Are you wondering where some of your favorite shows like The Moment of Truth, the new American Gladiators and According to Jim are in your TV Guide? If so, please stand as far away from me as you can and try not to breathe any oxygen in my direction. These and other shows were left out of the big four's (unless you count the CW) lineups for the new 2009 schedules, but have not been announced as officially canceled yet.
That means these shows are sitting in the death chamber with baited breath for a last minute reprieve or a death certificate. If there is a God watching over us, then these are the shows that will get the needle.
The Moment of Truth - What were the producers thinking when they imported this show to the states? They were probably thinking, "I know it's cheap, sensationalistic and mean, which might scare some networks away. But don't worry. Fox will pick it up." The cheap thrill has worn off. It was shocking when it first came on and a bit intriguing. Now it's just mean and hurtful to the point of exhaustion. Fox has managed to top themselves in the shock department and they will probably top this too, but please put it (and us) out of its misery.
American Gladiators - NBC brought this redneck Olympics back at a time when scripted shows seemed to be going by the wayside in favor of cheaper fare with lower production costs. Now that scripted shows are starting to make a small comeback, American Gladiators finds itself getting pushed out for scripted shows or what little are left of them. Some call that irony. I call it a divine and loving act from a god that loves us, hates to see us suffer and has very poor judgment in regards to who deserves his mercy.
According to Jim - I know the show is already headed out of the door, but please put this thing out of its misery ahead of schedule. It was on way longer than it should have been, and every second it spends on the air feels like an eternity of someone sticking a pencil in an open wound and just twisting more and more with every episode. Make the pain stop.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-23-2008 @ 10:27AM
Tony said...
I couldn't agree with you more on those crap-tastic shows, especially ATJ. Don't forget to add Smarter than a Fifth Grader and all the primetime game shows to that list too.
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12-23-2008 @ 2:13PM
Avi said...
What about Merlin? NBC bought the rights from BBC. Everyone believed it was going to be aired in the winter, and now there is no word from NBC. The only news I can find are other people questioning what happened to it.
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12-23-2008 @ 2:59PM
Argus said...
At this point buying shows that do well in other markets and then importing them is definitely a wise move for NBC.
12-23-2008 @ 3:08PM
mj said...
The problem with importing shows is that we just don't do them right. Eleventh Hour on BBC was fantastic. Here, not so much. Remember when we tried to make an American version of Fawlty Towers? I still cringe. The networks insist we love reality shows, and will keep cranking them out. Even cable keeps coming up with them. Truth is they are cheap to make, so why try for quality? Which is why I watch more and more BBCA and my DVDs.
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12-23-2008 @ 3:55PM
Tony said...
Reality shows can be awesome (see Amazing Race and Project Runway) or they can also be tragic (see 5th Grader and The Apprentice).
Is NBC actually surprised that a show as unwatchable as Merlin isn't doing well in the ratings?
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12-23-2008 @ 5:43PM
Avi said...
NBC hasn't aired Merlin yet. They have no clue what kind of ratings it gets because they haven't even given it a spot on the schedule.
And Eleventh Hour is a bad comparison. Eleventh Hour is a remake of a British show. Merlin NBC bought outright and theoretically plans to air the original BBC version. It's similar to what SciFi does with Doctor Who and what BBCA does with most of its lineup.
1-17-2009 @ 8:43PM
PN said...
According to Jim has run its course. And it's getting tiresome to watch.
Also, I never liked Moment of Truth. It tries too hard to be like Maury Povich's show with the lie detector tests. And the sensationalism is way too much.
I can see why these shows are in the waiting room. Because they don't pull in enough viewers as the more top rated shows and the network execs don't want to be embarrassed if they land in 64th or 76th place.
And there are too many similar reality shows or game shows. That "win one-million dollars" concept on game shows like Deal or No Deal or Million Dollar Password looks faceless now when our economy is struggling right now. It's like they don't want to give departing contestants those "lovely parting gifts" like floor wax or Rice-A-Roni--it's like they let them walk away with NOTHING right now. And I really don't like that at all!
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