In a TV Guide exclusive, Michael Ausiello reports that The New Adventures of Old Christine could be moving to ABC if CBS doesn't give it a third season pick up. The way I see it, this is great news for ABC. They seem to do great at one-hour dramedies -- Ugly Betty, Pushing Daisies, Desperate Housewives -- but just swing and miss when developing good sitcoms. Only Samantha Who has been a winner this year; its most recent effort, Miss/Guided, has left me cold.So, with on the heels of the Scrubs swipe, there's word that ABC has been in talks with Warner Brothers, which produces Christine, to bring keep it in production if CBS lets it go. It would seem the worst possible timing for CBS to dump the show when it just posted its best ratings. In an ad on Cynopsis, WB touted Christine's success, noting that the season finale (which featured a brief guest bit by Seinfeld co-star Jason Alexander) delivered its best performance in two years with adults 18-49. It also declares that its a Top 5 sitcom, ahead of 30 Rock, Scrubs, 'Til Death, My Name is Earl and Back to You. ...Well, sure, when you put it like that!
And yet, CBS has remained on the fence about the show, perhaps waiting to see if the April 14th return of The Rules of Engagement, the Patrick Warburton-David Spade sitcom, outpaces Christine in the Nielsens. The fact that Christine is an Emmy-winner for Julia (Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy, 2006) apparently doesn't carry much weight.
If it was up to me, I'd keep Christine and let Rules go. The former is smarter, sharper and on the rise, while the latter has only Warburton to recommend it.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-04-2008 @ 10:44AM
chgosaint said...
There are annoying aspects to "the New Adventures..." but overall it is decent to watch and I almost always laugh, but seldom because of Julia Louis-Dreyfuss. Hamish Linklater, Wanda Sykes and the meanie mommies really do a great job - as does the young actor who plays her son. I understand the show, but feel that her character is so shallow and superficial that you can't like the Christine even if you try.
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4-04-2008 @ 11:09AM
Jimmy said...
Miss/Guided is well-written and pretty damn funny; Christine is not.
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4-04-2008 @ 11:15AM
Paul said...
I say ABC should keep "Miss/Guided" on the sked for the fall, and pair it with "Scrubs". Those 2 would fit so well together. Smart, funny, and sometimes over-the-top in their silliness, both are also quite heartwarming.
Let CBS do what it will with "Christine". If it means they're going to drop it because for a season and a half now they've had 5 comedies competing in 4 slots on Monday nights, so be it. The only Monday comedy I care about is "How I Met Your Mother".
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4-04-2008 @ 11:54AM
Ryan said...
I'm in the camp of "as long as HIMYM sees another season then I don't really care what goes on with any other sitcoms."
It's a fun camp. We barbeque pineapples and slap each other while listening to Robin Sparkles' album.
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4-04-2008 @ 12:15PM
lucyfan62 said...
I enjoy Christine to a point - Hamish Linklater and Wanda Sykes being two points actually - but they really have to do something about Christine because as chgosaint mentioned, the character is to self-absorbed and superficial to make the viewers want to spend any time with her and when your title character seems to have no redeeming values how can you expect the audience to stick around? You don't want to associate with those people in real life, so you certainly don't want to spend time with them on TV either!
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4-04-2008 @ 12:36PM
Allison Solow said...
Lucyfan62, my friend, of course Christine is hard to take and crazy, but I like her despite her flaws. I also watch Two and a Half Men, and Charlie is just as self-obsessed and degenerate a character. You don't have to admire a character to laugh at the show, do you? I agree with you about Hamish and Wanda, also Clark Gregg as Richard -- they make Christine better than it would be without them. Thanks for your comments!
4-04-2008 @ 12:21PM
MERVE-THE-PERVE said...
ABC had a great sit-com with Freddie but they cancelled it! That show was funny as shit.
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4-04-2008 @ 1:01PM
shawn said...
all i'm saying is that CBS better not cancel How I Met Your Mother and renew Rules and Christine.
That will be a horrible mistake!
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4-04-2008 @ 1:43PM
C C said...
Christine really hit it's stride this (abbrieviated) season. The last episode where Barb lent Christine her testosterone cream was borderline brilliant. No wonder ABC's going after it.
I wouldn't be surprised if the reason behind CBS' willingness to let it go has to do with the fact they don't really want to renew How I Met Your Mother. The HIMYM fans (few but vocal) will scream bloody murder if CBS picks up Christine and doesn't pick up HIMYM. CBS avoids controversy, to a certain extent, if they allow Christine to go to ABC. Then they can cancel HIMYM with reduced outrage.
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4-04-2008 @ 5:51PM
BStu said...
HIMYM fans are going to be upset no matter what. Though I am a big one, I think its fair to say CBS isn't going to be cowed into canceling another show to appease us. As I recall, the general feeling was that 2 of the 3 (HIMYM, Christine, Rules) would get renewed. HIMYM seems to have sealed its fate with its strong performance with and post-Britney, which means a lot of people are looking back at Christine and Rules.
Rules can easily falter when it comes back. Its never quite gelled and I can see it being a major strike victim and its audience just not coming back to it. That CBS is waiting to see what happens would indicate that Christine is getting a fair shake here.
4-04-2008 @ 5:16PM
D Colin said...
I just don't get why more people do watch Old Christine.
It is so funny and Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, Hamish Linklater, Wanda Sykes are a great team. I love Hamishhe really makes the show.
I get that christine is self absorbed but aren't we all in some ways-- they aren't making a documentary. I find that to be what's funny about the show, cause she just doesn't get it.
I don't watch Rules - don't find it funny. CBS has a good night going I don't understand why they don't respect HIMYM or Christine. If CBS drops it I will follow it to ABC, no doubt. And I'm dying to see who they have be Christine's mother cause she and her brother always makes references to her
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4-04-2008 @ 6:01PM
Cincinnati Mike said...
I am seeing a lot of love for Hamish Linklater here-- deservedly so. But didn't TV Squad say a week ago that he was getting his own show next year?
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4-04-2008 @ 11:38PM
jeff stiefer said...
yeah...CBS has too many comedies anyway. Who do they think they are, Comedy Central. ; )
Stick with your strengths, CBS...60 minutes and whatever CSI retread you can come up with...
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4-06-2008 @ 2:40PM
Chris said...
Is Scrubs really moving to ABC? You mention in the title, but you don't say anything about it in the article. I haven't read anything that confirms Scrubs is moving. You should really confirm that Scrubs is moving before you mention that it is in an article about another show.
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4-07-2008 @ 4:03AM
Will said...
Lucyfan62, you think Christine has no redemming values? Does any character on HIMYM? All 5 of them are selfish, self-absorbed people who's lives consist of drinking and sleeping around, and Barney does so to such an extent, I'm surprised there are any women left in New York he HASEN"T sleep with! That may sound harsh & like maybe taking it too seriously, but that what it sounds like to me with the Christine complaints. She's just a scatter-brained, neurotic, middle-aged woman. To say she has no redemming qualities is pretty harsh.
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