Hello! My name is Isabelle and I See the verb tense there? Yep, past. That's because NBC decided that in the near future, LJ and MOWE would not be part of my viewing schedule anymore.
All major entertainment websites report that NBC has decided to cancel both series. What they don't know, and that's because NBC ain't talking yet, is if the already-in-the-can episodes would see the light of a TV screen before the series retire.
When it picked up Christian Slater's My Own Worst Enemy, NBC ordered 9 episodes. As of right now, the cast and crew are working on shooting episode 9, meaning that we could still have some closure if the writers quickly alter the script and if NBC airs all ordered episodes or put them online.
As for Lipstick Jungle, the network had ordered 13 episodes for the show's second season with an option to order more. All of these episodes have been produced. It's not known at this time if the cast and crew were told that cancellation was looming before the last second of episode 2.13 was produced. This means that even if we get to see all episodes, it's possible we are left with cliffhangers and questions at the end of the last episode.
As a viewer of both series, I can admit that MOWE and LJ were not TV's finest shows. Both were not doing well in the ratings and, with the recent move to Fridays for LJ, the writing was on the wall. However, both were entertaining enough to keep me coming back for more. I was looking forward to see how the inner battle between Edward and Henry on Enemy would play out and, you have to admit, there are worse things on TV than seeing Christian Slater in spy mode! As for Jungle, it was Victory's character that kept me coming back to the show. I wanted to know if she would succeed in the fashion world and how her relationship friendship with Joe would work out.
So far, it looks like both series will air at least one more episode as NBC.com still lists LJ and MOWE on November 14 and 17 respectively. It is unknown if they'll keep them on the air until the Holidays so if you are a fan of both series, be ready for the plug to really be pulled at any time, including today.
[via The Live Feed]
Update (November 13, 3 p.m.): Even if all major entertainment websites say that Lipstick Jungle is canceled, a crew member who emailed TV Squad earlier today says that LJ has not been canceled yet. He confirmed that MOWE has gotten the axe but that he received word today that the network as yet to decide what to do with LJ. According to this crew member, NBC is set to wait for a couple of weeks of ratings before deciding the show's fate. In short, if you want to save LJ, make sure that yourself and your friends tune in live every Friday nights at 10 p.m.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
11-13-2008 @ 10:35AM
Lorie said...
Too bad about Lipstick Jungle. While I felt it would never win any awards, I found it entertaining.
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11-13-2008 @ 10:55AM
Joseph said...
I purposely don't watch new shows for this reason. I really wish the networks would realize the kind of environment they create by not giving a show enough time to earn an audience. I, like most people I know, wait for the first season to come out on DVD.
I did happen to get sucked into Worst Enemy though, because of Slater and the story. It was irresistible, and I'm already hooked. This show is a cash-cow in its infancy and anyone who doesn't see that is an honest to god fool. Were the ratings not as strong as they would have liked? Did they take this election into account? Did they take the amount of promotion they've put forward into account?
I'm on fire here. Is this going to be like Journey Man where the next season there is Life on Mars? What the hell is wrong with the networks? I am so tired of sitcoms and will not watch reality tv. Are they really that disconnected that they can't see we want well written action/dramas?
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11-13-2008 @ 11:22AM
Ryan said...
So you want the networks to realize they need to give their new shows time to find an audience... but NOT WATCHING their shows.
Brilliant.
It's like people wanting change in their government and then NOT VOTING. Seriously?
11-13-2008 @ 11:32AM
Andrew said...
To be fair, it doesn't really matter if he watches if he's not part of a Nielsen family.
11-13-2008 @ 12:07PM
Ryan said...
I understand. But if Neilsen represents the whole of TV watchers statistically. Then statistically there is some portion of Neilsen viewers who, like Joseph, refuse to watch the first season on TV. And to them I go... GAH!
11-18-2008 @ 5:09PM
Childs said...
I 100% agree. Enemy was slickly written and very modern and balanced. A Jeckle and Hyde spy story. Last season it was Journey Man now this.
11-13-2008 @ 10:57AM
Courtney said...
I don't watch either show, but I know people who watch LJ. What I don't understand is why they kept Kath and Kim and cut shows that people actually watched.
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11-13-2008 @ 11:01AM
David F said...
I tried to watch Enemy, but after a couple episodes, I just deleted the Season Pass from the Tivo. That's a rare event for me! It just never made sense. I mean, why not just leave them in 'spy mode' all the time? if they were any good, they could pretend to be suburbanites without all the brain gadgetry. Since l never could get past that premise issue, the rest just didn't resonate with me.
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11-13-2008 @ 11:10AM
0megapart!cle said...
Uhm, it is a time-honored concept in action series, where someone is a mild-mannered civilian by day, and a secret agent/spy by night. Worst Enemy just took the concept to its logical conclusion.
Worst Enemy was one of the best shows on TV. (Yes, the pilot kind of sucked, but the show improved greatly from the second episode onwards). This really is disappointing.
I'm sure Knight Rider will get renewed. Fail upwards seems to work as well on TV as anywhere else.
11-13-2008 @ 11:27AM
Joseph said...
Touche.
I feel that there were definite kinks to work out. Those are easy fixes. They needed to show why that program was needed in the first place, and I think that is what this last episode began to address.
These shows need time to find out how the audience connects and how it needs to adapt. Shows used to get time to gain traction. It's obvious this show would work if given a proper chance.
11-13-2008 @ 2:10PM
superrrguy said...
I totally agree. It makes no sense. I could kind of understand if they made a regular guy into a super spy but why take away the spy. So when the bad guys find you in suburbia (ala episode 1), you can cry while they torture your family? It also made no sense that they kept sending him out on missions while being "broken" and that the head guy would want to wipe out his best spy and that the wipe out means turning them into a mild mannered office worker. Why not wipe out the alter identity? Also, the action looked really bad but it was a first season show. I remember an Alias Season 3 helicopter explosion thinking damn these guys finally got a budget.
Besides all that I still recorded the show and watched a few days later if there was nothing to watch but then I again I also watch Knight Rider which really blows.
11-13-2008 @ 2:59PM
Liz said...
I agree. This show is frustrating because the creators seem to have thrown logic out the window.
It doesn't make sense why a spy couldn't also pretend to have a family and another job as his cover (a la True Lies). Having these two personalities switch on and off seems like a really bad idea, because then if the cover is blown and the bad guys come after him, he is totally clueless. Plus they seem to have a problem with people "breaking" thus needing a whole DIVISION of the organization sent to watch over them. Why bother with all this to begin with? Talk about a waste of resources, time, money, safety, etc.
Also it always bothered me how dumb/useless Henry is. I mean, he IS Edward. You'd think he would at least subconciouscly remember some of his skills, like muscle memory and fighting. Even people with amnesia remember a lot of that stuff. ARGH!
11-13-2008 @ 11:09AM
Shaun said...
@ Joseph
"Were the ratings not as strong as they would have liked? Did they take this election into account? Did they take the amount of promotion they've put forward into account?"
1) I could be wrong, but I thought that the show gave it's worst Monday night ratings in 15 years
2) I am utterly confused about how or why the election should be taken to account. Please explain.
3) Personally I felt that this was one of the most hyped shows that NBC had this season. As a DVR user, I usually miss TV ads, but for some reason I felt like I saw something about this show at least 3x a day at the beginning of the season. I just felt that the ads were too vague and didn't make the show look appealing whatsoever... of course having Christian Slater star didn't help.
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11-13-2008 @ 11:12AM
0megapart!cle said...
What??! I guess your not a Christian Slater fan, but maybe you could explain to me why.
My Own Worst Enemy is probably the best show on NBC right now, (other than Life), and one of the best shows on broadcast TV right now.
11-13-2008 @ 11:48AM
Anita said...
I'm sad about Lipstick Jungle. I thought it was a great show. I just haven't been watching because I've just discovered I'm not interested in watching TV at all this year. Now, I'll have to go back and watch all the eps on NBC's site before they take them down :(
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11-13-2008 @ 12:19PM
shu said...
Cancelling MOWE, but keeping Knight Rider?
No wonder NBC is in last place- they rehash crap like Bionic Woman and Knight Rider and give them a fair shake, but screw with Friday Night Lights- go figure. Who is running that place?
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11-13-2008 @ 12:46PM
Boomstick said...
Yayyy! Get rid of those shows and keep shows like Kath & Kim and Knight Rider! Yayyy!
oops. wait. That's a bizzaro response. Or one an NBC exec would make.
Fail.
MOWE could have seriously developed into a great spy show. Think Alias without the kiddie angst. The premise of a manufactured dual personality was a bit far fetched, but no far fetched than an uber geek having a super computer downloaded into his brain via his visual cortex. And Chuck was just picked up for a full season. Bleh!
Slater is bar far the best acting on any of the action shows available. Canceling the show now is a bad move.
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11-13-2008 @ 1:24PM
Dave said...
I don't know why NBC keeps trying different shows here. Put back what belongs in the Monday @ 10 spot... Medium!
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11-13-2008 @ 2:01PM
Michael said...
I am ticked about losing both of these shows. Lipstick Jungle has really come into its own this season and come on, who doesn't love seeing all the eye candy each and every episode? I love each of the main characters (flaws and all) and I appreciate how different they all are yet still remain the best of friends thru thick and thin. Like you, I also knew this might be coming when they moved it to Friday nights - what a kiss of death? As usual, the question always remains what POS will they stick on in its place and why in the world would that POS be a better choice???
I also enjoyed MOWE and would have to agree that its GREAT to see Christian Slater in a role that he can play to the hilt. Sure, its a flimsy premise but we have to remember that this is also the network that brought us Knight Rider. Draw your own conclusions from that one! At least I can have an hour to breathe on Monday nights now. I've completely given up on Monday Night Football (even when it is a GOOD game) simply because I'm watching or recording pretty much three or four shows at once between 7pm and 10pm. What the heck are these idiots thinking? Spread out your shows please - its no wonder viewers aren't tuning in, there are too many "must watch" shows up against each other on Mondays for any of them to get much of a dominant market share. Crazy!!!
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11-13-2008 @ 2:25PM
Jessica said...
The one show geared toward women where we seem them fabulous and flawed without seeming totally stupid has been canceled - that is a crock of you know what. I like the show a lot. Too bad, maybe Lifetime can pick it up or something. Oh, wait, NBC might want to sue them.
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