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NBC has axed Southland... I hear Trauma is next because of its ridiculouly excessive $3 million pricetag an episode. (When I screened the show, I was rooting for the helicopter to kill off every character...) My NBC insiders are letting Angela Bromstad off the hook, saying "she picked the best of shit" from Ben Silverman's failed development. "This is the last gift that keeps on giving from Ben Silverman." The insiders are even going so far as to give up on the rest of the primetime schedule for their network. "There's nothing watchable the rest of the year." Even midseason and spring of 2010? "Nothing watchable the rest of the season," I'm told. "Maybe Jerry Seinfeld's The Marriage Ref will work, but he's not even in it. This is not a fun place to be right now. And we committed to Jay Leno on the air for 2 years because he was worried we'd have an itchy trigger finger. It's an embarrassment for all of us. Maybe he'll get fed up -- he's not right now -- and then we can re-negotiate." This is beyond sad. It's the destruction of a brand.
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It was the only thing worth watching on NBC.. I hope another network picks it up. Long overdue for Zucker Head!!!
Southland was an okay show, but wasnt right for the line up. I think NBC made a WISE decision on this. They have a solid line up this year.
Stacey, what are you smoking? Ever since NBC put Leno in the 10 pm slot nothing is right for NBC’s line-up!
‘Southland’ is one of the best shows that I have seen in years (and there are a lot of great shows out there). NBC and all networks have no faith in the programs they launch, which is not wise. It’s the opposite of wise. It’s IDIOCY!
Jay Leno is a 1 trick pony and his show is the same as always. There is only 1 rivetting late night guy…a guy who is funny, who doesn’t need the same old predictable actors in the guest chair…a guy who doesn’t need a stack of cue cards but is original and and can get an audience going with just a look. Craig Ferguson….(and his puppets of course…).
Where’s the solid line up, It’s no where that I can see.
Southland was good, although pretty dark and overly concerned with it’s characters, all of which are pretty well damaged goods.
They didn’t give it a chance and I think it will be picked up and will be successful.
NBC is run by a bunch of knuckleheads. Southland rocked! Leno sucks!!!
I just have to say, CBS’s Craig Ferguson is the man!
Wait, what?!
What the hell is WRONG with this network!??!? So they ax a show with critical acclaim AND an audience!?? The audience wasn’t HUGE but was bigger than anything they’ve introduced this year and kept building… I really think they are trying to kill NBC, like, on purpose.
Only person I’m really sad for is Derek Luke. A terrifically talented actor who just can’t seem to catch a break.
Derek Luke is an over-acting bore! He overdoes every single role given to him.
I enjoyed Mike Cudlitz. If the show’s not picked up I hope he shows up somewhere else.
That sucks. Maybe HBO will pick up Southland and I can get my fix there. Extra benefit – Southland would be a lot more realistic if they didn’t have to worry about language restrictions (who ever heard of a LA cop that doesn’t use profanity!?).
HBO has a full plate.
Sorry, just really wasn’t expecting the Southland cancellation. Killing Trauma is a no brainer, and Mercy must cost a pretty penny.
Thinking about it, other than Thursday nights, and even then it’s slim pickings, ratings wise, NBC really has nothing. No big rating, watercooler show.
Its going to take a miracle to have NBC turn it around in the next decade.
Ben Silverman needs to be rehired so he can be fired again.
And is there anything Zucker can do to warrant his dismissal? He’s the Teflon exec for reasons that are increasingly unjustifiable.
Nothing watchable? What about Parenthood? Clearly, it’s not going to save the network, but it’s got good buzz, doesn’t it?
I just think NBC is clueless. I’ve posted here before about Law & Order, which I thoroughly enjoy still, this new cast has seemed to reinvigorate the franchise, but instead of pushing it, NBC gives it no advertising and moves it to Fridays, probably to kill it off before Dick Wolf gets to 21 seasons. But the show IS watchable. The only viable drama on NBC. Maybe they think L&O already has its viewers and it’s a waste of time to advertise, but people here in NY didn’t even know when the season premiere was airing. Others I’ve talked to didn’t even know the show was still shooting. And their new content can’t keep up. I truly am worried for the fate of NBC. It is sad.
What in the hell have you indie slogs got against Jay Leno? From the crappy downer revue on the front page of the LA Times the morning following the show’s 10:00 start(from some news hen who must be on the take from CBS) to the continuing barage of snarky blather from a group of talking heads who should know better, the tone from people who should be supporting their ballsy fellow performer makes me susspect that hard feelings from the ill-advised writers strike have fogged what’s left of your tiny brains. If you want to have network shows to provide you work you’d better get real and let innovation take root.
You have got to be a Leno Shill. The show got 4.5 million viewers on Monday. In prime time. Those are cancellation type numbers. The show’s lost 80% of its viewers since the premiere. The “snarky blather” you reference is coming from the critics of the N.Y. Times, Los Angeles Times, TV Guide, USA Today., etc., etc. Go away, shill.
Bruce, seriously. Moving Jay to 10pm is not innovation. It’s shuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic. And it’s not about the network providing writers work, it’s about allowing the creative community to provide decent programming to an imagination deficient network.
Gee, do you think NBC will burn off the completed Southland episodes on Saturday nights next summer?
No surprise here…
“Southland” was one of NBC’s few bright spots in terms of programming — it deserved better treatment. NBC is a bigger disaster than the CW. It’s a shame.
I’ll bet dollars to donuts someone at NBC HQ is trying to figure out how to expand Jay’s show to two hours.
Destruction of the brand? The first Silverman brought us Sheriff Lobo and other mindless fare. The second did no better, but these things are so cyclical and success is only another season or executive away.
Don’t be so dramatic. All the network “brands” have suffered at the hands of the stronger, edgier product coming from FX, AMC, HBO, etc.
If memory is correct, HILL STREET BLUES was part of Fred Silverman’s tenure at NBC–debuting in early 1981.
Don’t forget – - – SUPER TRAIN! – - – A Love Boat knock off set on a luxury high-speed train.
Jay, c’mon. You’re the butt of jokes around the country because your show is so bad. Do you realize that in 2 years your network and staff will be completely demoralized? You’re not gonna turn it around this time. Throw in the towel. America is no longer laughing with you, they’re laughing at you.
Community is awesome. That’s all NBC has going for it.
Pity this seems to say “Chuck” in unwatchable.
While the Thursday night comedies are still creatively solid, the overnights have been terrifying.
Chuck is watchable. The insiders are really only referring to the new show slate than necessarily any of the shows that have already or will return from last year.
The only bright side to all of this is the ever-increasing likelihood that they’ll *have* to bring Chuck back a few weeks before Thanksgiving rather than after NBC has inevitably botched yet another Olympics that they would have botched anyway even had Silverman not torched the network.
The downside is extremely signifcant, denoting just how catastrophic the addition of The Jay Leno Show is to NBC’s network identity:
Since, the Law & Orders aside (grandfathered in simply because they’re phenomenons with too much clout), NBC feels that the first two hours of prime time are too early to show mature content like Southland that NBC would have otherwise aired at 10pm, NBC has by default become a network that’s openly hostile to airing mature content period.
So grown-ups need not try to create shows for NBC.
— Rob
NBC better hold on tight and push the living hell out of Community. It’s ratings are meager like everything else on NBC, but it has potential, certainly doesn’t cost a lot, and really could grow. If they played it up at least half as well as Fox has been constantly whoring the hell out of Glee, it would have some real viability. Otherwise, yeah, Silverman really left everyone at the Peacock with a steaming pile of shit to deal with.
The problem for ‘Community’ is that NBC moved it to 8pm. Who puts a freshman show on a 8pm? At least on Thursdays on NBC? It needs to get some serious buzz going because – as a witty and intelligent comedy – it’s already on the bubble.
I agree. They should lead off Thursdays with 30 Rock, then Community, into The Office and finally Parks and Recreation. Strong beginning to mediocre finish, but keeps Community alive and gives Parks a chance to try and retain numbers from The Office, which it seems to have a problem doing.
The problem with advertsing Community was that the pilot was so terrible. Beyond the brilliant first minute and a half, there was nothing presentable about it. Watch the 4-minute trailer presentation; they couldn’t even edit out 18 minutes and make it funny.
Now, the second episode? Hilarious. Fucking hilarious. Nominated for a Comedy Episode, for sure. But that wasn’t filmed until August probably.
I don’t buy the above explanation. AB helped move Kings from Thursday to Sunday as soon as she got off the plane. She was high on Southland, Trauma and Mercy. Ouch. Silverman was long gone when the last two stinkers went into production.
Aaahhh. Don’t be sad. They’re all adults. Let them take responsibility for their idiocy.
Ben Silverman is my hero. He’s the Michael Chimino of our generation. Instead of burning a studio to the ground, he burned NBC’s 2009-2010 slate.
I heard the Weinstein’s want to hire him. Wait, hold on… next year. They want to hire him next year.
Where is your TOLDJA? You’ve been on their case for a long time… and you are right!
Maybe NBC could pick up two quality canceled CBS shows, from last year. “Without a Trace” which was always highly ranked in the Ratings and “The Unit” also a solid show?
I thought Trauma’s second ep was much better than the pilot. Could it be people are tiring of medical type dramas?
A what point will the affiliates rise up?
This is really sad. Who knew it would take so little to destroy the house that THE COSBY SHOW, CHEERS, FRASIER, A DIFFERENT WORLD, THE GOLDEN GIRLS, FRIENDS, WILL & GRACE, FAMILY TIES, ER, MAD ABOUT YOU, & SEINFELD (to name a few) built.
Maybe they should look into developing new sitcoms. No, I don’t mean half hour, single camera comedies. I mean sitcoms. There is nothing wrong with teh idea of a sitcom, just the talent of the writers apparently.
Sitcom, you are absolutely right. Sitcoms are not a terrible thing. I think the reason why people crap on them is because the mediocre ones seem to get better ratings. OR because shows that started off good and/or excellent became mediocre/terrible, e.g. ‘Roseanne’.
Mercy might be next. It is not doing well either.
Remember, for this NBC canceled “Life” and ordered only 13 episodes of “Chuck.”
Ben Silverman alone does not bear responsibility. Hollywood is filled with talent. There are many producers and writers who could have put low-cost and original programming based on characters a broad audience would like on the air for NBC. This is a team achievement at NBC.
Yeah it’s funny that the middle management in network and studio development at NBC — the geniuses who passed on shows like House, Desperate Housewives and The Mentalist — don’t ever get brought up in discussions like these. I’d love to see some of those names named in a forum like this.
Ask any producer/creator of virtually any hot show on a competing network what their NBC meetings were like for the same show they’re now running and they’ll tell you horror stories about the NBC suits.
This season will be a true test of the brand because NBC has paid through the nose for some major pieces of development — JJ Abrams’ new drama and the Prime Suspect remake. It’s going to be funny to see NBC screw those shows up.
Nikki is dead right about the destruction of a brand, but who is actually perpetrating that destruction? Not the viewers…not Ben Silverman (who still get a producer credit on the network’s two highest rated series!)…it’s the EXECUTIVES.
Jeff Zucker definitely deserves the lion’s share of the blame.
NBC :CALL ME: I’ve got some “good” show ideas for you. Obviously the people you’ve been dealing with are idiots. You need to talk to someone new.
Damn.. I was really looking forward to Southland. What are the executives at NBC smoking?
Wasn’t Star Trek on NBC in the 60’s?: “She’s dead, Jim.”
GE: “Take my network, please.”
You must be one of Leno’s comedy writers, right?
“Too dark and gritty for broadcast television.” There’s an embarrassment of riches, and then there’s just plain embarrassment. Please, Comcast, anybody; buy NBC, kick the Zucker regime out and start from scratch. This is the World Championship Wrestling of prime time networks in its mismanagement and utter denial of reality.
what about Parenthood?
As long as they continue to renew Chuck, I don’t care in the slightest what they do with the other timeslots.
Oh they’ll keep renewing it… They’ll just never air them…
That’s how they roll…
Then give us back LIFE
I agree. LIFE was SO good and drew decent ratings (esp. compared to what they’re getting this season). I’m glad they renewed Chuck but that’s the only good decision they’ve made this year.
“Too dark and gritty”???!!! Are you fucking kidding me? The only thing dark and gritty about Southland was the static when my cable went out in the middle of the show. That, my friends was some pretty damn entertaining static.
“Coming next fall to NBC: “Test Pattern”.
Honestly, if Southland is too dark for people, the only things lighter are cartoons and the disney channel. Come on people!
To me, this sounds like just desserts: NBC which owns Syfy, killed off no end of good genre programming for the sake of crappy wrestling shows.
IN my opinion, this is just what they deserve.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
NBC has only 8 hours of scripted programs scheduled next week. That’s for the entire week folks. Hopefully the death of NBC will mark the beginning of a new investment to writers. The reality / talk show format is easy, mindless garbage and NBC is paying the price for it. We’re in the midst of a huge shift in media and this will be just the first card to fall. Interesting times.
It might be mindless garbage but that mindless garbage is beating and coming close to beating the mindless scripted dramas on ABC, at a much lower cost.
Can you say The Forgotten, Eastwick, both tied or lost to Leno. He’s not going away, maybe when the writers get that through their thick heads they will learn something. Tuesday night was a great example of how an cheap program can beat a high priced one. NBC – ABC.
But cheap Leno and other cheap programming gets much lower advertising revenue. So, a good part of your logic doesn’t hold.
Additionally, when you have a scripted hit, the long-term revenue is awesome. This fact, along with what used to be the love of creating quality, interesting shows, is what drove Hollywood.
But then you get GE involved, which has no creative interests — just money interests, and the Wall Street driven mentality of short-term returns for hungry shareholders in order to justify large paychecks for management … Leno and all the other crap on NBC was born. Wall Street is not into risk right now, and Hollywood is the ultimate risk-taking business — a disconnect.
Furthermore, while the other studios may not be run nearly as corporate as GE’s NBC, they all suffer from variations of it. The “suits” make more and more of the creative decisions than ever before. I’ve heard casting director after casting director complain about how they used to be able to make most casting decisions, but now there are more than a dozen suits who have to confirm everything down to a non-speaking co-star. Show decisions are increasingly based on precedent and models, not necessarily the writing or the creativity. Nearly all the independent production houses are gone. NBC, CBS, ABC all make shows for each other — talk about inbreeding. Show creators have to become magicians to get attention and get something green lit. The allowance of these studios to become monopolies of content and distribution is going to become their downfall because in reality they need to have fostered creative independence to supply them with the content, choice, and quality they desperately need.
yes Jay is on at 10 but by no means is NBC driven by “reality/talk-show formats.” Out of all the major networks besides CW, NBC has the smallest reality department and programming. NBC’s resistance to jump on the reality bandwagon and stick to its guns of comedy/mature drama is probably the reason it is in last place. NBC stood its ground when everyone else changed and is now changing, not necessarily in the right direction. But the main problem isn’t the programming, it’s that no one is watching NBC. Basically every show on every network is exactly the same, it’s just large scale migrations that occur cyclically every year according to what’s hot that season. It’s not AMC, people. It’s broadcast television.
Still, NBC has, without a doubt, the funniest comedies on network television. But, no one is watching and America is full of idiots. Which begs the question…how IS Leno doing so poorly?
First off, what is the NBC insider complaining about Leno for at this point? While I’m not a fan of him taking up 5 hours of prime time either, at this point NBC needs him to fill up the schedule. If they cancel Mercy and Trauma along with Southland, that’s a HUGE chunk of prime time real estate, and they really don’t have much to fill it with.
Hopefully at this point they bring back Chuck earlier than they intended, and give it the back 9. It might not be a ratings barnburner, but it’s pretty solid and has a fiercely loyal fan base. It also has a marquee sponsor willing to stick by the show, and plenty of product placement opportunities in the Buy More set.
Journeyman, Moonlight and Life. All good and original programming. But they killed all the good shows for the same old stuff that gets regurgitated on every network. Cop show number 500, medical drama number 2000. It’s just sad.
I’m adding to my own (prior) post!.. I forgot one of my favorite nets. FX Oops ..so,maybe,but like someone else observed, they’ve got a boatload of new series..but it’s possible.
Moonlight was on CBS
Also, what about letting the terrific Medium go to CBS? Hello??Nobody here has mentioned The Office, or Emmy darling, 30 Rock..surely SOMEONE finds them watchable?! I also heard Parks & Recreation is funny but I haven’t seen it, personally..
It’s really the drama area that is on life support, there..saw one episode of Mercy..just average..Trauma? don’t care..boring..
I have been a L&O fan but really..it’s time to put it out to pasture already.even though I like Anthony Anderson…even SVU, which I loved for years is tired..
I was looking forward to Southland..Admire their determination to set it up elsewhere..Lets play a fun game: who will buy SOUTHLAND?:-)
CBS? Nope.. no room for another cop/crime show
ABC? HM..doesn’t feel much like an ABC show..not a ’soap’ ala Housewives or Bros & Sisters..or a sci-fi thriller/soap (Lost, FlashForward)…their one ‘cop’ show is CASTLE (which actually would be compatible w/BONES!)
FOX?? Hm..maybe..IF they had 10:00 programming ..speaking of which why DOESN’T Fox have 10pm programming by now?!Guess those Fox news junkies gotta have their 10 oclock fix..
TNT? might’ve worked but it’s too close to DARK BLUE and doubt Michael wants to piss off Jerry.
USA very unlikely..not ‘jokey’ enuf
not in the Showtime zeitgeist- BROTHERHOOD was terrific, but it was odd man out amongst the dark comedies and historical soaps..and they never promoted it properly
HBO,hmm.. maybe, but they’ve got to roll out TREME, BOARDWALK EMPIRE, etc and re-define their drama brand..surely not a fit w/TRUE BLOOD, is it?!
FX..maybe, if as someone said, they didn’t just pick up three new drama series..but at least it’s a tonal fit..
So now we come to the most likely choices:
AMC-Respectful of top showrunners..big on critically acclaimed niche shows..a good bet A&E..they need a scripted hit,(The Cleaner-gone, The Beast, rip Patrick-gone) and a Wells ‘get’ would be good for them
Starz which is really not on most people’s radar but maybe this could help? Longshot..
so there you are..my bet: AMC or A&E whoever pays the freight.! Curious what you think, Nikki.
ANyway, when NBC is doing this to someone as powerful(WGA prez anyone?) and talented as John Wells, you KNOW they don’t give a rat’s ass about scripted over there..its bottom line bottom line cost efficiencies blah blah blah..so sad..Angela has got her work cut out for her.
I like her…I wish her luck.
You are right. I meant to say Medium. That’s what I get for posting when I’m sleepy.
My teenage daughter still has her Moonlight posters on her bedroom wall. It was a cult favorite.
Parenthood easily looked like one of the most promising shows of the current slate, but who know when it will be coming out. They’d be lucky if they actually produce episodes this year, thanks to the difficulty of finding a good female lead (latest rumor is Lauren Graham, who luckily shouldn’t be too expensive, thanks to the relative failure of her feature career).
Of the shows NBC has in development:
- 100 Questions: Can’t see it being a hit, too generic, and covers much of the same ground as many of the comedy endeavours CBS has made of late.
- Breakthrough with Tony Robbins: Might tap into the Biggest Loser crowd, but I wouldn’t count on it. Audiences are getting sick of these lifestyle shows.
- Day One: Basically cancelled. Unless it has amazing ratings in its mini-series run, it’s too expensive a proposition for NBC.
- Marriage Ref: Probably NBC’s best new show, which isn’t saying much. The Seinfeld name doesn’t carry what it used to. Has a chance of doing well, but I’d be surprised if it was a breakout hit.
- Persons Unknown: Might do well if it can tap into the Flash Forward crowd, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.
- Sing Off: Didn’t NBC learn their lesson with Clash of the Choirs? Glee isn’t rating that well to prompt a resurgence of interest in this arena.
- Who Do You Think You Are?: This actually gets my vote as NBC’s most promising new show. That said, I’m not expecting anything above niche ratings. Local productions have done very well in the UK and Australia, but we’ll see whether US audiences have the same level of interest (they won’t). Probably would have been a better pickup by Bio or A&E.
Wasn’t Angela Bromstad at the programming helm when NBC green-lit the show as well as season 2? True she didn’t develop it, but she produced it. Oh, and Trauma. Oh, and Mercy….
I realized recently there is not much on NBC that I want to watch. I do not understand the Jay Leno programming choice. Aren’t his numbers sink? Who at the network thought- the numbers are sinking, let’s double down?
And to be permanently replaced by Dateline, soft porn docs to be turned into MSNBC weekend upchuck. Yuck. Too bad. Maybe CBS can save Southland the way it saved Medium. Trauma sucks. But Southland?
The network has a well written, acted and directed new series, “MERCY” featuring a srong feamle lead. Reminds me of a Brandon type of show, like “Hillstreet Blues”. Also, NBC has the 2010 Olympics which will be a ratings winner and drive a lot revenue. Leno is fighting the good fight and will have some nights that cannot compete against the top shows. Overall his numbers hold up even when compared to the competition, without successful lead-ins. To those at NBC who do not find it “fun”, go and stand in the unemployment lines like millions of Americans who are jobless and homeless are wondering how are they going to put food on a table and feed their kids.
You need to re-read Nikki’s post. She’s quoting an NBC insider, someone who works there. They find Leno an embarrassment. They want him to re-negotiate. That means, they want to pay him off to go away. He’s not gonna get a chance to compete, he’s toast. Probably around May.
Fire your darn executives “deveopling” and giving notes on these crap fests. Whoever oversees Heroes and Day One needs to go. It’s like amateur hour over there. Who cares if someone works hard if they don’t give good hopes. They are clearly out of touch with what audiences want.
Or good notes for that matter.
“Too dark and gritty for broadcast television.”
Excuse me? This wasn’t The Shield on NBC.
I really liked LIFE. The redhead actor was really fun to watch, even so the story line got low and lower. All the actors in TRAUMA are… yeah, the helicopter crash could have saved us, your so right. I was super disappointed. Could only watch the first one, then got sick. What is it with NBC? Heroes was great for 1 1/2 seasons. Now it looks like heroes gone Carnivale (in case someone can remember this great hbo programming) but only halve hearted. You sit and watch and think they only try to kill time, so you ff to the action, thank you tivo. In case of trauma, there is not even watchable special effects. Next time do a series about an american (formerly drunken doctor) body snatcher in Bangkok or Goa. There you have some original programming, jerks. Nobody wants that fake emotion of fake problems any more. Trauma is sooo fake.
NBC has been passing on so many great pitches. Especially in the hour long world. They seem tone deaf and terrified. Trauma was simply ridiculous. Testosterone driven garbage. No character development. Movie special effects on a small screen make no difference if you don’t know the characters. Did anyone read that script?
Parenthood is an incredible pilot. They should get that on now! NBC doesn’t have to implode! Jeff Zucker has just been too afraid to admit his mistakes. Hubris is what has messed with this network.
The Office and 30 Rock are absolutely terrific.
Go look at all your pitches you keep passing on because you are freaked out!
Cancelled “SOUTHLAND”!?!?! What are they thinking? This is absolutely one of the best shows in network TV. If they don’t want it maybe a cable channel will pick it up and make it even better. Sad.
NBC and Jeff Zucker could have a huge hit on their hands if they simply televised, every night, the covert footage Zucker MUST be stashing in a Zurich bank vault of members of the GE Board of Directors blowing Beelzebub in Hell. How else could Zucker keep his job? Canceling Southland goes so far beyond stupidity. It’s the wanton destruction of a Tiffany brand name.
And poor Jay Leno. After decades of faithful service to the network, to be thrown to the wolves like this is a Greek tragedy.
That was hilarious and made me laugh out loud. And I agree with the comment about Jay Leno. Despicable.
Loved Life, one of the few times that I watched NBC, other than sports and Leno. So if you cancel life then replace it with a better show…but that did not happen.
I like Leno, he show seems to be getting “it’s legs” although I don’t watch it every night. I wish him luck.
NBC news has destroyed their credibility, I don’t have a problem with MSDNC, because their business model is to be the “house network” for Democrats and they don’t hide it. NBC News on the main network has destroyed their credibility with no separation from this administration. Parent GE needs revenue from health care and green technology (driven by cap & trade) to replace billions lost in financial services, so they have backed Obama et al hoping the US government will spend billions in those areas.
NBC issues come at a terrible time as they need money from a sale to help offset further losses in commercial real estate.
Amazing that the network Grant Tinker built and the tradition of all those great shows over the last 20 years seems to have evaporated. It’s like Toyota forgot how to make cars or Nestle forgot how to make chocolate. NBC is to TV what GM is to cars.
“Amazing that the network Grant Tinker built and the tradition of all those great shows over the last 20 years seems to have evaporated.”
The same thing has pretty much happened to CBS also, when they need a new show they just put a CSI or NCIS in front of it. Television isn’t the way it was20-30 years ago and it never will b again, we have a thing called cable and satellite more choices means less viewers for the broadcast networks. If you want quality go to cable.
I just watched the DVD of “SHRINK”… I thought it was just a story. I didn’t know it was a “true” story!
Given how smart peacocks are, is the peacock the perfect metaphor for the dubious decisions made by NBC brass?
You people like a lot of bad shows.
Everything cancelled was bad, everything picked up was bad.
Community is worthy of drooling mental patients. Parks & Rec cements an hour of steaming trash.
Jay Leno could never, would never, have succeeded in primetime. Neither would any other late night host. Ever see how Conan did in prime? Letterman in prime post scandal still wouldn’t turn lights on. Late night is a niche audience.
All NBC can do is clean house and do what was done in the 80s. Develop and look for new quality programming. Do the opposite of everything done in the past three seasons.
yep. but a symptom of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result.
It is not all NBC’s fault. The world is changing and some of the old dinosaurs do not have the DNA to make the evolutionary leap. Death is never pretty. I think it is always wise to be respectful at a wake…
That show sucked
Well if it hardly even aired how would you know that it sucked??
“several network executives have said that they do not believe darker shows can be successful on network television right now.”
Yes. Because clearly Lost, Heroes, all the CSIs and Law and Orders, 24, House, and Fringe never tread into “darker” territory.
So Leno kills Southland’s ten spot so they’re forced to bump to Friday. Friday is the death slot, so why spend money on a show that will die no matter how good it is?
Oh yeah. Jay Leno.
At the expense of one of the best shows released in a long time.
Brilliant fucking move.
Network dramas are typically weak, in my opinion. I can’t buy into a storyline where nobody swears. I’m a grown man, and in my world, people swear. You could walk into a nunnery and hear swearing, so why would I believe that two Los Angeles cops aren’t swearing? You mean to tell me that a dozen people on Earth found out they have super powers, and not one of them said “Holy fucking shit”? C’mon.
But the good ones–like Law & Order–are watchable, even if they are over-stylized and melodramatic. And this butchery NBC is committing by canceling what seems to be the one drama on the network fans actually cared about seems like suicide. Yes, I’m sure it was costly, but was it as expensive as the completely ridiculous Trauma? Not a chance. And nobody even likes Trauma.
As for Leno in the 10 o’clock spot, I don’t understand the thinking. If they truly wanted to “reinvent” TV by putting comedy on at 10 while everyone else has drama, what is the top priority of that comedy? MAKING SURE IT’S FUNNY. And what’s the biggest knock been on Jay Leno since day one? THAT HE ISN’T FUNNY. The Tonight Show was never funny with Jay Leno as the host; it was comfortable, the stage looked nice, Kevin Eubanks was charming and the band was great, but Jay Leno was never funny. Headlines was funny, but Jay wasn’t. His monologue almost always had several jokes fall completely flat, sometimes he’d only ever get applause instead of laughs.
You can’t reinvent TV by airing an unfunny comedy at 10. If you want comedy at 10, make it an actual comedy, not a pseudo-chat show with an unfunny host. Make it an adult comedy, something edgy where you let them say “shit” since it’s after 10pm.
But despite all of this nonsense, it’s just going to take on person to come in and pick one show to get the whole thing turned around.
So I must assume you thought Johnny Carson wasn’t funny either?
After all, Carson always had a few joke bomb every night.
Get real, a joke that’s hysterical in the writer’s room doesn’t mean it will score with the public.
Leno is funny, but there’s so much wrong with the 10PM format that the current show is definitely not funny!
I have yet to see even one of those videos done by the rotating collection of alleged comedians to be funny.
The green car challenge is flat out stupid.
That round table with Arianna & the usual gang of idiots was really stupid.
Headlines has been cut down in time & feels rushed now.
And the monologue isn’t as sharp as it was, it’s obvious NBC has ordered him to be nicer than before.
And the weirdest thing is that Leno is finally learning to do an interview!
And I don’t know why so many of you are down on him as an enemy of scripted entertainment, Leno was a big fan of scripted entertainment, but it was for his interviews.
99% of them were scripted!
“You can’t reinvent TV by airing an unfunny comedy at 10. If you want comedy at 10, make it an actual comedy, not a pseudo-chat show with an unfunny host. Make it an adult comedy, something edgy where you let them say “shit” since it’s after 10pm.”
Smoky, you are one hundred percent correct.
Seeing as how all of Hollytown seems to retread, why not bring back something that was truly worthwhile, but make it up to date… and the present couldn’t be funnier… how about “Laugh-In”
Yeah, I’m showing my age here, but that was one of the best damn shows to ever hit the airwaves. Plus, the comedians we have out there… just a thought.
Oh and if any Execs at NBC steal this idea… I’ll see you in court. Well… a tennis court probably, but a court just the same.
Well, maybe GM will buy NBC with some stimulus money. Oh, wait. I forgot that GM executives are even more incompetent than Jeff Zucker/ Ben Silverman. You fire all your workers, put out crappy products and file for bankruptcy. Sounds like GM and NBC could fit in those categories.
NBC has been on a slippery slope for years, even when it had good shows they didn’t promote them, in the case of Criminal Intent they sent it to cable to keep Law and Order on. Dick Wolf got his 20 year pin this year, goody for him, Criminal Intent just had a grenade thrown into it, as it stands now the only one left standing on that show is The Grinning Idiot Goldbloom. God help us all if even cable is decimating a crime drama to make it more ” Light and Fluffy”. At least we have the internet, we might find something there.But I doubt it, I’m renewing my Library card, they do still have books in the real world don’t they?????
Mind of NBC Programmer reading this: “SHERIFF LOBO?! That’s the ticket! NBC proudly announces the return of BJ & THE BEAR!!!
Better yet reimagine BJ & The Bear!
NBC. It’s the new KCOP.
Could Friday Night Lights at least get a bump to mid-season? Last I heard it was slated for summer 2010 on NBC.
Let’s be realistic here… this is a great show but had no place on NBC. It was too dark. Jay Leno rocks – he’s brilliant.
I think the real issue is that NBC is probably on the block, and the network is afraid to lock in expensive, long-term commitments, because it doesn’t know what the new owners will want to do.
I agree! Southland rocks! But honestly the show WAS dark. Made me depressed after watching it.
NBC is the proof that the system is broken. They are (unfortunately) a place where the perfect “ism storm” fell.
What is that you say?
Zucker’s support of sexism, cronyism and racism in hiring, deal-making and promotion conspired to ruin the king of all networks. Ironically, this happens a half-generation after the network was saved by an African American show (Cosby).
I see the many posts here, gossipy, snarky, and self-servingly evil but none of you dares to admit that our business is infected with an out-dated sense of itself. Reilley might have saved NBC if his last name were Silverman, Southland might have had better numbers if all the cops weren’t white men and NBC hasn’t invested in a black face since Bill Cosby.
You can post that I am a racist or bitter or all the crap people post here when someone dares to say the truth but the fact remains that none of the nets are doing well and none of their line ups reflect the mixture of America and behind the camera, the system continues to hire and promote on the basis of race and gender.
This is how we die, people.
Slowly and in denial while we all try to manipulate an unfair system to our advantage.
Bill Mechanic refers to my point in his recent speech, calling it “a legacy problem” in hiring. What he didn’t have the guts to say is people feel entitled to jobs that they can’t do because of who they are and talented people get pushed aside or ignored.
For my money, NBC should just close down and let the other nets absorb the audience but to those survivors I say if you don’t change, the wolf will be at your door soon.
I enjoyed it! Looks like the next one will be better, can’t wait!
Nikki – I love your stories. I’m not in the biz but I read your website like the bible – you know everything. But I have to tell you…. I’m glad they killed Southland! We need more humor today on television. No one has any funny shows on the air – Community, the Office, SNL, Two and a half Men, How I met your mother are the only funny ones. The ABC shows are not funny. CW is killing it with the teen dramas – that’s what we all want to see. Not death and violence.
I couldn’t disagree more. We have enough humor on television and for the most part, it’s not very good. I don’t like watching shows that make me feel stupid as I am watching them. I am not an indie-freak or in the biz or anything else. I found Southland to be the one network program worth watching and proceeded to watch the network kill it before it had a chance to get off the ground. I remember several shows that were not ratings winners but were given the opportunity. Apparently those days are over which is fine because so are the days I watch network television. Please, continue to drive me away by killing the very solidly scripted program that I wanted to watch. Replace it with a cheap game show or “reality” program and continue the dumbing down of programming at NBC. Both the people who worked on that program and I deserve better treatment.
They’ll have one good show: “Friday Night Lights.” Unless they’ve devised a way to kill that, too.
The Office, Community, Parks & Rec, Chuck … all great shows and all on NBC.
NBC’s Thursday Night comedy line-up is fantastic… it’s just that except for The Office, the ratings are nothing stellar.
I loved the show. It is too bad it is cancelled. I don’t understand why, but hopefully something else will come on NBC that is just as fabulous!!!
Omg yes!!!!!! I miss the O.C too! But I like this show. I hope they keep this around. I want to see more
The O.C was amazing!!!! And I LOVE southland too!!!!!!!!!! It’s the next best thing for NBC i can’t understand why they are canceling it.
I thought Silverman did a good job of bringing high-quality shows to air during his tenure at NBC.
I hope they don’t undo everything good he did in their efforts to bring in better ratings. You don’t bring in ratings and advertising dollars with bad shows that only get on the air because they are cheap.
I really hope they didn’t do this to avoid having Medium beat a real show at Friday’s at 9 p.m. This is another NBC move made from weakness. When Parenthood had to be postponed, NBC moved up Mercy to Fall which had ended up weakening both Trauma and Mercy. I still think it all starts and ends with Zucker. This is a network that seems to reward mediocrity, attempt to cover mistakes, by making additional and bigger mistakes and seems to be on a never ending five-year plan.
NBC has a terrific Thursday Night comedy line-up. Unfortunately, save for The Office, none of them are very successful ratings-wise. But they are quality, quality shows. It’s unfortunate that those are the only primetime shows worth watching on NBC.
If they truly wanted to free up the 10 spot and stay true to thier contract with Leno why not move the show to the 7:00 spot. Wait, hear me out, I have an idea. Most stations are game shows, news mags and gossip show, rework some of Jay to have an update gossip (entertainment) update as part of the monolog and let him run interviews and gags on a pre prime time format. This kills two birds with one stone getting rid of 1 crappy News Magazine and 1 crappy Gossip Magazine and placing Leno in a place that more viewers can enjoy his (clean) brand of humor.
Law & Order had a great finish to last season and they are starting out strong with a great cast that meshes well together. SVU is good too. The rest of NBC sucks. Nothing But Crap, I say. And the Leno thing is just killing the network.
I thought this would be a one-year experiment with Leno and they signed him to two? Have they lost their minds over at Nothing But Crap? Silverman seriously needed to go but Zucker and Bromstad are the next ones toi get their pink slip and hoping soon enough! This seriously has to stop right here and now and as long as GE owns this network, somoene from there better get into Zucker’s face and just outright fire this guy NOW! Bromstad should do better but again, these were all Silverman’s ideas to start and they’re all tanking, which I truly love! BRING LAS VEGAS BACK TO NBC FRIDAYS ASAP!!
They need another Cosby Show to save this thing. I mean Cosby made Cheers into a huge ratings hit.
The network is scrambling bad enough now – can you imagine what it will be like when football goes off in January and they have to fill four more hours on Sunday?! The mind reels.
If I’m not mistaken, “Days of Our Lives” does a pretty good job in daytime, so maybe they could move that up M-F 8-9 (or 9-10), or give us more “Dateline” or extensions of “Today.” But even if that far-fetched (?) scenario occurred, then they’d move – what? “The Office” and “The Biggest Loser” currently are about the only two NBC shows to finish higher than third in time slots (boy, what a distinction). Right now, if the other NBC shows aired on CBS or ABC, they would’ve been cancelled or taken off for retooling. But the network has nothing on deck to replace their current and aging bombs, even with Leno hogging nearly a quarter of its nighttime schedule. Incredible.
If I were a NBC affiliate owner, I’d be rounding up similar like-minded folk and attack Jeff Zucker with pitchforks, tomatoes and/or tar and feathers. It’s the least he deserves for butchering the network that pioneered national broadcasting in 1927.
Mr. Immelt, Comcast is on the line. They need to adjust their offer.
“Trauma” is the perfect dumbing -down and pre-conditioning Americans will need in the future. Get used to sirens, chaos, trauma. It’s a public service broadcast. Stick to this Station!
NBC is so out of touch with its viewers! Try re-running or reviving “Life”, I’d be more than happy to watch it again.
God, SOUTHLAND was tedious–it had a bit more wattage than CBS’s FLASHPOINT, but not by much. And how did anyone at NBC think TRAUMA was going to be able to keep up those admittedly spectacular pyrotechnics week after week? Isn’t that the first rule of pilot-writing: don’t promise what you can’t deliver on a weekly basis?
“Also, what about letting the terrific Medium go to CBS? Hello??”
Though MEDIUM is anything but terrific, letting CBS have it to develop a ratings two-fer on Fridays was a seriously non-smart play.
NBC could return the MEDIUM favor by picking up THE ELEVENTH HOUR, which was getting surprisingly good toward the end of it’s only season.
Dicks.
Honestly, I lost interest in NBC after Kings was cancelled. That was a under-advertised neglected show with an excellent story.
They’ve still got American Greed on CNBC and Flipping Out on Bravo, both of which are better than anything on the flagship.
Word on the street is that “Kings” was supposed to go in the ER slot, but NBC got itchy and put “Southland” in that slot, and bumped “Kings” to the outer trackless wastes of Friday Night. I take some schedenfreude in the fact that the show that indirectly killed Kings is, itself, dead.
You and me both. It was an excellent show with a huge production value that you are seeing less and less on television. RIP Kings and Good Riddance to Southland / NBC primetime.
Southland could only work at 10PM — yet another reason the Leno blunder will kill NBC.
One day the networks will be gone…
I am so fucking happy to see the Jay Leno signing backfire on NBC. Nothing against Jay, but more against the dropping five hours of original, (hopefully) scripted programming.
Guess industry types only care about ratings and internal politics. The Office and 30 Rock are great. SNL is watchable bordering on funny when a decent host is on, Megan Fox is not a decent host. Community is overrated and I basically have no idea what else is on, but you have to give it up to The Office and 30 Rock in terms of quality.
NBC ‘fired’ Medium whose ratings were great on Monday night’s at 10:00 – Chuck has a loyal following and was picked up by NBC but – where?/when? – NBC got rid of Life which did a heck of a lot better than these other shows and now they cancel Southland before the premier – maybe when Zucker is out things will change – He destroyed the network – I hope he’s ousted sooner than later!
TV is a desert and has been so for more years than many of you have been alive.
What would save TV would be genuine mystery stories, not the current pablum that feeds the audience the obvious deductions. One has to really be thick-headed to find any fare on TV that’s remotely satisfying entertainment for anyone without a single-digit IQ.
Every show I liked on NBC they canceled. Since they cancelled “My Name Is Earl” my friends and I refuse to watch NBC. Why bother? The only show to stay on NBC is “Law and Order” and that is long over due for cancelation.
Creatively, the place is running on fumes. Good line up of comedies now on Thursday, but they’ll have to stumble into something working. Which usually happens to every network in desperation. Ultimately, execs don’t make hits, they get surprised by them. Next year, if they can do it, they’ll jam a bunch of shows on the air and see if one or two stick. Worked for ABC back in the Grey’s day, worked for CBS when Les took it over. Basically, no one could be running NBC and still if they open the floodgates and put on some free ranging material, something might work. Then we can start bagging on the next shit show network.