HELLO.

[elapses]

Hi livejournal! goldenmelisande and I were engaging in NBC network mathematics because we are nerds as much as they suck, they carry a lot of the TV we watch. Anyway uh, I am getting kind of lost, so ... help?

This is, as far as we can figure, how NBC is now:
(I totally forgot Sunday programming even EXISTED until Catherine reminded me that was when Kings was on. So it is not included in the charts. But I think that's when NBC has Dateline anyway? Or maybe Friday? IDK, I AM CONFUSED. Also, wtf, the original Law & Order is still on? Really?)


Anyway this is how we guesstimate next year will go:

I thiiiiiiiiink Kings, Life (SORRY, CATHERINE :[) and Kath & Kim are already basically cancelled?? Which leaves Chuck and Southland (and something else?) vying for ONE SINGLE FRIDAY SPOT (assuming Sunday is not in play because of Dateline?). UM, D:?

GUESS WHAT THOUGH! My best frieeeeeeeend is back (from South America)!!!! I would be at her potluck right now but a) it was going to suck/be full of her parents weird hippie friends and b) she was going to be way too busy playing hostess to pay all that much attention to me anyway. And Ian's party later tonight is probably going to be 8x the fun. BUT THIS WEEKEND!!!!

Comments

[twirls.livejournal.com]

Liiiiiiiife, noooooooooooooo. Seriously, it is actually canceled, or is everyone just assuming? Is it time for the Hat of Denial to come out of my closet again?

[elapses.livejournal.com]

I was just editing in a "basically" because I don't think they are officially yet. BUT I HONESTLY DO NOT KNOW! But I'm sorry, ughhhhh this Jay Leno thing is so going to blow up in NBC's face.

[ofadoration.livejournal.com]

I didn't even know that Kath & Kim was still on the air! WOW. Your theoretical schedule looks spot-on to me, though -- I think Kings is basically dead and I will be utterly shocked if Life is renewed, but either way it will be interesting to see how everything shakes out. And lols, L&O is never, ever, ever going to die. We'll be in nursing homes and it'll be on its billionth season, trufax. :(

[elapses.livejournal.com]

Well... I guess it's not? Idk, I should ask my brother, he actually watched it (if only because it came between Earl and the Office). And yeah they moved Kings to Saturday, didn't they? Saturday is even more of a death knoll than Friday. At least they're letting it finish out the season, I guess.

I guess I just thought it had trickled off into spinoffs. WAIT, SHIT, isn't there even another Law & Order? One with Chris Noth?

[calikalie.livejournal.com]

The Jay Leno debacle is still pissing me off ever since I heard about it. I'm surprised anyone actually finds him funny, let alone giving him primetime space. It boggles my mind, really. I'm pretty much resigned to the fact that Life probably won't come back next season. I stopped watching it after the fifth or something episode when NBC started screwing around with it on the schedule, but I always meant to catch up (I still plan on it!).

But if Chuck gets canned, I may have to do something drastic. THIS CANNOT HAPPEN. I'm feeling 80% optimistic that it will, but I'm trying not to set myself up for too much disappointment if it doesn't.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

I KNOW. I cannot believe any network would waste FIVE HOURS of their primetime space on him, jesus. I guess it's a sign that NBC really is getting desperate, but I cannot forsee a future in which this does not end up backfiring. Too bad Life et al have to be sacrificed before anyone realizes that.

AND UGH, I FEEL THE SAME. Every statement has sounded pretty optimistic so I am trying to be optimistic (didn't Schwartz say the network had basically said everything but "you're definitely coming back"?) but egads, what a crunch, schedule-wise. Especially considering Southland.

[goldenmelisande.livejournal.com]

OKAY I UNDERSTAND THE JAY LENO THING NOW AND OMG. THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE. I WANT TO PUNCH SOMEONE IN THE FACE.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

HOW ABOUT JAY LENO?

[mossharts.livejournal.com]

Ugh, they're such fucking losers. Kings is a good show. And They've mood it from Sundays, fyi.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

THEY ARE, DUDE, I don't even know. And I'm sorry about Kings, I never got around to it but I've heard nothing but good things :/

[famousdeaths.livejournal.com]

I WANT NBC TO DIAF. Like, I want this Leno thing to backfire SO HARD YOU HAVE NO IDEA. I want it to not work and that they can't pull it off without bankrupting the network because of all the millions they'd have to pay Leno. Bitter, me?

But I think that between Southland and Chuck they'll go with Southland. I have no idea how the ratings were for the first episode but that show has ~The Next ER~ written all over it. They can milk it for ages.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

You're probably right re: Chuck vs. Southland, but ugh, I am too emotionally wrapped up in Chuck's continued existence to accept reality. BUT OH GOD I AGREE, I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL ABC, FOX, CBS, Telemundo, the CW nightly news and VH1 all steamroll Jay Leno: Primetime. IT IS INEVITABLE, I do no understand how the NBC execs are blind to that.

[silverstars.livejournal.com]

I've been hearing that the CW is interested in picking up Chuck if NBC cancels it. I'm not sure how much truth there is to it, but I've seen it in a few articles. I REALLY DON'T CARE WHO AIRS IT, AS LONG AS CHUCK IS ON MY TELEVISION COME SEPTEMBER. I will seriously cry if it is canceled. I'm actually considering getting involved with one of the campaigns to save it.

That Leno thing is gonna TANK, btw. I don't know what NBC is thinking.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

I REALLY DON'T CARE WHO AIRS IT, AS LONG AS CHUCK IS ON MY TELEVISION COME SEPTEMBER.
I agree! The CW is a nice enough place, everyone has bad(ish) ratings over there. But I kind of have to wonder, because I feel like every time a show sits on the bubble rumors of another network picking it up start popping up, and I can't think of anything that has actually changed networks. But maybe I'm missing something. And I guess FNL kind of counts, although it's still half on NBC. And hey, look where the Dish Network deal got them! If not for that, it would DEFINITELY be gone.

I miiiiiiiight write a letter or something for Chuck too. Maybe. I'm not sure yet.

But yeah, they're totally screwing themselves over.

[silverstars.livejournal.com]

I can't think of anything that has actually changed networks.
The only ones that come to mind off the top of my head are Scrubs and Buffy. Oh, and Law & Order CI switched from NBC to USA I believe. I'm sure there are more. But like I said, I don't know how much truth there is to it. I've just seen it mentioned a lot. I'm not sure if it has to do with the CW having a good relationship with Josh Schwartz because of Gossip Girl?

I kind of think NBC will end up picking it up for 13 episodes. There's a website that I cannot remember the name of--it's totally dedicated to tv ratings. But I was reading through a lot of articles and what-not and the general consensus was that NBC will probably pick up a few of the "bubble" shows for 13 episode seasons and split them between the fall and spring. Who knows. I'm so tired of worrying about this crap. When are their upfronts?

[elapses.livejournal.com]

Oh, Scrubs, wow, I don't know how I forgot about that. Do you have any idea what company/network Chuck is produced by? That definitely affected the Scrubs decision. And yeah-- plus doesn't Chuck get somewhere around 7 or 8 million viewers? That's way more than most CW shows.

I kind of think so too, which... ugh. I mean of course that's better than nothing, but I am selfishly enchanted with long seasons of Chuck. I have no idea when the upfronts are but ugh I hate being a TV fan in April/May.

[silverstars.livejournal.com]

I'm like 99.9% sure Chuck is produced by Warner Brothers. They're the "W" part of CW, right? Not sure if that would make a difference. I really do think NBC is going to hang onto it though. The network loves it. It's just going to REALLY bum me out if it's only given 13 episodes. Part of me actually hopes the CW picks it up because their rating expectations are so much lower and they'd give it a full season. And hopefully, they wouldn't interfere with plot stuff like NBC does.

Okay I just googled and NBC's upfronts are May 5th. So, like a month left to obsess and feel sick over this. AWESOME.

Oh and that website I was talking about is tvbythenumbers.com. There's a lot of interesting articles to read through and the comments to the site are just as intriguing. They even have a fun renew/cancel chart index thing. The site gives me an ulcer, but it's the best place to find all of this info.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah they are the W part (although what does the "C" even stand for? UPN was Paramount, I thought)! AFAIK the network and production halves function separately (which is I guess why most shows are produced by different companies than the ones that air them) but the I THINK the fact that ABC produced Scrubs is a lot of why it gets to finish over there.

GREAT.

Oh, okay, I'll have to check that out! If I have to stress another month about all this, it'll be nice to have actual analysis behind my worrying :/

[dudski.livejournal.com]

The C is for CBS!

[elapses.livejournal.com]

Oh riiiiiiiiight. Les Moonves and UPN, how could I forget.

[fated-addiction.livejournal.com]

NBC and I still have ISSUES because of The Black Donnellys way back, when. I'm going to be so sad about Life and Chuck. NOBODY WANTS HEROES ANYMORE. OR JAY LENO. YOU SHOULD REALLY RETIRE HIM, NBC.

He has enough motorcycles to entertain him. Or just give him Jimmy Fallon's job. He can cohost.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

YOU KNOW, beyond cancellation all their ISSUES, NBC is totally the worst network because of the way they interfere with stuff. FNL was lame in the second season because they swooped in and said there wasn't enough sex or intrigue, I've heard a LOT about what they did to Dani in the second season of Life. Even that 3D episode of Chuck reeked of network interference. I mean, clearly these shenanigans are not getting more people invested in these shows, ffs.

But yeah, jesus. I do not understand how they think this is going to work.

[fated-addiction.livejournal.com]

AGREED. Not to mention that there are rumors about REPLACING Benson and Stabler on SVU which is, like, CRAZY. Because, really, BENSON AND STABLER?! I give FOX a lot flack for being wacky, but NBC is like the scientologist of tv networks.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

WHAAAAAAT WHY??? Are they not ~young and hot enough~ or something? WHAT THE FUCK.

[fated-addiction.livejournal.com]

I DON'T KNOW! There's been speculation and ~sources~ saying that the network doesn't like that they want more money and basically want to replace them. Meanwhile, the rest of the world is responding in a timely YOU GUYS ARE STUPID.

IT'S BENSON AND STABLER.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

That is so stupid. I cannot imagine viewership not dropping if they changed them out.

[stepliana.livejournal.com]

Can I just say how much I love that you made this chart? It makes my lifeeee :D

I think that Chuck stands at about a 60% chance of coming back - and Southland is all going to depend on the ratings still - that and The Biggest Loser runs in cycles, so there's also those two hours to contend with as well. So this is basically me trying to justify them letting Chuck come back, but OH GOD I hope it happens.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

:D

I wasn't all that into the Southland premiere last night but the fact that it's only going to get a couple of weeks to prove its' worth to the network is absurd. But... ugh, I think you're probably right. If it weren't for this RIDICULOUS Leno thing, I doubt Chuck's continued place on NBC would even be in question.

[dudski.livejournal.com]

Ugh ugh ugh, I hate the whole NBC situation so much - I sympathize with the IMPOSSIBLE situation they were in with late night, the last thing they needed was Conan pulling a Letterman but they really couldn't afford to have Jay go to another network, but FIVE HOURS OF PRIMETIME WAS NOT THE ANSWER. [The answer? Leno at 10 on Friday/Saturday/Sunday, HELLO.]

The NBC station here is threatening not to air Leno at all once the switch happens, but it looks like they're going to bitch out.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

TOO TRUE (and it does suck because they are in the dumps compared to ABC/CBS/FOX and they really don't have any room to lose anything) but there is no way slashing all this primetime for Jay is going to go well for them.

Hahahaaaaa. IF ONLY.

[outofdoritos.livejournal.com]

Seriously, Chuck BETTER NOT GET CANCELLED. And I'd be really bummed if Southland goes as well, but not nearly as much as I would be if Chuck does. Argh, stupid Jay Leno. Nobody wants to see him on at 10.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

It's really strange to me that they're throwing new shows like Southland and Kings out there when they KNOW they don't have enough room for their existing shows, actually. I mean if Southland doesn't have pitch-perfect ratings... that's it? That seems like an awfully short time to give a show to find an audience. Chuck is definitelyyyyy more important to me though-- I'm giving Southland another two weeks, I think, but my disinterest had very little to do with the quality (it was actually a good pilot!) and a lot to do with the fact that it was... a cop show. I do not see that changing.

[outofdoritos.livejournal.com]

Well I think NBC is still looking for a hit, so they're desperately throwing shows out there to find one that sticks. Hopefully they'll realize Chuck is worth keeping around.

[stop-theworld.livejournal.com]

UGH WHAT EVEN. Literally the only things I even associate with Jay Leno are how stupid his hair is and "It's a different hole, Jay." NBC, why so ridiculous?

Also, I can't believe Kings is getting canceled before I even had a chance to hop on. EVERYBODY I know who watched only raved about it.

Is Southland the one with the really dramatic previews about heart surgeons or something?

[elapses.livejournal.com]

Southland is Ryan Atwood's new cop show! So no. I wonder what that heart surgeons one is though, I don't think I've seen those promos.

BUT YEAH EW. This is totally going to backfire on them.

[forthesky.livejournal.com]

Lol I bet Chuck gets cancelled just after I started watching it. That is the jinx of me and shows! (I will cry, though, IT IS SO DELIGHTFUL).

Yay for your best friend being back! Did she have a good time in the jungle or whatev?

[elapses.livejournal.com]

DON'T EVEN JOKE ABOUT THAT, EMZEE, MY EMOTIONAL STATE IS FRAGILE.

Yeah she really did! Weirdo.

[shimmeryshine.livejournal.com]

I have been DYING to do the actual possible schedule for next season but I was WAY TOO TERRIFIED at what I would actually find if I did it. THIS IS NOT HELPING! I think that the Sunday night spot could go to a scripted show rather than Dateline since they did put Kings in that spot. And also, isn't the Biggest Loser not on all the time? Kind of like American Idol only comes on after January? I might be wrong about that.

BUT UGH OMG I HAVE SO MUCH HATE FOR JAY LENO. I want to murder him. I think his show is going to tank majorly, so perhaps we will have five extra spots come the spring schedule lol. I am kind of thinking that if anything, NBC will put Chuck on midseason for a 13 episode season. I'll take that if I HAVE to but UGH I WANT A FULL SEASON AND I DON'T WANT TO WAIT TILL JANUARY TO SEE THEM AGAIN. I've been obsessively stalking tvbythenumbers.com about the logistics of everything getting picked up and everything and it's just making me so freaking anxious. I can't believe we have to wait till May 5th to find out for sure. I've never been in the middle of being completely infatuated with a show when it gets cancelled, so I am terrified that this is finally going to happen with me and Chuck.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

Well, since Jay isn't on Sundays there's probably room for two hours of Dateline + something. SO THAT'S GOOD THEN? :D? I don't know anything about Biggest Loser, but stepliana said the same thing so I bet you two are right.

In an ideal world Chuck would get the Sunday night slot and Southland the Friday, but a) I think NBC has higher hopes for SL (in terms of ~huge commercial success) and the Sunday slot is (theoretically) better, b) there might be other current NBC shows I'm missing-- I think there might be another L & O?, and c) there's even a chance they're picking up pilots. Still, I don't think this is looking all that bad for Chuck, actually, because I totally agree that it's looking more and more like it'll be renewed for a half season than anything. BUT I REALLY WANT A WHOLE SEASON, blerg.