So, NBC introduced their earth-shattering year-round schedule this week to a lot of 'ho-hums' from critics and advertisers alike. Nothing really changed from the way they were programming the network for the last few years -- shows like 30 Rock, The Office and Heroes will air in September while others, like the coveted Office spin-off, will begin airing mid-season. Also, many shows will remain in the same time slots as they did in previous years.
Oh, there will be some changes. Lipstick Jungle, which most recently aired in ER's slot, will be moved to Wednesdays. In addition, Life, the surprise fan favorite of the first half of the season, will be moving out of its coveted 10:00 pm slot on Wednesdays to Friday night at the same time. The relocation of Life to the end of the week begs one question that needs to be asked to the programmers over at NBC....
What the FRAK are you thinking?
As fans of this criminal procedural know Life is more than a criminal procedural. It's a show about one man's struggle to return to a normal life after spending over a decade in prison for a crime he did not commit. It's a show about broken people trying to mend themselves. It's a show that delves into some of the philosophical questions that come up during criminal investigations. It's a serialized show that features a sub-plot concerning the lead character, Charlie Crews, trying to find out who framed him for the murder that put him in prison.
In other words, Life is a show that makes you think. And, on Friday nights, you don't want to do too much thinking. Or, to put it more succinctly: Life isn't Las Vegas.
That's why the move from Wednesdays to Fridays could mean the death of this show. Since it is a show that you need to sit and think about, there's a chance that it won't gain the increased fan base that it needs. Sure, it will probably still retain many of the fans it garnered from its pre-strike run, but how many of them will stay on when there is other original programming on during Friday nights that doesn't involve as much synaptic activity.
This actually brings up another point. With the move of Life to Friday nights the network is almost programming against itself...well, against its cable siblings at least. We're talking about the shows that air Friday nights on sister networks USA and Sci Fi; programming that actually brings in some very decent numbers. During the fall Life could be up against Psych on USA and Stargate Atlantis on Sci Fi. Come the winter it could be Psych and Battlestar Galactica that vie for the ratings numbers. And, with this being the last season for BSG, there's a pretty good chance that more people will be turning into that science fiction program then they do for a real-life action series.
Despite being one of those rare shows that didn't merit much negative coverage, Life seems to be getting the raw end of the deal here with this move. If the story of who framed Charlie was resolved at the end of the first season or it had time to establish itself as a solid ratings gatherer, I may have been okay with the schedule shift. But, since there is so much more story to tell for Crews and his partner ,it should remain on Wednesdays to give us viewers some stability and time to digest the situation. Now that it will be airing during the last primetime hour of the work week there's a very good chance that we won't get to see our friend Charlie for much longer.
Now that I've said my peace what do you think?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
4-03-2008 @ 10:28AM
Isabelle Carreau said...
The only reason why I think NBC moved "Life" there is that they want to drag people who watch "Numb3rs" to NBC. Both are procedurals so... but "Life," as you mention it, is much more than a procedural. I'm not sure though the NBC people who make the scheduling know this.
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4-03-2008 @ 10:50AM
Adam said...
Yeah, it was nice seeing Life while it lasted. I was hoping the first run of BSG would be over before Life returned in the fall, but if SciFi does the logical/right thing then BSG's entire Season 4 will be aired with little-to-no break which would make Life a direct competitor. My plan is to watch the midnight showing of BSG and watch Life at 10. I wonder if other fans will do the same? It would make sense than fans of BSG would like Life b/c they are both good dramas w/ solid writing which aren't really about their genre. Calling life a procedural is like calling BSG a sci-fi show, thats just the tip of the iceberg.
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4-03-2008 @ 11:11AM
kevjohn said...
Friday. At 10 pm.
I got no effing comment for this bull....
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4-03-2008 @ 11:21AM
Riley Freeman said...
I think since Seinfeld they havent known what to do with anything.
Please rememebr these are the people that put the worst performing of the 3 law and order shows on a good night and the one that performs second best (but is still my fav) on the friday night slot. Now they fixed it this year but still shows NBC as a bunch of idiots. I dont like too many cop shows and I am not a fan of CSI especially ny and miami is the same bloody show with the same personalities. but life was a really good show it had a great story and i was really curious to see what happened. but now this thing we can put the countdown to its death.
Thanks again Nothing But Chumps NBC
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4-03-2008 @ 11:57AM
DaveTehWave said...
TiVo FTW!
Although I agree w/ your opinion about NBC being idiots of another kind... I mean come on, Knight Rider?
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4-03-2008 @ 12:02PM
Jeff N. said...
Life will be cancelled after 5 episodes are shown. What a horrible thing to do to such a promising TV show. NBC rather promote the heck out of Knight Rider than help this much better show.
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4-03-2008 @ 12:32PM
Jennifer said...
Yeah, pretty much. I like the show, but I was shocked it got a second season in the first place. I always suspect that putting a show on a bad night is intended to kill it anyway.
(Really, why don't they put the reality shows on Friday nights? You want non-thinking TV? You want to bring in the sheep viewers? There ya go.)
4-03-2008 @ 12:31PM
Evan said...
they cancelled Journeyman... what did you expect?
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4-03-2008 @ 12:37PM
Europa said...
I'm not sure I like its new time slot either. I don't care how popular a show is, any time you move it from its original slot there are bound to be a significant portion of the audience not able to find it in the new slot and or forgetting that it has moved. However, having said that, if "Life" could survive being placed after the horror that was The Bionic Woman (and thank God NBC decided not to give that a second season) then it's possible it could survive anything. There’s always hope. Besides, maybe NBC is thinking all the brainless people will be out partying on Friday night leaving the "thinkers" at home to watch the show. :D
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4-03-2008 @ 1:00PM
Chaz El said...
Arrrrghh! Certain death for yet another show I dig! I hope the show retains the fans it's already accrued.
I've actually been re-watching the show over at Hulu.com and it's just such a delight...
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4-03-2008 @ 1:15PM
sharynkopf said...
Am I the only one who doesn't care what night shows are on? I DVR everything, watch mindless shows on Fridays, if I'm home, & save criminal procedures, etc. for when I feel like putting a little more thought into it. Many of the cable shows mentioned, like Psych & Battlestar Gallactica, are re-aired several times anyway. In other words, I do my own "scheduling."
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4-03-2008 @ 1:46PM
Franklin said...
I do exactly the same thing and have everything pre-scheduled to record to the point that I really don't even remember what night most of my favorite shows actually air.
That being said, the current, inaccurate and antiquated method of gathering ratings will be detrimental to this show since it seems most Nielsen families go out on the weekends. I guess ya gotta be an alcoholic to get in with Nielsen! :-)
4-03-2008 @ 1:31PM
AJ MacReady said...
I was very happy to hear that Life had been renewed. It amazed me that both it and Journeyman ended up being my favorite new shows last year. But then - NBC being what it is - the bottom fell out.
Journeyman, a phenomenal show with wit and heart and thrills, is canceled. Life is placed in a slot where it will almost CERTAINLY be canceled. I wonder if they brought it back only because some NBC exec lost a bet, was forced to renew it, and this is how they can still kill it while honoring the bet's terms.
Meanwhile, Knight Rider gets picked up as a series. And I further lose my faith in network TV's ability to create, program, and nurture quality shows.
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4-03-2008 @ 1:40PM
VP said...
F**K NBC. A two year old can run a corporation better than these bozos? Knight Rider gets a prime time wednesday slot yet they push Life to the deathslot? Why Why Why? Every show i like is getting the death treatment. First Cane, then Jericho then Life. Yet i am sure NBC will air my dad is a bigger asshole than your dad on mondays at 9PM.
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4-26-2008 @ 1:07AM
Tigre said...
LMAO!!!
Since I'm either watching some other shows or resting my eyes ;) during this time I'm gonna have to set the dvr for this and hope that I don't get a black screen.
Whoever thought this was a good idea over at NBC are idiots. If they didn't want this show to compete with Lost then they should've moved it to 9pm on Thursday or hell even 8pm is doable but 10pm on Friday.... NO!
4-03-2008 @ 1:43PM
Riley Freeman said...
i really am starting to hate all tv networks drive was a show i was curious about - CUT, traveller - CUT justice (tv show) - CUT. I could go on and on but theres 2 things i dont get with networks. when u want to start a new show u dont put it on 2 nights Monday and friday.
Friday is the death slot
Monday is theres too many other things on tv so it could have survived but u ruined it.
monday is heroes, football, 2 and a half men, wrestling, prison break, how i met your mother, big bang theory (which i am suprised survived but i am happy it did). and countless other shows that are on monday and not to mention sports or other things that may come up.
man im frustrated
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4-03-2008 @ 1:44PM
Riley Freeman said...
one more comment if ur going to cut a show the station should be forced to let them close the show off properly. 2 or 3 episodes so we can know what would have happened
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4-03-2008 @ 4:30PM
Fran said...
NBC needs to fire the adults in charge and hire a 5th grader.
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4-03-2008 @ 9:13PM
monic said...
Argh. I really, really hope Life survives this move because I've become hopelessly invested in this show. NBC, why do you do this???
Is there anyway we, as fans, can drum up publicity for this show so it can get more viewers?
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4-03-2008 @ 11:16PM
MERVE-THE-PERVE said...
We can only hope the few select nielsen families decide to watch Life. They sadly are the only voices that count in this shitty, fraudulent, and totally fucked-up ratings system that we are stuck with. You would think with all the technology we have today they would improve a 50 year old system! They should be hooked up to all cable and sat. receivers and dvrs. Everyone should have a voice in the ratings! Could you imagine what shows are really the most watched? I bet only 7 or 8 of the usual top 20 would stay there! There also would be more fluctuation week to week. Then they would keep shows longer if they saw they were top 20 every few weeks.
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