I don't envy the network programming executives. Their task is to use prognostication to determine what shows will be picked up for the new season and where they'll go in the schedule to please not only audiences but advertisers as well. Sometimes they hit the jackpot ("Must See TV" Thursday's on NBC, "TGIF" Fridays on ABC, "Animation Domination" Sundays on Fox) and sometimes they go down in flames (Cop Rock . . . need I say more). However, when they go ahead and take a good thing and mess around with it due to fear it really ticks me off.
Case in point: the new NBC fall schedule. Personally, I felt that after years of mediocrity on Thursday nights the programming executives were about to revive "Must See TV". There were no more subpar sitcoms and reality shows to fill the blank 8:30-10:00 spot that had been the bane of the network for several seasons. Instead, each hour was filled with strong shows. My Name is Earl and The Office were moved up one hour to the 8:00-9:00 PM slot. Following would be the brand new Aaron Sorkin drama Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip which featured the return of Matthew Perry to the NBC schedule. Closing would be the long-running ER, which is still a top twenty show that could have a new lease on life with the arrival of John Stamos. Three steady hours of TV.
And, out of fear, NBC programming executives blew it by moving the show to Mondays!
They feared that Studio 60 would be beaten by CBS's CSI and ABC's Grey's Anatomy. It was a knee-jerk reaction; if they had thought it through a bit more they would have realized that they actually had a chance. CSI, while still a popular show, did lose a bit of its weekly ratings steam due to the emerging popularity of Desperate Housewives and Lost, as well as to the 200-pound gorilla that appears every January, American Idol. Meanwhile, Grey's Anatomy, which had the buzz all year, maintained the fifth or sixth ratings position throughout the season.
Due to this fear they didn't see the advantages they had in Studio 60. First, the show is created and written by Aaron Sorkin who gave us The West Wing. I'm sure there would be viewer curiosity to see if he still had what it takes after leaving the Washington DC-based drama at the height of its popularity. Next, it has an all-star cast featuring people who have already worked together. For example, Bradley Whitford and Matthew Perry previously worked together on The West Wing; Perry and Amanda Peet worked together on The Whole Nine Yards. Finally, you had Matthew Perry returning to Thursday nights on NBC after his successful 10-year run on Friends. The network could have promoted the hell out of that!
But, no. Instead, they move Studio 60 to Monday nights and move an episode of Deal or no Deal to Thursday nights at 9:00 PM, potentially leaving another gaping hole in the schedule. If they moved it up an hour and kept Earl and The Office at 9:00 PM then it would have made some sense. Instead they've produced a scenario that could make viewers jump ship and not return to ER at 10:00 PM.
They are also jeopardizing the potential success of Studio 60. Let's face it, you really need to concentrate on what's going on in an Aaron Sorkin production because they talk so damn fast. After a crazy weekend and the first day back at the office viewers don't want to concentrate on their shows. This is why Deal and The Apprentice (and Monday Night Football, for that matter) were a good fit on Monday night; you could watch them without your upper brain functions burning out.
Now, this is not the only boneheaded move the NBC executives have made for the upcoming fall season. In another brilliant programming shuffle Law & Order, which had been a staple on Wednesday nights at 10 PM and is the longest-running drama series currently running airing on television , has been moved to Friday's Fridays in order to make room for the new drama Kidnapped. This proves that the programmers have extremely short memories. Don't they remember that they tried a similar schedule change this past season when they moved L&O to 9 PM in favor of the series Heist? That didn't last too long, did it? In addition, I'm sure Dick Wolf, who gives NBC three of its more popular shows (L&O, SVU, and Criminal Intent) is probably not too happy about the change either.
So, while they do have a tough job, network programming executives don't seem to know what to do when they run into a scheduling dilemma, other than make producers, creators, advertisers, and viewers angry with their changes. Perhaps, after these schedule changes blow up in their face, programmers will get some sense to put things back they way they were.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-08-2006 @ 1:02PM
Jack said...
I don't understand your reasoning that CSI lost viewers due to shows on other nights. They lost viewers because CSI creatively is starting show cracks in its armor. Personally, I know I simply stopped watching tv for that time slot. CSI will most certainly will lose viewers to Grey's though. I do agree NBC flinched. They should have simply flipped ER and Studio 60. With Without A Trace moved to Sunday, NBC could have the best shot at locking down that 10 pm slot. These other shows on ABC and CBS do not look as good. Also, hardcore ER fans would still chose it over Grey's. It's not that they need to really protect ER since it is a veteran show and should be on its way out sooner than later.
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6-08-2006 @ 1:15PM
doc said...
Network programmers do have a tough job because they are damned if they do, damned if they don't. If Studio 60 had been left in the Thursday slot at 9 and proceeded to get hammered by CSI and Grey's there would be an uproar about 'how could you schedule a new show against these two huge hits?' But if they move it to the friendlier Monday slot and it fails, you get the 'told ya so' posts.
That said, I think moving Studio 60 out of the Thursday slot is the best thing for the show, if not for the overall NBC schedule. I understand your theory that there will be Sorkin fans that want to see the show, but I think their numbers are somewhat limited. And I think there is some overlap with that group and the CSI/Grey's viewers. They wouldn't get them all.
I also have to question your choice to use LOST as an example for what took away CSI's 'ratings steam'. LOST has enough of it's own declining rating steam to worry about and boiled off more viewers over the course of the season than CSI did.
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6-08-2006 @ 1:31PM
purpleslog said...
I have several VCR's. I could care less what night they actually air the show. If a different night keeps the Sorkin show around for a few years (and it is as good as Sports Night) that works for me.
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6-08-2006 @ 1:33PM
Toby OB said...
Morley Safer once said "Network executives should be nibbled to death by ducks."
At least the Peacock suits made the right move in placing '30 Rock' at 8:30 rather than at 9:30 on Wednesdays, where it would have been smothered against 'Lost', 'Criminal Minds', and 'AI'.
Besides screwing up 'Lost' fans by the long breaks between fresh episodes, ABC suits - especially "Darth" Bader! - make it hard for DVR/TiVo users by shoving the commercials into the middle of the show so that each episode runs over the 10 o'clock hour.
Bader takes delight in the fact that he's punishing those whose machines automatically switch over to other shows at 10 pm.
cue the ducks.....
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6-08-2006 @ 1:40PM
Dave T. said...
Richard,
The move away from thursday at nine is probably smart. Monday at 10 p.m. however sucks.
Not only is it up against football but it's too late for my wife and lots of other people who are used to decent dramas like this one at 8 or 9 like West Wing was (both at different times). This would actually fit in perfectly wednesdays at nine. However then it would follow 30 Rock, another show about backstage life on a sketch comedy. Or nine oclock after Friday Night Lights...mm now theres an idea. Monday is a day when I don't think of tv because the work week has just started and I don't want to think too much> nothing good is ever on Monday nights. I think the last time any hourlong butted heads well against football was Ally McBeal. And that was on earlier. Why does Heroes get the 9 p.m. slot an dnot Studio 60? I haven't watched heroes yet but the pilot for Studio 60 is really promising. It'll be a shame if it gets the shaft because of poor placement in the schedule.
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6-08-2006 @ 1:44PM
Joobie said...
I, for one, am glad they moved Studio 60 -- not because I heart cowardice or anything like that, but because I feel viewers don't win when networks pit great shows against each other. I have more of a 'share the wealth' type policy where I think viewers benefit by having great shows spread throughout the week. With Everwood no longer on Monday nights, I personally am looking forward to having new NBC shows to watch then rather than a glut of good TV competing on Thursday nights.
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6-08-2006 @ 2:07PM
Dani said...
I had really been looking forward to Studio 60 on Thursdays at 9 since I will not watch CSI:Daddy & Electra. Yes, I can tape it (if I can get my VCR to work that is), but that does not help the ratings of the show any. As long as the execs on all of the networks play with the timing I will not waste money on a Tivo.
If competition is the aim why doesn't Fox move American Idol to Thursdays at 9?
Tuesday nights will be an absolute killer: House, CI and Veronica Mars all on at 9. Again I can tape one of them but that will not help the ratings any.
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6-08-2006 @ 2:09PM
Steve said...
Tv Shows are on at certain times? I have a Tivo and I've forgotten that.
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6-08-2006 @ 2:18PM
Tripp said...
I actually was hoping it would get moved to Thursday. I have grown to hate CSI and now I need something new to watch in it's place and since I didn't want to catch up to Grey's Anatomy I was really looking forward to Studio.
I think it rather ironic that the programmers cared. How many times have I read that the new show creators are dismayed to find out they are going against powerhouses and know if they fail they will get canceled? Now the programmers have a decent show that has the best chance of succeeding at the competition and instead they put it to a more conservative timeslot.
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6-08-2006 @ 5:01PM
masked scheduler said...
This whole discussion is predicated on the assumption that Studio 60 will succeed in a more protected time period. Having seen the pilot I believe that is doubtful...very inside and self-important.
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