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I forgot to mention this major primetime headache when I posted my roundup, Lotsa Trouble Inside Network Fall Skeds -- the showrunner musical chairs on ABC's unwatchable Dirty Sexy Money. 
First, Josh Reims left last year. Then Dexter's Daniel Cerone sealed an overall deal with ABC Studios last fall and joined Dirty Sexy Money as showrunner right after the end of the writers' strike in February. Then, in June, Cerone's 3 already-shot episodes for the 2008-2009 season are thrown out (talk about an expensive decision), and he's replaced by Jon Harmon Feldman (whose Big Shots didn't last very long on ABC but who worked with Dirty Sexy Money's exec producer Greg Berlanti on Dawson's Creek). As part of the transition, Dirty Sexy Money moves up its hiatus to July for a chance to regroup. So that's three showrunners in the show's short lifetime. I would never have brought back the series in the first place: great cast, horrible storyline. ABC's Anne Sweeney, Steve McPherson, and Mark Pedowitz should have put this dog out of its misery.
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I feel a pig with lipstick comment coming on…
It should have been cancelled right off the bat for having the most insipid title on network TV.
With titles like LOST, Desperate Housewives and Grey’s Anatomy they clearly thought that they had a formula for naming a show with a literal slant.
But unfortunately ABC has neither the nerve nor the budgets to make the shows Money either dirty or sexy.
Fail all round.
I generally like Berlanti’s shows but this one is completely forgettable. Not bad as such, just…meh. Next.
And the title does indeed suck.
For once I actually agree with you, Nikki. I really wanted to like this show, but it was AWFUL.
Sounds like a certain level of dysfunction not only with the show, but with the network.
If a show doesn’t work, and you keep changing show-runners, why don’t you cancel it, and start from scratch with a new show?
Man, this show is a snooze-fest. Each plot line is less interesting than the last.
I thought ABC had two good programs with Six Degrees and October Road last season. Unfortunately not many people watched, and they got canned! Dirty Sexy Money will come back to meet the same fate! All bubble shows eventually burst!
What??? This is a great show that wasnt given a fair shot due to the strike. I am excpecting great things for season 2! Dont give up so easily!!
Did you see the coolest new DSM thing?
darlingtower.com
Nikki is wrong. This show is not bad at all. It’s a Primetime Soap Opera with an engaging cast. The first episode was decent, but then it got better as it went on. And finally when the momentum was there, the strike derailed it. This show deserved the post Grey’s slot or even the post Housewives slot. Not Wednesday’s after the unwatchable Grey’s spinoff Private Practice.
Nikki, you’re an invaluable, A+ resource on the behind-the-scenes business stuff, but honestly, I find it almost impossible to respect anything you have to say about the creative side of entertainment. For a Hollywood blogger, you show very little passion and appreciation for the artistic side of things. It’d be different if you sprinkled in constructive thoughts about something, ANYTHING cool (or at least interesting) that you’ve seen recently. Yes, the quality of Hollywood “product” isn’t consistent, but usually, if you keep your eyes open, there’s always a TV show or film that’s worthy of praise. Dirty, Sexy, Money is a good show with several great performances. There are quite a few more shows out there too (yep, even on HBO). Stop letting the “evil that men (in suits) do,” cloud your opinions and content.
This show won’t make it through the year. A true yawnfest that has a horrible story line. ABC needs to send this one to the garbage heap ASAP.
NEXT!
This show stunk – - are ABC’ers the ones posting positive reviews today?
And to think McPherson let Miss Guided go and decided to keep this piece of trash.
I thoroughly enjoyed this show last season and am eagerly awaiting its return.
The first episode felt fairly forced but this show got better as the season went on. I would never call this unwatchable – I’d reserve that comment for Private Practice and Ugly Betty.
I think the show is uneven and has WAY too many characters (only of which half are interesting) but not sure why you would call it unwatchable. It’s a soap opera and a fun one, and miles ahead of most of the terribly written procedurals.
Nikki – maybe Dirty Sexy Money isn’t to your taste, but it is by no means “a dog” or one of the worst new shows last year.
Personally, I find it pretty entertaining. As a matter of fact, it was one of my few “must watch” shows last fall. Sure, there were some uneven moments its first season, but there were also a lot of moments with wonderful writing and amazing acting: complelling, touching, intriguing and sometimes funny, too.
I’m looking forward to its return, and hope it finds its footing (and a bigger audience).
And no, Mahala, I don’t work for ABC.
Cerone is a sweet guy and very talented, it probably was not a good fit, I think some were surprised at that signing initially. Jon Feldman can do this type of a show hands down and do it well, we shall see. It’s worth pointing out just because a show shuts down or has 2-3 showrunners doesn’t mean it’s not going to do well. That’s an old theory. If I recall, Brothers & Sisters was a mess before it hit the air and wasn’t Desperate Housewives as well?
I don’t know why Money is back either, I think we will have only one confirmed person not working for ABC when everything is said and done on these comments here. For the most part, Men in Trees should have had one more shot ahead of this. The audience was there for that show and not Dirty, Sexy, Money.
First of all, Josh Reims wasn’t canned. He moved over to Brothers & Sisters (the other Berlanti show), so not only is this article inaccurate and ignorant, it’s also just plain wrong: this show is one of last years’ bests, hands down! It’s crazy to see all this negativity in one forum when usually this show receives such high critical praise. I guess negativity gravitates towards negativity. Or towards Nikki Finke. Same thing.
If you saw the original pilot before ABC got to the showrunners and “noted” them into oblivion, you would have seen a dark, edgy and seductive show that was thrilling and funny.
ABC made the producers drop a compelling sublpot and brightened the humor in an attempt to make the show like the other shows they carry.
And now it’s out of control. Here is a real tragedy of TV. ABC keeps the show on the air because the arrogant executives are trying to justify their screw up and the fault goes so far up that someone would have to fire himself.
Also, you guys are wrong about the title. It’s the coolest title ever but it belonged to a much better show.
I disagree. “Dirty Sexy Money” is actually a solid show, it’s not a great one yet, but there is so much potential in it. There was a lot of potential in it from the beginning. The show has an amazing cast, engaging characters that can be outrageously wicked, but still have an honest relateable side to them. The downside are the storylines however that were not really engaging so far. The show could be so much more if it was airing on a network like Showtime or HBO where they don’t have so many creative restrictions. Still, the show is better than a lot that is airing on TV (Private Practice. Fucking awful. Heroes? Severely overrated. Terminator? A flat action drama. 24? Please.). I agree with Pilot Pirate that ABC executives probably gave the producers too many notes on how to light the show up and drop dark and edgy stuff.
Daniel Cerone’s first two episodes of season two were actually an improvement over season one. Don’t know whether this will also be the case with Feldman’s episodes.
Anne Sweeney also has Army Wives which has had FOUR (or is it now..?) FIVE showrunners in less than two seasons. And the first season was only 13 episodes. The creator has been fired…wow. Lots of insecure execs there. Lifetime only has one show…how hard can this be?
Crazy doings. Dirty Sexy Money has a likable cast. How often do you get to see Donald Sutherland? I wish him a better vehicle for his vast talent.
DSM should have never been picked up. It was and has been in every incarnation absolute dreck.
It never ceases to amaze me how little taste you have Nikki. I love your business postings. Stick to the left brain. You are way to bitter about whatever creative road you chose NOT to travel to speak with any amount of clarity on the artistic merits of just about anything.
And this is not just because of your musings on DSM. You do this over and over again and it does nothing but detract from your astute writings on the business side. Until you can find some sort of peace with your past, whatever it is, maybe just don’t comment on the right brain side of things.