Here's a story from today's NYTimes about the changes being forced upon Max Bickford by CBS. I wish them luck in finding their audience, but they're certainly going to lose me and other fans of more intelligent drama...

'Max Bickford' Struggles to Earn Television Tenure

Some highlights:

"the writers were told that the series was too intellectual, that its story line about college tenure was irrelevant to the audience and that Max needed a victory at the end of each episode to leave viewers satisfied."

Max should "be funnier and less somber and [...] should spend more time with his family and less with the other characters. "

"Instead of several plot lines in each episode, CBS wanted 'an emotional, driving story' focusing on the main character." CBS wants a more "traditional storytelling engine."

"the initial theme of a midlife crisis [...] is also being overhauled. Instead, the once fallible Max will turn into a professor whose wisdom helps students solve their problems."

Seems that CBS is worried that the show isn't retaining its old "Touched by an Angel" time slot audience. (Barf!)

One day, CBS will realize they don't know sh!t about good television. 'Bickford' was an excellent show, but as I've said on multiple occasions, it's difficult for anyone to watch a show that doesn't start at the same time from week to week. An intellectual show with football as a lead-in? What kind of crack are they smoking? I watch football, I like '60 Minutes', and I really enjoyed 'Bickford', but I'm not going to rearrange my life just to watch the show. The most competitive timeslot in all of television is Sunday at 9pm. Who the hell is going to risk missing <Insert HBO's best show here> or 'Alias' or 'Criminal Intent' or 'The X-Files' because CBS has delayed the airing of 'Bickford' by 35 minutes? Sure, some people, but not many.

I'm sure the '60 Minutes' audience loves football too. I can't imagine how many viewers they lose because someone flips over to watch '60 Minutes', sees football, and then watches something else.

News flash, idiots: dumbing down the show won't change anything, except possibly losing those core viewers who are so intrigued by the good stories that they put up with the time shifts. God, I hate network execs ... especially those at The Eye.

das

Am I the only one that finds Marcia Gay Harden sexy for an "older" women?

I find her sexy for any kind of woman.

das

Well I didn't read the story, just the highlights, but I have to say that if they do any of those four notes, I will no longer be watching. I wonder who's gems these notes are? He sounds like he worked for NBC at some point, maybe around the time of The John Laraquette Show, yeah, it's all coming back to me now. We had one season of a wonderfully daring show, and then season two came along and it went down the tubes.

das: Trust me, CBS executives are no less stupid then all the other network execs, just stuffier.

And as for their football coverage, it's just horrible. I'm a big football fan, and I'll watch football before most shows, but CBS needs to get out of the business on this one. It's just horrible. I've never seen a good football telecast on CBS, never!