I posted a piece about TV shows that I watched, ditched, and then came back to. But it posted in January 2010.
I listed Parks and Recreation and Community as two I needed to rediscover. Also Terriers-gone already and quite a disappointment.
Here's Todd's insightful response.
COMMUNITY and PARKS & REC actually improved throughout their first seasons...and COMMUNITY particularly didn't start too badly.
There are too many to list among those that were strangled in their cribs, though I'd suggest poster child ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT wasn't among them...it was losing its way as soon as Jason Bateman's character was remade into just another clown among the clowns.
But among the most vicious cullings of the last several years have been SONS AND DAUGHTERS, the ABC sitcom; HELP ME HELP YOU; the timeslip fantasy JOURNEYMAN; the rapidly improving NBC crime drama KIDNAPPED (don't start weak with a heavily serialized series, for goodness's sake); PARTY DOWN; and DEADWOOD and LIFE, which both at least had more than one season to show us what they could do.
BARNEY MILLER was fairly consistently improving throughout its run, and started off pretty well, if heavy-handed and a bit tone-deaf (and Abe Vigoda started milking everything dry Very early on...when he was spun off, and Steve Landesburg brought in, a vast improvement). THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE improved markedly with its second season, then frittered that momentum away.
26 comments:
Christine had a good second season and then right back in the toilet.
Also agree on Arrested Development. Every show about nuts needs one who isn't.
Thanks...I didn't realize the comment was still attached to the post, and thought it just Got Et, as is too often the case with comments on various Blogspot blogs.
Yes, at least a sane anchor is necessary in that dynamic. Not to mention that almost all the loons around the elder Michael Bluth were more canny loons.
Well, I didn't (or don't) watch most of those shows, so I won't comment. Of the ones I did watch, I liked ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT but quit watching at the point Todd referenced (if you'll excuse that word). The only others I watched regularly from start to cancellation were DEADWOOD and LIFE.
For whatever reason, I just haven't been able to get a lot of enjoyment out of any sitcom in recent years, though if I've watched some I have occasionally laughed (i.e. BIG BANG THEORY).
JeffM.
I thought "Southland" was really turning into a possibly great show when it was cancelled.
TNT cable is still running new episodes, John...though I haven't check to see if they've cancelled it as well...
The new series of SOUTHLAND is starting early in January, I believe the 4th but I can't swear to that.
Jeff M.
It, 301 "Let It Snow," is indeed scheduled for 1/4 at 10p ET on the TNT channel in the States. (Dunno if that's mirrored in Canada, or if, say, Global or CTV will've picked it up.)
I remember and liked Journeyman. And that's saying something for an NBC show.
The wretched CSI MIAMI outdrew both JOURNEYMAN and ABC Family's charming THE MIDDLEMAN, Mondays at 10p...now it's out to pasture on Sunday nights. May it burn, at least to the blister stage. (Of course, that didn't mean NBC nor ABC Family needed to cancel those fine series.)
Canadian debut for 301 seems to be set for SuperChannel2 (pay cable, alas) on 13 January at 10p (presumably ET).
I am so with you on Terriers.
Haven't seen any of these. the show No ordinary family seems to be loosing fizz.
I remember, and used to watch the show "Fish". Short lived series.
Ladies and gentlemen we are discussing television which is pretty much all rubbish. Why waste precious time on a Chevy Chase!! show to see if it will improve?
I love television with the rigor or a 10-year-old kid but then I got Netflix on demand. I actually just watched 1958's "Cop Hater" with Robert Loggia and a small role by a very young Jerry Orbach.
I'm almost completely weaned off of regular tv
Dan Luft
I'm pretty much with Dan. Virtually all the series TV we watch are DVDs of shows that have been around (or come and gone) that people say we might have liked. We give them a few shots and either give up (RESCUE ME, SOUTHLAND),or stick with them until we catch up (DEADWOOD, THE WIRE).
We caught JUSTIFIED and TERRIERS from their starts and liked both. (Well, "liked" isn't strong enough a word for JUSTIFIED. We're counting days until Season 2.) We gave DETROIT 1-8-7 a try until a couple of weeks ago. What started off as a great show has deteriorated into just another TV cop show, which is a shame. Those first handful of episodes were very good.
I'm enjoying the old Ellery Queen series starring Jim Hutton. But to sit and watch modern TV programming these days is out. Life is short and the keyboard (or a good book) awaits.
Given the economics of current broadcast and cable TV, new shows have to draw an audience Right Away or they're banished. No network is going to give a show like Seinfeld TWO YEARS to develop an audience anymore.
That, George, is why so much of the more interesting material is not on broadcast--cable outlets can be more patient, while usually paying less for the privilege, though their easy money days are falling behing starting about a year or so back. But sometimes the stars align; THE GOOD WIFE is the best series of any kind on US television, and I hope they can sustain that.
Good point, Anonymous. We must all be idiots, actually enjoying and making distinctions among examples of something you so categorically despise, with particular animus toward Chevy Chase.
Your courage is a match for your acumen.
Todd, Since I see you coming back here I wanted to say congrats on "Discount Primrose." Well done, sir.
Thanks, David. I was very amused to learn that James Goldman and Stephen Sondheim's musical adaptation of "Evening Primrose" for an 1966 experimental TV anthology series, ABC STAGE '67, was being released on home video for the first time at about the same time that DISCOUNT NOIR was released. Clearly, it was John Collier remembrance time.
An interesting coincidence with the musical.
You really ought to submit more stories online and in print. It would be a shame if you didn't.
FX announced Monday they cancelled TERRIERS. Bastards.
Hey, Kevin! My old Carpathian Shadows comrade! Hope the writing life is going well for you.
Mostly though, I am writing to commiserate about Terriers. That show didn't even get half a chance. I heard about it entirely by accident.
I know more people who watched TERRIERS. What a stupid move.
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