And yet Everybody Loves Raymond stayed on air....
To say that I am super excited about writing for a blog dedicated to the cathode ray is most definitely an understatement. Believe me when I say that I have my ponytail pulled high, my best Sparkle Motion dance hands and a pair of pompoms shimmying away in time to the flips of my joyous heart. But alas not all TV related writing is so joyous, and I am afraid I will be sharing some of my soul's burdens with you all today. The lovely LaRue wrote about When Good TV Goes Bad, well I'm writing about When Good TV Gets Cancelled.
I love a cliffhanger, but only when I get to know what's to be found at the bottom of the damn plummet! Why is it that the viewing public seem to be such arse heads? Not us, I mean them, out there, the ones who watch McLeod's Daughters and rate Home and Away ahead of Neighbours. Someone is watching Yes, Dear and it's no one I know (or at least they won't admit to it)! And yet programs with scope and lashings of ingenuity are shunted into the obsolescence of TV's week night carousel, swapping times and days like I wish I swapped lovers.
I was a late bloomer when it came to recognising the genius of Joss Whedon. As an older teen I had the tendency to pooh-pooh anything that wasn't consciously arty or literate. And to me the high point of TV literacy was an adaptation of a classic Victorian novel by the BBC costume department. As the years went on I managed to remove my head from my buttocks and catch a few episodes of Buffy: The Vampire Slayer. I liked what I saw. Skip forward many years and I am living with a pal who has them all on DVD. I barely spoke to anyone for 6 weeks, but when I emerged, pale of skin and lank of hair, having watched all 144 episodes (plus all of the commentaries and special features) I was most certainly a fan of Joss. This set me on the path towards Firefly, a show that had been cancelled years before I discovered it. Firefly is a space show unlike any other. Set 500 years in the future, there are no aliens, people are still people and the average Joe can speak Mandarin. It takes the film school theory that Sci-Fi's are really Westerns in space to the next level. Firefly is most definitely and deliberately a Space Western. This is not the clean and clinical world of Star Trek, this is the world of petty crims, hustlers and smugglers who live on the edge of the civilised world. This is the world that Han Solo left when he picked up some passengers at Mos Eisley. This 'verse was seriously cool. It lasted a mere 11 episodes in the US on Fox, who presumably cancelled it after waiting for the vampires and moody teens to show up and improve their ad earnings.
Fox sabotaged their own show. They played episodes out of order (the pilot episode, where they set up the, uh, plot, was the final one that aired), they didn't promote it beyond 'From the man who brought you Buffy: The Vampire Slayer' promos and they kept asking the creators where the vampires and foxy teens were. The series is now available in a handy DVD box set, with 3 unaired episodes and buckets of special features. Oh, and the lovely people at Universal Pictures coughed up the dosh for a feature film called Serenity which finished off some of the story lines and gave a degree of closure. This sort of resurrection is a rare occurrence in cancellation land. Only the complete resurrection of Family Guy comes to mind as another time the TV gods intervened to save the viewing public from their evil network masters.
A far sadder cancellation abomination was that of Carnivale. Set in the US Dust Bowl of the Depression, this spooky, gripping, sexy and smart series was nothing short of a masterpiece. A wonderful mix of real life drama; historical accuracy to please the most picky; a custom built mythology that was breathtaking in it's scope, and the weird and wonderful world of freaks and carnies. This was TV of such high quality that even the harshest critic would have had trouble finding fault with it. Unless of course their world view was so easily threatened that they attended book burnings. It referenced real events, while building towards the final battle between good and evil. But good and evil with silky, silky shades of grey. And did I mention the sexy? Purrrrrr.
It was art, it was terrifying, it was gorgeous and it got cancelled just as the plot twist of the century was revealed. GAH! Bastards! I have such respect for the commissioning execs at HBO (Oz, Six Feet Under, The Sopranos, Deadwood, Sex and the City) but what the hell happened in the HBO offices in May 2005? A mass TV exec brain fart? There are rumours of a 1 off mini-series to finish off the story arc, but after nearly 2 and a half years I fear that the battle for Carnivale is lost.
These are but two of many excellent programs that were cancelled before their time. Deadwood, Angel and Arrested Development all leap to my mind (no one tell me what happens in Angel season 5, the DVD's are waiting for me to get back home and watch them). At least the these three managed to wrap up some of the loose ends before being yanked. And I think this is what annoys me most about cancellation. It's just damn rude! You wouldn't start a joke and then refuse to give the punchline. Or tear out the last chapter of your own novel. So why do it to TV? It's that money thing, isn't it? I'm almost annoyed enough to go out and join Resistance.
So tell me, what show has you asking 'They cancelled this, but Everybody Loves Raymond went for 9 seasons?'
I love a cliffhanger, but only when I get to know what's to be found at the bottom of the damn plummet! Why is it that the viewing public seem to be such arse heads? Not us, I mean them, out there, the ones who watch McLeod's Daughters and rate Home and Away ahead of Neighbours. Someone is watching Yes, Dear and it's no one I know (or at least they won't admit to it)! And yet programs with scope and lashings of ingenuity are shunted into the obsolescence of TV's week night carousel, swapping times and days like I wish I swapped lovers.
I was a late bloomer when it came to recognising the genius of Joss Whedon. As an older teen I had the tendency to pooh-pooh anything that wasn't consciously arty or literate. And to me the high point of TV literacy was an adaptation of a classic Victorian novel by the BBC costume department. As the years went on I managed to remove my head from my buttocks and catch a few episodes of Buffy: The Vampire Slayer. I liked what I saw. Skip forward many years and I am living with a pal who has them all on DVD. I barely spoke to anyone for 6 weeks, but when I emerged, pale of skin and lank of hair, having watched all 144 episodes (plus all of the commentaries and special features) I was most certainly a fan of Joss. This set me on the path towards Firefly, a show that had been cancelled years before I discovered it. Firefly is a space show unlike any other. Set 500 years in the future, there are no aliens, people are still people and the average Joe can speak Mandarin. It takes the film school theory that Sci-Fi's are really Westerns in space to the next level. Firefly is most definitely and deliberately a Space Western. This is not the clean and clinical world of Star Trek, this is the world of petty crims, hustlers and smugglers who live on the edge of the civilised world. This is the world that Han Solo left when he picked up some passengers at Mos Eisley. This 'verse was seriously cool. It lasted a mere 11 episodes in the US on Fox, who presumably cancelled it after waiting for the vampires and moody teens to show up and improve their ad earnings.
Fox sabotaged their own show. They played episodes out of order (the pilot episode, where they set up the, uh, plot, was the final one that aired), they didn't promote it beyond 'From the man who brought you Buffy: The Vampire Slayer' promos and they kept asking the creators where the vampires and foxy teens were. The series is now available in a handy DVD box set, with 3 unaired episodes and buckets of special features. Oh, and the lovely people at Universal Pictures coughed up the dosh for a feature film called Serenity which finished off some of the story lines and gave a degree of closure. This sort of resurrection is a rare occurrence in cancellation land. Only the complete resurrection of Family Guy comes to mind as another time the TV gods intervened to save the viewing public from their evil network masters.
A far sadder cancellation abomination was that of Carnivale. Set in the US Dust Bowl of the Depression, this spooky, gripping, sexy and smart series was nothing short of a masterpiece. A wonderful mix of real life drama; historical accuracy to please the most picky; a custom built mythology that was breathtaking in it's scope, and the weird and wonderful world of freaks and carnies. This was TV of such high quality that even the harshest critic would have had trouble finding fault with it. Unless of course their world view was so easily threatened that they attended book burnings. It referenced real events, while building towards the final battle between good and evil. But good and evil with silky, silky shades of grey. And did I mention the sexy? Purrrrrr.
It was art, it was terrifying, it was gorgeous and it got cancelled just as the plot twist of the century was revealed. GAH! Bastards! I have such respect for the commissioning execs at HBO (Oz, Six Feet Under, The Sopranos, Deadwood, Sex and the City) but what the hell happened in the HBO offices in May 2005? A mass TV exec brain fart? There are rumours of a 1 off mini-series to finish off the story arc, but after nearly 2 and a half years I fear that the battle for Carnivale is lost.
These are but two of many excellent programs that were cancelled before their time. Deadwood, Angel and Arrested Development all leap to my mind (no one tell me what happens in Angel season 5, the DVD's are waiting for me to get back home and watch them). At least the these three managed to wrap up some of the loose ends before being yanked. And I think this is what annoys me most about cancellation. It's just damn rude! You wouldn't start a joke and then refuse to give the punchline. Or tear out the last chapter of your own novel. So why do it to TV? It's that money thing, isn't it? I'm almost annoyed enough to go out and join Resistance.
So tell me, what show has you asking 'They cancelled this, but Everybody Loves Raymond went for 9 seasons?'
Labels: TeeVee talk, TV exec Brain Farts
posted by Nai at
2:06 pm
12 Comments:
I also love the fantastic world of Firefly - and it sticks with you as well. Amazing doesn't even begin to describe it. Maybe those genii at Fox decided to pop it on in the middle of the night and wonder why it doesn't rate (Soprano's on Australian TV anyone?). And well, I wrote my thesis on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. So I am a sad sad fan. I have found that I am watching more Angel now, maybe because it is the more grown up show. A bit like the comparison between The Simpsons and Futurama.
I must watch Carnivale now....
I was personally disappointed (and even more so on a rewatch) with the cancellation of Twin Peaks.
I'll second your Arrested Development call, too.
One of the things that I think is really disappointing is the way in which many shows don't even get a chance to prove themselves these days, unless of course they feature some half-has-been celebrity, in which case they're promoted to death and then moved around the time-slots until finally shuffling off our tubes.
Great post Nai.
killerrabbit - I too am a Buffy tragic, I'm just embarrassed it took me so long to cotton on to it (dodgy bunny-tail pun intended. Yikes). I'm with you on Angel being a more grown up show, I'll probably always love Buffy more, but Angel is a superior production. better acting chops sees to that. But WOW, Firefly could have been amazing. How would the Blue Sun Corporation have featured, I have my guesses, but we'll never know for sure. Get thee to a Carnivale DVD poste haste, it's brilliant. Television as art.
GW - Was Twin Peaks cancelled? I was rather young when it was on and due to my parents not allowing me to watch it (I was only 11), I managed to stay at a friend's many of the times it was on. Recently Ma and I got the first DVD out and (some highly amusing acting not withstanding) I was completely blown away by what I saw. Must track down the other DVD's.....
yes, to the best of my knowledge it got cancelled and they had to wrap up a whole lot of storylines quite quickly.
Only two seasons in the end. Which is weird, because I did watch it first time around (I'm a smidge older than you) and it seemed to go for years!
True confessions: I didn't watch Firefly, and Carnivale just hurt my head and probably I like my TV a little less art and more pop, but I totally get the confusion.
On the other hand - I think the idea that shows have to go forever is kinda stupid and doesn't suit everything. Take Lost - it's still rating it's nuts off but haven't the creators decided that this will be the last season? I think that's fair - better than dragging it out until it's just stupid and recylced.
It sucks a little more if the networks pull the pin and don't give you a chance to wrap it all up though, and I think some shows take longer to attract an audience and get a groove and TV execs are way to quick to jump the gun.
They also don't seem to understand the value of the audiences that these shows get: they're smaller, but they're more loyal, smarter and much savvier than the drones watching ELR. They should be a market of their own.
That's my two cents.
But a waaaay worse example than ELR for something that kept getting renewed over far far better shows is Seventh Heaven. That got 11 seasons, and I think was cancelled twice and saved, despite being crap and rating in the toilet.
I personally loved the total shlock that was what that show became, but it did not deserve to become one of the longest running TV dramas in history.
Another example of rampant tv stupidity - Two and a half men. Why is this show on, in prime time! Why!
I haven't watched Firefly for the very simple reason that I don't want to get sad and angry about it being cancelled. All these years later. I like to commit to my TV shows and irrationally ridiculous about perceived threats...
I was particularly concerned about the posibility of Supernatural being cancelled this year... Phew! It's been renewed, but only just. But it's a really smart, funny, creepy show and I don't understand why people don't like it.
In short: Tv Execs are like the average Joe - Dumb.
Also: yay! Welcome Nai!
Why, you ask? Why?
I'll tell you why: you're looking at it right now. It's called
TEH INTERNETS!!
Haven't you noticed the latest marketing ploy squealed at us by the commercials as though it were the secret to eternal life?
"Screened simultaneously with the US!"
Time was, if you were a TV exec in Oz, all you had to do was let the US take the risks with audience numbers and show commissioning and just pick the good ones. Bingo, you're a hero.
It happened to Desperate Housewives first, I think. Instead of waiting another YEAR for our peak ratings season and avoiding all mention of spoilers from the the earlier US season, DW fans just booted their husbands and sons off the computer, fired up Bittorrent, watched the second season in high definition and removed about half the DW demographic before Seven deigned to screen it again when it suited them.
That's the reason why your awesome shows are getting cancelled. We all know what happens because we've all either watched it already or just read that Brad won on the net and so fuck waiting for it to come on once a week and having to sit through ads!
Chesty - completely with you on show's needing to end. The graceful bow out at the top of their game is something that few producer's manage, but Faulty Towers, The Young Ones, The Office (UK) are all great examples. Carnivale can hurt a bit, Firefly is just a blast! 7th Heaven couldn't be cancelled, the God Squad would have swarmed over The WB, it's easier to keep it on.
Killerrabbit - Oh yeah, Ducky has gone downhill since his infatuation with Molly Ringwald.
Actonb - Fair enough, I was prewarned and went ahead with Firefly anyway, now I know what was possible. Sniff.
Franzy - Do you mean that it's partly my fault? Oh noes! I'm not actually savvy enough to use bittorrent, however I am a big fan of buying the DVD's from Amazon before it finishes airing. Cough. Ahem.
THAT'S DUCKY?????
OMG!
*snort*
Actonb - I KNOW! I almost hearted him in Pretty in Pink, but now....
I too was very sad that Firefly got the chop. Perhaps lots of people don't deal well with long character/story arcs, something Whedon is so great at.
I'm pissed that the fabulous Torchwood got moved to midnight on Tuesdays and never starts on time, so over to bittorrent again.
Another show that was sometimes a bit cheesy but which I love is Babylon 5, with character/story arcs that went over 5 seasons.
Wire in the Blood on the ABC tonight, Robson Green squee etc.
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