MovieChat Forums > Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006) Discussion > I wish NBC still let shows find their au...

I wish NBC still let shows find their audience

posted 14 years ago by beardedtroll
11 replies | jump to latest

It's unconscionable that this show got canceled after only one season. If this were the early '90s, NBC would have let it find its place for another season or two. They started the Fox treatment of shows that aren't immediate hits with "Freaks and Geeks" and things got worse from there.

I just watched the whole series on Netflix for the first time because I don't watch shows anymore during their first run - all the ones I like seem to get canceled. I'm glad that I didn't watch this during its first run for that reason, but somehow the fact that I finished the whole thing in three days doesn't make me feel better.

Last 2:

Rango: B+
Cedar Rapids: D+

[–] shortysi_uk 14 years ago

So what you're saying is, you didn't watch it because shows you like seem to get canceled. You realise your mistake? :)

[–] beardedtroll 14 years ago

I don't have a Nielsen box. Nothing I did affected whether or not the show made it. If it did, a lot more of my favorite shows would still be on air. :)

Last 2:

Rango: B+
Cedar Rapids: D+

[–] super579 14 years ago

I hate the face that too many shows have to be instant hits or they get pulled. It leads to either too many shows being exactly like each other or "sitcoms" trying to be as zany as possible. This was a show where you actually had to listen to the dialogue and, God forbid, think about whats happening. I'm glad its on Netflix, but I would love to see more seasons of this than shows like Perfect Couples or Jersey Shore.

***by the time you've read this you've already read it***

[–] budikavlan 14 years ago

You can say this was a good show (I disagree, but many hold it in very high regard), but claiming that it would have been a hit had it been renewed is laughable. That the network gave it an entire season is amazing in retrospect, because the ratings were not only disastrously low for such a prestigious and expensive show, but they dropped quickly and continuously with each airing.

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] segsig 14 years ago

I guess this hasn't been brought up in a while and needs to be redocumented every so often! The shows ratings were never horrible; NBC would have killed for them in that time slot in hindsight. The season did start off with gang-buster numbers (probably due to nbc mis-marketing of the show as comedic Perry's return), but it settled in at decent numbers (then got bad numbers for the summer burn off Thurs. time slot). The season average, 8.5 million, was ranked #41 in the demo share of all shows! That was following not only nbc's blundered marketing, but the faux (roger friedman) attack of cancellation rumors that started even before the full season pickup! The justification for cancellation was cost/return and that's when nbc started experimenting with scripted-free hours and such and found a new level of ratings below cw's.

[–] cvcjdev 14 years ago

Seg, you leave out the best proof!

The season average of 8.5 million made it #61 for the year (no pettifogging with the demo #!). One of the shows it was tied with was How I Met Your Mother.

Some NBC shows that were kept:
68. The Office NBC 8.3 (Biggest Loser was also tied for this spot)
75. The Apprentice NBC 7.5
87. Scrubs NBC 6.4
95. Friday Night Lights NBC 6.1
and one of the lowest rated shows of the 2006-2007 season
102. 30 Rock NBC 5.8

[–] budikavlan 14 years ago

Your "season average" was skewed with the first few weeks, though, and any serious contemplation of the total effect would throw them out. The general average for the longest stretch of the season was around 7 million, which might look good to NBC now but was at the time (1) embarrassing for a show which had been the major hope for the season and (2) a very poor return for a show which was outrageously expensive after the bidding war NBC won to get it. Ratings were gradually slipping (after a quick fall early on), plus the show was building a reputation as a failure. Renewing it would have been stupid. The fact NBC did worse later on doesn't change that.

[–] segsig 14 years ago

Bud, In regards to your comments, I'll reiterate my earlier points.

I acknowledged the initial massive numbers, but pointed out to disregard them you'd also have to toss the summer burn-off numbers. Which is well-indeed a valid sampling method. If the average was lowered it still would be better than many of the shows CV pointed out. So that nbc did far worse later is less a factor than they were doing far worse at the time.

I also acknowledged the cancellation was due to cost/return.

I also pointed out that the "reputation as a failure" was a line of attack began by a competitor well known for misinformation prior to the full season pick-up.

[–] rogerscorpion 10 years ago

No, the show which was dead last, in its first season & not much better, the whole first season, was a little-known show called 'Cheers'.

How long would that last now?

Carpe Noctem!

[–] karen-clearwaterfl 13 years ago

I so agree! I just found the show on Netflix myself. I thought it was one of the best shows I've seen in a long time. The acting was amazing, the writing, plot, all of it. I was bummed it was over when I finished the season in two days. \