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Posts tagged as “The Office”

The Guessing Game 2009 – Rundown

Now that I’m (almost) fully caught up on the Upfronts, time to make a rundown of The Guessing Game 2009.

Like I said previously, what was the most surprising for me weren’t the actual pick-ups, but the schedules the networks made for this fall (and mid-season).

First, CBS.
I gladly called 3 of the new shows as well as their new timeslots save for Accidentally on Purpose which goes on Mondays.
The NCIS spin-off is now called NCIS: Los Angeles.
Ground-breaking.
We also have the renewals.
It wasn’t Cold Case that got canned, rather Without a Trace. Meanwhile, Old Christine also got renewed. NBC’s Medium jumped ship, joining the Eye on Fridays.
So that’s 6 out of 9 guesses correct for renewals.

Some previews:

Most of the CBS previews are unfortunately kinda nuked.
Not that much of a loss though.

On to NBC.
Now here starts the weird stuff.
I already posted the various previews for those of you interested.
Again, not a lot of surprises regarding the picks for the new shows, and as for the renewals, well, I’ve been waiting since several months to say that but: I frakkin’ called it for Chuck getting renewed! Hell yes.
As for the rest of the renewals, I think I can get half a point for Medium at least, making 6.5 out of 7 guesses correct.
Now, the strange part comes with the actual schedule.
Trauma is put right after Heroes on Mondays, a slot I would have thought Day One was gonna be put in. But no, Day One is mid-season after the 2010 Olympics and coupled with a 13-episode Chuck season. Perhaps too soon to tell, but I’m thinking neither Heroes not Chuck will live past the 2009-2010 season.
Community has been put on Thursdays whilst 100 Questions was as well pushed for mid-season.

Moving on to ABC and probably the strangest schedule yet and its 11 (!) new shows.
Some of the drama picks surprised me (like Copper), but overall pretty straight-forward choices with V, Happy Town, Cougar Town, and Eastwick.
Regarding the renewals however, there we have a few strange moves, not the least of which were the renewals of Better Off Ted, and also Scrubs, getting a ninth season (a disappointing renewal for me). Castle also gets a second season and keeps its slot, making 2 of my 5 guesses the right ones.
Time to talk a bit about the scheduling.
What the frak?
First, you’re putting what might possibly be your next new SF hit (Flash Forward) before Grey’s Anatomy, on Thursdays, and moving Ugly Betty on Fridays.
Then, you’re trying to imitate NBC’s old Thursdays, but on Wednesdays, putting 4 comedies followed by a drama.
This is madness!

And now, time for FOX.
Pretty surprised AbFab wasn’t taken, as for the rest, we’ll see.
Regarding the renewals, the biggest surprise on my part was Dollhouse, although I guess they succeeded in cutting the budget. The other picks were again somewhat obvious, so that is 6 out of 7 guesses correct.
FOX’s schedule, like the other nets this season is peculiar to say the least.
Dollhouse was obviously put on Fridays, but behind ‘Til Death and Brothers. I don’t really see the point of picking up Brothers and Dollhouse if you’re just gonna throw them out to die.
Another really strange move is not only changing Fringe‘s timeslot, putting it behind Bones, but putting it on Thursdays head-to-head against C.S.I., The Office, and Grey’s Anatomy, making this in my opinion one of the dumbest moves this season.
Human Target on the other hand gets a nice push by being put in mid-season just behind American Idol. I’m not sure though the audience will stay given that Target is sandwiched before and after its run by Glee. And let’s just say I doubt the audience for Glee and Target share much similarities.

Previews as usual:

Brothers

The Cleveland Show

Human Target

Past Life

Sons of Tucson

To sum up:
CBS – 6 out of 9 guesses correct
NBC – 6.5 out of 7 guesses correct
ABC – 2 out 5 guesses correct
FOX – 6 out of 7 guesses correct

All done.
Not bad for a first timer, right?

As for the actual shows, we’ll see this fall how all those crazy moves, pick-ups, and schedules, play out.
It should definitely be an interesting season…

The Guessing Game 2009 – Renewals and Cancellations

The Upfronts are fast approaching and I need to post what I think will happen (if only to say TOLDJA!).

Let the Guessing Game begin!

First, the renewals.

Lots of shows are on the bubble as always this time of year.
Ergo, it’s the perfect moment to play the guessing game of what is coming back/getting canceled.

Some of the educated guesses on here are mainly follow-ups to my durability thinking in the Spec Script 2009 list I gave a couple of months ago.

Shows that are not on this list have either been already declared canceled (My Own Worst Enemy, Prison Break, etc.), have already been renewed (24, Ugly Betty, Lost, Grey’s Anatomy, etc.), or I don’t care much about/forgot about.

Since I’m crazy, often wrong, and especially suicidal, here is my guess list:

Cold Case
My guess: Canceled
Why?: This renewal fight is between Cold Case and Without a Trace. Given that Trace has more decent numbers than Cold Case,
Why not?: The show is the youngest of the two.

Eleventh Hour
My guess: Canceled
Why?: A lot of other, new, procedural-type shows are coming CBS’ way.
Why not?: Bruckheimer.

Flashpoint
My guess: Renewed
Why?: Epic Friday ratings. Add to that the fact that more and more shows are being co-produced, and Flashpoint is here for the long run.
Why not?: No real reason.

How I Met Your Mother
My guess: Renewed
Why?: I think it still has one season under its sleeve.
Why not?: Average ratings for a CBS sitcom, and both The Big Bang Theory & Two and a Half Men have already been renewed for multiple seasons.

The Mentalist
My guess: Renewed
Why?: Duh.
Why not?: CBS execs have realised it’s a Psych copy-cat.

The New Life of Old Christine
My guess: Canceled
Why?: Has been disposable ever since it was launched.
Why not?: If the upcoming sitcoms are complete failures, the show might see another day.

Rules of Engagement
My guess: Renewed
Why?: The show is pulling in better numbers than CSI: Miami.
Why not?: Like Old Christine, the show is fairly disposable and has mostly those ratings thanks two its lead-in.

Without a Trace
My guess: Renewed
Why?: See above regarding Cold Case.
Why not?: The show is old and expensive.

Worst Week
My guess: Canceled
Why?: Pulled out of sked, low ratings.
Why not?: Jesus has returned.

Chuck
My guess: Renewed
Why?: Like I previously said, I doubt NBC would leave to die a heavily-promoted show, especially after putting so much money in the 3-D episode, even if the ratings are average.
Why not?: Everyone and their mothers are saying it’s canned.

Kings
My guess: Canceled
Why?: Thoroughly under-promoted, a lame timeslot followed by an even lamer timeslot followed by the show being pushed back to Summer.
Why not?: Good question.

Life
My guess: Canceled
Why?: The show was on average pulling worse ratings than Knight Rider or My Own Worst Enemy.
Why not?: My prayers worked.

Medium
My guess: Canceled
Why?: Because I want it to.
Why not?: Sundays at 10PM, right doc?

My Name is Earl
My guess: Canceled
Why?: Change is coming and they need to clean out a bit their Thursday lineup.
Why not?: The ratings, even though average, are still decent compared to the rest of the NBC shows.

Parks & Recreation
My guess: Renewed
Why?: The show pulls in pretty decent numbers…
Why not?: …despite its very late start.

Southland
My guess: Renewed
Why?: The show pulls in pretty decent numbers despite its very late start.
Why not?: NBC’s sked is getting smaller and smaller.

Better Off Ted
My guess: Canceled
Why?: In the same rating-zone as Pushing Daisies and Dirty Sexy Money once were.
Why not?: No reason why it should get renewed, Better Off Dead.

Castle
My guess: Canceled
Why?: Lackluster ratings (and reviews) and ABC needs to shed some shows to make room for the new.
Why not?: I don’t want Nathan Fillion to be jobless.

Cupid
My guess: Canceled
Why?: No time for third chances.
Why not?: Why not, not?

Scrubs
My guess: Canceled
Why?: Everyone has moved on.
Why not?: It would be a good prank to renew it.

The Unusuals
My guess: Canceled
Why?: Very late start and mediocre ratings.
Why not?: ABC might take pity on Harold Perrineau.

Bones
My guess: Renewed
Why?: Decent to good ratings.
Why not?: Don’t you want to continue be bored?

Dollhouse
My guess: Canceled
Why?: All those reasons.
Why not?: All these reasons.

Fringe
My guess: Renewed
Why?: “By the writers of Star Trek comes the new season of Fringe.”
Why not?: In one of the many parallel universes out there, the show gets canned.

House M.D.
My guess: Renewed
Why?: Best. Ratings. Ever.
Why not?: The Upfronts will be on April Fool’s Day 2010.

Lie to Me
My guess: Renewed
Why?: Also has great ratings and a known star.
Why not?: I would be lying if I said it was gonna get canceled.

The Sarah Connor Chronicles
My guess: Canceled
Why?: More or less the same reasons as Dollhouse. The ratings are bad and FOX isn’t happy.
Why not?: Send back an army of viewers in time to watch the show.

Sit Down, Shut Up
My guess: Canceled
Why?: The poor ratings are tanking FOX’s Sunday night.
Why not?: The ratings the show would pull next year would be (sadly) funnier than the show itself. Yes, I’m harsh.

The next Guessing Game will be about the pilots that are going to get picked up, so stay tuned.

Spec Script 2009 – What is hot and what is not

Spec Script 2009 – What is hot and what is not

UPDATE: A new updated 2019 Drama version is available here.
A new updated 2019 Comedy version is available here.

‘Tis the season to write great scripts.
Staffing season is fast approaching and I’ve been perusing the various blogs in search of good spec advices, so I decided to put all those info in common into a clear list of speccable drama shows.
The ideal portfolio would probably be composed of three specs script.
One safe, “mainstream”, another more marginal, “borderline”, and a third which would be an original pilot/feature.
Basically balance the “safe” with the “risky”, the “light” with the “dark”, and procedurals with genre shows.

The shows are divided into 4 somewhat self-explanatory categories regarding their appeal to readers and how well they are known/read:
– Over-specced (forget it)
– Mainstream (everyone’s doing it)
– Wild Cards (soon, everyone will do it)
– Outsiders (get out of the pack)

There is also a grade regarding the shows’ longevity in relation to specs of said shows using the greatest grading system on Earth: stars.

★★★★★ – Excellent
★★★★★ – Very Good
★★★★★ – Average
★★★★★ – Fair
★★★★★ – Poor

Over-Specced
Re-tool your spec if you have one, but you probably shouldn’t bother beginning a new one for those shows.

C. S. I./Law & Order (CBS/NBC)
Let’s begin with the obvious.
Once the hottest specs in town, now not so much.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – The type of spec that is probably going to get real old real fast. I wouldn’t start a new one, it’s been over-done.

House (FOX)
A now-classic medical procedural yet slowly fading in demand.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – Even though FOX is probably going to renew the show for several years to come, speccability is going down fast for House.

Mainstream
The current and new widespread shows in town that are getting read.

Dexter (Sho)
Seems like this once-must-have spec won’t pass another season. Probably the last “hot” year for Dex.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – Clearly not as in high demand as it was a couple of years ago but should live for another year or two.

Bones (FOX)
I don’t know the show well enough, but from what I can gather, it’s a solid procedural.
Longevity: ★★★★★ -Steady ratings on the verge of 10M viewers should ensure another couple of seasons.

Mad Men (AMC)
The hotest spec on the market right now. Everyone and their mothers seems to be doing one. Has obviously gone mainstream given the amount of specs produced around it.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – AMC is not going to let this one slide.

Gossip Girl (The CW)
If you’re aiming for this type of show then probably the show to spec.
Longevity : ★★★★★ – Do you really think The CW is going to cancel that show anytime soon?

Wild Cards
Not quite fully widespread but might get there given the chance.

Fringe (FOX)
Clearly the fresh FOX show to spec right now with a lot of potential.
Longevity : ★★★★★ – Unless the show tanks in the ratings and/or FOX finds a new hit show next year, Fringe surely has at least a second and third season pretty much guaranteed with 24 and Prison Break soon gone and no real lighthouse shows for the network.

The Mentalist (CBS)
A classic CBS procedural that, given its ratings, is most likely the new Cold Case/Without a Trace.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – Given the fact that C.S.I./Cold Case/Without a Trace still continue, the show probably has a few years ahead of it

Dollhouse (FOX)
One might think a very speccable show as the serialized nature of the show successfully balances out the SF aspect, but the risk may be be too great.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – I wouldn’t hold my breath given the atrocious ratings and the Friday timeslot on FOX. Wait for a definite renewal to start on that spec.

Flashpoint (CBS)
Well…We’ve discussed in depth this already. Its freshness should give you a wide array of stories, and its procedural aspect should give it a wide enough reach.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – Flashpoint rules the Fridays, no reason to get canceled yet.

Chuck (NBC)
Fun, light-hearted spy drama with a lot of story elements to choose from.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – Unless NBC cancels the show (doubtful given the Super-Bowl and 3-D money behind it), there’s still a couple of years ahead.

90210 (The CW)
Will soon join in the ranks of Gossip Girl.
Longevity : ★★★★★ – Same question Gossip Girl: Why cancel it?

Outsiders
The shows (mostly cable) you may be tempted to take a risk on, getting you over the rest of the pack.
After that, it depends on the willingness of the reader.
Who knows, maybe the showrunner is into less popular shows and will value your risk-taking.

Breaking Bad (AMC)
Not as major as Mad Men but clearly a lot of potential. Might prove hard to spec though.
Longevity : ★★★★★ – Seems like AMC is on a streak so it most likely will renew the show for a couple of years at the very least as it will become more and more speccable.

Leverage (TNT)
Perhaps a new dark horse. The show is fresh enough to give a new spin on the heist and con storyline of your choice.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – A second season order bodes well for this new show.

Burn Notice/Psych (USA)
Good light procedurals and both shows are not majorly specced right now.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – I don’t see any reason why USA would cancel those shows anytime soon as the network doesn’t have much else going for it.

Even though it’s obvious only the major, more or less “speccable”, shows around were put down on this list, it’s interesting to note the rise of the basic cable spec market (AMC, TNT, USA) yet there is no real ABC nor HBO contender this year, mostly because ABC only has either dying or over-specced shows (Ugly Betty, Grey’s Anatomy) and HBO doesn’t have that much shows anymore.

You can still try the
very risky route of speccing The Tudors for instance, but be sure to see check if who you’re sending it to will actually read it.

Also, try to net get too invested in a spec (even an almost-surefire Fringe) unless you know the show has been renewed.

As for the Comedies, well, I don’t know much about that, except what probably everyone else knows: 30 Rock is in and The Office is over-specced.

Good luck!