Posted on 10/18/2006 10:04:13 AM PDT by RayChuang88
NBC ripped up its fall schedule shortly after unveiling it to advertisers last spring to protect the network's hefty investment in Aaron Sorkin's "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip."
It looks as though the fourth-place network has been ripped off to the tune of $3 million an episode.
The most-hyped show of the new TV season has become the biggest disappointment. "Studio 60" is a bust.
The drama about backstage intrigue at a "Saturday Night Live"-esque show from "The West Wing" auteur Sorkin that NBC outbid its rivals to land, is dying like one of those mirthless "SNL" sketches shoe-horned in just before the closing credits.
It's not entirely clear why, though viewers historically have not swarmed to inside showbiz dramas. It's also possible they've found Sorkin's tale of how a big-shot heroic writer deigned to return to network TV a tad smug. The allegedly brilliant work his fictional alter ego churns out seems very ordinary indeed.
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
The only shows that have attracted my wife and myself over the past few years are "Desperate Housewives" and "Grey's Anatomy". Other than that, it's The History Channel or The Military Channel for me.
I left ER when the lesbian thang was shamelessly shoved in my face. I know quite a few people who trailed off from there.
You know what show really tanking is ER
Well, we used to watch that show with some regularity--until it went completely "gay".
***
I never could get into ER -- even in the George Clooney days. And by the way, I'm probably the only woman in the world who doesn't think Clooney is attractive. He does absolutely nothing for me -- regardless of his politics.
Great point...but it'll never happen.
They are liberals before they are capitalists.
Only three shows on NBC are worth watching:
Heroes (Brings out the comic book geek in me)
My Name is Earl
The Office
I'm still bitter towards FOX for cancelling the funniest show on TV: Arrested Development
My cable signal is weak in my house, so CBS, NBC and ABC, all the channels down in the single digits, come in fuzzy. I could correct this problem with a $5.00 10 dB amplifier from Radio Shack, but I just can't be bothered.
Maybe not a bad trade off.
Maybe they can contract with YouTube/Google for an hour's worth of video clips. Or even one clip repeating over and over for an hour.
Bet the ratings would improve.
The profit margin could be immense.
I do like Jericho and Heroes, but you are correct, Heroes needs to pick up the pace...
Also, I have to give props to The Office. That is a great show, although sometimes hard to sit through (embarassing boss). Some of the things they do, no office would let anyone get away with, so they stretch it a bit, but it's still a hoot, imo.
I love "Heroes"! :-)
It depends on what you deem as "good". If you mean "good writing (without an agenda), good acting, good storylines, comedy that makes you laugh, drama that makes you cry" - there's still some of that out there, but you have to weed through the junk.
"My Name is Earl" is the funniest thing on TV right now. "Ugly Betty" is right behind. I don't watch "The Office" but I'm told it's hilarious.
"CSI" (in all its forms) - is intruiging, but creepy.
"Lost" is incredible, but you have to rent the first two seasons on DVD or you'll get, well, lost.
On cable, "Monk" and "Psych" are two comedic mystery shows that are more clever than anything on network TV.
I'm sure others can point you to "good" TV, unless ou automatically assume NEW=BAD.
I recall all the hype about this show. I never even considered watching. All that painfully hip, "insider" crap bores me. I don't care about the entertainment industry and their insights into middle America.
Alan King used to do hysterical bits about the TV lineups every season back in the '70s on some variety shows. They don't do comedy like that anymore.
-PJ
How is the Alec "I'm going to France" Baldwin show doing?
The only network shows I watch are "The Unit"(CBS), "Friday Night Lights"(NBC), "Jericho"(CBS), "Prison Break"(FOX), "Criminal Minds"(CBS), and "CSI/CSI Miami"(CBS)
I can't wait for the new season of "24" and "The Shield".
"60" just doesn't grab me the way the characters and writing on West Wing and especially Sports Night ever did and I've got a tivo full of unwatched episodes to prove it.
House still rules.
I still watch ER, and find it somewhat entertaining. But I don't like that the only "christian" character on the show, is put off like she's a weirdo jesus freak. And enough with the gay story lines already. I don't care to see two old gay men, etc. Other than that, it's still interesting and I'm still watching.
But some of my friends and my husband stopped watching a couple seasons ago, when they had Carrie and her lesbian story line going on. That "gay agenda" just does not work and no amount of showing it on TV will make it OK, imo.
Battlestar Galactica is actually a very good show. Hard to believe, if you have ever seen the 70s version.
Oh, I forgot the two most wonderful reality shows:
Mythbusters, and Extreme Makeover Home Edition.
And guilty pleasures:
Wifeswap, Dancing with the Stars, The Biggest Loser.
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