Our Renew / Cancel Index predicts potential renewal or cancellation for scripted broadcast primetime shows for the 2010-11 season (includes results through November 15, 2009):
- Likely To Be Canceled By May, 2010
- Some Danger Of Being Canceled By May, 2010
- Likely to Be Renewed For The 2010-11 Season
| Program | Renew/ Cancel Index |
| Ugly Betty (S), (F), (P) | 0.39 |
| Hank | 0.52 |
| Eastwick | 0.63 |
| the forgotten | 0.66 |
| The Middle | 0.69 |
| Castle (P) | 0.75 |
| FlashForward (P) | 1.00 |
| Brothers & Sisters (S), (P) | 1.01 |
| Cougar Town (P) | 1.10 |
| Modern Family | 1.18 |
| Private Practice (P) | 1.23 |
| V | 1.45 |
| Desperate Housewives (P) | 1.53 |
| Grey’s Anatomy (P) | 1.79 |
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The last two episodes of FlashForward have each managed just a 2.6 rating for adults 18-49 (vs. ABC’s overall season average of a 3.1 rating), so that while FlashForward’s season average Index has it comfortably above the renewal line, its latest ratings now place its future very much in doubt.
the forgotten, got beat again by The Jay Leno Show last night. And while I have written this many times already, stick a fork in it, it’s done.
Eastwick and Hank have both been officially canceled, but since they may continue to air for an unknown number of episodes, I will not freeze their Indexes yet.
Fans of both Castle and The Middle can rest easy for now (although I don’t expect them to), their shows will air all the way through the 22 episodes ordered this season. However, their returns for 2010-2011 are very much in doubt. The relative success of new ABC shows this spring may determine their fates.
Ugly Betty only returned to get enough episodes for syndication, which it will have by the end of this season. It’s ratings are dreadful. There is some entertainment press chatter that Ugly Betty may move to Wednesday’s at 10 in January to try and “save” the show. It may very well move, but short of ABC wanting to produce more episodes for syndication (a longshot) there is no “saving” it.
How could some shows that didn’t even air last week have their Indexes fall? ABC’s season average increased last week (raising the bar), so all shows that didn’t increase their averages saw their *relative* Indexes fall.
This is a breakdown of ABC scripted shows and their renewal and cancellation prospects. Here are links to the other networks:
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Notes:
The Renew/Cancel Index is a show’s Season To Date adults 18-49 rating divided by its network’s Season to Date average 18-49 rating. If a show’s season to date 18-49 ratings average equalled its network’s 18-49 average, the show would have an Index of 1.00. Without special factors, scripted shows that were more than 10% below their network’s average are typically canceled by the end of the broadcast primetime season.
Factors that could cause a show to be renewed with a well below average Index:
- (F) -Fridays: Shows airing on Fridays have been renewed with significantly lower than average Indexes.
- (S) – Syndication: Shows nearing syndication (66-88 episodes), often have economic factors that trump ratings leading to renewal.
- (T) – Third Party: Shows that have a portion of their cost underwritten by a 3rd party can be renewed with substantially lower ratings.
- (P) – Produced by the network’s production company – For shows on the bubble, being produced by the network’s corporate production company can be a survival advantage. For real losers, it’s unlikely to help.
While I initially tried to designate shows with “plum” timeslots, I think that’s hard to make that call at this point in the season. It’s likely still a factor, but will have to be an “after the fact” call.
What’s the History of the Index and How Did It Do In the Past? Check out the results from the 2007-8 season and the 2008-9 season.
Nielsen TV Ratings Data: ©2009 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved. All ratings used are Live+Same Day viewing.
Whoa, hey now. Let’s not go throwing around words like “FlashForward” and “canceled” around in the same sentence so easily. x(
At this point I’m hoping that FlashForward is a one season show. Give the writers warning (and with 24 episodes this season, there should be plenty of time for warning come midseason) and let them give it a good ending. Otherwise, next season will be a nail-biter each week to see if it will get to complete its second season and then maybe get a third to finish the story. Just finish the story the right way now. Everyone will be happier that way.
I think Castle is very safe. Its numbers actually keep going up, and I believe it’ll be renewed. I think FlashForward is also going to be renewed. Despite its lagging of late, ABC has poured loads of cash into this show. I don’t see them giving up on it. Look for a season 2. If it continues to slide after that, it’s toast.
There needs to be a little more quirkiness in FlashForward
I agree with Julia re: FF — one and done is the best way to go. Tell the story well, end it well, and move on. Given the premise, I can’t imagine what they would plan to do after April 29, anyway…
Flashforward is in no danger at this point
FlashForward is clearly not catching on. It’s serialized and barring a makeover miracle by new showrunners, it’s not likely to add more viewers. Same thing is happening to V.
I actually agree that if done right Flashforward can have a satisfying ending after only 24 episodes. If they wrap up each storyline properly it might be a good thing. A lot of people felt the show should have been a movie anyway.
I still hope that FF gets to tell it’s whole story in three seasons. And actually, seeing how V is doing, I think this improves FF’s chances. If V drops below 2.6 next week (and FF stays the same) I don’t think anybody at ABC will expect V to suddenly go back to 3.x.
Wait, when did a 1.0 become the cut-off line? I thought it was .90?
Evil, I don’t think V drops below 2.6. I would guess a 10% drop to 2.8.
Regarding FlashForward post April 29: clearly there will be a falling out from whatever happens that day, either the future we all saw or an altered one. It’s pretty clear the blackouts were the cause of a conspiracy, and we know it’s happened in the past. I imagine they could strike again. That’s more than enough potential for more than one season. The story isn’t over on April 29th. It’ll open up a ton of new questions. It seems April 29th will be the middle of the story.
Andrea, the cutoff is usually .92, but if you read the prose, Bill explains that FlashForward’s recent results put it in danger, considering the past two weeks would be at .84.
I love Castle, and hate that it’s still in the orange, but even I have to admit that I’m skeptical about a third season. Next week is going to be a good test because it won’t have DWTS as a direct lead-in. If next week’s numbers are down drastically, we Castle fans should be prepared to enjoy the rest of the season because it won’t be coming back.
@ MichyGeary — I respect your opinion and grant that there may be post-April 29 story lines for FF. However, I think those stories would be anticlimatic and wonder how many viewers would really care. FF has demonstrated a potentially terminal lack of lean, crisp storytelling to date, and the post-4/29 letdown could pose an especially problematic plot challenge for FF writers. One man’s opinion… Of course, it’s the nature of television to milk every drop of revenue from a marketable property, so if there are enough viewers who want more, I’m sure they’ll get it, regardless of whether it’s the best artistic decision.
I have watched the first six hours of Flash Forward, and forgive me, but I am STRUGGLING to keep watching the show even though they load up on my TIVO. I so want to stop but if it suddenly gets more compelling, I dont want to have bailed on it. Fans of the show, please tell me why I should keep watching even as the Neilsen ratings sink lower and lower.
Rob, I’m a pretty relaxed fan of FlashForward. I think it’s pretty compelling in that it keeps posing new questions. Things are starting to fall into place for these people’s flashforwards to come true, but they all keep doing things that will make their flashforwards impossible. It’s interesting to watch them uncover the mysteries step by step. At least, that’s how I feel. Plus the last few episodes’ endings have been pretty hard-hitting.
At a 1.00 average, Flash Forward looks fine, but recent episodes are well below the average, so by May it could easily be in some real danger.
Just a prediction, not a comment on the quality of any of these shows:
Castle is safe, I believe, because it’s in house and its numbers have stabilized. I think ABC believes those rating will now start to increase if it is patient and brings it back next season. Unless the numbers start to drop again, can’t see them tossing this one overboard quite yet.
FF is dead in the water–it’s numbers have not yet stabilized and have been below the cancellation line the past few weeks. It’s also in house, but it still must stabilize AND now reverse course and go up some if it is going to get picked up. That is pretty rare, especially for a show that has almost no buzz going for it. Personally, I don’t see them stabilizing quite yet. I see another 20-30% drop over the course of the season before they do, and that will be deadly for them.
V is probably dead in the water, but it’s got time to fix things. Unfortunately, due to massive boneheadedness, that time is now approximately one week. Had the show clicked and kept the big ratings through four episodes, then I would have been willing to believe it would retain its viewers when it comes back next spring. Considering it’s massive drop off since the premiere, however, and considering another double digit drop-off this week, being gone for four months will kill it deader than . . .
It’s also not an in house production, so that works against it big time. Expect the retooled version to come back with lots of promos (V: NEW AND IMPROVED–YEAH!!!!) and crossed network fingers in the spring, and then watch it get yanked before it finishes its run as its numbers bottom out horribly.
Just an opinion based solely on the numbers, where they have been, where they are now, and where those trends make me think they are going. Personally, I’d like to see all three shows come back, in the hopes that all three will improve with time and tinkering, but I only see that working for Castle at the moment.
Remember, this ain’t NBC. They don’t have to keep any of them, a la Heroes, which I believe is coming back next season.
At this rate, ABC will remove the doubts for us by scheduling the show on a different night, thus guaranteeing an index that leads to cancellation.
But don’t worry, FF/Castle fans, if V completes their order, they’ll be taking the pole position for Index headlines inside a month.
And I think Castle worries are premature. ABC only has 2 hours on Thu, 2 hours on Sun, and half an hour of comedy* that’s guaranteed to come back next year – they’ll need Castle to hang around.
*Honestly, I consider Cougar Town orange, and think that by April, the only reason the then borderline case will be renewed is because of Bill Lawrence’s name.
I am one Castle fan gearing up for a fight.
A third season is a must.
A second book is a must.
I still think its too early to count FlashForward out, I know some where sceptical when I mentioned it previously but I think ABC will reserve judgement on the show until they can pair it with Lost midseason. And at this point I think that any arguments about moving it (or the faltering comedy block) to make that happen have gone and are going up in smoke. Right now I’m sticking with my prediction that the comedy block moves to Tuesday night in January and FlashForward is paired up with Lost on Wednesday night, leaving the Thursday slot open for their new legal drama (The Deep End?), which reads like it could sit well with the Grey’s block.
When it comes to Castle there are too many variables in play to make a real judgement on its future right now. I’ll be happier when I see how/if it holds up without Dancing with the Stars. If come January Castle is still hitting 2.5+ and preferably creeping closer to a 3.0 then I’d say its a lock for a third season, unless ABC stumbles upon a mega-hit midseason although I think that’s unlikely.
On the subject of V as expected before it debuted its dead. At this rate I’d be a little surprised if it even comes back in the Spring.
Alex, you think ABC is going to move their highest rated new shows to go up against Idol? Are you serious?
Can’t imagine ABC messing with the Wed comedy block. It would be lunacy to touch that day after only a few months of success. If they baby them, those shows could be a nice block for them for years to come. Mess with it, you could see them all head down the tubes versus AI.
As for FF pairing with Lost, you are forcing me to mention quality for a second. Airing in tandem with Lost will only point up just how bad a show FF has been so far. Chances are as good that would hurt FF as help it. Given the massive sampling of FF in its first two weeks, it should be able to stand on its own or not. People are not defecting because its not on with Lost. They are defecting because they don’t like it. Pairing it with Lost won’t change that fact. Retention as a lifesaver is from broadcasting logic circa 1987. It rarely, if ever, works now.
No way does this show have the legs to last more than two seasons anyway. I’d be quite happy if it was put to sleep.
You know what would be helpful?
If you guys kept a trend line for each network’s average ratings as the season progresses, you could plot each series against it to see whether it was declining at a rate suggesting it was weaker than the network average.
Wouldn’t that give a better signal as to whether a show was likely to be renewed? As it is, some shows start very strong (and late) and sink over time, but it’s not always clear as they sink just how good or bad their relative performance is because their season average is still inflated by the early numbers.
Might be worth testing just to see if it has better predictive power.
Build A Better Fan, I will definitely look at other methods later this season, and see how they work out.
As long as FF makes it to the end of the season and they finish the storyline (solve the case) they can cancel it! And they most likely will. BTW FF is quite popular in the UK! Lat weeks monday night airing of the show pulled in 3.77 millions viewers, for an american show in the uk that number is huge! Only home made shows tend to do better than that!
I talked with my friend who watch Castle, she said it’s just a bad copy of bones..
I don’t see FlashFoward getting a 2nd season. The only way I can see that happening is if the ratings stabilize now and then trend up to at least a solid 2.8 demo. ABC may take into consideration the year-to-year comparison from when Ugly Betty had the timeslot. But I don’t see that having a huge impact on the decision to cancel or renew it. I don’t even know if there’s been all that much of an improvement over last year in that slot.
As far as Castle goes, I’m not going to try to call it this year. Castle should have been canceled last year and it wasn’t, it shouldn’t have been given a back 9 this year and it was. So who knows what ABC is going to do it.
The forgotten is done, again I don’t know why they ordered additional episodes instead of canceling it along with Eastwick.
The Middle may stick around for a 2nd season, ABC is very patient with comedies, and it’s the most family friendly comedy they have. Everyone (including myself) thought that Scrubs and Better Off Ted would have been canceled last year, yet both are coming back, so I wouldn’t be so quick to make a judgment on The Middle just yet.
And lastly, Ugly Betty is dead. Even on Fridays those numbers are bad. I don’t see ABC moving it to another night, so I hope the fans of the show get closure.
Did I miss anything?….lol
ABC wont be airing anymore Hank in the forseeable future, all eps of eastwick will air though and Romantically Challanged got reduced to 7 episodes
personally i hope FlashForward will wrap things up and end these season i’m barely hanging in there thankfully they’ll start the hunt for Shohreh Aghdashloo’s character next episodes
FlashForward is already dead. From 12 million viewers to 8 million. If I were somebody working at ABC Studios I’d cut the episodes to 13 again and cancel it. The storyline got stupid and even I stopped watching it. And the show really IS a 1-season-show. I think 25 episodes are completely enough.
And for Ugly Betty….. man, it got REALLY ugly! There’s no way surviving for another season. Well, maybe if it moves to another network(it would be interesting if it was on CBS or NBC). If Betty stays on ABC, the show is doomed to be cancelled and forgotten.
David, Ugly Betty won’t be moving to another network. There isn’t anything to motivate another network to pick it up. Ugly Betty is produced by ABC studios, and with it’s poor ratings I don’t see anyone one else wanting it.
Aman Sanghera, it’s interesting to know that FlashForward is doing well overseas. I wonder how well it does in other overseas markets. If it’s a hit elsewhere maybe international licensing fees will work in it’s favor. That’s a slim chance, but if it ends up on the bubble this year it may just be enough to push it over the edge.
FlashForward WAS a hit international its ratings fell everywhere too it went from huge to close to cancellation in many countries
Well that answers that, thanks Tar. I don’t look at international ratings so I had no idea how it was doing in other countries.
i think networks need to revisit the one and done mentality of latin american tv
STUPID SHOW Yea get it off the air. Started watching it with the family then girl on girl action confused my children NO business on t.v. good for cable. Let the show die!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Im not one to give up on my shows unless i know it is done for and flash forward and castle have a future!
Also, uh, does anyone know what show is gonna replace DWTS before castle?
How are dvr/online viewing numbers factored in here? Or are they? Two days ago there was a report that FlashForward was gaining another 33% in online viewers… Castle seems to pick up online viewers as well.
As much as I love FF, I agree with everyone who’s said that 1 season may be the way to go. They’ve got a full order now, and to be honest, again, as much as I love Lost, I don’t want FF to turn into another show like it where they just keep on complicating things and introducing new mysteries… An end date might do the show some good. Maybe have a smaller second season?
It doesn’t look too good for season 2. But with no LOST next year and the amount of time they put into it, i say it gets renewed, but revamped, budget cuts.
It’s very much following Heroes 1, SAve cheerleader save the world.
Once Blackouts are solved, only hardcore fans are going to watch.
They did hire a new show runner, and i believe Goyer is taken on more responsibility, but unless he’s writing, directing, it’s not going to do too much.
It was so hyped to be the next big thing. LOST, X-Files.
It’s really becoming the next Prison Break/Jericho.
I don’t think FF would be canceled if it stayed at a 2.6 for the rest of the season, but I also don’t think it will stay at a 2.6 all season.
Julia (and others) Tuesday or Wednesday night the comedy block isn’t going to be able to avoid Idol and frankly the only show that’s worth protecting in that block is Modern Family so the question then becomes, which will do more damage Past Life or Human Target and Glee? Frankly I’d prefer to see Modern Family go against Idol assisted Past Life than Idol assisted Human Target and Glee given that Past Life looks poor to say the least.
I am sure FlashForward will be renewed. And to all those people who say whats to happen after they reach April 29th the day the flashfowards were. Think about it. The aftermath people. And something very interesting will obviously happen to keep us interested and the writers know where their going. But I also think the writers need to not try so hard. I am losing a little interest in the show but will contnue to watch because I know I won’t be disappointed in the long run come April 29th. : )
FlashForward is still looking way better than Castle, and airs against much tougher competition. And at least it’s trying to do something different, rather than being a retread of dozens of other shows before it.
Tony it needs to level off now and trend back up in order to get renewed. A 2.6 demo is well below ABC’s average and unless it can get more people to watch it live it’s in trouble. I do think it’s one of the shows that ABC will try to save by possibly moving it to a less competitive time slot because that have invested so much into promoting it (Promos started last year during Lost.) The only problem with that is where can the move it to? 10PM Tuesday or Wednesday are the only timeslots I can see being possible for such a move, and I don’t know if that would help or hurt the show.
I just hope FF goes back up. But I’m predicting come May ABC will choose between FF and V on which to renew, I don’t think they will cancel both.
I’m worried about the Wednesday comedies once Idol comes. I hope they could held steady.
About Ugly Betty, I read over at E! that the producers are ready for a series wrap up, so I guess the fans should be at least happy about that.
I love FlashForward! I can recognize its faults, but, the idea is too good to last just one season. Plus, the writers have already confirmed that we’ll go beyond April 29 this season, and, according to their current plan, when FF is done, season 1 will be considered merely an introduction to better things to come. Now, I trust that’s true, and that’s why it pains me to hear about the possibility of not being able to see that.
I love Nathan Fillion as an actor. Serenity and Firefly were good, ill fated, projects, but Castle is just one more procedural. Is that what TV has boiled down to? Another version of CSI or NCIS, with enough of a twist, to be broadcasted by ABC and not CBS?
Flashforward is unique, and I do belive it has a chance, if only because, so many other things appear to be certain goners already. Let me count the ways:
Hank and Eastwick got canceled
Lost is saying goodbeye
Ugly Betty and the forgotten are already in the coffin.
We don’t know in what shape V will be in when it returns in MARCH(!), in tv terms that’s in forever, and people may well not remember it or care when it comes knocking at their TV’s again.
Brothers and sisters and Castle are virtually in the same position as FlashForward, though B&S has the syndication advantage. Will ABC risk a complete revamp of the schedule next fall. From the looks of these results it looks like they should at least give a second chance to a couple of the mid level contenders, for next fall, and I do hope that’s this show. It’s just too good, even if you account for (some) bad accents.
The ABC Wednesday comedies will be damaged when hurricane Idol hits. The DVR %’s will go up, but those numbers are just for fun and don’t really mean anything.
If FF and V would just combine the good stuff from each show they would have one hell of a great show. As it stands now neither one is strong enough to keep a Lost-esque fan base for a serialized show. Lost is probably one of the last of a dying breed in that genre…and easily my all time favorite show.
If Idol does hit ABC’s comedies hard… it must give more of a chance to FlashForward and/or V to continue. I mean, there’s gotta be something ABC wants to keep for next year, other then Grey’s and Desperate Housewives, right? Am I just grasping at straws?
The 8PM comedies will be hurt by Idol, and I think ABC is ready for that. The 9PM ones may hold up better then most people think they will. I’m sure an Idol infused Glee, or Human Target will dent them, but I don’t see them failing miserably.
At this point ABC has a handful of struggling or borderline rated dramas that could go either way. There are a lot of holes that will need filled come next year. Sadly ABC is gonna have to continue relying upon Desperate Housewives and Grey’s to keep the network going for as long as they can do so. Where would Private Practice be if they hadn’t put it after GA last year? Probably canceled. Would Brothers and Sisters still be around with a less compatible lead in thatn DH? Who knows.
We can already pretty much assume that
Eastwick is gone
the forgotten is gone
Ugly Betty is on life support
Lost is in its final season
Castle is treading water in a hurricane
V & Flash Forward probably fighting each other to see a 2nd season
V, Flash Forward, Modern Family and Cougar Town all had great starts and only the two comedies have been able to continue on with any sort of success from those starts. And when Idol starts, as many have said, those comedies will take a heavy hit.
They aren’t down to the level of NBCs struggles but without Dancing and those two aging dramas (GA & DH) they probably wouldn’t be too far away.
ABC is honestly the worst network. Ugly Betty this season has been amazing and ABC knows that.
They WAY over promote shows like V that has already lost almost half its audience in just 2 weeks. Cougar Town is so medicre, I dont know why its doing so well. Desperate Housewives is just plain boring. They WAY OVER HYPE Grey’s, it’s honestly not THAT good. Eastwick was actually pretty good compared to Hank, The Middle and the forgotten.
And the thing is….Housewives and Grey’s will only last them so long. Its been a while for both the shows and its only a matter of time till they end and ABC will be left with nothing…even lost is over after this season
Are viewers getting tired of series in a continuing form? If Lost viewers were told at the start that they would have to watch another 120+ episodes (or 5 days straight) to find out the answers, would they have carried on watching?
I enjoy Flash Forward, but if you told me it will still be running in 2013, I think I’ll take up another hobby. Keep it to 1 or 2 seasons, conclide the story and move on to another series.
If they told me today that Lost was going to go 4 more seasons but none of my questions would ever be answered I would still be watching it and calling it my favorite show. There is no way the end of Lost will ever live up to the journey it took to get there, which sadly will probably tarnish its lasting legacy after it ends for some people.
Well said Gleebo!
Can someone anwser my question please what show is gonna replace DWTS before Castle airs on mondays on abc?
I really want to root for ABC because they always seem to be trying to offer innovative-ish shows, relative to the other broadcast networks, but it seems like they often forget to actually make their shows good. People say, “oh, pair FlashForward with Lost, those are a good fit.” On the surface, they are, but digging deeper, it is not necessarily going to work because before people watch Lost for its ensemble cast, serialized storytelling and science fiction edge, they watch it because it is a high quality show, unlike FlashForward.
Smallville, The Bachelor is taking that slot in January and DWTS returns in March.
FlashForwards fate can go one of two ways. It can do moderately well throughout the season and get a second year or it can do badly and end the season with a series finale. But based on ABC’s recent track record with serial dramas, its future doesnt look great. Then again ABC doesnt have much else. Eastwick has already been axed and The Forgotten has been given a stay of execution with 5 more eps but that wont save it from being axed next May. Castle also seems on the fence but its true fate will be known once Dancing departs and The Bachelor returns. With ABC’s so multi cam Hank axed, comedies Modern Family and Cougar Town look safe for 2010-2011 and The Middle is 50/50. Moving to wednesdays or staying on fridays, Ugly Betty is gone after this year and so is Lost (which was announced May 2007 BTW) Everything else is safe.
ABC is not the worst network by far – that title goes to NBC. Look at their ratings and network ranking. I hate The Middle, Hank, The Forgotten, Flash Forward, Eastwick and V. Wow, that’s a lot of shows, lol. Anyway, at the end of the day I still watch ABC more than any other channel. I love their programming. When I first heard the news that ABC was moving Ugly Betty to Fridays I knew it was bad news. A network doesn’t put a hit show is the graveyard lineup on Fridays, at the horrible 9PM hour. If the network loves the show they’re definitely have a funny way of showing it by giving it the kiss of death. Ugly Betty needs to move back to a normal night where viewers can actually find it and love it again! Such a waste for a cute show. I can’t wrap my head around V and I can’t even watch Flash Forward because I don’t understand the plot. There are way too many storylines and twists to keep up with here and shows like that never survive long. And so far I’ve only found one episode of Castle worth watching but it has potential. Eastwick is a complete joke. Who came up with this show idea? Eastwick is a lame sexed up rip off of the Aaron Spelling’s much better show CHARMED. Hank and The Middle (a bad rip off of Malcolm in the Middle) were the worst comedies I’ve seen this season and while I enjoy watching Modern Family I don’t find it as amazing or great as everyone else thinks. It’s my opinion that Cougar Town is the best new comedy of this season, which is weird because I wasn’t really a big Courtney Cox fan – until now. Just my two cents.
Networks from best to worst in numbers
CBS
FOX
ABC
NBC
CW
ABC is the middle network. Not struggling like NBC or CW but not doing amazing with their series like FOX and CBS. ABC is just staying afloat. ABC needs strong dramas, but it already looks like the have a handful for midseason.
I’ll be sorry to see Eastwick go solely for two reasons: Lindsay Price, who I discovered on that show to be super hot, and Rebecca Romijn, always super hot. Otherwise the show wasn’t all that great, but it could have been.
As I’ve said before, Flash Forward has absolutely no where to go once the date of the flash arrives. That was the case with the book, and that is the case with the series. It’s a one season show. Period. I’m surprised anyone thought they could do more without a major rewrite of the concept.
V won’t make it past one season either unless they pick up the pace and feature more Mitchell vs. Tudyk, and do some other cosmetic changes. Still has a chance but a huge hiatus is just brain dead. WHY do the networks make these huge hiatuses? A show needs MOMENTUM to succeed – a hiatus KILLS momentum! Are they complete morons? I really start to believe that the execs in charge are just deliberately killing shows with their scheduling just because they can, just to elevate their departments over the more creative departments in the network.
damn ABC Needs a new hit!
betty hold on!!!!!!!!!!!
I am with Julia on this, I liked the first couple of episodes and am rapidly losing interest.
Give them a season and finish it off correctly!
I’d love to see an article on the following subject: Did Lost Spoil Viewers’s patience for serialized drama? Nobody’s denying it’s a wonderful show, but it sure took (and takes) its time to produce answers. Is the declining ratings of V and FlashForward a sign that people are not yet ready to sign on to another long ride, when they’re just about to end their first one, and that took 6 years?
Other serialized shows have had some success, but 24, for example resets every season, so it’s only partially serialized. Desperate Housewives and GA rely on comedy and romance to get them through the season, even if people care less and less about the new neighbours and their misteries, and those misteries Reset also, after season 2. There’s little to no presence of the original one (except maybe for the narration of Mary Alice).
So, have we become a world that has the attention span and the patience to only enjoy procedurals 40 odd minutes at a time?
Over in Australia, the one hour dramas that Channel 7, a channel in Australia, has picked up have been alot of the “you can’t miss an episode” sort of drama, eg. Prison Break, 24, Heroes, Lost etc etc, what I have found is FlashForward seems to be way too character driven, the characters have good storylines, but let’s face it, the ENTIRE world is in danger, there’s a bigger picture than the personal lives of FBI agents, they don’t seem to be addressing that issue enough. Granted I never really watched Heroes or Lost, from what I’ve seen in 24 and Prison Break, the plots keep you at the edge of your seat, and the main story is what keeps the viewers hooked, and the characters backstories as a secondary storyline. FlashForward needs take a page out of 24 and Prison Break and focus their attention on the “fate of the world” and keep the personal conflicts the characters face, otherwise by the time May rolls round, it’s gone.
I can see ABC giving FF a second season in a different time slot to see if it improves. Otherwise it would be done. Its dragged the story along instead of making things interesting.
I can rest fine about “The Middle,” thanks. It’s shown growth out of its lead-in every single time it’s aired on Wednesday and had perfect retention out of a “Modern Family” repeat in a Friday rebroadcast (and will get another chance to do so on December 23). Nothing against “Hank” but that show had problems and was bleeding viewers as a result. It didn’t do “The Middle” any favors. “The Middle” has nothing wrong with it. It’s a first-class show with great laughs and great heart, and I know ABC knows that. All ABC needs to do is find their “Cosby Show” for Comedy Wednesday and “The Middle” will be their “Family Ties.”
Not that I want to see ABC bounce “The Middle” all over the place, but I’d certainly laugh if ABC gave it “Cougar Town’s” time slot. Eileen Heisler’s and DeAnn Heline’s first show, NBC’s “Three Sisters,” used to air after a show Steve Levitan and Chris Lloyd produced, “Frasier.” And it did great after “Frasier.” It surely would have run for a long time if America’s favorite dickbag, Jeff Zucker, who inherited it, hadn’t kicked it out from under “Frasier,” saddled it with unwatchable lead-ins (including Emeril Lagasse’s fondly-recalled sitcom and a 2-week-wonder that I’m sure Katey Sagal no longer has on her resume), given its time slot to Bill Lawrence’s “Scrubs,” and then when he hadn’t shit on it enough, yanked the last 4 episodes off the air. Would certainly be poetic justice 8 years after the fact for a Bill Lawrence show to get kicked out from under a Levitan/Lloyd show in order to give to a Heisler/Heline show.
Reasons why people comment on the probable demise of a show:the ratings warrant it. This is a ratings site.
If the ratings are bad it is likely that the show is going to be canceled. Nothing emotional, or negative about that. Just a fact of life.
What is worrisome, is the people that refuse to see that the ratings point to cancellation just because they like the show. Those people that are so delusional that one is almost tempted to say they need to up their medication or seek professional help.
What is strange, is the people that get so emotional about a TV show that they mount stupid campaigns, annoy the crap out of potential viewers they should be wooing on random internet sites, or attack anyone that is coldly and rationally analyzing the numbers, just because they state the obvious. One is almost tempted to say that some people need a life, or a cat.
The only happiness derived of a cancellation is that the time slot will be freed for something new, and hopefully better. It’s life, things die, we mourn, we move on.
Has for the defense of a job argument, if the people losing the job are competent and talented, they will find other work. The others, the not competent and talented, wouldn’t even have the guarantee of keeping their jobs if the show would go on longer. So, why are we talking about protecting mediocrity?
Because mediocrity is a subjective concept. I find CSI Miami the highest form of Mediocrity one could imagine (on scripted tv), and yet, it keeeps killing the competition, so, I have to at least give it that much respect for it. One Person’s mediocrity, is another person’s appointement television. That’s basically why people get passionate about TV, there’s always someone somewhere that loves something, even if it is, was or has become completely unwatchable.
I believe that if ABC happens to move Betty to 8pm and Lost to 10pm wednesdays, THe Middle will be moved to 9:30 airing post Dancing. ABC cant keep airing Modern Family repeats in the recently vacant 8:00 slot if they want to hold up.
I think that FF absolutely has other stories to tell past the April 29th depending on what they make the cause of the FF be. My current theory is the world of FF is actually an AU with the characters flashing on the other world. This could stretched into other seasons easily. Now whether that is their plan or not, IDK.
Now that said, the show is enjoyable but nothing I wouldn’t miss rain or shine, unlike say LOST where it would take a lot to get me away from the TV on the night it airs. And not like Chuck where I would feel the need to take steps to avoid the cancellation of the show. That could change but right now I am just watching it, no strong passion for the story one way or another.
I just now discovered ‘The Middle’ and its not half bad. It may be one of those shows that take a little time to catch the publics interest. Patricia Heaton is great and very likeable (as always). The kids are good and can be developed. The problem, I fear, will be the husband. He seems to be the weak link, but I haven’t seen enough shows to say that unequivically. . .but the husband seems the weak link.
With Castle, I think that it is catching on with word of mouth. I’ve always had the thought when watching it, that it would be a better fit on USA network along with shows like Monk, Psyche, and now Blue Collar.
Woah! They need to hold off on the “cancel” button and realize that a LOT of us DVR or HULU this show (just like Heroes, Lost, etc.) Add in those ratings and I’m sure it will go up…
FF is cool at the first episode but it getting slower and nothing interesting anymore. who care about olivia getting divorced with mark, who cares demitri will married or not. we care about why Flash forward happened and who is the people behind this events. We don’t care about mr nice guy who can turn into black skin in the next 6 months.
Wish they make FF 15 eps. or make it looks like 24 which is more fun and thrilling.
The problem with Flashforward is that #1- there is absolutely ZERO comedy/quirkiness in it, and #2- the story line revolves around the same things every single week. The story just doesn’t move forward (no irony intended). Each week it is like “I had no flashforward…i am gonna die!”, “I was drinking in my flashfoward”, “I was cheating on you in my flashfoward”, “You are gonna cheat on me”, “You are going to start drinking and didn’t tell me”, “I am gonna die!!!!”. It is annoying. Like the first two episodes seemed like the show had great potential. The video of that one guy in the stadium walking around while everyone else is on the ground “Flashing forward”, and then the giant tower in the middle of Africa, those were awesome! But then the show just started moving SO SLOWLY after that. There is no “villain” yet, no resolution at the end of any episode. Really all the nine episodes so far could have easily been compacted into three maybe even two. And if they really don’t want to add any comedy, then maybe the actors could smile every once in awhile. LOL.