CBS' new medical drama, 3 lbs, is looking for some ratings help from House. How is that possible since they're on different networks and are essentially the same show? It worked for ER. When ABC moved Grey's Anatomy to the 9 pm timeslot on Thursdays this fall, it unwittingly revived ER's ratings. Nielsen statistics show 32% of Grey's Anatomy viewers are switching over to NBC at 10 pm.CBS is hoping for the same kind of success with 3 lbs, a drama about a rude-but-brilliant brain surgeon that is being called a rip-off of House (something that completely escaped me in my early review because I don't watch House). Even CBS admits 3 lbs is similar to House... but the network uses the word "compatible" to describe the similarities. CBS says it hopes The Unit provides a bunch of viewers, but it doesn't hurt that Fox's programming ends at ten, which is when 3 lbs begins.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-15-2006 @ 11:45AM
J-Spot said...
I hope the exact opposite happens: House fans see through CBS's transparent attempt to reproduce the superior show. We need to send a message to the networks that we will no longer tolerate this cynical plagiarism of other network's hits. That said, I imagine this series will do fine since CBS has somehow become #1 by being the most creatively bankrupt of all the networks.
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11-15-2006 @ 1:25PM
lizriz said...
I've always wondered if networks take that into account. I so rarely stay on the same network all night, and I can remember many awesome nights of TV that involved 3 different channels.
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11-15-2006 @ 5:31PM
Dries said...
If you've just watched a medical drama, would you watch another one (basically the same) just after that; or do you rather watch one the following night?
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11-15-2006 @ 5:19PM
Tim UF said...
again, a problem with scheduling... 3lbs will take a hit as soon as they movce that shattner me the money game show, and start airing boston legal in the 10 slot again.
(thats the only reason i watched 3lbs last night, though it was entertaining enough).
same thing happens with me when weighing what about brian vs studio 60... if away from my recorder, the choice will be studio 60. (they shouldve left kept brian in the sunday slot it was in).
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11-15-2006 @ 6:55PM
Justin said...
I saw the Shark promo, and thought . . . what a ripoff of Boston Legal.
Then I saw 3lbs, and thought its even more of a blatant ripoff of House.
Has it always been this way?
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11-15-2006 @ 8:53PM
tv junkie said...
so CBS just have to have their own medical drama. copycat.
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11-15-2006 @ 10:44PM
Grace said...
I won't be watching 3 lbs. I HATE that CBS is trying to copy HOUSE. No one or nothing else can be HOUSE.
I'll put my two cents in about Lost vs. Jericho.
I stopped watching Lost and am now watching Jericho and enjoying it a lot more.
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11-18-2006 @ 9:32PM
Lisa said...
I don't watch much TV at all. At most 1 hour a day plus a CSI now and then. But, I happened to see a preview for 3 lbs and was intrigued, so I watched. I must say I was glued to the TV for the first time in AGES. I LOVED it and have been talking about it to everyone. I don't plan on missing an episode.
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11-27-2006 @ 10:47PM
V.M.L. said...
I'm sorry but I enjoy watching 3 lbs.---mostly because Stanley Tucci's in it!
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12-18-2006 @ 3:19AM
Erick said...
I'm sorry but the author of this article is a horrible journalist. Anna Johns,how can you in your previous article denounce house by saying "I consider House, Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, and ER to be ridiculous shows." Then openly say that you don't even watch the show in the latest article "How House can help 3 lbs." Please don't tell me crap about how you don't watch it because you think it's ridiculous. If you have ever even seen it, then you would have obviously known that 3 lbs is a complete rip off of house. ??? I don't know. I'm just tired of people like you posting your opinion and writing about stuff that people actually read for honest opinions and you're really just full of shit.
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