Post by robycop3 on Apr 27, 2006 13:05:36 GMT -5
Sometimes, an exec allows his/her personal likes/dislikes override good judgment. Some types of shows need time to develop a following, while others hit the big-time in one or two episodes. The TV exec must try to think as the average viewer does, while keeping the wishes of the sponsors in mind.
An example of such wishful thinking is NBC with "Joey". The first episodes did well ratings-wise, as mosta the fans of Friends tuned in. But when they saw it was nowhere equal to Friends, they stayed away in droves. The message was clear..."Joey" just wasn't gonna make it w/o a major overhaul. This was common sense. However, some exec was evidently thinking, "This is a GREAT show! No good reason why people aren't watching!If I keep broadcasting it, the viewership will come...they will come!" It's common sense that if a spinoff comes nowhere near its 'parent' in ratings, the public just isn't buying & the proper thing to do is cut your losses & bail out.
The opposite mindset is to cancel a show before it has a chance to develop a following. Such was the case with "Firefly". Now, while it wasn't gonna displace "American Idol", I believe it woulda developed a solid following that coulda kept it viable for at least a coupla more seasons. There are, of course, many more shows we could use as examples, but this on is prolly familiar to mosta the readers here.
Again, an exec coulda allowed his/her personal likes/dislikes to make the decision. An exec coulda well thought, "This show sux, IMO, & its ratings are lousy. Believe I'll just axe it!"
Like it or lump it, we're stuck with their decisions, wise or stupid. Luckily, TV is not essential to life & we can go on without a certain show...or if TV becomes unbearably groddy, we can always replace the cable with a DVD player or X-Box wire.
An example of such wishful thinking is NBC with "Joey". The first episodes did well ratings-wise, as mosta the fans of Friends tuned in. But when they saw it was nowhere equal to Friends, they stayed away in droves. The message was clear..."Joey" just wasn't gonna make it w/o a major overhaul. This was common sense. However, some exec was evidently thinking, "This is a GREAT show! No good reason why people aren't watching!If I keep broadcasting it, the viewership will come...they will come!" It's common sense that if a spinoff comes nowhere near its 'parent' in ratings, the public just isn't buying & the proper thing to do is cut your losses & bail out.
The opposite mindset is to cancel a show before it has a chance to develop a following. Such was the case with "Firefly". Now, while it wasn't gonna displace "American Idol", I believe it woulda developed a solid following that coulda kept it viable for at least a coupla more seasons. There are, of course, many more shows we could use as examples, but this on is prolly familiar to mosta the readers here.
Again, an exec coulda allowed his/her personal likes/dislikes to make the decision. An exec coulda well thought, "This show sux, IMO, & its ratings are lousy. Believe I'll just axe it!"
Like it or lump it, we're stuck with their decisions, wise or stupid. Luckily, TV is not essential to life & we can go on without a certain show...or if TV becomes unbearably groddy, we can always replace the cable with a DVD player or X-Box wire.