ABC Slashes '10-8,' 'Big House' Orders
12-09-03, 06:34 PM
#1
Guest
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Glendale, next to L.A.
Posts: 18,484
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
ABC Slashes '10-8,' 'Big House' Orders
Thanx to cwoody222 at the Tivocommunity forum
http://www.thefutoncritic.com/cgi/go...wswire&id=6295
Tuesday, December 9, 2003 - 8:18 AM
By Brian Ford Sullivan
CHICAGO (thefutoncritic.com) -- ABC has rolled back its full season commitment to its freshman drama "10-8," opting to produce just 15 episodes of the series this season.
The drama is now expected to wrap its season in February so that the network can use its Sunday, 8:00/7:00c time period to launch one of its midseason projects. Through nine airings this season the series, a co-production of Touchstone Television and Spelling Television, has averaged 8.3 million viewers.
In addition, ABC has trimmed its previously announced 13-episode order for its midseason comedy "The Big House." The Kevin Hart-led series, which comes from 20th Century Fox Television and Imagine Television, will produce only six episodes this season.
Both cutbacks however haven't stopped ABC from ramping up production on its veteran series. Yesterday the Alphabet ordered additional episodes of both "The George Lopez Show" and "According to Jim" (read the story). The network also confirmed today it has picked up four extra installments of fellow vet "My Wife and Kids," bringing its season total to 26 episodes.
As for midseason, ABC has a whopping 10 series sitting on the bench in addition to "The Big House": the Steven Weber-led drama "The D.A.," Stephen King's "Kingdom Hospital," an untitled drama about upper-crust New Yorkers and their servants from producers Christopher Keyser and Amy Lippman, the U.K. reality import "The Swap," the series version of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," and new episodes/seasons of "The Bachelorette," "Celebrity Mole," "N.Y.P.D. Blue," "Karen Sisco" and "The Drew Carey Show."
I really like 10-8, so this is a shame that they are doing this. I hope that they bring it back next year!
Chris
http://www.thefutoncritic.com/cgi/go...wswire&id=6295
Tuesday, December 9, 2003 - 8:18 AM
By Brian Ford Sullivan
CHICAGO (thefutoncritic.com) -- ABC has rolled back its full season commitment to its freshman drama "10-8," opting to produce just 15 episodes of the series this season.
The drama is now expected to wrap its season in February so that the network can use its Sunday, 8:00/7:00c time period to launch one of its midseason projects. Through nine airings this season the series, a co-production of Touchstone Television and Spelling Television, has averaged 8.3 million viewers.
In addition, ABC has trimmed its previously announced 13-episode order for its midseason comedy "The Big House." The Kevin Hart-led series, which comes from 20th Century Fox Television and Imagine Television, will produce only six episodes this season.
Both cutbacks however haven't stopped ABC from ramping up production on its veteran series. Yesterday the Alphabet ordered additional episodes of both "The George Lopez Show" and "According to Jim" (read the story). The network also confirmed today it has picked up four extra installments of fellow vet "My Wife and Kids," bringing its season total to 26 episodes.
As for midseason, ABC has a whopping 10 series sitting on the bench in addition to "The Big House": the Steven Weber-led drama "The D.A.," Stephen King's "Kingdom Hospital," an untitled drama about upper-crust New Yorkers and their servants from producers Christopher Keyser and Amy Lippman, the U.K. reality import "The Swap," the series version of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," and new episodes/seasons of "The Bachelorette," "Celebrity Mole," "N.Y.P.D. Blue," "Karen Sisco" and "The Drew Carey Show."
I really like 10-8, so this is a shame that they are doing this. I hope that they bring it back next year!
Chris
12-09-03, 07:03 PM
#5
DVD Talk Hero
Agreed. It's bad but not certain death. ABC's made a commitment to almost everything they have, which doesn't leave much room for new stuff. This is their way testing the waters with some of that new material. If it doesn't go over well, I would think 10-8 could return. They really don't have anything else on the air that fits well in that Sunday 8pm timeslot, and it's a good "family" type show for a network that claims to still aim for quality family programming.
It's always hard to tell, but I get the impression that they're just trying to find some room to test the new stuff and it's the weak link vs. the situation where they're looking to drop it as soon as they can. Let's hope that's the case.
das
It's always hard to tell, but I get the impression that they're just trying to find some room to test the new stuff and it's the weak link vs. the situation where they're looking to drop it as soon as they can. Let's hope that's the case.
das
12-09-03, 07:23 PM
#7
DVD Talk Hero
I've really enjoyed it. It's the kind of show you can watch with your family, and it has a very warm and positive nature to it. It's a good, solid program.
There's a thread on it here: http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...hreadid=334365
das
There's a thread on it here: http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...hreadid=334365
das
12-10-03, 05:43 AM
#10
DVD Talk Special Edition
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 1,739
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: ABC Slashes '10-8,' 'Big House' Orders
Originally posted by mrpayroll
As for midseason, ABC has a whopping 10 series sitting on the bench in addition to "The Big House": the Steven Weber-led drama "The D.A.," Stephen King's "Kingdom Hospital," an untitled drama about upper-crust New Yorkers and their servants from producers Christopher Keyser and Amy Lippman, the U.K. reality import "The Swap," the series version of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," and new episodes/seasons of "The Bachelorette," "Celebrity Mole," "N.Y.P.D. Blue," "Karen Sisco" and "The Drew Carey Show."
As for midseason, ABC has a whopping 10 series sitting on the bench in addition to "The Big House": the Steven Weber-led drama "The D.A.," Stephen King's "Kingdom Hospital," an untitled drama about upper-crust New Yorkers and their servants from producers Christopher Keyser and Amy Lippman, the U.K. reality import "The Swap," the series version of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," and new episodes/seasons of "The Bachelorette," "Celebrity Mole," "N.Y.P.D. Blue," "Karen Sisco" and "The Drew Carey Show."
I find it rather convenient that 10-8 is wrapping up in February whereas Karen Sisco is supposed to be coming back in March. How would this be for a Sunday night lineup?
8PM - Alias
9PM - Karen Sisco
10PM - Line of Fire
ABC would own me on Sunday nights.
ABC
12-10-03, 09:27 AM
#12
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 1999
Posts: 223
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ABC would have cancelled Drew Carey but for the fact that they had already ordered the entire season as part of a several season package a year or two back. They've been producing new episodes of Drew Carey even though ABC didn't really have any intention of airing them. Now, of course, with shows being axed left and right, ABC may opt to go back to what was a strong performer for them in the past and see if it'll improve ratings at all.
12-10-03, 10:40 AM
#14
DVD Talk Legend
A virtual dead heat, Rypro, at least this week:
http://tv.zap2it.com/tveditorial/tve...065|1|,00.html
At 8 p.m., CBS rode "Cold Case" to a 10.6/16 and the hourly win. FOX moved up to second with "The Simpsons" (6.1/9) and "The Bernie Mac Show" (5.7/9). ABC's "10-8" had a 5.5/8 to beat the end of NBC's "SNL" special and an encore of "The Tracy Morgan Show." The WB was right behind in fifth with a 3.8/6 for "The Wizard of Oz" (the Frog actually topped NBC for the hour in total viewers).
The CBS Sunday movie "Undercover Christmas" began at 9 p.m. with an 11.3/17, well in front of second place ABC's 5.4/8 for "Alias." NBC was third with the beginning of "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," which beat "Malcolm in the Middle" (5.1/7) and "Arrested Development" (3.9/6) on FOX. The ending of "Oz" and a "Run of the House" episode kept The WB in fifth.
The CBS Sunday movie "Undercover Christmas" began at 9 p.m. with an 11.3/17, well in front of second place ABC's 5.4/8 for "Alias." NBC was third with the beginning of "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," which beat "Malcolm in the Middle" (5.1/7) and "Arrested Development" (3.9/6) on FOX. The ending of "Oz" and a "Run of the House" episode kept The WB in fifth.
12-10-03, 01:07 PM
#15
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Re: ABC Slashes '10-8,' 'Big House' Orders
Originally posted by ENDContra
Question: now Ive never watched NYPD Blue or Drew Carey on anything close to a regular basis, but these shows have been around awhile...Im very surprised to hear them being mentioned as "midseasons replacements." Is there something Im missing?
Question: now Ive never watched NYPD Blue or Drew Carey on anything close to a regular basis, but these shows have been around awhile...Im very surprised to hear them being mentioned as "midseasons replacements." Is there something Im missing?
12-10-03, 03:58 PM
#17
DVD Talk Special Edition
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Posts: 1,882
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As an employee of an ABC affiliate, I am pretty ticked off at their stupid decisions. 10-8 is a decent show, I hope they bring it back. And more episodes of According to Jim, My Wife & Kids and George Lopez? I've honestly never heard of anyone watching these for entertainment. Though truthfully I expect when a show I like is created, for it to be cancelled before its time. Seems like the only wise decision ABC has made in recent memory is to renew Alias.
As long as they don't touch Alias with a 10, no make that an 11 foot pole, I suppose I'll put up with them. It's easily their best show IMHO.
As long as they don't touch Alias with a 10, no make that an 11 foot pole, I suppose I'll put up with them. It's easily their best show IMHO.
12-10-03, 07:48 PM
#18
DVD Talk Hero
You should get out and talk to the viewers more, because people love According to Jim, My Wife and Kids and George Lopez. 
These are very popular shows. Hell, I'm as bitter and jaded towards the sitcom as they come, and even I think According to Jim is one of the funniest things on TV today. I know that's hard to imagine, considering the star, and it's the last show I thought I'd end up liking, but it's damn funny.
das
These are very popular shows. Hell, I'm as bitter and jaded towards the sitcom as they come, and even I think According to Jim is one of the funniest things on TV today. I know that's hard to imagine, considering the star, and it's the last show I thought I'd end up liking, but it's damn funny.das
12-10-03, 08:13 PM
#19
DVD Talk Hero
I have to agree w/ das - According to Jim isn't too bad and it has it's moments where its pretty damn funny. Doesn't hurt that is has Courtney Thorne-Smith and Kimberley Williams either.
