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UPDATE: Fred successfully transitioned from the Web to TV with 7.6 million viewers tuning in to watch the premiere Saturday night. Next up, $#*! My Dad Says on Thursday.
FRIDAY 11 PM: For all the pull the Internet has on younger viewers, no Web property has yet been able to successfully migrate to TV. It may be because it needs more time – music, which was an early Internet adopter, already produced a few bona fide superstars who started on the Web, including Justin Bieber. Using the Internet for storytelling is less mature, which is probably why most crossovers to TV so far have failed. There are two more that will try to buck the trend over the next week: CBS on Thursday is launching the comedy $#*! My Dad Says based on Justin Halpern’s hugely popular Twitter feed with 1.7 
million followers, and a telefilm, Fred: The Movie, is premiering on 2 consecutive nights on Nickelodeon this weekend. It is based on the hit YouTube series of shorts by teen Lucas Cruikshank whose Fred channel has received over 593 million video views and is listed as the number two all-time most subscribed YouTube channel with 1.9 subscribers. While $#*! is being made through the traditional network development system, Fred was independently produced. Brian Robbins (Smallville, Blue Mountain State, Sonny with a Chance) co-financed the film and took it to Nickelodeon with the intention to release it theatrically. However, the two sides eventually decided to take the High School Musical route, starting off with as a TV movie and potentially going theatrically with one or both of the 2 sequels already in the works. (Robbins owns international and video rights and is releasing the first movie theatrically in the U.K.)
Basing a show or a film on an Internet hit certainly helps with the launch because of the name recognition – $#*! has been consistently tracking well in viewer awareness over the summer. From then on, it’s all about how good the TV show or movie are on their own. Because as great as Internet snippets are, it takes a lot more to make a great TV program. But it’s certainly a great starting-off point. For instance, I’m curious to see the $#*! episode based on this line from Justin’s 74-year-old dad (played by William Shatner on the CBS series) posted today: “You came out of your mom looking like shit. She thought you were beautiful. Don’t know what scared me most, your looks or her judgment.”
TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.
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“Fred” is the single most annoying character ever devised online. That he got his own movie is a sign that no one in Hollywood knows what the fuck they’re doing.
Fred is not for you, grandpa.
Fred is not for anyone over 12. Render a flip cam vid w/ quick cuts, manic expressions, speed up the playback and you’ve got Fred.
I can’t even see how the target audience gets through a feature length film of this without seizing and/or developing migraines. They probably use this as a torture implement in Egyptian prisons. After the dogs.
Watch the movie. It’s clever and works on adult and kids levels, like any good Nick product should.
Shit My Dad Says is going to crash and burn. CBS and Max Mutchnick can ruin anything, even something as great as the Shit Tweets.
I think it’s going to do well, simply because casting Shatner in this role was brilliant. He still has a ton of fans, particularly in the demographic that watch CBS and multi-cam shows, and they’re going to love the premise of him mouthing off to some young punk. And it’s got a great fucking timeslot. I think it’s going to kill.
Love the Shat. Not as much as your Elvis impersonation though.
Yeah, Max and Dave sure can screw up a sitcom … they managed to screw up Will & Grace for 8 successful years!
JG – You could start a Twitter account called “Im a jealous idiot”. I’ve seen the pilot. The show works. As for Komut, they’re two of the most talented comedy writers out there. Combine that with Shatners giant TVQ and Halpern’s successful book and Twitter, Big Bang lead in, I think this looks like a hit. But what do I know? I’ve only been doing this for 20 years.
Thank you, Scott Schwartz.
At this juncture, using twitter or u-tube as a measure to drive “the intent to view” a program or “buy” a ticket to a feature film is not realiable. Ashton has one of the most successful twitter accounts in the hollywood community. Yet, this did not translate to driving his tweets into a successful opening of his last movie. It all goes back to the story, writing, acting and directing. Brian has a good shot he knows that world. Shit will have to be funny, to take advantage of a great time slot.
tv guy, bingo.
the problem with “shit” is that the dad is the funny one, but the son is writing the show. let the dad write a show. that i would watch.
The show might’ve been interesting on cable or HBO but watered down on CBS? No thank you. They can’t even say shit, what’s the point other than to make more money and be canceled after one season.
Have you tried to Tivo $#*! My Dad Says? Unless I am an idiot which is entirely possible the character’s they have opted for for Shit do not appear on the “keyboard.” Sure there are other ways round it but not a good idea to make it difficult.
Actually they made it quite easy. When I found the special characters were not on the keyboard I just went to the next word “My”. as soon as I put in the “y”, the listing showed “$..!My Dad Says” as one of the choices. I don’t think it will be that difficult for people to figure out. I’m no genius and even I was able to find it.
Shatner is old. CBS is super old. The Twitter audience is young. Not a favorable combo. This will start out huge and quickly lose its gift of a lead in. Nobody under 50 want multiple Andy Roony jokes. CBS misses again. Mutchnick/Kohan remain one hit blunders.
Old Balls –
CBS is not the convalescent programming it once was. It’s no FOX, but it does very well in the key demos. That said, “Shit My Dad Says” already looks tired. I think they should have gone for a different format. No laugh track. Single camera — Arrested Development vein.
Yah Well.
Great story, Nellie. However, there already are examples of Web-generated content that are TV successes. Two off the bat: Sanctuary, about to start its third primetime season on Syfy (starring Amanda Tapping of Stargate SG-1 fame, who was involved in the original Web series), and Adventure Time With Finn & Jake, graduating from a Next New Networks animated short to series on Cartoon Network this spring, and quickly became one of the most popular series on the net. New episodes will debut next year.
Simon Applebaum
Producer/Host, Tomorrow Will Be Televised
(Mondays/Fridays at noon on BlogTalk Radio)
It’s a sad time when this Fred loser has a TV show.
Also, I saw a promo for “Shit” a while back. Looks incredibly watered down and lame. Figured.
SoOo..I know nothin about FRED..I guess im above there target demographic..but somethin tells me im not missing much..and as far as “shit”..it better be funny..cause if not..it’ll burn like every other internet based show…but I have to agree..im sure it would have been hilarious on a pay cable channel or FX..
I firmly believe that the people who created “Will & Grace” did more to help rid the western world of homophobia than anyone else in history. It was also one of the funniest television shows ever. Lots of laughs and lots of heart. I’ll watch anything they do.
You might want to thank Ron Bass, too (or perhaps more accurately the many women he allegedly employs to write for them but denies credit.) They wrote the movie “My Best Friend’s Wedding” which had the redhead with a gay best friend relationship that became the basis for “Will & Grace”. Not taking away from the fact that the TV show did a ton to combat homophobia, but just giving credit where due.
That said, the new sitcom looks awful.
“My Best Friend’s Wedding” the basis for “Will & Grace?” Seems pretty far-fetched to me, so please elaborate. Point out the similarities in story structure, characters, plot, or dialogue. I’d love to hear.
In any case, I laughed – many times literally on the floor – over and over again watching a decade of W&G. I’m hardly alone. Why are you slamming “Bleep” when it hasn’t even aired yet? You have some kind of grudge? Jealous?
Both Grace and Julianne are shrieking ginger harpies with questional morals and perennial losers at love who depend on their dashing asexually gay best friends for emotional support.
Sounds about right. I will grant that Julia’s character was a bit more likable than Debra’s.
Fred may be the worst thing on the internet ever. I can’t see how this is beneficial for kids at all. He’s ugly, and it shows hows desperate Nickelodeon has become.
As a person named Fred, I really hope this show bombs. I don’t even want to begin to think about all the references that would be made to this movie if it succeeds.
As the digital tech increases in quality; the price will drop.
And most HD tv – comp. monitor screens at home…around 55 inches retailing
now for under 3 grand…wil drop to under 500.00.
When that happens…all this internet stuff will be shown a bigger, higher quality
viewing screen…and shit crap like these 2 shows won’t register at all.
Because the lower cost home tv screens will be available to the mass markets
more and more…and the unsigned, unagented, un Hollywood creative talents
out there…will be doing some pretty cool stuff…on a bigger level.
And the audience will be there for them.
well, there’s “Web Therapy” going to Showtime.
I’d like to point out that Fred probably got a big boost from being on Icarly. Before Icarly, I’d never heard of Fred, and trust me I’m on the net quite a bit. Let’s not make twitter and youtube out to be more then they are.
If you don’t like Fred, it’s the easiest thing in the world to avoid. Just don’t click.
(As a parent) I have seen enough Fred to know that the guy is funny. I can’t watch more than a couple of minutes of it without wanting to bang my head against the wall, but the guy is genuinely a funny person.