Why do networks always assume they know better ?
By fred | August 29, 2008
And if, somehow, a new show makes it to the air and becomes a hit fast enough, soon it becomes the new thing, and they’ll replicate it to death. This is why of all the shows CBS has on the air, about 40% are some kind of CSI, the rest are just other cop dramas. And the thing is, they’re so deep in those shows that now they don’t know how to deal with any show that isn’t your typical cop drama.
This has been recently proven by the way they dealt with shows like Jericho or Moonlight – CBS simply has no idea on how to handle things, there’s a reason all their shows look alike, that they’re all procedural and that any serialized show that comes around is canceled rather rapidly : CBS doesn’t know how to love, promote or support such shows, they just don’t know what to do with them, so they cancel them, whether or not they work, whether or not they’re good.
When Moonlight started, it was a lot more of a procedural than it soon became. A few episodes went by, and the show took a more serialized approach, something that wasn’t really unexpected given the nature of the show, and it was a turn all for the better as far as viewers are concerned, because serialization is always good fun, especially with such stories where long history and full mythology are easy to come by.
Not to say every show should be serialized, but if you don’t have stories and relationship that last for more than the 42 minutes of each episode, if nothing has ever any consequences or implications over following episodes, there can only be a limited interest in the show. Without necessarily turning into an heavily serialized, some serialization is a good thing, from a user point of view that is.
Just like we, TVoholics or regular viewers, we do like to see good, interesting stories involving compelling characters, we do appreciate quality, we love good television. But as with everything these days, because there’s so many of us and because we’re not all the same, we don’t want to same thing. Things I love others won’t care for, and the other way around. That is to say, things - and by that I mean television - are changing, it’s evolving, and you can’t go on with your old business model and try to force it on people, because it will scare them away.
But the main networks today are not ready for this changes, they don’t want things to evolve. In fact, as much as NBC might like to brag about how the business is evolving and how they want to lead the way for the television of tomorrow, they’re the first not to be ready for it. Because they still want to please the masses, they’re still looking for the show that will be the mega hit, the instant 20+ million viewers hit that will top all possible listings Nielsen can come up with.
And I’m not saying that you can’t have a hit nowadays that will drag dozens of millions of people to it, I’m not saying they shouldn’t invest so much money in new pilots, but they need to adjust their expectations for things. Lost couldn’t have been done anywhere but on a major network, no cable net would have had the ability to spend that much money on a two-hour pilot, just like they couldn’t have done it for Fringe either.
While it is great that networks still go there, they can’t expect to create a 20+ million viewers hit that will last for decades, because this is simply not how television works these days. More importantly, they need to accept that the hits of tomorrow respond to different expectations from viewers : we want quality.
Lost won’t be liked by everyone, but those who like it will love it. Yes, it might be a niche, but niche is the new standard in today’s world. The thing CBS wasn’t able to see with Jericho or Moonlight, is that those shows were hits, even without 20 million viewers a week, because they had millions and millions of devoted fans in a niche, fans who loved the shows and were ready to follow them as long as possible, as long as the shows kept true to themselves.
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Shows: Army Wives, Bionic Woman, Brothers & Sisters, CSI, Damages, Dirty Sexy Money, Jericho, Life, Life On Mars, Lost, Mad Men, Moonlight, My Own Worst Enemy, Smallville, The Philanthropist
Firefly is a classic example of execs with their heads up their [3 letter word, tip buy an A].
maybe it’s the way we measure educational worth with degrees. Why aren’t veteran writers studio execs - instead of collegiates with an m.b.a.? That is fine and all,as that is how our society works, but it doesn’t help creatively.
I think the bottom line will always trump creativity on the networks, unless the writer has some success, and even then the writers don’t wear the financial pants.
Fred…you are the best! Talk about hitting the nail on the head, the major networks are now walking around with huge lumps on theirs!! And yes I am one of those left in the network dust with MOONLIGHT’s cancelation. I refuse to become invested in any new network shows, as you said, why bother, they will just cancel it anyway. Why can’t they see what’s happening, it’s not like we haven’t let them know…demographics is what they want well we have lots of money we would be glad to spend on sponsors! Just give us what we want our show(s) back. Keep up the good work Fred, we TV watchers need someone like you in our corner!
Fred, you’ve written what I feel as well. Networks are training people not to watch new shows by cancelling them if they don’t immediately pull in unrealistic numbers from the first episode. Unrealistic because millions of people have already left network TV, and those left think why bother falling in love with a show that is exciting and different when the odds are that it won’t last because networks are scared of different. Why network execs think they are all creative geniuses is beyond me when their purpose should be to simply provide the funding and let the real creative talent do what they do best. This year I’ve finally had enough. Except for a couple of returning show I like and playing DVDs, my TV will be off.
Fred, you are right on the money. One of the shows I watched is Moonlight, and the last episodes (except maybe the very last) were so disjointed, illogical, and full of continuity problems. That’s because the showrunners and writers changed so much, and the last ones were trying to appease CBS and JS, trying to give fans little morsels (like a halfnaked Mick, in-jokes and so on) and forsake the storyline for that. But it changed the show we loved in a way that, had it gone on for another season, I would probably not have watched anymore. I couldn’t stand Talbot (Josh 2.0), I couldn’t stand that the romance went nowhere. So they killed the mood for me, even before the cancellation. I am so torn, because I know that if the show had gone like the first 12, with the exceptional writing and acting and camera work, I would have very much wanted that. But not for the sake of changing it into a sorry image of Twilight or Angel.
IMO if some big network would have the smarts they would hire you and put you in charge of programming. You seem to have a pulse on what viewers want to see and how to handle what and how it is aired. Great article.
The television industry is working with a flawed system to determine what people are watching. They ignore the actual demographics out there, and seem to think that the 18 to 49 year olds out there actually have spending money. In fact, the average age of television viewers has gotten older, and these older boomers are the ones with the disposable income to purchase the goods and services the advertisers hawk between scenes of television programs.
It’s disturbing to see that the actual viewer has no standing in the eyes of television executives.
When you write to advertisers, telling them that because they aren’t supporting your show, you will no longer buy their products, they respond telling you that they have no control over what is on the air. This is a pile of hogwash.
If the networks don’t have sponsors for a show, they will remove that show and put on one from which the sponsors will buy ad time. I’d say the advertisers are the ones to go after, and they can get on these television executives to actually run programs the viewers want to see.
Your mileage may vary, but that’s my take on the situation.
The gradual blending of procedural to serialized in Moonlight was an almost natural progression of the romantic facet of the show. The bait of a serial (i.e. TV-SERIES) is what hooks viewers into sticking with a show over the long run. I’ve found that the quickest shows for me to get too bored with it to remember what day and time to turn on my set - where those plodding procedurals or those made of “stand alone” episodes. Why should I anxiously wait to see the next episode - if I’m not going to miss anything in the Story-LINE… see it’s a story LINE for a reason!
I’m one who’s just refused to turn my TV for 2 separate 5-yr stretches - BECAUSE of the network crap you’re speaking of here. Last year I decided to give TV one more try. Of all of last Fall’s offerings, I loved Moonlight the best! And here I am - betrayed and kicked to the curb by the network again! I’m back to NO TV! They’ve convinced me that whatever joy they promise is not worth the pain they inflict! I truly believe that the main reason networks do this repeatedly is because viewers repeatedly forgive them and allow them to d it again! Networks are not held accountable, and they never pay any serious consequences for what they do. If people revolted, and stopped NEEDING them - they’d probably rethink their methods. So the networks may “scare us way”? Good – that may be what they need to unplug their plumbing! Moonlight filled a “Niche”? The network called us a “Cult” - like because we loved this show we should be degraded. How is insulting viewers supposed to draw them back to your network? I believe the ratings system needs overhauling, too – upgrade it from the 1960’s where it’s stuck!
I’d like to ask you, though. What happened to the idea of shows running for many years? Why do so many of them seem like they’re “disposable” to the networks? I keep having the feeling that Moonlight could end up like Star Trek - where the network screwed with it till it was canned, the fans kept supporting it for years - and then someone decided it could make them money if they did a movie - and that went on to become several… and then they decided it was a big enough money-maker to make a new series - and that went on for YEARS with more movies and several more series on top. WHY - doesn’t TPTB see that they could take Moonlight NOW - and grow it into that from the present? Yeah, Alex is somewhat committed for a year - but that’s only a year. WHY doesn’t some Smart exec. snatch Moonlight and grow it into what Star Trek became - without making us all wait a Generation to do so?
Fred, I think I’m in love with you! Ha Ha! You have written everything I have been thinking regarding tv executives! I used to be a couch potato, but not any more. I am not watching any new tv shows from the so-called “major” networks.
Thanks mostly to CBS and the shabby way they treated Moonlight and their own viewers, I am DONE with tv. I will keep watching my old faves, like Lost, Desparate Housewives, Bones, Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles, and Prison Break. I have already defected to cable tv, mostly TNT(loved Raising the Bar) and USA. Those networks actually leave their shows on the air for years-I know, what a concept! And they actually promote them and care about their own viewers. Imagine that! The big 5 TV executives are stupid and self-important. Eventually, this behavior will doom all their networks. Can’ wait but I won’t be watching when that happens. But, I will enjoy reading about it.
I am so sick and tired of these networks dictating on what the viewers should and shouldn’t watch. They must think the viewers are dumb and would rather watch stupid reality shows and game shows than good quality. Take CBS for example since they are on the top of my hit list. CBS has no integrity. They cancelled lost of good shows that won ratings and keep the ones that sucks big time. Moonlight has won it’s time slot ever week, won a People’s Choice Award, and had became a well popular rookie show worldwide. Look what CBS has done? The head honcho at CBS is not into Genre shows. I didn’t know that shows on CBS was for his pleasure. I thought it was about having shows that attracts the most viewers. If the head of CBS didn’t like genre why in the hell did he accept to air MOONLIGHT on CBS in the first place?
-Michelle
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You are soooo right. I’m sending this to the supporters of Blood Ties to send to the Execs at the television stations. If you’ve never seen Blood Ties you should look it up. I liked Moonlight but I LOVED Blood Ties. Check it out!
You are 100% on the money, Fred! I watched both Jericho and Moonlight and felt 100% betrayed by CBS. I watched Firefly and got burned there also. I no longer have any interest in investing in a TV program because networks won’t give it a chance to grow.
I’m one viewer who can’t stand CSI. Hate procedural dramas and always look for something fresh or unique. But when I find it and fall in love, it gets cancelled. Well, no more for me. I’m not getting screwed over anymore. Until networks start figuring out their audience, I’m not interested in their programs.
Agreeing there! CBS Took Moonlight offlind I bet you my HD TV they regret that dision but those stubborn buttheads won’t do a thing about it. Moonlight fans are still waiting for Moonlight to be relived! I know we would watch it the second it was said to be on. Anyday, anytime Moonlight fans are dedicated watchers and fans. A year later we still love and mourn our show. Miss you Moonlight! And CBS has a heartless lump in their chest when it comes to fans. To CBS “Get it through you thick skulls, You are an idiot.”
I am done with being a faithful watcher of any TV show - Like Monica said, “I’m not getting screwed over anymore.” !!!
Is this part of the dumbing down of America???
It just seems that it is the best, most original shows that get killed off… JMO
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