Cancelled shows of Tomorrow: The War on Chuck Lorre - Part 6

[Sawyer]

http://www.deadline.com/2013/11/fxx...n-the-biggest-off-network-deal-in-tv-history/

FXX Lands ‘The Simpsons’ In Biggest Off-Network Deal In TV History
By NELLIE ANDREEVA

Twenty-four seasons into its run, The Simpsons is finally headed to cable. In a competitive situation with five networks bidding, FXX has landed the exclusive cable as well as VOD/non-linear rights to the longest-running comedy series in TV history. The deal also is set to make TV history as the priciest off-network pact ever, expected to fetch at least $750 million, and the first one to include full digital rights. The enormous size of the deal — which some say could potentially reach $1 billion if the series keeps producing new seasons — stems from the staggering volume of Simpsons episodes available: 530 when the show starts airing on FXX in August 2014 and growing to 574 by September 2015. At the start, FXX will have access to the first 24 seasons, with another season added when it gets off-circulation on Fox, which recently greenlighted a 26th season — Season 25 will become available on FXX when Season 26 premieres on Fox next September.

Exact terms of the deal have not been disclosed but insiders estimate that FXX would be paying about $1.25 million per week, with the length of the agreement said to be about a decade (at least eight years, possibly 10). “The Simpsons is indisputably one of the greatest shows in television history,” said FX Networks CEO John Landgraf. “This was a very long, hard and complicated negotiation and I credit the relentlessness and diligence of Chuck Saftler for getting it done.” Said FX Networks COO Saftler, “Woo Hoo!” He called the back-and-forth “the longest negotiations that I am aware of for an off-network series” that took a month from the first offer to sealing a “landmark” deal. “This is a historic deal for FXX and FX Networks and I don’t believe there will ever be another one like it,” Saftler said. Besides the sheer volume, unprecedented is the granting of full VOD/non-linear rights to a cable network in conjunction with an off-network agreement, which normally gives nets rolling 5-6 episodes. In this case, FXNOW, the soon-to-be-launched authenticated mobile viewing app of FX Networks, will offer all seasons of The Simpsons that are available on FXX. As for that staggering volume of 574 episodes and counting? While a typical syndicated show that has produced 100 episodes is on a 5-week repeat cycle — meaning that the cable network goes through all of the episodes in 5 weeks after which it starts again from the pilot — it will be months and months before The Simpsons will have to repeat an episode on FXX, giving it a feel of an original run. Saftler expects The Simpsons to expand FXX’s “reach and frequency,” broadening its audience to include everyone from today’s teenagers who watch the show on Fox, to their parents who were teenagers when the show first premiered. Because of the virtual lack of repeats, he expects fans to check back often.

It took two decades, but The Simpsons producer 20th Century Fox TV had pretty good timing when it finally took The Simpsons to the cable marketplace. Several years ago, 21st Century Fox COO Chase Carey suggested that the company could launch a Simpsons cable channel (the volume of the Simpsons library could sustain that). Instead, the longest-running scripted series will serve as a backbone of another upstart Fox cable network, FXX. Given the benefits an asset like The Simpsons provides, FXX went very aggressively after the property in an already competitive marketplace. The network had been considered the frontrunner from the get-go with its vast shelf space that can easily accommodate a 600-episode off-network series and properly run and amortize it, something established cable networks with a full dance card of syndicated fare would find harder to do. That, combined with the financial windfall for 20th TV is making observers call the deal a “win-win” for both sides, and the ideal scenario parent 21 Century Fox had been hoping for. “The Simpsons long ago crossed over from ‘brilliant award-winning comedy series’ to ‘full-fledged cultural phenomenon,’ and this landmark deal is a testament to its enduring power and relevance,” said 20th TV chairmen Gary Newman and Dana Walden.

The Simpsons had been kept away from cable for so long because of its unparalleled longevity. When it was sold in broadcast syndication in 1993, it was a rare broadcast animated series, a genre stations were not very fond of, and cable TV was in its infancy. The Fox stations had leverage to secure exclusivity for as long as the show was still airing on Fox. No one at the time could imagine that would be 26 years and counting, creating a conundrum for 20th TV over growing lost revenues from a potential cable sale that were to kick in only if the show is cancelled. The studio started working on another plan, and I hear distributor Twentieth TV’s pacts with broadcast stations have been quietly tweaked over the past two years to allow the carving out of a cable window that will not impact the broadcast syndie run. The Simpsons‘ only presence on cable until now had been via The Simpsons movie, which FX had the rights to and has now extended to continue to air the movie alongside the show.

The Simpsons deal has an extra sentimental meaning for Saftler. He was one of the first FX employees, joining the network seven months before its launch as director of scheduling. When he drew his first schedule for the network with the programs he was hoping to have on it, The Simpsons was one of them. “To see that planning fulfilled 20 years later is mind-blowing, it is a wonderful fulfillment of a wonderful wish I had for the FX network.” In addition to Saftler, the deal was negotiated by FX Networks’ Chris Antola, and Twentieth TV’s Greg Meidel, Steve MacDonald and Lori Bernstein.

Suck it, Chaseter.

 

[Dr. Evil]

That deal may have just saved FXX.

 

[Primal Slayer]

So Fox sold it to one of their offshoot networks? Good for FXX.

 

[Sawyer]

Good for people who don't have the DVDs and want to watch episodes of the show when it was still good, too.

 

[Docker2.0]

Hasn't been good for years..................unless you want to count it under it's new incarnation...............namely Family Guy.

#Simpsonssuckedforyears!

 

[Sawyer]

No no, Family Guy's been terrible for years too.

1990s Simpsons was pure gold.

 

[Dr. Evil]

Perhaps this time we can see older episodes converted to HD format. They were unable to convert the episode "Bart the Lover" in time for airing when they wanted to honor Marcia Wallace.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

No no, Family Guy's been terrible for years too.

1990s Simpsons was pure gold.

All truth.

 

[PyroChamber]

So does this mean The Simpsons will no longer be on syndication?

 

[DrDoom]

**** you.

It's been a long time coming.

I wonder what Bell will say the reason for the cancellation is

 

[Teelie]

So does this mean The Simpsons will no longer be on syndication?

I think it will be but this is a cable-first. No other cable network has ever had The Simpsons.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

Yeah. Basically only local Fox affiliates could play reruns before. Now it will be on those and FXX.

 

[Shifty]

Loved rewatching seasons 2-10 a couple of years ago on cable in Canada. The downside to such a large episode count is after they air 250-some episodes the series is really just bad with the occasional good episode now and then. So you have to wait more than a year to get back to the classics.

 

[Hunter Rider]

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/tvnews.php?id=111806

AMC Orders Pilots for Knifeman and Galyntine

AMC today announced that it had ordered two pilots, "Knifeman" and "Galyntine," both of which will be produced by AMC Studios in 2014 for consideration for series for 2015.

"These are both highly original and ambitious pilots that take us into worlds that we haven't seen on TV before," said Joel Stillerman, AMC's executive vice president of programming, production and digital content. "The bawdiness and fun of 'Knifeman' and London in the mid-18th century; and the completely unique take on a post-apocalyptic world in 'Galyntine' are right in AMC's wheelhouse of making television that is both unexpected and unconventional. They're both driven by creative and production teams that we know are capable of delivering ground-breaking television."

Set in 18th century London, "Knifeman' will focus on the untold story of a charming, arrogant, decorum-breaking genius who challenges societal norms to transform his visions into cutting-edge discoveries. A surgeon or "barber" in a time when blood-letting and praying was the norm, John Tattersal is a hard drinking, hard living man not afraid to push the boundaries of modern medicine, even if it takes digging up a few graves to do it. While he makes his living running an unlicensed operating theatre out of his residence, he picks up extra cash harvesting organs for his brother Julian, favorite son and prized physician of the St. Stephen's teaching hospital. Knifeman is a fast paced, entertaining romp filled with emotion, tackling dark themes with a biting wit. The pilot was written by Rolin Jones ("United States of Tara," "Friday Night Lights," "Weeds," "Low Winter Sun") and developed by Jones and Ron Fitzgerald ("Last Resort," "Prime Suspect," "United States of Tara," "Friday Night Lights," "Weeds"), both of whom will serve as executive producers. Media Rights Capital ("House of Cards"), Josh Donnen and Robert Zotnowski are also executive producers. "Knifeman" is inspired by the biography of John Hunter by Wendy Moore, "The Knife Man: Blood, Body Snatching and the Birth of Modern Surgery."

"Galyntine" is a wholly-original vision rooted in a both fantasy/action adventure and science-fiction. The pilot takes place at a time after a cataclysmic technology-induced disaster has resulted in a new society that has eschewed any form of technology. This catastrophic event leaves small numbers of survivors scattered around the planet and forced to adapt to isolation and unique challenges. "Galyntine" will explore a post-apocalyptic world in which humanity has evolved – with some strange detours. "Galyntine" is a man's journey of discovery through a changed world and its mysterious people. The project is written by Jason Cahill ("Halt and Catch Fire," "Fringe," "Surface," "Profiler") and executive produced by Cahill and Greg Nicotero ("The Walking Dead," This is the End, Oz The Great and Powerful, Transformers). David Zucker and Ridley Scott will also executive produce through Scott Free's ("The Good Wife," "Numb3rs") first-look deal with AMC.

AMC will premiere two new dramatic series in 2014, "Turn" and "Halt and Catch Fire." The network is also set to bring viewers the second half of the fourth season of "The Walking Dead" and the first half of the final season of the iconic "Mad Men," in addition to other scripted and unscripted original programming including its Saturday night Western drama, "Hell on Wheels."

 

[Teelie]

Dads and The Mindy Project are getting pulled in Feburary and January respectively. Looking kind of grim for those two.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

Good.

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

The Mindy Project is probably the single worst thing I've ever seen on TV. I can't for the life of me understand why anyone would find it funny. I'd rather subject myself to a Big Bang Theory marathon than sit through another episode of Mindy.

 

[HighFivingMF]

So they can not be idiots and move Raising Hope to Tuesdays?

 

[kane9321]

dads and the mindy project are getting pulled in feburary and january respectively. Looking kind of grim for those two.

thank you web based god

 

[Teelie]

So they can not be idiots and move Raising Hope to Tuesdays?

They're being replaced with Glee.

FOX has pulled the comedies "The Mindy Project" and "Dads" from its schedule. 'Mindy' will go on a break from January 28th to April 1st. 'Dads' will be pulled on February 11th and does not yet have a return date. "Glee" will be moved into their place.

 

[terry78]

Didn't Dads get a full season order though?

 

[Rowsdower!]

I find Mindy Kaling oddly sexy, but her show is awful. Glad to hear that they might finally be pulling the plug on it.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

The Mindy Project is probably the single worst thing I've ever seen on TV. I can't for the life of me understand why anyone would find it funny. I'd rather subject myself to a Big Bang Theory marathon than sit through another episode of Mindy.

Don't let Sawyer hear that.

 

[Dr. Evil]

Mindy Kaling was the worst part of the Office finale. The return of her and BJ Novak were completely unnecessary.

 

[Primal Slayer]

Even though Mindy got pushed back, I dont think it will get cancelled. Im all here for S3.