Low-rated TV shows set to get the boot

[John]

Low-rated TV shows set to get the boot

By TOM DORSEY
The Courier-Journal


Network executives are burning the midnight oil in Los Angeles these days, trying to design schedules for the fall TV season. About 35 or 40 new series will get a shot at making the lineup, which means that many of the shows on the air right now won't be four months from now.

Almost any show in the top 25 is assured of being renewed. There will be another "Joe Millionaire" of some sort on Fox after that show finishes the season at No. 3 in the season standings.

"CSI: Miami" is a shoo-in at No. 12 on CBS. Newcomer "Without a Trace" is a sure thing at 16. So is "My Big Fat Greek Life" at 32 on that network.

But keep your eye on NBC's "Good Morning Miami." It's 25th in the rankings but fails to hold onto more than 2 million people watching "Will & Grace" which is on right before it. Losing a large lead-in audience is a big no-no in network television and could mean lights out for the series.

Viewers never found "Cedric the Entertainer" (97) that entertaining, and now Wanda Sykes' new sitcom (35) is attracting 3 million more viewers for Fox in that time spot. Say good night, Cedric.

NBC's "Third Watch" (43) could be in trouble. ABC's "Monday Night Football" (11) pummels it in the fall, and CBS' "Everybody Loves Raymond" (8) beats up on it all season long. That doesn't leave a lot of audience for this fine drama.

"Crossing Jordan" (45) is on the fence too. Jill Hennessy's NBC series could be deader than one of her corpses since the show lost over 5 million viewers from last season. No doubt about why. "CSI: Miami" (12) waltzed in and took over Monday nights at 10 for CBS.

"Becker" (48) had better watch out on CBS. At this time last year, Ted Danson's show was 13th and had 16.3 million viewers. Now it's down to 7.5 million, and CBS pulled it during the May sweeps, which is often a kiss of death.

Things are pretty iffy for "Ed" (49) on NBC too. The sweet, romantic comedy is also missing from the sweeps lineup, but it enjoyed a surge in the Nielsens for its finale a couple of weeks ago and could be back in the fall. It will be close.

Producer David E. Kelley is furious about "The Practice" being bounced from Sunday to Monday nights by ABC to make way for Dick Wolf's revival of "Dragnet." He ought to be. The legal drama has dropped from 13 million viewers last season to fewer than 7 million now. The betting is that "The Practice," at No. 52 in the ratings, will be shut down.

ABC was courting Wolf, whose "Law & Order" franchises represent a very big slice of the NBC ratings and revenue pie. For that reason ABC execs may ignore the poor showing for "Dragnet" (56).

NBC's "Boomtown" (55) recently won a Peabody award for excellence, but that probably won't be enough to save the show. The critics love its multilayered story lines and forward and backward plot development, but it has never caught on with the audience.

Several other dramas are at risk. CBS' "Hack" (67) with David Morse as a brooding cabbie is likely to get shut down.

Lots of people liked "Mr. Sterling" (57), the saga of an idealistic freshman senator, but the ratings dropped as its trial run continued, and NBC may not re-elect the series for another term.

"American Dreams" is an NBC favorite. The network has put a lot of money and promotion into the show about a 1960s teenager, but it's expensive, and at No. 65 in the season tallies, it's teetering toward cancellation. So is CBS' "The Agency," a show you might think would be going great guns with all the talk of war and terrorism. But the CIA drama is close to extinction at 77.

"Life With Bonnie" looks like a dead duck at 81 on ABC. Bonnie Hunt has just never hit it off with audiences in several sitcom tries.

The most interesting dilemma may be ABC's "Alias." The quirky spy show gets oodles of network promotion and hype. But the show about a young female agent on the run seems ripe at No.92 for being killed off. Being a network darling will only get you so far.

[Google]

 

[CaliGirl]

Out of all the shows at risk, I personally will only mourn ONE -- the wonderful ED.

I have watched this show from the beginning and have adored its humor, pathos and genuine goodness. If I sound too Betty Crockerish, it's because this show always made me feel great.

The only fly in the ointment was that annoying Phil, but I could deal with him this season because they brought in the funny and acerbic Daryl “Chill” Mitchell as Phil's foil (say that 5 times in rapid succession).

[John]

I hope Ed and Alias come back. The rest, I could care less about.

[holly71]

Producer David E. Kelley is furious about "The Practice" being bounced from Sunday to Monday nights by ABC to make way for Dick Wolf's revival of "Dragnet." He ought to be. The legal drama has dropped from 13 million viewers last season to fewer than 7 million now. The betting is that "The Practice," at No. 52 in the ratings, will be shut down.
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I'm sure moving to Monday didn't help "The Practice", but the show had been going downhill for a while BEFORE ABC moved it. It just hasn't been good for a long time...
BTW ~ WHAT is the DEAL with Laura Flynn Boyle's lips?!?! She definitely got them injected, & they are way too big. Looks like someone punched her in the mouth.

[John]

I agree. If your show gets moved to a worse time slot, chances are you need to improve the show, rather than b*tch about being moved.

[sher]

if they get the boot, i'm really going to miss alias and american dreams.

other shows that just disappeared that i still wonder about are: less than perfect and do over. what happened to those shows? cancelled?! everything i like gets cancelled....grumble grumble

[Mdrio9]

"American Dreams" is an NBC favorite. The network has put a lot of money and promotion into the show about a 1960s teenager, but it's expensive, and at No. 65 in the season tallies, it's teetering toward cancellation.

NOOO!!! They can't!! It's such a great show! I'd be so pissed and bummed if NBC cancelled it. More people should check this show out.

The most interesting dilemma may be ABC's "Alias." The quirky spy show gets oodles of network promotion and hype. But the show about a young female agent on the run seems ripe at No.92 for being killed off. Being a network darling will only get you so far.

If ABC executives value their lives, they'd keep this show going. I don't know if I could live with this show being cancelled. It's been picked up for a 3rd season though, right?

[John]

Not yet, Mdrio.

I think you're confusing it with 24, which has been picked up.

[BravoFan]

I'm bummed that Without a Trace is not ranked higher than CSI Miami! WAT blows away Miami.

[Ilikai]

Crossing Jordan may go?!??!?! If that happens then the world will be a sucky place to live :mad: I know Joeguy won't like hearing Alias is on the block either.