The Official Tom Welling Thread

[triplet]

Excerpt from Investors.com and MarketWatch:

Time Warner beats view, confirms Adelphia bid

By David B. Wilkerson
2/4/2005

DVDs soften blow for film division

Operating earnings at Time Warner's filmed entertainment division fell 36 percent to $201 million from $313 million. Revenue declined just 3 percent to $3.27 billion, well ahead of the $2.675 billion estimate of analyst Laura Martin at Soleil-Media Metrics, as well as the $3.21 billion projection issued by Peter Mirsky at Oppenheimer & Co.

Time Warner went into the fourth quarter facing difficult theatrical comparisons with the prior year's "The Lord of the Rings: Return of The King" and "Elf." Matters weren't helped by the poor box office showings of "Catwoman" and "Alexander" in this year's December period.

But strong DVD sales played a major role in the unit's results. "DVD has been the largest single contributor to our film segment's growth," said Jeff Bewkes, chairman of the company's Entertainment & Networks Group, on the earnings call.

Bewkes said Warner Home Video is particularly strong in DVD's fastest-growing category - full season box sets of television shows. "We're the U.S. leader in TV sales on DVD. We have 10 of the top 25 franchises," Bewkes said, pointing to the best-selling titles "Friends," "Sex In the City," "Band of Brothers," "The Sopranos," "Smallville," and "Aqua Team Hunger Force."

Warner Bros. DVD revenue related to TV shows will exceed $1 billion in 2005. Studio programs new to the format this year include "Night Court" and "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."

Cable-operations profit rose 32 percent to $497 million from $377 million. Revenue rose 10 percent to $2.2 billion, in line with the estimates of Cohen and Mirsky.
​

http://www.investors.com/breakingnews.asp?journalid=25763408&brk=1


Personal interpretation? Don't expect to see SMALLVILLE cancelled in the near future, kids.

Exactly. That's why I'm not sure so many people on DTS (and over on the Supes forum here) seem convinced that simply because the ratings are lower, that it necessarily follows it will get canceled.

There are so many more factors to consider than that, the DVD box set sales being one. Overseas sales being another.

 

[Zing79]

Excerpt from Investors.com and MarketWatch:

Time Warner beats view, confirms Adelphia bid
By David B. Wilkerson
2/4/2005

DVDs soften blow for film division

Bewkes said Warner Home Video is particularly strong in DVD's fastest-growing category - full season box sets of television shows. "We're the U.S. leader in TV sales on DVD. We have 10 of the top 25 franchises," Bewkes said, pointing to the best-selling titles "Friends," "Sex In the City," "Band of Brothers," "The Sopranos," "Smallville," and "Aqua Team Hunger Force."

Warner Bros. DVD revenue related to TV shows will exceed $1 billion in 2005. Studio programs new to the format this year include "Night Court" and "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."

Cable-operations profit rose 32 percent to $497 million from $377 million. Revenue rose 10 percent to $2.2 billion, in line with the estimates of Cohen and Mirsky.​

http://www.investors.com/breakingnews.asp?journalid=25763408&brk=1

Personal interpretation? Don't expect to see SMALLVILLE cancelled in the near future, kids.

Well even if Smallville only accounted for say 5% of those sales (that's 50 million), that's is still more then a lot of TV shows get in syndication deals, and those deals are almost always multi-year deals.

And consider this...Smallville is pretty much being purchased as the DVD becomes available from the previous season. Stop the show, and you'll stop the influx of DVD cash from it.

It's going to be very hard for WB to financially justify cancelling that show even after 5-6-7 years if it is able to make that much cash from DVD sales alone. You could conceivably offer Welling Ray Romano type of cash per ep and still make a big profit yearly off all things Smallville.

 

[Serene]

And consider this...Smallville is pretty much being purchased as the DVD becomes available from the previous season. Stop the show, and you'll stop the influx of DVD cash from it..

Let's not forget the added DVD sales from new fans who are now watching it on ABC Family. I know of two people that I work with who never watched it until they started showing the reruns. They've since bought the earlier seasons DVDs.

 

[RakuMon]

Exactly. That's why I'm not sure so many people on DTS (and over on the Supes forum here) seem convinced that simply because the ratings are lower, that it necessarily follows it will get canceled.

There are so many more factors to consider than that, the DVD box set sales being one. Overseas sales being another.

That's the other thing. Ratings aren't really that much lower. Smallville's never gonna get the numbers it got when it was on Tuesday nights at 9:00 in its first season. The REASON WB moved it to Wednesdays at 8:00 was because they knew it would hold its own and perform better than what they had (i.e. Dawson's Creek). And Smallville has. Also, don't forget that 8PM Wednesday is THE most competitive night of the week. What with American Idol, Lost, and 60 Minutes, it's a wonder SV doesn't get trounced. But guess what, it actually does REALLY WELL. Even beating NBC in overall viewers and trumping both NBC and CBS in the 18 to 49 demos. All that while being on a network that reaches FEWER overall households.

That my friend is a successful show.

On a related note, compare Smallville to Enterprise. Both shows are new incarnations of established, iconic properties. They debuted the same year. Both are FX-heavy, sci-fi oriented programming, and both have had their timeslots changed. And both are on smaller networks (WB and UPN, respectively). Moreover, both shows have essentially divided their respective fanbases. Unfortunately for fans of Enterprise, it never drew a big enough audience to justify the series, ultimately leading to its cancellation. Smallville, on the other hand, has flourished despite being under similar circumstances.

The tv is biz is all relative. But by all accounts, Smallville is a successful television program that rakes in lots of $$ to WB (network AND studio). Incidentally, after all the smoke clears, it could be debatable that SV was a better investment than the Singerman franchise. I think, in the long run, WB will get more ROI from Smallville than they'll get from Singerman (unless, of course, the merchandising makes a lot of coin).

 

[jas01724]

Eh, I'm stating the obvious (again) but its success was never a reason for its possible (probable) cancellation. With most of those things now currently moot, don't expect it to be going anywhere anytime soon. It makes around 3 million per ep in ad rates, millions with DVDs, pretty soon it will probably make millions in syndication, and it went from 8 million viewers in a slot with little competition to 5-6 million in a slot with two juggernauts slamming against it ... yeah, that show's a complete flop.

 

[AgentPat]

This scene officially did me in...

 

[triplet]

This scene officially did me in...

It was very touching and Allison Mack did a great job!

 

[Thunder Emperor]

This scene officially did me in...

i was moved and i offically converted one of my pals into watching smallville again. he had stopped watchign it for a while . so i download the last to eps of smallville. now he is exited. about this season. wooooooohooooooooooooooooooooo

 

[Lara]

This scene officially did me in...

I cried I hardly ever cry especially over TV shows.

 

[AgentPat]

Wow. Just... WOW!

RedRock posted this image over at DTS today. I have no idea if it's a screen cap or photo, if it's from a specific episode, if it was taken on set or off, in character or not. Hell, I don't even know *when* it was taken. But Jeeze...

Wow. I mean, just... WOW...

When I see photos of Tom like this, I re-heeeeely have to fight back the urge to lob snarky comments into the ether, 'cause folks, there just aint NO comparison.

Whoops! Guess that qualifies as a snarky comment. Oh well. LOL

 

[jas01724]

I have no idea if it's a screen cap or photo, if it's from a specific episode, if it was taken on set or off, in character or not. Hell, I don't even know *when* it was taken.

Screen cap. Smallville. Season 1. 2002. Ep #13. Kinetic. With Pete at the bank. X-Ray visioning the broken-off arm in the vault wall.

 

[AgentPat]

Screen cap. Smallville. Season 1. 2002. Ep #13. Kinetic. With Pete at the bank. X-Ray visioning the broken-off arm in the vault wall.

Day-um, you're good, James! Yup! That's the scene. I only saw that ep about three times (no, really LOL), and it's been a while since my last viewing. S1 was good, but it's kind of been relegated to the bottom of the which-SV-ep-shall-I-watch-tonight pile.

It's STILL a freakin' AWESOME photo though.

 

[jas01724]

In season one they used completely different make-up, hairstyling, and lighting, and I preferred it that way. They made him look younger by really widening his eyes and slimming down his face, which they just don't do any more - the piled on make-up really tones down his cheekbones, and that ain't a good thing.

 

[Serene]

In season one they used completely different make-up, hairstyling, and lighting, and I preferred it that way. They made him look younger by really widening his eyes and slimming down his face, which they just don't do any more - the piled on make-up really tones down his cheekbones, and that ain't a good thing.

And I think his remarkable facial bones are more prominent than ever now that he's looking more his true age and not youthed down.

 

[jas01724]

And I think his remarkable facial bones are more prominent than ever now that he's looking more his true age and not youthed down.

Now, sure, but in seasons two and three they had a nasty habit of trying to make his face look as round as possible. They've finally toned back the make-up again, but they still keep butchering his hair...

 

[triplet]

Now, sure, but in seasons two and three they had a nasty habit of trying to make his face look as round as possible. They've finally toned back the make-up again, but they still keep butchering his hair...

I like his most recent hair cut, the one in Pariah... It looks good.

I wish they'd deal with the hair cutting and shaving thing on the show... they did a little in Spell and then nothing.

I'm just wondering if he has to use reflected heat vision like in the comics or what else they'd come up with to 'splain that.

 

[Ardrhielle]

Wow. Just... WOW!


When I see photos of Tom like this, I re-heeeeely have to fight back the urge to lob snarky comments into the ether, 'cause folks, there just aint NO comparison.

Whoops! Guess that qualifies as a snarky comment. Oh well. LOL

Are you sure that one doesn't belong in the drooling thread, Pat????? Yum.
That one is *fairly* inspiring, I must say. Snarky comments? I live for your snarky comments, Pat . I hope you keep inspiring us. Makes my day!

 

[RakuMon]

Ya know, EW isn't the only mainstram pub that's showing Smallville some love. Here's some bits from TV Guide's "Watercooler" talk:

Smallville
Aside from the fact that Lois reminds me way too much of Julie Cooper on The O.C., I am right there with this show. It's so clever without being smart-alecky. Chloe blames Lana's attack on Alicia's "meteor-induced powers" and nobody bats an eye! And Jane Seymour as the baddie is terrific with a capital English Breakfast T. Even if her Mommy Dearest act with Jason gives me the bad-touch willies, I dig that there's someone else stirring up Metropolis other than Lionel, you know? It's just too bad about the time slot. This one deserves a bigger audience. And we deserve to have better dramas on the other nights of the week.

 

[AgentPat]

Are you sure that one doesn't belong in the drooling thread, Pat????? Yum.

Oh, we could put it there too, I suppose.

That one is *fairly* inspiring, I must say.

Init?! The potential for soooo many great characters is nestled between those prominent cheek bones, lemme tell ya!

Snarky comments? I live for your snarky comments, Pat . I hope you keep inspiring us. Makes my day!

Hehehehe! Thanks for the praise. I do my best, but it's not hard considering all of the material we have to work with here. Triplet wrote quite an impressive list yesterday in the "beating dead horses" thread. My feelings on the big picture are driven home every time I read a post like that or see a photo like the one above, so I commiserate with folks. And being snarky is the only way to get some satisfaction out of a really schitty situation sometimes.

Hey look! It's Jay Leno!

Oh... wait, Leno doesn't have brown eyes. Shucks.

 

[triplet]

Triplet wrote quite an impressive list yesterday in the "beating dead horses" thread.

Thanks, but funny no one seemed to reply to that. I thought I had either gone so far overboard people didn't know what to say or that I had so totally sold my point that no one had a come back...

I guess it's the latter!

My feelings on the big picture are driven home every time I read a post like that or see a photo like the one above, so I commiserate with folks. And being snarky is the only way to get some satisfaction out of a really schitty situation sometimes.

Keep the snarkiness up, I love it too!

 

[AgentPat]

Thanks, but funny no one seemed to reply to that. I thought I had either gone so far overboard people didn't know what to say or that I had so totally sold my point that no one had a come back...

Many times, there's points I'd like to add to what people have to say, but I either don't have the time to respond, or I get caught up in other things and lose track. Either way, I miss responding, which isn't intentional. That said, you made some killer points in that post. Bravo! There's so much to be said on the big picture, I just don't know where to begin sometimes.

Keep the snarkiness up, I love it too!

Always!

 

[Ardrhielle]

Hey look! It's Jay Leno!

Oh... wait, Leno doesn't have brown eyes. Shucks.

Oh Squeal! LMAO. Ohmigosh Pat, you slay me!!!!!!
That's exactly the retort you should have used when that guy over in the TWSHBS thread, said "Roth was cast because he looks so much like Chris Reeve."

The way things are shaping up, they could have cast Jay...heck, the jawline could be computer de-enhanced.

I'll happily take my extra season of Smallville thanks (with an extra helping of Tom, please)!

I've also noticed that the metaphors have unofficially moved away from dairy products....interesting. And I can't help but notice how Jack consistently makes an appearance when we start to talk about food...

You guys are so entertaining! No wonder I think it's so fun to lurk.

I still think it would be a nifty thing to see Tom in some sort of period movie...that's just me.

 

[The Incredible Hulk]

This scene officially did me in...

Caption this:

Here lies the hopes and dreams of the movie franchise....

 

[Serene]

You guys are so entertaining! No wonder I think it's so fun to lurk.

Personally, I think you should de-lurk more often.

I still think it would be a nifty thing to see Tom in some sort of period movie...that's just me.

I was thinking the other day of how as much as I think he'd be charming in a rom-com, I hope he doesn't go the route of doing a series of lightweight romance flicks. Don't get me wrong, I'd pay to see the guy read a phonebook, but my druthers would be for him to do something dramatic, even if it's a small but interesting part. A period piece would be great. I'd also love to see him go against type and play a bad guy. Of course, I'd be thrilled to see him do a quality sci-fi, or fantasy. Rom-com can come later.

 

[Serene]

Caption this:

Here lies the hopes and dreams of the movie franchise....

LOL!

I believe I've mentioned your evilness before, haven't I?