whoopdido

This topic has probably been discussed numerous times, but I just saw an article on msn or yahoo or something that 30 shows won't be back next year and it listed which ones and how long they ran. One show (Quarterlife) aired exactly 1 episode. Viva Laughlin aired 2. Numerous shows aired 6-8. I know Drive lasted for like 3 or 4 weeks. Same with Kidnapped. I'm not saying those shows were good, but why can't the networks give them a little more time?

The first episode of Cheers ranked dead last in the Neilsen rankings. The ratings for Seinfeld were atrocious its first year. Those are the two main ones that come to mind but I'm sure there are other shows that didn't start off popular but gained momentum after some time.

So why do some shows get the ax so quick? Is it simply a money thing? There's a lot of pressure on a new show to perform well right out of the gate. I never even knew Quarterlife was on. Maybe the second show would have been more popular but we'll never know. Come on...1 episode before it gets cancelled! I don't get it.

RichC2

It's a variety of things these days.

Generally shows don't get axed after 1 episode unless the ratings are just unbearably low, or low and just flat out disliked by the execs. But more plays into it - and executives do have pull. Viva Laughlin was doomed on CBS, they're probably the most "ratings" based network out there.

Generally shows will get a few episodes and they will monitor ratings, if it shows an increase, especially in the key demo, it will remain on the air and be given time to grow. On top of that, if the network heads are fans of a show (such was the case of (apparently) X-files, Arrested Development, and 30 Rock) it gets more room to wiggle. Critically successful shows also have pull (FNL).

In the end though, they aren't going to waste money on a show that won't yield profit if it shows no hope.

Michael Corvin

Yeah, for the ones that are yanked after one or two episodes you have to think they are just airing it because they paid for it to be produced. They probably already know how bad it is but throw it on the schedule anyway since it's paid for. They see that they were right after it tanks and yank it.

DJariya

I think it's definitely all about the money. If an episode of a new fall show tanks in overall viewership and the 18-49 demos after 1 or 2 airings, I think the advertisers will start pulling their money out for the spot time they bought for that show. In that case, there is simply no point to continue airing the remaining produced episodes. Yeah, they spent the money, but when your not making a dime off it, then they might as well take a hit on the money already spent on the series.

Television is alot more cutthroat then it was back in the 80's and early 90's. Anything that airs on CBS that gets below 10M viewers is already on the chopping block. One exception is probably Ghost Whisperer, which gets around 9M viewers, but does well in the demos.

Rex Fenestrarum

Yeah, it's kind of sad how quickly shows get yanked these days.

Back in the 1970s, networks ordered x number of shows, and aired all of them no matter what. So if, say, CBS thought a show was going to tank after a couple of episodes, they would still run all the remaining episodes anyway, even if they were still in production.

That's exactly happened to "The Match Game". Initially it was very tame, and the ratings weren't that good. 5 or 6 episodes in, CBS told the producers that the show was going to be canceled. The writers just said "screw it, let's have some fun" and started inserting racy double entendres into questions that the show would become famous for. Ratings went through the roof, and TMG went on to become the highest-rated game show of the 70s.

Nowadays, they'd just yank it after 1 episode.

DJariya

Nowadays networks can't afford to be patient with shows that aren't hits right out of the door.

Production costs and star salaries have sky rocketed and are mostly to blame. I heard most 1 hour dramas can cost anywhere from $2M to 5M per episode to produce. And especially with some actors earning anywhere from $500K to 600K per episode, I can understand that these shows need to be hits right away in order for the networks to continue paying the bill. I recall reading the new Bionic Woman costed an astronomical $6M per episode to produce and frankly I don't blame NBC for pulling the plug and not completing the original 13 episode order when the ratings started to tank.

Also, I heard that most 1 hour dramas need to re-air 2-3 times before they actually profit for the network.

I mean if I were a network suit who greenlighted a show that costs $4M per episode to produce, I would probably not be very patient either. That's alot of money on the line.

rfduncan

Really?!? That's just stupid considering they almost NEVER reair those episodes. I seriously doubt that Pushies Daisies will repeat a single S1 episode before it starts up again in the fall. Same with Dirty Sexy Money or LOST. And that is the best way for the networks to hook people if they missed the show this season - by repeating the entire season over the summer!

I think part of the problem with giving a new series a chance has to do with the explosion on cable/satellite channels. With so many outlets, everyone's pie slice gets slimmer. They main broadcast networks refuse to admit they're going to have to deal with smaller pieces of that pie because of varied tastes and the variety of what is available for viewers these days.

RichC2

Lost gets re-aired a lot, despite terrible repeat ratings.

rfduncan

During the regular season, yes. But never in any order so someone could get caught up if they missed this season. And they will most likely stop repeating it once the season finale airs next week. I think their strategy there is to make people go out and buy the season DVDs which they with invariably release this season a week before S5 starts up again.

RichC2

*shrug* I know Seasons 1 and Season 2 were run in order, in their entirety over the summer breaks, I guess the ratings caught up to them.

DJariya

I think the repeat strategy probably only works best with Procedural dramas like CSI or House. They still get decent numbers and hence the episodes profit. Shows like Lost, 24 or even Pushing Daisies will probably only profit off DVD sales since serial dramas get terrible numbers in repeats.

Michael Corvin

Well, abbreviated runs. There aren't enough weeks in the summer for the whole season. I seem to recall them airing the ones that mattered most to the overall story. So people that missed it during the regular season would benefit waiting for a summer run so they never have to know about Jack's tattoos.

phantom_azazel

DSM had some replays in december, i was getting into it, then no more