
We already told you what several advertisers thought of NBC’s and Fox’s upfront presentations. As for the last two major networks, the people with whom we spoke were much more impressed by CBS than ABC and identified four shows that seem to have a better-than-even shot at succeeding: CBS’ 2 Broke Girls, How To Be A Gentleman and A Gifted Man, and ABC’s Man Up. Some dinged ABC for providing little insight into the eight shows the network will introduce this fall. “I guess you throw something against the wall and hope,” says Brad Adgate of Horizon Media. By contrast, he says that CBS demonstrated that “the shows they’re really high on are protected” in time slots where they either face anemic competition or where they are flanked by hits. Targetcast’s Gary Carr says that CBS “did a great job” of explaining the strategies behind its five new shows. ABC, he added, ”was down and dirty — one hour with no entertainment and no celebrities.” The two upfront veterans and other advertisers who wanted to remain unidentified scoffed at the idea that anyone can tell much about a show’s prospects after seeing just a few clips from a pilot. That’s especially true for comedies, which were resurgent this year. Generally speaking, they see little likelihood of a viewer backlash at all of the networks’ heavy reliance on jokes and situations that involve sex. They’re less confident, though, that lots of viewers will take to the many dramas that deal with the supernatural or paranormal. “That’s designed to get younger viewers,” Adgate says.


I was a little dismayed to see at least two (so far) presentation clips of comedies with “vagina” as a punchline — if the jokes were funnier perhaps it wouldn’t seem so borderline creepy. Maybe that little intake of breath by audience members is mistaken for laughter, when it’s actually a wince.
I wonder if this means that “douche” might be retired as the go-to sexual slang comedy term? Be careful what we wish for!
When will ABC and all networks really learn that you won’t get a hit by leaving a mediocre show on the air. The Middle and Cougar Town are good examples. Modern Family can’t carry everything.
ABC is going to tank itself by being lazy and leaving neutral unmemorable crap on the air.
Can’t comment on Cougar Town because I don’t watch, but “The Middle” is far from mediocre. It’s very positively received by critics, and it’s hilarious. I like Modern Family but in my opinion The Middle is even funnier. It even has great continuity (references old episodes/jokes a lot), which a lot of comedies, including Modern Family, lack for me.
“I guess you throw something against the wall and hope.”
You’re supposed to come out of the upfronts with some creative leverage. Oh well, not an inspiring line to hear after so, so, so much work…
“Man Up!” is derivative. There were even scripts with the same premise and title that didn’t get shot developed for both network and cable. It’s a tiresome man-child comedy that will fizzle out fast, but the pilot was well directed. It’ll be interesting to see if Tim Allen still has an audience. NBC has a chance to make some inroads, just by default. The best shows remain on cable.
Everything is derivative and there 5 copycat projects for every green light. You’d think an agent’s assistant would know that. Did your agent fail to land one of the Man Up clones? So sad for you.
No, sad for the better versions that lost out to this obvious, idiotic and unfunny victor. It’s a male “Courgar Town,” so if you like that, knock yourself out. At least “Portlandia” is truly different and funnier than “Man Up!” And so is “Archer,” which will be viewed by smaller numbers, but provide bigger laughs. Why do you think that is? Anyway, predictions are “Man Up!” will fall off from the lead in which is also dubious.
Not arguing the merits of the show but to compare Portlandia and Archer, both of which I love, is apples and oranges. Both of those shows would be yanked after week one. America doesn’t like those kind of shows. This is why CBS is king.
It’s a shame because Good Christian Belles, The River and Pan Am look very good. All 3 shows have gotten good reviews from people who’ve seen the scripts. I hope they perform well in the ratings.
I watched the clips from the shows, do not appeal to me one bit. Also If ABC/Disney continues to remove daytime soaps I will no longer be watching or investing in ABC/Disney channels and if the sponsors for those shows do not MAN UP and tell ABC where to stick it, I will no longer be buying their products either. Nielsen is not the issue as one states below, it is the network, the corporation that sets the demographics no? So therefore we have age and sex discrimination. This is my opinion, ABC/Disney just made the biggest mistake in history letting soaps go, and Mr. Frons needs to be fired and also offer public apology for ignorance.
Of course those shows don’t interest you.Your into all the stupid shit like soaps.Grow up your not going to watch a whole network because they cancelled your beloved soaps? They have been going on for decades and NOBODY watches they anymore!!!!!!! Us primetime watchers have to go through this every year so just STFU.
well of course – CBS’s line up is bland and boring and ABC’s has some really interesting shows on the way.
In typical fashion advertisers go for the former! Sigh…
That’s because Nielsen families tend to go for the former, and really, they’re the only people advertisers care about.
pfffff if you mean advertisers don’t go for PMSing shows than yeah you are right
Can’t ABC tell that a procedural with distinguished talent will get them ratings.
look at CBS. Paul should keep the soaps on ABC
Family. He should have Leo a few procedurals for mid season.
IT WILL BE AMAZING TO ME TO SEE ABC, WHEN WE ALL SIT BACK AND WATCH ABC GO DOWN THE TOILET AND TAKING FRONS AND SWEENEY WITH THEM. DOWN THE DRAIN WITH THE TIDEY BOWL MAN —-> (BOB IGER)
As usual, ABC is a day late and a dollar short. While advertisers are actively seeking the older demographic, ABC is getting rid of two of its daytime soaps that have a very loyal following of the now coveted boomer generation in their outdated pursuit of the younger demos. Obviously, other networks are realizing the value of the older demographics who have expendable income and are serving up programming to attract them and present them to advertisers on a platter.
Case in point, CBS’s “Young and the Restless: (the number one soap) hiring Genie Francis of Luke and Laura fame.
I think we will see advertisers drop ABC Daytime. There are so many outraged fans fighting to keep all 3 soaps on the air, they are asking advertisers to pull their ads. We’ll see what happens. SAVE AMC & OLTL Facebook.
I agree. Abc is really going down. They need to keep what works..the soaps during daytime and the prime time line up is all trash. I for one am sick of Neilsen presuming they speak for me. What a laugh!! Two days after US Navy Seal Team Six killed osama, Disney runs to trademark the name. How patriotic disney, capitalize in it! Abc gas also called its viewers dogs that need to be trained and that if you are over forty nine you don’t count. Abc keep the soaps and try again on the primetime. Maybe it is the executives that need to go and be changed!!
Amused that the so-called “experts” think ABC’s new programming sucks when some of it is the only interesting stuff this season. Anyone who thinks NBC or CBS is putting out anything remotely interesting has their head up their ass.
Fron’s, is that really you?
The show with the biggest upside isn’t even being talked about. Prime Suspect the American version of the British hit by the same name that starred Ilyena Lydia Vasilievne Mironov aka Helen Mirren if handled correctly could be the next Hill Street Blues. Seriously, Maria Bello, Aidan Quinn, Kirk Acevedo and Tody Stephens lead the way paired with a strong script this show should run for years
Do you read the trades? Or this blog? Toby Stephens is out.
Head’s up Agents Assistant:
Might want to do some research before you tell anyone else at work ‘Man Up’ is Tim Allen’s pilot.
It’s actually created by Chris Moynihan with Beth McCarthy Miller of SNL and 30 Rock directing a great cast including the brilliant Dan Fogler who I’d watch over Tim Allen any day. also nada derivative…
I didn’t call MAN UP! Tim Allen’s pilot. MAN UP! is a variation on various pilots from HBO, Fox and SPIKE TV, with the latter having a very funny script with that same title that wasn’t shot. Dan Fogler is brilliant? Well, “Balls of Fury” and “Take Me Home Tonight” certainly proved no one knows who he is and “Good Luck Chuck” sent him to the minor leagues. That ABC pilot is some dumb “Revenge of the Nerds” sequel and is laughless.
ABC is going to tank in primetime and in daytime. Advertisers are just now getting it that we 50 year olds have cash to spend. When is ABC going to wake up and clean house not of their soaps but their programers.
As someone mentioned, advertisers are finally getting it. Now we just have to wait for some of the networks to jump on board. Absolutely no one that I know under the age of 30 watch network television. They gravitate towards movies, cable and not much else. And, in today’s economy most of them are more worried about the needs than the wants. Not too much expendable income there. Perhaps ABC will see the light before they go completely bankrupt (besides morally) and start catering to the demographic who has money to burn.
ABC’s upfront presentation was lame. Easily the worst of all the major networks. It was basically like sitting through the trailers at a movie theater. No celebs apart from Tim Allen who was not very funny, no in-depth details about any of the new shows, and very typical “we’re the best” speeches. Jimmy Kimmel was funny, as per usual at the upfront, but the rest was a total fail. They didn’t even have a red carpet set-up for the stars of their new shows. They either got cheep or just didn’t give a crap. Either way, not a good start for Paul Lee.
Here are my predictions for the next year in broadcast tv. NBC will see a resurgence and move up in the rankings due to higher quality programming. CBS will remain the same and retain it’s top spot. Fox will continue to lose viewers for most of it’s timeslots. ABC will lose the most and will be #4 by season’s end. ABC is making the same mistake NBC made in 2005 when it started veering away from scripted programming and replacing it with reality shows. ABC will be the next network to be on the chopping block.
ABC is losing millions of daytime viewers by cancelling long running popular shows All My Childrena and One Life to Live. Lots of primetime viewers are also daytime viewers and tune in to see the shows the see the advertising for during the day. If NBC was smart, they would pick up ABC’s cancelled daytime soaps and quickly become the #1 network….unless of courseABC wises up and keeps the shows. Then they would have nothing to worry about.
I won’t be able to give you my opinion on any of ABC’s new shows because I am boycotting everything ABC/Disney EXCEPT the soaps. When OLTL goes off the air, I will no longer ABC.
It really has been hard to keep up the boycott, but I’m determined. Before Brian Frons (public enemy #1) made the announcement, I was almost an exclusive ABC watcher. I grew up watching ABC soaps and in the days before channel surfing, that meant that I watched the lead in local news and the shows that followed.
ABC, you really screwed the pooch on this one.
ABC=Another Bad Choice. When are they going to realize that viewers want to watch more than “reality or food shows”? They made a huge mistake with the canceling of All My Children and One Life to Live in their daytime line-up. Now their prime time will suffer too. Are you sure that Frons isn’t being paid by another network to destroy ABC??
Does this mean ABC is finally going to see the light and wise up to keeping our soaps, thus keeping their network from circling the drain, or is NBC going to get with the program (pardon the pun) and ride ABC’s cast-offs to victory as the #1 network on television? I have been boycotting anything ABC/Disney except for soaps since Frons made his declaration on 4/14 and will continue to do so even after this is resolved. I will of course watch the soaps if ABC keeps them, but I will not soon forgive the way that this whole thing was handled with the fans/actors/crews. If their dry disconnected programming doesn’t kill them their people and public relations skills will surely get the job done. But back to my original point, or question really, is anything in motion as far as a network decision to save the soaps? I just want this nightmare to end and go back to watching my Daytime TV without the egg timer ticking ominously in the background.
can’t wait for 2 Broke Girls <3
I don't want to ABC lose their viewers, but also can't believe they're not going to make new shows. this is sad. but ABC is still high, with their Dancing with stars.