeal than Sam Who? I say 13-15 Million viewers and a 3.5 4 among adults 18-49.
good review by EW.
http://www.ew.com/ew/tv/tonights_best_tv/0,,1,00.html
This show will beat all the single cams currently on air. BTW weren’t the critics thhe ones slashing Fast and Furious?
Being another According To Jim is a good thing? Didn’t that just go on forever despite bad numbers rather than because of good numbers?
The critics hate Two and a Half Men and loved Pushing Daisies. Look how those two turned out. I don’t think critical response to a show has much effect at all on the end result.
“This show will beat all the single cams currently on air.”
LOL!
I will bet a lot of money that Surviving Suburbia does not beat The Office or 30 Rock. In fact I’d go as far as to say that Parks & Recreations has a better debut than this despite the Dancing… lead-in.
^^^Robert, so you think that going up AGAINST cbs’ comedy block, Surviving Subirbia will BEAT cbs’ comedy block? Hmmmmm…
You wouldn’t happen to have any theories on how Terminator will make it to season 3 do you?
Josh Emerson, while I agree that critical reviews usually don’t have much bearing on a show’s success or failure (there are varying amounts of influence), your logic doesn’t hold up.
For instance: The critics hated Do Not Disturb, but liked Lost, so obviously critical review is huge.
That’s just fallacious reasoning. You can’t pick two examples that fit your argument.
I will say that Surviving Suburbia will most definitely beat all the single cams currently airing on ABC. It’ll take an impressive, what, 1.9 to do that?
I think the ‘Dancing’ audience will eat up this comedy and will be the trend that ABC will look for comedies next fall (multicameras)
The problem with that theory Cool is where are they going to put them? A comedy block from 9:30? Seems unlikely and Samantha Who? seems to say that the Dancing audience aren’t going to follow shows around the schedule.
Well, ABC has to be aggresive with their comedies next fall.. maybe Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 8 or Sundays at 8, they can move Videos to Fridays and Makeover at 7PM.
If SS hits, will stay after DWTS and they should develop comedies with big names (Patricia Heaton, Lauren Graham, Courteney Cox, Kelsey Grammer, Cedric The Entertainer all have comedy pilots on ABC) .
They should really stop with the single camera crap.
Have ABC or CBS ever had success with the single camera comedies as to me, most of the single camera comedies that have been successful have been on NBC or FOX,
Since when 30 Rock is a hit?
cool, 30 rock is a big hit this year
Sam don’t overstate it.
I’m sorry but 30 Rock will never.. NEVER be a hit.
“I’m sorry but 30 Rock will never.. NEVER be a hit.”
I agree 100%.
You should probably tell that to the Neilsen numbers not me…
Or you could even tell the Nielsen numbers if you prefered!
Another sitcom in ABC waiting to flop!
ABC should just stick with scripted series.
Sitcoms are scripted.
Cool, RJ,
Who cares if 30 Rock is never ever ever NEVER NEVER EVER in a MILLION BAZILLION years a hit?
It’s successful in that it makes good money for NBC. And we can all agree that networks like shows that bring in good ad money right? If not, please disregard my post.
Did anyone watch the Canadian promos for SS? One word: TERRIBLE!
Question 1: Why did ABC pick up a rejected show from one of the world’s worst TV networks?
A growing number of people are realizing that The CW is TRASH, and I’m going to predict that Ostroff (sp?) will retain her position as The CW prez for at least 2 more years.
Question 2: Is the quality of a comedy series impacted by format (multi/single camera)? To me, funny is funny regardless of format. Four of my fav comedies are The King of Queens, The Bernie Mac Show, Roseanne and The Office.
Question 3: What are the chances of ABC picking up the “No Question It Will Be Canceled” Gary Unmarried? ABC Studios produces the underrated comedy.
Question 4: If CBS cancels The New Adventures of Old Christine, how likely is it to air on ABC?
Question 5: Is there going to be a trend of ABC and FOX picking up canceled/rejected comedy series?
What? Why isn’t this thread about “Dollhouse” and “Chuck?” Also, I think 2 or 3 other threads weren’t about “Dollhouse” and “Chuck?” Is something wrong? How are people supposed to remember “Dollhouse” and “Chuck” if we don’t talk about them?
I just got done watching the “SS” premiere. It’s a stupid show, but I generally have more respect for stupid shows that are aware of the fact that they’re stupid than stupid shows which are under the misconception that they’re intelligent. (Hi, “Kings”) The trouble with this is that old-hat sitcoms live or die by their chemistry. And this one doesn’t really have any. Also, the cast reads like a who’s-who of sitcoms of yesteryear — except that Bob Saget’s, Cynthia Stevenson’s, Jere Burns’ and Dan Cortese’s previous shows were better. Yes, “Full House,” “Hope & Gloria,” “Good Morning, Miami” and “Veronica’s Closet” were better shows. Not very often you see a sentence like that written, but, yes, they were better. Because they had chemistry. Heck, incidental characters on them had chemistry. Saget and Stevenson not only don’t have any chemistry, they have a negative amount of it.
I don’t blame ABC for rescuing it from The CW dumpster. Saget was a familiar face on the network, and Kevin Abbott ran a few modest hits (all of which had chemistry). Beggars can’t be choosers, so it wouldn’t surprise me if MRC got desperate to sell it to somebody, anybody, and offered it at a cut rate. It might even get a second season just because of how lousy a year ABC is having. But it’s not a hit. Take away its “Dancing” crutch, and I doubt it’s even a modest one.
This show was horrible. The only good thing about it is the little girl. She is adorable and had a couple of funny moments. That being said……..the rest of it was amazingly bad.
So the cast of Suburbia is doing the characters they did before in other sitcoms, where they where the most annoying characters, and that is supposed to be good?
Julia I said scripted series not scripted sitcoms!