Anyone else tired of networks starting shows then just because ratings drop a few points canceling them?

Question

Just when you get into a show and it gets suspenseful they hit a cliffhanger then the show is canceled.

Examples:

Daybreak

The Nine

Drive

Jeremiah

and the latest Jericho.



Yet Survivor, The Bachlor, Flavor of Love Spin-offs, and American Idol are going strong there is no justice in the world.

Answer 1

Its time for the fans of Jericho to rally and save a really good show.

Jericho is one of the best new shows in a long time. It is one of the few shows on television that our whole family made an effort to get together and watch. It has a very good cast playing very good characters and an exciting story line that keeps you on the edge of your seat. CBS has made a huge mistake by not renewing Jericho. Hopefully CBS will reconsider. If not another network should have the insight to pick up this wonderful show.

Spread the word and lets save Jericho.

Save Jericho Now!
NUTS

Everyone can show that they love Jericho by sending CBS one package of NUTS... here's the address to send them to...

CBS Television Network
attn: Kelly Kahl
51 West 52nd Street
New York, New York 10019

SEND IT IN... We can bring it back. When Roswell was cancelled they sent Tabasco Sauce and it came back for two more seasons!!!

Answer 2

Shows are different. Some get an opportunity to air in the summer, while other get to change days and times and generally genre shows (scifi, action, adventure, fantasy, supernatural) only get their timeslot and ratings kill them.

This happens because when a genre series opens big and drops dramatically there is absolutely no chance that they will return for the rest of the season. Now, most of these are serial style shows, so a second season will find any new viewers lost. The audience cannot grow, only shrink. With no advantage to continue they cancel the show.

Reality shows on the other hand are in the same place no matter when you tune in. Only the faces may change, but the story is just for tonight. A competition, a vote and someone leaves. People today have short attention spans and most one hour shows have several events during that time which offer a beginning, a high point and a quick end. Then a vote and a ******** goes home. The next week it starts all over.

I am with you and have watched so many great shows fall to waste basket every year... and reality shows are pushing more shows out.

Jeremiah however was not a ratings issue as it is with most shows. It's strickly about money and the direction the pay channels wish to go. Jeremiah (dispute between Strazynski (creator) and the network), Stargate SG-1 left to the SciFi Channel over the direction the network wanted to, not ratings. Odyssey 5 - highest rated show on Showtime but the network decided a different direction and it lacked any meat (episodes behind it) for the Sci-Fi Channel to pick it up. Rome - production cost issues, not ratings. Deadwood - great ratings, different direction by the HBO or showtime - whichever it was on. Same with several others. Pay Channels are different from the networks.

Answer 3

I agree. Though I do/did enjoy Survivor, I died when I found out the show Threshhold was canceled, I had just gotten hooked shortly after it was canned. It is so irritating.

The new SciFi channel show Eureka was even reedited because they thought the initial preratings looked weak, so they changed the order of the episodes. It is still a fun show, but there are clear holes/weak spots in the plot.

Then I think about Heroes. I am really enjoying, however, I read that it is already green lit for 3 more seasons. I can't help but think that is insane. Used to be they had to wait till the first season had already completely airred.

Four other large annoyances:Family Guy, Futurama, King of the Hill and Malcolm in the Middle.

Futurama and Malcolm in the Middle were both heralded when they did well. When they started to drop in the ratings, Fox shuffled them to less popular spots. Surprise, the ratings went down more, and then they axed them for not being able to pull up the ratings.

Meanwhile, Family Guy did poorly, was pulled, but when they found out that drunken frat boys liked it, was pulled back to life, and given prime exposure. I wonder what would have happened had they put it at bad time slots.

King of the Hill is finally being put back in to the spot light:D, however it seems they did it too late.

I wish networks could go back to the old system of waiting till a season ended, then getting feedback, then seeing if it will continue in the Fall, ya know when the new seasons are supposed to start.

Answer 4

I loved Commander in Chief (excellent show), Jericho, Daybreak , In Justice and Studio 60.

I always use Seinfeld as an example. As early as ten years ago, they gave shows a chance to be discovered by an audience. Seinfeld tanked in ratings during the first two seasons but because they stuck to it, it became one of the most successful sitcoms in TV history.. Why they no longer give shows a chance like that is puzzling.

And the networks wonder why cable series and reality are so popular. Its because no one wants to invest in a network series because they seem to enjoy yanking the rug out from under us all the time. At least they see every single reality show through to completetion no matter how stupid it is.. "According to Jim" won't go away, but they took off an excellent show like "Commander in Chief" before it had a chance to take root. Now they think "National Bingo Night" would be better than any one of the shows they cancelled? Come on networks give us a break.

Answer 5

most of it is self-inflicted. They start a show, it gets good ratings and then they put it on hiatus and they wonder why people lose interest. They did that with Threshold, which I really loved and bought the series dvd and also Medical Investigation was great too! and they killed that show.

Answer 6

I hate that. power have been given 5.6 million visitors and it nonetheless have been given canceled. It became into basically on its fourth episode and its long gone. Fox could have least comprehensive the season or something. same with comprehensive Savages and existence as all of us realize it. If the tutor isn't stable adequate, it is down the drain.

Answer 7

Yes, I agree. For example for me there was Kyle XY. It was a really good show then they just took it off. It's back now more than a year later, but I just can't get hooked on it again.

Answer 8

I'm bleeding over the loss of The Black Donnellys and to a lesser degree, Drive, but am scarred over losing Invasion. SCARRED!

Answer 9

Yeah i am. but what shows are u talking about?i've never heard of any of the shows u listed, except jericho.

Answer 10

They also did it with 'Invasion' after series 1.
It really irritates me.