Cancelled shows of Tomorrow: No Soap Operas Allowed - Part 5

[Donnie Darko]

While discussing ratings and sitcoms, I feel like I must say: Big Bang Theory is garbage. My wife loves it, so I get stuck seeing it sometimes. It is awful. I can't believe it lasted more than one season, much less got so damn popular.

[Sawyer]

It's pretty much full proof that this country has a ****ty taste in comedy.

[Donnie Darko]

Poor NBC. I just looked up ratings for last week, and they didn't have a single show in the top 25.

[Webfoot Hero]

Originally Posted by Donnie Darko

Poor NBC. I just looked up ratings for last week, and they didn't have a single show in the top 25.

NBC's ratings performance is due to many factors, many of which they've helped cause.
-They consistently move shows around the schedule, eventually losing the viewer since the move ends up putting it against another show viewers want to watch or can't find it consistently.
-NBC cancels shows like crazy because they either don't give it enough time to build an audience or they were cr@p concepts to begin with.
-When they do put new shows on, they have not built up solid lead-ins to bring in fans from the older series to the new ones.
-Shows they do keep end up being very niche-y shows that don't appeal to a wide swath of people.

[SlamAdams]

Originally Posted by Donnie Darko

While discussing ratings and sitcoms, I feel like I must say: Big Bang Theory is garbage. My wife loves it, so I get stuck seeing it sometimes. It is awful. I can't believe it lasted more than one season, much less got so damn popular.

I can't stand any sitcom on CBS yet for some reason everyone I know loves them. I think it is a pavlovian response to the laugh track.

[slicer4444]

Originally Posted by Donnie Darko

While discussing ratings and sitcoms, I feel like I must say: Big Bang Theory is garbage. My wife loves it, so I get stuck seeing it sometimes. It is awful. I can't believe it lasted more than one season, much less got so damn popular.

I liked the show when it started, for probably the first 3 seasons, but the last few have just been absolute crap and haven't been funny at all, so I've given up on it. Same with How I Met Your Mother. The first 4 seasons were gold and season 5 was still pretty good, but then it just went down the toilet. These last couple seasons there has been the rare good episode, but I don't have the motivation to wade through the crap to get to those anymore.

[wiegeabo]

Originally Posted by Webfoot Hero

NBC's ratings performance is due to many factors, many of which they've helped cause.
-They consistently move shows around the schedule, eventually losing the viewer since the move ends up putting it against another show viewers want to watch or can't find it consistently.
-NBC cancels shows like crazy because they either don't give it enough time to build an audience or they were cr@p concepts to begin with.
-When they do put new shows on, they have not built up solid lead-ins to bring in fans from the older series to the new ones.
-Shows they do keep end up being very niche-y shows that don't appeal to a wide swath of people.

NBC is about where CBS was in the early 90's (maybe even worse).

What NBC needs is what CBS got that started turning it around. A couple of big names that brought a lot of viewers with them.

For CBS, that was David Letterman and Bill Cosby.

When they moved to CBS, they brought with them a lot of viewers, and a lot of money. So CBS was able to spend more on shows. Sure they were still skewing very old in the demos, but it was still money and ratings. And it give them a little more freedom to experiment.

Including picking up this little show called CSI.

Which is the show that pretty much turned CSB into what it is today. They finally found a hit show, that brought in a ton of viewers, from all demos. Which they were able to use to grow and bring in more shows that would hit the younger demos.


NBC needs to be looking for a vehicle for a big name. Don't worry so much about finding a next big show or gimmick, just a decent show for someone who's celebrity will bring viewers. Because that will bring money and advertisers. And THAT will bring more opportunities for the a big show.

[Shifty]

Originally Posted by wiegeabo

NBC is about where CBS was in the early 90's (maybe even worse).

What NBC needs is what CBS got that started turning it around. A couple of big names that brought a lot of viewers with them.

For CBS, that was David Letterman and Bill Cosby.

When they moved to CBS, they brought with them a lot of viewers, and a lot of money. So CBS was able to spend more on shows. Sure they were still skewing very old in the demos, but it was still money and ratings. And it give them a little more freedom to experiment.

Including picking up this little show called CSI.

Which is the show that pretty much turned CSB into what it is today. They finally found a hit show, that brought in a ton of viewers, from all demos. Which they were able to use to grow and bring in more shows that would hit the younger demos.


NBC needs to be looking for a vehicle for a big name. Don't worry so much about finding a next big show or gimmick, just a decent show for someone who's celebrity will bring viewers. Because that will bring money and advertisers. And THAT will bring more opportunities for the a big show.

CBS also brought in Ted Danson, Becker was a top 20 show at the start of its run. They were lucky to move/save Everybody Loves Raymond from Fridays to Mondays and were able to build a top rated Monday comedy block.

What also turned things around for CBS was Survivor. They attacked NBC's strongest night and CBS has continually eroded viewers on that night for NBC for the past 12 years.

The CSIs and developing the right shows that connected with the masses (Without A Trace, NCIS, Two and a Half Men) helped and Fox had American Idol which grew the network along with hits like House and 24.

ABC had some strength with Lost, Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives. NBC didn't generate anything close to those shows during their prime. During the last ten years NBC developed The Office which was never a big hit and when they had a hit with Heroes it imploded.

NBC has the Michael J. Fox comedy for next fall. The Voice provides 4 hours worth of content plus Revolution will be back so they have Mondays saved for now. They need to keep on developing better shows which was their main problem for the past few network presidents.

[enterthemadness]

I love Big Bang Theory. Why? I like Sheldon, Leonerd, and Penny. And it's funny. It also got big thanks to reruns on TBS. This show is like the new Friends.

And I hardly recall Friends at all.


Two Broke Girls I watch for well, two hot women.

I am so bored outta my mind with Trainwreck aka Two and a Half Men.

[DrDoom]

I watch Two Broke Girls for the ONE hot woman

[AntMan]

Wait....did someone say Michael J. Fox?

[enterthemadness]

Originally Posted by DrDoom

I watch Two Broke Girls for the ONE hot woman

Ms Dennings?

[DrDoom]

Of course

[Donnie Darko]

Originally Posted by enterthemadness

I love Big Bang Theory. Why? I like Sheldon, Leonerd, and Penny. And it's funny. It also got big thanks to reruns on TBS. This show is like the new Friends.

And I hardly recall Friends at all.


Two Broke Girls I watch for well, two hot women.

I am so bored outta my mind with Trainwreck aka Two and a Half Men.

I have to disagree with it being the new Friends. For the most part, Friends really is a show that everyone can tolerate. I never really watched it while it was on, but if I was somehow in the situation that I was watching it on TBS or something, I thought it was pretty funny, and most of my guy friends who were "forced" to watch it with sisters/moms/friends/girlfriends also admit to finding it funny. I don't know anyone who HATES Friends.

With Big Bang Theory (and most CBS sitcoms, I think), there are really just the two camps: the ones who love it and watch it religiously, and those who absolutely despise it.

[RockSP]

Originally Posted by Donnie Darko

With Big Bang Theory (and most CBS sitcoms, I think), there are really just the two camps: the ones who love it and watch it religiously, and those who absolutely despise it.

Nah. I watched it early on but haven't watched it for at least the last 3 seasons. Not because I despise it, but because I don't watch much tv anymore. I either catch shows on hulu (cbs ain't on there) or through...other means (just haven't bothered to find the show that way).

[Parker Wayne]

Originally Posted by RockSP

Nah. I watched it early on but haven't watched it for at least the last 3 seasons. Not because I despise it, but because I don't watch much tv anymore. I either catch shows on hulu (cbs ain't on there) or through...other means (just haven't bothered to find the show that way).

You are what is called an exception. I am, too. I don't hate it, especially the earlier seasons because I don't think it's that bad, but the characters and writing are barely passable for a multi-camera sitcom so it's not that good either. Sheldon tends to be hit or miss with me, and the rest of them are annoying. Penny used to be a likable character but they couldn't decided whether they wanted her to be the foil to the group, or be a dumb blonde; then in the later seasons they just made her a dumb blonde.

The only character I actually really like on the show is Amy. She's actually pretty entertaining. Oh, and Bernadette in small doses. She does tend to make Howard more likable.

I wonder how the show would be if A) it wasn't a multi-camera sitcom, B) Chuck Loore wasn't the showrunner, and C) It was on a network like FX.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by Parker Wayne

You are what is called an exception. I am, too. I don't hate it, especially the earlier seasons because I don't think it's that bad, but the characters and writing are barely passable for a multi-camera sitcom so it's not that good either. Sheldon tends to be hit or miss with me, and the rest of them are annoying. Penny used to be a likable character but they couldn't decided whether they wanted her to be the foil to the group, or be a dumb blonde; then in the later seasons they just made her a dumb blonde.

The only character I actually really like on the show is Amy. She's actually pretty entertaining. Oh, and Bernadette in small doses. She does tend to make Howard more likable.

I wonder how the show would be if A) it wasn't a multi-camera sitcom, B) Chuck Loore wasn't the showrunner, and C) It was on a network like FX.

Well, Parker, I think it would be a completely different show. And, thus, actually good.

[Parker Wayne]

I think that new show would make a nice pairing with the League or It's always sunny.

[Destructus86]

Originally Posted by Donnie Darko

While discussing ratings and sitcoms, I feel like I must say: Big Bang Theory is garbage. My wife loves it, so I get stuck seeing it sometimes. It is awful. I can't believe it lasted more than one season, much less got so damn popular.

I agree...it's a crappy show. I can't even FORCE myself to laugh at the "jokes" The characters are obnoxious. I know they are supposed to be "geeks" but they act more like they are gay, not geek.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by Parker Wayne

I think that new show would make a nice pairing with the League or It's always sunny.

Eh. You gotta walk before you run.

[TheVileOne]

Just because its a multi-camera sitcom doesn't mean it is bad.

I've seen plenty of horrendous single camera shows.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by TheVileOne

Just because its a multi-camera sitcom doesn't mean it is bad.

I've seen plenty of horrendous single camera shows.

Ehhhh... it's a slippery slope. I think it gives the writers an excuse to slack off instead of working on crafting actually great comedic material.

[warhorse78]

Originally Posted by Shifty

CBS also brought in Ted Danson, Becker was a top 20 show at the start of its run. They were lucky to move/save Everybody Loves Raymond from Fridays to Mondays and were able to build a top rated Monday comedy block.

What also turned things around for CBS was Survivor. They attacked NBC's strongest night and CBS has continually eroded viewers on that night for NBC for the past 12 years.

The CSIs and developing the right shows that connected with the masses (Without A Trace, NCIS, Two and a Half Men) helped and Fox had American Idol which grew the network along with hits like House and 24.

ABC had some strength with Lost, Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives. NBC didn't generate anything close to those shows during their prime. During the last ten years NBC developed The Office which was never a big hit and when they had a hit with Heroes it imploded.

NBC has the Michael J. Fox comedy for next fall. The Voice provides 4 hours worth of content plus Revolution will be back so they have Mondays saved for now. They need to keep on developing better shows which was their main problem for the past few network presidents.

About this CBS vs NBC thing. I still wonder what the heads of NBC think when looking back, they sold off JAG after one season, to CBS, and that CBS turned it not only into a hit show, but spawned the number one scripted drama on TV right now, NCIS.

[wiegeabo]

Which spawned the #2 scripted show.

With a 3rd spinoff on the way.

[enterthemadness]

Oh those NBC exec's....always failing.


If Big Bang Theory was on F/X, it wouldn't have a crap load of viewers, a full -season order, or have a crap load of merch. Why? Cause F/X Fails at Life, that's why.

Come. At. Me.