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Bad Idea of the Week: Canceling the Canceled Shows

BuzzSugar — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 06:30:00 -0700

Here's the story of this TV season in a nutshell: Networks put on new shows. Networks cancel new shows. Networks promise to bring back the canceled shows so dedicated fans can get some bit of closure. Well, now we can add a new step to the process: Networks cancel the canceled shows again, further frustrating fans who had waited months for the supposed resolution and now are unlikely to get it at all.

ABC got into the act this week, canceling "The Knights of Prosperity" and "The Nine" for a second time after just two episodes each. They must have taken a lesson from Fox, which moved the date of the final two episodes of "Drive" several times before finally deciding against putting the episodes on TV at all.

In all these cases, the presumed reason behind pulling the show yet again is low ratings. But how could the networks have expected anything else? We viewers take risks when we make time for new shows, and when they get pulled mid-season, that chips away at our trust and makes us less likely to return. With me so far? Then read more

Only the most dedicated fans of the canceled shows are likely to even know that the remaining episodes have been slipped back on the air, as they arrive with no fanfare and little, if any, promotion. And quite a few fans, having been burned by the network the first time around, are unlikely to make time in their schedules for the burn-off episodes; even I, a big "Knights of Prosperity" fan the first time around, only remembered at the last minute to TiVo one of last week's two new episodes, and I haven't even watched it yet.

That still doesn't justify the networks' yanking of shows a second time around. It's pretty obvious that if the shows had been getting good ratings to start with, they wouldn't have been canceled in the first place. Naturally, episodes of an irrelevant show that air long after the show was last broadcast will do worse. Any network executive who believes otherwise is, frankly, delirious.

But having the shows pulled a second time is just an insult to the dedicated fans who did make an effort to find the show again- and that makes viewers even less likely to commit to new network shows the next time around. I'd like to see shows get to finish their full runs on the air a la "Studio 60." But if the networks aren't fully committed to letting them burn every one of the unaired episodes on TV, I'd rather see the series go online or to a DVD. When they pop back on TV only briefly, we just feel the rug being pulled out from under us again.

What Would Have Happened on "Drive"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 16:33:11 -0700

Fans of the quickly canceled Fox serial "Drive" haven't had any luck getting the network to tell them where the show would have gone next if it hadn't been pulled. Fox was supposed to air the remaining two produced episodes on July 4, then moved the date to July 13, and now has decided against airing them at all - though they're likely to show up online eventually.

Meanwhile, the folks over at DriveFans decided to take matters into their own hands, asking executive producers Tim Minear and Craig Silverstein what they had in mind for the remainder of the series. (Thanks to TV Squad for the tip.) Minear and Silverstein didn't reveal who would have won the race, but they did supply a lot of other interesting tidbits, including:

Each character would have had a different race sponsor, each with different motivations - some benevolent, some not. Wendy's sponsors would have been a couple who discovered they adopted Wendy's first child, whom she thought was dead. Half-brothers Winston and Sean would have learned that their father was sponsoring Winston, but a family friend was actually trying to use the race to take out the whole family and take over their business.
Ivy and Wendy would have turned into a Thelma-and-Louise-style team, ultimately rescuing Wendy's son, Sam, and continuing to race with Sam along. Ivy later would have sacrificed herself for Sam.
There likely would have been at least one hookup: Rob and Leigh.

More insights, so read more

Ellie would be revealed to have been having an affair with Bill, the race's ground monitor.
There wasn't a finalized plan in place for resolving the story of Alex's missing wife, Kathryn.
Had the show continued, each season would have had a new race, with some new characters being introduced and some old characters taking new positions.

The story seems pretty crazy and convoluted, but I'm sure Minear and Silverstein left a lot of paths open for possible plot lines and didn't have a lot nailed down when the series was pulled. Regardless, I think it's pretty cool for them to give fans this kind of insider taste of their vision for the show.

Photo courtesy of Fox

"Drive" Gets Parked, While FX Shows Get Good News

BuzzSugar — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:50:55 -0700

Well, the 37 of you who said "Drive" would be off the air within five episodes were right: Fox slammed the brakes on the show today, according to Variety. None of the four episodes that aired got good ratings, but this week's situation was particularly dire: The show finished fourth in its time slot, with the fewest viewers yet.

I didn't think the first episode was that bad, but it also didn't compel me to watch again. I guess it's official that Tim Minear + Nathan Fillion + Fox = early death, as I'm sure "Firefly" fans can attest. Two more episodes of "Drive" were produced, and Fox hasn't announced whether they'll be shown on TV or only online. In the meantime, reruns of "House" will be filling "Drive"'s spot.

Fans of "Dirt" and "The Riches" got better news today, though: The FX president said he expects both shows to get second seasons. While I like "The Riches" more than I liked "Dirt," I'm glad to see FX continuing its tradition of supporting unusual, edgy shows.

Photo courtesy of Fox

Link Time! 4/17

BuzzSugar — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 14:39:07 -0700

Pop Candy has Will Ferrell's brilliant viral-video debut starring a toddler landlord, which you simply must see.
Then check out Defamer's "behind the scenes" post about the video.
TV with MeeVee kicks off its "Be Hiroic" week by interviewing Hiro himself, Masi Oka.
Idolator's super-sweet leak of the day, Timbaland, Timberlake, and Jay Z.
BuddyTV has a pretty spot-on list of reasons not to marry "The Bachelor," Andy Baldwin.
Radiohead's OK Computer wins Merry Swankster's '90s album showdown.
TV Squad tells us where to find all the slogans on Frank's "30 Rock" hats, organized by episode, color, and frequency.
Earvolution has the latest on the sad state of Rock Star Supernova.
The TV Addict loves "Drive" so much, he's made his own bumper stickers.
Speaking of "Drive," TV Filter has an interview with creator Tim Minear.
I was just caught salivating over Film Experience's Top Ten Most Lovable Movie Cads.
Popwatch tells us that even Hilary Clinton is weighing in on the Sanjaya phenomenon.
The Watcher checks out the first chapter of Tim Gunn's book - and shows you how you can, too - while Daniel Vosovic blogs from the NYC "Project Runway" auditions.
DearSugar asks: Which celeb would you want as your "Amazing Race" partner?

Source

Buzz News Roundup, 4/16

BuzzSugar — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 14:30:00 -0700

Hawaiian singer Don Ho has died at age 72, Variety reports.
The Wall Street Journal and Cormac McCarthy are among the Pulitzer Prize winners this year, the AP reports.
The Hollywood Reporter writes that Ted Danson and Roger Cross have joined the cast of Mad Money with Katie Holmes.
"Drive" stalled in the ratings on Sunday, writes Zap2it.
Variety has the winners of the GLAAD Awards, including - ironically - "Grey's Anatomy."
According to AFP, Richard Gere is stirring up controversy after kissing an Indian actress at an event.
Regis will be back on TV April 26 following triple-bypass surgery, reports USA Today.
The Hollywood Reporter says "Lost"'s Evangeline Lilly will star opposite John Malkovich in Afterwards, a supernatural thriller.
By pleading guilty, Phish's Trey Anastasio avoids drug charges, Billboard reports.
The Los Angeles Times explains how Sahara became one of the biggest financial flops in film history.
Jewel, Tony Hawk and William Shatner are among the celebrities lined up for ABC's "Fast Cars and Superstars" car-racing series, says The Futon Critic.

Source

"Drive" Death Watch: How Many Episodes Will It Get?

BuzzSugar — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 05:51:35 -0700

Fox's new serial drama, "Drive," airs its third episode tonight as part of a whirlwind three-hours-in-two-nights premiere. The show, which I think is the TV equivalent of a summer movie, has been heavily promoted by Fox, with commercials during "American Idol" and an interactive Web site.

However, it's been a tough season for serial dramas, with "The Nine," "Day Break," "Vanished," and others tanking after a few episodes. It's also been a tough few months for new shows in general: Witness the demise of "The Wedding Bells," "The Black Donnellys" and, most recently, "In Case of Emergency." Plus, creator Tim Minear has had two other series ("Wonderfalls" and "Firefly") canceled by Fox - and "Firefly" starred "Drive"'s leading man, Nathan Fillion.

Which leads me to ask: Will "Drive" be the rare breakthrough serial hit like "Lost" or "24"? Or will it land on the trash heap a few weeks from now?

Photo courtesy of Fox

TV Preview: "Drive"

BuzzSugar — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 08:36:33 -0700

Your feelings about "Drive," Fox's new drama about a top-secret, high-stakes road race, will probably depend on your tolerance for a few things:

Cars, car racing, and all of the standard trappings of car chases (high-speed side-swiping, tailgating, running out of gas at the worst possible time).
Serial shows where the plot unfolds slowly and nothing makes any sense at first.
Entertainment that requires total suspension of disbelief and falls apart with even a little scrutiny.

That's not to say "Drive," which airs its two-hour premiere at 8 p.m. tonight before moving to its regular Monday slot, is necessarily bad. In its first hour, at least, the show is total mind candy, breezy and fast-paced and best when taken at face value. It's the TV equivalent of a summer movie, and if that's your style, it's worth checking out. For more on the series and a few video clips, read more

"Drive" plays out like a fictional version of "The Amazing Race": A number of people from around the country suddenly get a phone call inviting them to participate in an underground race across the country. At stake is $32 million - and a chance to save a life, since all of the people chosen for the race are in varying degrees of desperation. One is trying to leave her possibly abusive husband, one is a parolee, and three are refugees from Hurricane Katrina. And then there's the show's central figure, Alex Tully (Nathan Fillion, above), a landscaper who joins the race because he believes the clues to his wife's disappearance - and possibly his wife herself - will be revealed along the way.

It's an incredibly far-fetched premise, especially in the series' first few minutes, when a narrator claims that a race like this is going on right now and every reckless driver we encounter might be a part of it. Only the very most desperate people would ever drop everything in their lives on 15 minutes' notice for such a crazy adventure, and I think even they would think twice. But that very unbelievability did make me want to know more about the characters and why they'd decided to join the race.

But I hope "Drive" doesn't take itself too seriously. The show's crazy action sequences and completely impossible situations could be its greatest strengths, and I hope the creators realize that and keep it from becoming a gloomy, low-rent "24" on wheels. Check out the first few minutes, the scene where the participants get their offers, and the promo below and let me know: Will you be watching?

Photos courtesy of Fox

New Moon: Better Than Twilight

BuzzSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:45:00 -0800

Let's be honest: for most of you, it doesn't matter what I - or any critics for that matter - have to say about New Moon, the incredibly anticipated sequel to last year's Twilight. The film started breaking box office records before it was even released, and audiences will flock to the theaters for weeks to come. On the plus side, a ticket to New Moon is a win even if you're not a Twihard - provided that you know what you're getting into.

New Moon is not incredibly acted, and it doesn't boast impressive dialogue or larger-than-life special effects. But it's not trying to be the Best Picture of the Year, so I can only critique it for what it is: a fantasy movie about a love triangle between a werewolf, a vampire, and a teenage girl. To see what I mean, just read more.

The movie picks up a few months after where Twilight left off. Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) is blissfully in love but she can't fight her insecurities about growing older than her perpetually seventeen vampire boyfriend Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson). All Bella wants for her eighteenth birthday is for Edward to change her into a bloodsucker, but a close call with his brother drives Edward to break up with Bella and leave town instead.

The drama following Bella's abandonment is everything we remember from high school heartbreak, from Bella's night terrors to the glazed over look in her eye. The anguish and pain are easily seen on Stewart's face, and her innermost thoughts are revealed to the audience through letters to Edward's sister Alice that will never be sent. After months of moping, Bella finally starts to open up to Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), a family friend. As Bella struggles to find hope in a life without Edward, her friendship is complicated by Jacob's romantic feelings for Bella and made worse when Jacob discovers that he's a werewolf (and an enemy to all vampires).

The surprise of the movie is Lautner's performance. We've seen and heard about those muscles countless times before, but he also packs enough charm and charisma into his Jacob that you truly see him as more than just Bella's unrelenting admirer / best friend. He presents himself as a viable suitor for Bella's heart, and it's hard not to root for him against Robert Pattinson's wooden (albeit handsome) Edward. Stewart and Pattinson have chemistry to spare in Twilight, but in New Moon, Bella's relationship with Jacob seems hopeful and comfortable while her scenes with Edward are mostly awkward and frankly not as much fun to watch.

The movie belongs to Stewart and Lautner, but their melodrama is balanced out by the characters who pad out the cast. Yes, we meet the wolf pack and the Volturi, but for the most part the Forks residents and beyond make for some much-needed comic relief. The downside is that while it's funnier than what you'd expect, not all of the laughs are intentional (a scene where Jacob's temper rivals that of The Incredible Hulk comes to mind).

It doesn't take more than a grain of salt to appreciate New Moon for what it is - a film that stays true to its origin and delivers the necessary elements to ensure that you'll be back when the next installment of the franchise comes our way.

Photos courtesy of Summit Entertainment

Mad Men, "The Color Blue": This Week's 5 Maddest Moments

BuzzSugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 06:30:34 -0700

I have often found myself forgetting that Mad Men began with its leading man's Big Dirty Secret - and that not everyone knows the truth. That may be about to change, as we saw on this week's episode, "The Color Blue."

As usual, I've recapped the episode by its maddest moments, so to see them, just read more.

Fits: So Don finds himself in the middle of another affair, and this time, the object of his affection seems far more emotionally invested than his previous mistresses. Don seems like he could be as invested as her, driving Susie's brother to his new job, but I think it has more to do with "doing the right thing," whatever that means to Don. Susie, on the other hand, is looking more like a live wire to me - her showing up on the train is pretty stalkery, and I didn't believe her when she denies calling Don's house.
The Box: My heart stopped when Betty found Don's desk key and the box that contains all relics of Don's existence as Dick Whitman, including a divorce certificate with Don's name on it. She may have been confused by the scrawled "Dick" on his photos, but the divorce paperwork is unquestionably damaging. Betty is frightened to bring it up and what she may learn, but her pained looks at Don at the Sterling Cooper party comprise some of January Jones's finest work on the show.
Faded ink: I really felt for Paul when he failed to write down his amazing idea for Western Union. I felt even more for him when he watched Peggy summon up a winning pitch in front of Don using his misfortune as inspiration. The look on his face was that of realizing he's not talented the way Peggy is, and to me - I thought it meant Paul may be reconsidering his career.
Mad Woman: Despite my pity for Paul, I couldn't have been more proud of Miss Peggy. Even though Paul initially tries to deride her success as being a woman on female-centric campaigns, Peggy's talent is clearly more than that (or simple spontaneity). Paul sees it, Don sees it - will Duck's competing agency Grey see it, too, if Sterling Cooper fails to recognize it on the whole?
For sale by owner: Sterling Cooper is set to be sold again, the British owners reveal. At least one person is happy about the possibility - Pryce's London-lorn wife. The agency has been thrown into upheaval in is first sale, what will happen in its next?

Do you think Betty will begin questioning Don about his box of secrets? What do you make of the title, "The Color Blue?" I took it as a moral ambiguity reference, after it came up in Don and Susie's pillow talk. Let me know what you thought of this week's episode below, and to talk more Sterling Coop, join the Mad Men group in the community!

Photo courtesy of AMC

America's Next Top Model Quiz: "Petite Ninja Warriors"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:00:18 -0700

Which is harder - handling a sword on a high wire, or driving in LA traffic? This week on America's Next Top Model, the girls attempted both. Call me a dork, but I sort of loved the martial arts challenge. While it wasn't as flashy as their Cirque du Soleil shoot, it was fun to see each model take on a butt-kicking persona for the day. Not everyone handled it with grace however, and one girl was of course sent packing. Do you remember who it was, along with the rest of the episode? Test yourself by taking the quiz!

Don't forget to check out the America's Next Top Model group in the BuzzSugar Community if you want to talk about the show in more detail!

Photo courtesy of The CW

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