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« Roush Dispatch
The NBC Shuffle
Ben Silverman, Kevin Reilly courtesy NBC
No such thing as a lull in the TV business, both on and off screen, not even in the once-sleepy period between the end of the traditional season and the start of June. Forget about all the off-season shows premiering this week (you probably will eventually, anyway), a rather staggering glut, but fans won’t want to forget that House and Boston Legal have their season finales tonight (delayed a week to make room for reality TV). Beyond what’s on TV, it’s been a crazy couple of days for the business itself.
On Friday, it was made official that Rosie O’Donnell was off The View for good, a few weeks ahead of schedule. Not such a big surprise after her confrontational meltdown with Elisabeth Hasselbeck a few days earlier, the latest chapter in The Boor vs. The Blonde. Looks to me like Rosie was just looking for any excuse to make an early exit. The fact that she did not bow out with grace is hardly a shock. But what will it take to get her nitwit nemesis off the show? Right now, Joy Behar is the only conceivable reason to watch this train wreck.
Then over the holiday weekend, news surfaced that NBC’s long-beleaguered entertainment president Kevin Reilly was on the way out, just two weeks after he made his upfront presentation of the new fall schedule and three months after signing a multiyear deal. The timing is bizarre, but that’s often the case with those who hold these precarious, high-pressure jobs. I can’t count the number of entertainment presidents who’ve fronted either an upfront or a TCA press-tour session mere days or weeks into the job, having inherited someone else’s development slate.
Reilly has lived with rumors of his demise almost since he took on the job — and the challenge of turning around NBC’s fortunes (which under Jeff Zucker went from Friends to friendless). Reilly’s tenure has been rocky, but also distinguished by some critical success (Friday Night Lights most recently, as well as the Thursday comedy lineup) and, this season, the popular breakthrough of Heroes, which clearly had a big impact on next season’s development, with high-concept hours like Bionic Woman, Journeyman and Chuck. Reilly also nurtured The Office into one of prime time’s most distinguished comedies, winning the Emmy and many other prizes.
Ironically, the man who brought The Office to NBC — Ben Silverman of the on-the-rise Reveille production company (Ugly Betty, The Tudors, The Biggest Loser and many other reality series) — is now the new “it” guy at NBC, while Reilly is out, in an executive shuffle that’s in the process of being made official and which is sure to have deeper ripples through the NBC Universal corporate world. (There are rumors as well that Reilly may be looking at HBO as a new home, the pay-TV giant itself in corporate disarray after the messy departure of top exec Chris Albrecht.)
Reveille already has a first-look deal at NBC Universal, and now it looks like the entire company may be brought into the fold, as a new executive position is created for Silverman. (They apparently still need a replacement for Reilly, and who wouldn’t love that job security?) Addendum: Turns out NBC is not buying Reveille, but did extend its first-look deal with the company.
Silverman is young (36) and a hot commodity, obviously skilled at finding, developing and selling projects. He’s a master packager, but how will he fare as a programmer? Too soon to know.
Just as it’s too soon to know what this latest game of musical chairs means for NBC’s new lineup in general, and specifically, for fragile properties like Friday Night Lights (of which Reilly was famously a champion). Ben Silverman certainly has his work cut out for him. And the peacock? It’s not like we haven’t seen its feathers ruffled before.
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Edited by Matt Roush at 05/30/2007 9:42 AM
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May 29, 2007 8:40 AM
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Matt I have to say I usually agree with you but to say that Rosie did not bow out gracefully is dead wrong. What the producers did to her AND Elizabeth was disgusting. The View is not Springer no matter how heated the debate. For all of us who watched a friendship dissolve on National TV (with a lot of help from the View producers) it was stomach churning at best. Rosie did the only thing that she could in saying she was done. What good could have come from forcing an already uncomfortable situation? I do agree that Joy is the last hope and for her sake I hope she gets out before the show sinks!
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May 29, 2007 9:37 AM
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i have never watched more than five minutes of the view. all of that by accident. living in a household of women i am,however forced to watch the "news". the news of that day ,in my mind, clearly showed rosie attempting to get it right. i saw no meltdown and i find your characterization of "the boor" and "the blond" disingenuous at best.
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May 29, 2007 10:29 AM
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The split sceen on the View and not going to break as the guest host pointed out it was past time to do just shows that the director was going for ratings during sweeps. I was ashamed of the show, but not Rosie. Elisabeth was already angry because of the bit that Joy did just ahead of Rosie's question. Elisabeth's anger was primed to blow anyways. The View was going to drop in the ratings once Rosie was gone so they created as much noise as they could during the sweeps. They got upset with Rosie because she chose to go to her son's school thing instead of the Emmys with the group. It went down hill the rest of the week from there. This show only got interesting this last year. Rosie's open and honest views got the other hosts to open up as well. Like her or not Rosie made the View watchable. Brian Frons should have agreed to her one year deal. It is his loss and the show will be boring once again.
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May 29, 2007 10:39 AM
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" But what will it take to get her nimwit nemesis off the show?"
She's too stupid to leave. She proves it daily.
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May 29, 2007 11:01 AM
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If the oust of Reilly means Friday Night Lights won't get on the air and instead some crappy ass reality TV show is put in it's place I'm done with NBC. As much as I love the Office, I'd rather just wait until it is on DVD than watch it on NBC. Show no love to good shows and I will show no love to you.
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May 29, 2007 12:16 PM
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I am a fan of your writing, Matt, but I'm really saddened by your meanness towards Rosie. She has flaws, as we all do, but the way that some people mercilessly bash her for being herself (in her words, a big fat lesbian who speaks up) is just so wrong. For you, an esteemed journalist, not to even positively credit what she did, and what The View did since Rosie, and may still do (who knows?), in terms of discussing important topics on a TV show for women that used to be all fluff is just sad...
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May 29, 2007 12:17 PM
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Please do not tell me that they are going to add more reality shows with Silverman on board as president (there are already enough on NBC - and every other network for that matter)! I've been very unhappy with NBC over the years (only Heroes really has brought me back). Reilly's decisions may not have always been the best, but this year's line-up of shows was an improvement (small, but an improvement none the less). For those of you who love Friday Night Lights, I wish you the best. I hope for your sake that NBC will continue to give it a chance. Only time will tell I guess.
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May 29, 2007 12:41 PM
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The Boor vs The Blonde
Priceless & oh so true. Thanks Matt.
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May 29, 2007 12:55 PM
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As long as Silverman leaves FNL alone, I'll be a fan of NBC; touch it, and....so long, peacock.
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May 29, 2007 1:12 PM
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As long as Silverman leaves FNL alone, I'll be a fan of NBC; touch it, and....so long, peacock.
Ditto!!
Bookgirl... I couldn't have said it any better than this.
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May 29, 2007 1:17 PM
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Matt - I have to echo the sentiments of the first few bloggers who took you to task for your depiction of Rosie O'Donnell. Are you watching The View or reporting based on what you've seen and heard from your fellow "reporters"? I don't blame Rosie for leaving as she did. The producers turned that last live show into a bad Jerry Springer segment.
I do agree with you, however, that Joy is the only reason to tune in now. But I won't be bothered...
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May 29, 2007 1:32 PM
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Yeah, my only fear is that excellent, but low rated shows may not be as taken care of like Reilly famously did with The Office and now FNL
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May 29, 2007 2:16 PM
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Hell-o! He was fired because of flops like Friday Night Lights. The clock just started ticking faster on that show. And the reruns should get yanked any minute now.
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May 29, 2007 3:10 PM
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Get rid of Zucker and elevate Reilly!!!!!!
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May 29, 2007 3:45 PM
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