Dollhouse moved to Friday deathslot.
POSTED BY: Storymark
UPDATED: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 20:15
VIEWED: 8762
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Zeek has a very good point. If you look at the most successful shows, especially those that took off quickly, they can be summed up in 1 sentence.
Joss nailed that with Buffy the Vampire Slayer - the name alone says it all, from the main character and conflict, to the juxtuposition between funny and deadly that drove the show.
Angel wasn't quite as simply sold (setting aside it's being a spin-off). But "Vampire private detective" is short and introduced the concept well enough to give viewers and idea of what to expect.
Firely could be described with something like "A band of fugitive space smugglers plan heists and get into wacky adventures", but that on it's face doesn't sound all that unique, and doesn't capture what really made the show sing.
The Dollhouse is probably the wierdest concept he's brought to the table, and a hard one to build a marketing campaign around.
And knowing that, by Joss' own words, that he didn't really give them the show they were hoping for, combined with the marketing challenge, I'm not terribly surprised that they'd give up on it.
"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."
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I'm not going to panic yet, T:TSCC is getting killed on Monday night. Since Goast Whisper and NUMB3ERS are doing well on Friday night, these 2 shows teaming up may draw a big Sci-Fi fan base......I hope 
I'm going to microwave a bagel and have sex with it - Peter Griffin
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Quote:
Originally posted by TuJiaoZuo:
I hate to correct you, but being a student at an art school and taking Animation as a major, there are MANY, MANY nerds about (all visual effects majors, with the exception of moi). Throngs of us. 80% of the students in my classes go to conventions and build their own computers and can engage in conversations about the nuances of Star Wars that can last hours (possibly days if it's Star Trek and it's the right person). There's plenty of us young, eager nerds and geeks out here in my neck of the woods where SciFi is a staple of life (alongside comics, Anime, video games and ramen noodles).
However unlike how people perceive the young geeks and nerds, we tend to have a weekend life. Friday night for most is the beginning of the social weekend (unless you're the type of nerd that has sold their soul to WoW or Spore 'cause then that is your weekend). Nobody young watches TV on Friday unless its three in the morning.
The Friday night slot is totally the kiss of death, there's plenty of nerds out there, we just have social lives now. I'm really surprised about the friday night schedule though (I mean I shouldn't be, it's f*x) I thought the whole thing with making amends with Joss was that they were going to completely back his show 100% and all that.
Your Indian Pirate Lord,
Ash
You completely missed the very very clear point I made. I strongly suggest you actually read my post instead of skimming it. Maybe then you'll actually see what I said instead of assuming what I said.
----
I am on The Original List (twice). We are The Forsaken and we aim to burn!
"We don't fear the reaper"
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Zeek.
I have to say I think you've hit the nail on the head there. Joss doesn't need to make a 'dumber' show exactly, but maybe for the pilot he could deliver an eye popping sensation - as with the Lost pilot, and then develop things more to his [Joss'] direction once he has hooked your audience. I dare say nobody expected Lost to go where it has after the pilot - but look at it now. It's almost an entirely different show.
(What day is Lost aired in the US?)
Here in the UK a show will often have a repeat viewing later on in the week - do you guys have that over there, and if so does that have any relevance in terms of overall viewing figures? Or does the strength of the show lay entirely on the first airing?
That said lets not despair yet. An enigmatic trailer does seem all the rage at the moment. Fringe was a little like that.
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Quote:Now that HOUSE is moving to Monday what are they pairing with FRINGE? Is it now strong enough to stand on it's own like BONES is now? After drinking several beers last night I thought of somthing, (I was so proud of myself) lately Monday night has been "Death Night" for new FOX shows, remember "DRIVE"? T:TSCC is getting killed on Monday night. I'm going to wait and see, everything may be OK.
Originally posted by TheSomnambulist:
Zeek.
I have to say I think you've hit the nail on the head there. Joss doesn't need to make a 'dumber' show exactly, but maybe for the pilot he could deliver an eye popping sensation - as with the Lost pilot, and then develop things more to his [Joss'] direction once he has hooked your audience. I dare say nobody expected Lost to go where it has after the pilot - but look at it now. It's almost an entirely different show.
(What day is Lost aired in the US?)
Here in the UK a show will often have a repeat viewing later on in the week - do you guys have that over there, and if so does that have any relevance in terms of overall viewing figures? Or does the strength of the show lay entirely on the first airing?
That said lets not despair yet. An enigmatic trailer does seem all the rage at the moment. Fringe was a little like that.
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I do have to wonder why Joss does not shop around to other networks.
It's rather like a dog returning to it's own 
time and time again. "Maybe it'll taste better this time!"
I am beginning to despair of ever seeing another Firefly-related movie, series, anything. The comics are good if you're so familiar with the characters that you can picture and hear the frames in between the frames, but it still seems a little flat. (No pun intended, but that one's so bad it won't come let go of the page... sorry.)
Are Network executives really paying attention to online viewing?
Perhaps it's time for an online network-style production company. Staffed by people who "get it". Netxecutives! Insomniacs could be the outriders in the polls.
From BlogRreview:
"I was looking for some reallybigboobieporn, or at least a good recipe for prociutto quiche, when I hit this amazing show! You have GOT to check it out, dudes
!!"
You know, that sort of thing. 
...I'm not helping, am I?
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Quote:
Originally posted by out2theblack:Quote:
Originally posted by ecgordon:
I think it is more that the entire industry thinks that sci-fi fans are teenage boys who can't attract a date and thus are home on Fridays, or else adult men who also cannot attract a date and still live with their parents. If that was the case then Fridays would be fine for genre shows, but it ain't.
wo men ren ran zai fei xing.
Dayyam , E-C , why the NEG-a-TUDE-i-Ty ?
I can attract a date , I D-O-N'-T live with my Pay-Rents , but if I've got ELIZA , W-H-Y would I want a Friday night with anyone else ?
The Dushku can convince even Hardboiled Atheists , " Yes , Joss , There IS A God ! "
I'm not the one being negative, I was saying that is what the network executives think.
Quote:
Originally posted by TheSomnambulist:
What day is Lost aired in the US?)
Here in the UK a show will often have a repeat viewing later on in the week - do you guys have that over there, and if so does that have any relevance in terms of overall viewing figures? Or does the strength of the show lay entirely on the first airing?
Lost has been moved around a lot. If I'm not mistaken it was originally on Tuesdays at 8pm Eastern, then was moved to Wednesdays at 9, then Wed. at 10, then Thursdays at 10. ABC has just announced that it returns for Season Five on Wed., January 21 at 9.
As for repeats, when it first began they repeated the two-hour pilot (originally shown in two parts) on a Saturday night following the second hour regular showing. They may have done that a time or two since, especially for the season premieres, but I can't recall exactly. They have learned that LOST is not a show that does well in repeats due to the serialized nature of the show. Most of the networks now repeat their higher rated shows on Saturday nights, but I am sure they look at the ratings of the original airings more closely. I have no idea how much they value online viewership at this time.
Quote:
Originally posted by whozit:
Now that HOUSE is moving to Monday what are they pairing with FRINGE?
In the new lineup Fringe will be following American Idol, so I think that is an indication they do not think it can hold its own yet but it is the show they want to help out the most.
Quote:
Originally posted by stinkingrose:
I do have to wonder why Joss does not shop around to other networks.
In this particular instance it was because he created the show for Eliza who already had a production deal set up with FOX, so he knew going in that is where it would air.
Joss would have fit in quite well at the beginning of FOX back in the mid-80s, when they were considered the upstart new kid on the block with fewer affiliates and a willingness to nurture shows until they found an audience. And don't forget that both Buffy and Angel ran on another "netlet," The WB (and later UPN for Buffy's last two seasons). They and the early FOX were willing to accept a lower audience threshold, but in this time of American Idol, "24" and House, FOX thinks they are among the big boys now and demand more from their shows.
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Quote:
Originally posted by Haken:
I never understood the logic behind scheduling Sci-Fi series on Fridays. As one of those belonging to the demographics that the series is trying to target, I'm not at home on Friday nights to watch. I suspect a lot of others aren't at home as well.
Because the scifi nerds ARE home on Fridays ;)
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Lots of Nerds are home Friday. Look at how well Mr Universe and Numb3rs does. Over 11 million viewers at 10 PM on Fridays (on CBS). Currently, Fox is doing 6.4 million with Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader at 8 PM (versus leader Ghost Whisperer with 11 million on CBS) and 5.4 million with Supernanny at 9 PM (against NCIS repeats from CBS, which get 11 million). No Fox show at 10 PM.
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Originally posted by ecgordon:
Quote:
Lost has been moved around a lot. If I'm not mistaken it was originally on Tuesdays at 8pm Eastern, then was moved to Wednesdays at 9, then Wed. at 10, then Thursdays at 10. ABC has just announced that it returns for Season Five on Wed., January 21 at 9.
As for repeats, when it first began they repeated the two-hour pilot (originally shown in two parts) on a Saturday night following the second hour regular showing. They may have done that a time or two since, especially for the season premieres, but I can't recall exactly. They have learned that LOST is not a show that does well in repeats due to the serialized nature of the show. Most of the networks now repeat their higher rated shows on Saturday nights, but I am sure they look at the ratings of the original airings more closely. I have no idea how much they value online viewership at this time.
Thanks ECGordon. I appreciate the reply. I had no idea they move the sheduling around so much even for a hit show. I used to become quite disheartened when the BBC aired BUFFY at all sorts of times. It eventually lead me to just jack it in and wait for the DVD release instead. Now I know US networks do the same to their own shows, I guess I shouldn't have been so narked at the Beeb. Oh well.
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