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Upfront Day 3: CBS Enters Laughing
Worst Week by Chris Haston/NBC Universal/CBS
Comedy is hard for network TV these days. But CBS thinks it's worth it. The network's big move for the 2008-09 season is to start a new sitcom block on Wednesday night. Encouraged by the strong post-strike ratings performance of its Monday line-up, CBS entertainment president Nina Tassler wants to see if The New Adventures of Old Christine can stand on its own at 8 pm on the night. The payoff could be big. Advertisers like sitcoms. They skew younger than most dramas. Their content is less problematic. Unlike serialized dramas, they can be repeated. And there are not a whole lot of them on in network prime time anymore.
Can Christine cut it? Let's put it this way — the bar is pretty low. CBS started this season with Kid Nation, which was delivering less than a 2 rating in the advertiser-coveted demo of viewers aged 18-to-49. If Christine can do a 2-and-change, and the new comedy Project Gary can hold onto most of those viewers at 8:30, CBS will be ahead of the game. If either of the shows falters the network has another known quantity, Rules Of Engagement, to put in the hour.
CBS gave its strongest new sitcom, Worst Week, the 9:30 time slot after Two and a Half Men. While single-camera comedies have never worked on CBS, Week depends on over-the-top visual gags. The clips went over big with the Carnegie Hall audience at CBS's upfront presentation on Wednesday.
The network could also see a net gain on Tuesday with the move of the durable Without A Trace to Tuesday at 10. Jerry Bruckheimer's new show Eleventh Hour is it bit on the dark side, but should work after CSI on Thursdays. And give CBS credit for not caving into the rabid (but small) group of fans who clamored for the return of Moonlight. Will its replacement The Ex List do much better on Friday at 9? Who knows? But broadcast networks will niche themselves out of existence if they stick with shows that have limited appeal instead of taking as many shots as they can at creating big hits.
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May 15, 2008 10:52 AM
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Prepare for an onslaught of angry Moonlight fans, Stephen!
(Though, personally, I agree with you.)
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May 15, 2008 11:12 AM
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Hmm first, as a moonlight fan, our fanbase which kept the show winning its time slot isnt small, secone we're not rabid, we're the women she said she was hoping to draw to the network. I am an Application Developer with a Master's degree, as well as a mom. Moonlight isn't canceled due to ratings but due to WB not giving CBS complete control to trash it. We beat out Big Bang in ratings, Old Christine couldn't compare to our base if it tried. The replacement about some woman chasing after her true love, is about as appealing as a pap smear.
We already proved to be beyond Jericho, when Moonlight was off due to the writers strike we ALL came back. We have always won our demographic. Check your website and others you'll see where it says MOONLIGHT HELPS CBS win Friday. Where does it say Old Christine helped CBS?
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May 15, 2008 12:57 PM
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Moonlight comment is all wrong. You are kidding me, 8 million viewers are considered SMALL.
Moonlight had decent numbers, if given a chance it would have done very well.
We don't want the same old crap jammed down our throats. Other shows were renewed with LESS viewers. Wonder why??????
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May 15, 2008 12:58 PM
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uh oh buddy...you've chosen your words poorly....hell hath no fury like a woman who's show has been cancelled...
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May 15, 2008 1:09 PM
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Someone should take a stake to your heart for that stupid comment.
We had an average of 8 million viewers each week and a large fan base.
Hey, bring on more dumb mindless comedies or police dramas, yeah that's what we all need. Moonlight was unique and a breath of fresh air. No one is saying that you had to like it, just leave those alone who did.
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May 15, 2008 1:22 PM
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What? Moonlight fans are totally rabid! It's not a bad thing, necessarily. But at least the vocal internet fans (out of those 8 million viewers) have been foaming at the mouth. Now...
http://tv.zap2it.com/tveditorial/tve_main/1,1002,272|||season2,00.html
CBS has a hefty portion of the the top 20 programs with the highest households watching this season. While Moonlight was a good show, it makes sense that this network (in particular) would move on, to try to find a bigger hit (and an even better fit for their Friday-night chick fest; 'The Ex List' has a good shot).
Now, a network like NBC is a whole different story. Quite a few of their 'hits' like The Office don't always break the 8 million mark. But that's acceptable, because they receive plenty of critical acclaim and awards. Moonlight had neither - and an accolade from the People's Choice Awards, a ceremony which has become increasingly lame of late, doesn't hold much water for television executives.
Ultimately though: I do think Moonlight, if given the chance, could have blossomed on another network. Not sure the CW is the right fit; honestly, if I had my pick I'd probably say Fox (or maybe SciFi, but casual viewers and/or viewers without cable would drop off).
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May 15, 2008 1:42 PM
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I generally believe in the "don't shoot the messenger" saying or in this case "don't shoot the blogger". But i think Stephen is speaking on the behave of the networks not not the viewers who regularly visit TVGuide.com in his regard to Moonlight. He not only got the size of supporters and viewers Moonlight has wrong, he general insulted the strong, peaceful, innovative (blood drive) and persistent Moonlight supporters. Stephen I think next year, leave the Network Unfronts to Michael, he knows to straddle the line of networks and viewers.
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May 15, 2008 1:58 PM
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Under almost any other circumstance being called small would be a good thing. My main complaint with CBS about the cancelation of Moonlight has been the fact that they never gave it a full season to what would happen. The writer's strike messed with every show's ratings, yet the Moonlight fans came back. And how small can a fan base be when you win the People's Choice Award for Best New Drama? Moonlight should have been given another season simply because of the strike. If after a full season with full publicity from CBS Moonlight didn't perform to expectations, then fine. Besides, unless CBS moves the Super Bowl to Friday at 9pm they will never see spectacular ratings in that time slot.
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May 15, 2008 2:00 PM
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First of all, the show had 8 million in the 18 to 49 demographic which does not take into account the millions outside the demographic. Second, even if we are "rabid", that is better than any other show fan base. Finally, since CBS decided not to "cave", they just cost their network about 8 million viewers. Last time I checked, that makes for really bad business.
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May 15, 2008 2:16 PM
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hiddnroses,
You are wrong. The 8 million was all viewers. The 1.9 rating (for the last episode) represents the 18-49 demographic. That means that the only shows that had fewer viewers 18-49 on CBS last week were the Price is Right and the shows on Saturday.
CBS made the right choice.
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May 15, 2008 2:24 PM
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At this point, the only thing I can give CBS credit for is its short-sighted stupidity. Do you really think the lame replacement they have for Moonlight will even last 1/2 the season? C'mon, get real! Moonlight won the PCA for best new drama, and Alex O won top spot on one of TV Guide's sexiest categories. Despite the fact that it was plagued with internal problems and despite the writers strike, it held it's time slot on Fri nights. Yeah, maybe we can be a bit rabid about this show and its cast, but we are not SMALL. Check out the boards. Moonlight has quite a worldwide following. CBS sucks!
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May 15, 2008 2:49 PM
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First off,I can't believe you called the Moonlight fan base SMALL. CBS has no idea what their viewers want especially CBS's entertainment president.
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May 15, 2008 3:45 PM
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I'm with the other Moonlight fans - CBS screwed up, and that comment of yours was uncalled for. Networks shouldn't take pride in disappointing their most passionate fans, especially for a show that had held its own in its timeslot and maintained viewers thru the strike. To cancel both Moonlight and Jericho in the same year seems like a really bad idea - they've dismissed their two "cult" favorite shows, which deviated from their normal batch of boring procedurals (and boasted strong fan support), which is only going to upset the very folks who could have turned their shows into more long-term successes. Bad move, CBS. I'm not watching any of their new shows (although I can't help but keep watching Big Bang Theory and HIMYM).
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May 15, 2008 4:02 PM
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How, sir, do you consider the winner of the Peoples' Choice, Best New Drama limited to a "rabid (but small)" fan base. I love Moonlight. 10 million is not small
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May 15, 2008 6:33 PM
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