Site Meter Watching Studio60 » Blog Archive » Another week - Another show

Another week - Another show

by

So - it is confirmed that on March 5th, The Black Donnelly’s will replace Studio 60 in the 10.00pm time slot, and as of yesterday there was no firm date for the return of MY show. I have said it before, but I think it bears repeating - as long as the networks are being held hostage by advertisers and the need to sell their advertising slots, and as long as they continue to program to the lowest common denominator, great shows that are obviously too far above the heads of the average viewer, will get cancelled and be replaced by shows that appeal to the adrenaline junkies, mindless violance, tired story lines and so blatantly “Been there - done that” BUT I know it will grab the numbers to appease the advertisers. I am so sick of shows with gratutitous violence, guns blaring, people bleeding everywhere, bodies piling up. It was really refreshing to have a show with no violence, no guns and no dead bodies, unless you count the snake, and we haven’t actually seen that yet - but it cannot draw the numbers large enough to attract the advertisers, so it has to be pulled.
There is something to be said for the 2 British channels that do not rely on revenue from advertisers so have the freedom to program what they want, when they want. Why can’t we do that in the States? In England, when you buy a TV you have to buy an annual license and that revenue allows the BBC to program without interruptions. No insidious advertisements every two seconds, when they say a show is an hour long - it really is an hour long - not a scant 45 minutes if you are lucky.
Ah well - I shall enjoy tonight’s episode all the more because it may be one of the last!


Leave a Reply


About Watching Studio60

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip was a show about making a show -- a Friday night sketch comedy living and dying by the ratings and the buzz and the bottom line. It also turned out to be about the ways that overinflated expectations and caustic criticism can doom a TV drama. Still, if you're a fan of great acting and Aaron Sorkin's way with dialog, there's a lot to love in Studio 60's sole season. Read here to look back at the show, and look forward at what the cast and creative powers are doing now.

Watching Studio60 Author(s)

Blogging Flair