Stay classy, NBC

[yendi]

So, when Chuck, Medium, or some other show you like doesn't make it onto NBC's schedule for next year, it won't just be because they cut out a solid third of their programming for the nightly Leno show. They'll also be airing yet another season of Celebrity Apprentice. That's another hour of actual watchable TV off the table.

Comments

[feste-sylvain.livejournal.com]

As far as I'm concerned, a solid third of NBC's programming could go away and I wouldn't miss it at all.

Unfortunately, Celebrity Apprentice is part of that third.

Maybe FOX will start showing some programs at 10pm?

[fings.livejournal.com]

Maybe FOX will start showing some programs at 10pm?

Won't happen for quite some time. Running FOX News at 10pm means they have a lock on folks like my parents, who like to watch the news before before turning in, but don't want to stay up for 11pm news on the other networks.

The thing about TV...

[avivasedai.livejournal.com]

... is that there is Netflix. If I need to watch something, I can rent it. I don't have TiVo, but I do have Hulu, which is a pretty nice substitute.

I used to claim loyalty to NBC, but I've sort of given up on that concept as a whole. I used to give up entirely on the SF network, until Eureka started; I'm almost willing to give it up so I don't get SyFy. }:->

Re: The thing about TV...

[yendi]

The problem with relying on renting is that shows only last if they're aired on TV. No incentive to film 22 episodes and release them directly to video. So if Chuck gets canceled, there's no season 3 for me to see, no matter what the medium.

That said, if Hulu (or a combo of Hulu with Youtube and network sites) ever consistently offered all the shows I wanted, I could drop TV easily enough.

[supremegoddess1.livejournal.com]

I actually *like* the Celebrity Apprentice.

Can do without the Leno, though.

Did they kill Medium, too?

[yendi]

Not yet, but it's on the bubble (and in fairness, I stopped watching it once Castle hit the airwaves).

[laurel]

I'm resigned to the NBC schedule being awful and I hope Leno tanks miserably. Ditto with The Apprentice and all the other crap. I want Chuck and Medium to survive, but I worry given the way things are going.

I've taken great satisfaction in filling out the NBC Viewer Panel polls about Leno and reality shows on NBC Universal stations etc. and indicating that I don't care for Leno, reality shows, etc. The latest survey listed something like 8 different types of reality series along with "comedies" and "dramas" and I happily said I "Never" watch any of those reality shows and "regularly" watch the others. Dunno if they care and technically I probably shouldn't even participate in these things, but it's illuminating to see what questions they ask.

[yendi]

I need to remember to fill out more of those surveys; I often forget about them until it's too late (and frankly, they're long and royal pains to fill out).

[cscottd.livejournal.com]

I worry about the future of television (by which I mean scripted television).

The trend seems to be towards more and more "reality" shows (and now 5 more hours per week of talk shows!) and fewer actual series.

There are some good alternate venues out there (direct-to-DVD, online, etc), but so far those have been used to distribute existing programming (with a few exceptions, such as The Guild and Dr. Horrible).

If something doesn't change, I can see a day when "television" is nothing but news, talk shows and "reality" programming...

On the plus side, I'll save some money at that point, since I won't need my satellite service any more.

[yendi]

In fairness, cable has stepped in nicely; throw in In Plain Sight, Burn Notice, The Closer, The Tudors, L&O: Criminal Intent, Big Love, etc, and I'm watching as much scripted TV as I ever did. It's just that most of it isn't on the traditional networks.