In This Section
TV Guide Spotlight
Also on TVGuide.com
|
« TV Matt'rs
Grading My Fall 2006 Forecast: How Did I Do?
Two of my first Trivial Matt'rs blogs were dedicated to my early thoughts on the 2006-07 TV season, and at long last I have a few minutes here to revisit that "forecast" and see how I did. This is literally the first time I have looked back at those blogs, so here we go.
Brothers & Sisters
I said: "Expectations were modest" given "foreboding backstage shuffles," but "by the end I was pulled in."
Outcome: Lotsa critical acclaim and an early Season 2 pickup by ABC!
The Class
I said: "The cast threatens to be unwieldy, but... I smell another [How I Met Your] Mother."
Outcome: Some avid fans, some "decent" ratings, but no renewal yet. (Oh, and they shed one cast member.)
Runaway
I said: "The concept is nifty" and "good casting."
Outcome: Far from a runaway hit, it was shelved after just a few airings.
Vanished
I said: "I need more answers, or at least hints of answers."
Outcome: Fox's answer was, "Nope," and Vanished... quickly did just that.
Heroes
I said: "This show will be full of surprises."
Outcome: Perhaps the season's biggest and most buzzed about pop-culture hit — and that is no surprise.
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
I said: "If you want belly laughs, wait for 30 Rock. If you want a look at... TV programming, this is the one to watch."
Outcome: No one wanted that look at TV programming. S60 last aired Feb. 26.
Help Me Help You
I said: "I didn't expect to enjoy this comedy so much."
Outcome: I didn't get to enjoy this comedy very much.
Smith
I said: "Some have raved about this one, but I just couldn't quite get there."
Outcome: Smith had but a few stolen moments. Six episodes' worth, to be exact.
Standoff
I said: "Invest in bullhorns now."
Outcome: Last seen in mid-December, it's been MIA (and has had its "return date" postponed a few times) since.
Friday Night Lights
I said: "If non-sports enthusiasts can get beyond the 'football' hook, this could be the show to watch. One of my new favorites."
Outcome: Damn that football hook. A renewal is possible, but if it comes through, Season 2 will cut back on the pigskin.
The Nine
I said: "Worthy of a long hard look," though "the crux of the show — What exactly happened [during the] bank hostage situation? — could prove frustrating."
Outcome: Frustrating, indeed. Gone by Thanksgiving.
Jericho
I said: "I'm excited for this series."
Outcome: And still am, just hoping for a renewal.
Justice
I said: "Alias' Spy Daddy as the most cunning of cunning, high-priced defense attorneys? I'm so there."
Outcome: The numbers weren't there.
Twenty Good Years
I said: "Eh" at the upfronts, but later claimed to see "potential."
Outcome: Matt, follow that first instinct from now on.
30 Rock
I said: "I'd watch Tina Fey read the phone book," "Alec Baldwin is icing on the cake," "The most satisfying of NBC's new shows with a number in the title."
Outcome: Renewed! (And deservedly so.)
Kidnapped
I said: "Don't miss the end of Episode 2!"
Outcome: I could have gone on to say, "... because only three more will air after that."
Ugly Betty
I said: "A winning comedy, for sure," though I had a problem with the Devil Wears Prada-ness of it all.
Outcome: Renewed!
Six Degrees
I said: "Compelling," "I was completely engaged," "One of my two favorite new series."
Outcome: Despite ABC's recent bid to reheat Degrees, the show got a chilly reception, and is gone (again).
Shark
I said: Liked it a lot, though had to giggle at the idea of Shark having a faux courtroom in his cellar.
Outcome: A bona fide hit and ER beater-upper.
'Til Death
I said: "In lieu of Raymond, this somewhat sates my hunger for husbands-versus-wives humor."
Outcome: I barely watched it ever again, save for the times I was too lazy to change the channel after Idol. But it will probably be back.
Happy Hour
I said: "I don't recall this show being especially funny."
Outcome: And neither did you.
Men in Trees
I said: "With Six Degrees, one of my favorite newcomers.... My wife really, really liked it."
Outcome: Renewed, yet now the missus and I are left wondering, "Where the heck is the rest of this season?!"
|
TVGuide Links:
|
|
|
|
Apr 26, 2007 2:03 PM
|
Cool blog, Matt.
You were right on the money with some of these.
Not to be a nitpicker, but Smith only aired 3 episodes on tv. (If the others aired online, I don't know about it.)
|
|
Apr 26, 2007 3:31 PM
|
|
Smith was awesome. I hate that its cancelled.
|
|
Apr 26, 2007 11:53 PM
|
All in all - this was a crop of good new shows. In my opinion, the best were:
Heroes
Ugly Betty
30 Rock
Jericho
Friday NIght Lights
Kidnapped.
In that order, FOR ME ONLY. Just because a show doesn't find an audience, however, doesn't mean it was a bad show. There are a million reasons, like placement, general mood of the viewers toward a subject matter, etc. which contribute to the success of failure. Many, many of the shows listed I never watched. They were cancelled almost immediately and sometimes you don't get to a show for a month. I didn't get to Ugly Betty for two months! It seems the whole society is suffering from ADHD - included network execs who cancel shows before they find an audience.
|
|
Apr 27, 2007 3:31 PM
|
I think, given the relative unpredictability of TV viewers, you did a pretty good job!
My favorites are: 30 Rock, Friday Night Lights and Ugly Betty.
|
|
Apr 30, 2007 11:22 AM
|
Matt! I'm listening to the TVGuide Podcast and reading- and just stumbled on this other column!
Interesting to see how close many of your predictions really were. And I have to tell you - I really enjoyed Justice and was really bummed when it was canceled!
But then I really liked Injustice, too!
|
|
May 18, 2007 9:58 PM
|
|
|
