TV preview 2008/2009 season...

[Jax]

Since its near the end of the TV season, I thought I would post my views and predictions on the next season of TV, which am sure we all hope will be strike free...

ABC

I will start with Boston Legal and despite the ratings having no effect on the final 13 order that will end the show, ABC still will see a dropoff and for many years struggle to find a show to fill its old slo that can pull in 10million+.

Samantha Who has the advantage of airing out of DWTS which should give it the legs to get a 3rd season but I predict the show will lost steam as the season gets on.

ABC made a mistake airing Eli Stone at 10pm and have not learned the lesson but it will next season when the show will most likely carry on losing viewers and be cancelled.

Pushing Daisies has to fight Knight Rider next season but I do think the show will hold on to enough viewers to get a 3rd season but the long break since its last episode will affect it IMO.

Private Practice ratings were already falling before season 1 was over and I predict this show will carry on going downhill. Theres no doubt the show will get a 3rd season but it will no have a long life on TV IMO unlike its parent show.

Ugly Betty is in serious trouble but apart from Survivor on CBS, the show should hold off the other so called competition to get a 4th season but this show is almost out of steam.

Life on Mars looks horrible from the trailer and I think this show will have a strong start but soon after take a sharp nose dive and will be cancelled.

Brothers and Sisters and Desperate Housewives will continue to rule Sunday nights though I expect DH to shed some more viewers but B&S to hold or gain more.

Greys & Lost will continue there hard work but I do expect Greys to shed more viewers and LOST to spend most of season around 11 million until near the end of the 5th season, which should see a big rise in viewers and the demo.

CBS

The Big Bang Theory won't last in the 8pm slot unless CBS doesn't mind the low ratings but that is unlikely. Apart from CW, the show faces major competition and I do think will get cancelled.

How I Met Your Mother faces the same problem as TBBT but it has a better timeslot when you looks at the recent history. However I feel CBS will cancel the show so the writers bettet wrap it up.

Two and a Half Men and CSI Miami will continue to rule monday nights for CBS and will most likely remain at same year to year levels.

Worst Week will start strong but end weak IMO despite a strong lead in show though how does a 7 day plot work in a American style TV system ? I don't think we will see 7 episodes like theUK version but anyway I predict another show for the can.

NCIS is going nowhere but I don't see The Mentalist doing the same decent work as The Unit did and will be cancelled. However Without a Trace despite the timeslot should carry on with the good work.

Survivor and CSI will make a lethal partnership IMO and help CBS to win Thursday nights but 10pm show Eleventh Hour will probably get cancelled because I don't think its a show people will watch for its entire run.

Ghost Whisperer should carry on its good work but in 2009 will lost a lot of viewers to Bones IMO and the show is close to ending but not next season. However The Ex-List will suffer the same fate as the two previous shows in that slot and will get cancelled. Numb3rs will carry on being the top rated Friday night show next season.

Cold Case, 60 Minutes and The Race will have no problem but with no NCIS, I think The Unit join the land of cancelled shows next season.

 

[Jax]

NBC

Chuck & Heroes will continue there good work on Monday nights for NBC but expect the 10pm show's My Own Worst Enemy & The Philanthropist to join Journeyman and get cancelled.

The Biggest Loser should carry on with the decent work for NBC but the 9pm US re-make of the unfunny Kath & Kim will bomb bigtime and for me could be the first canned show of 2008/2009 season.

Knight Rider should start well but after that it could go either way but unlike BW, I do think the show can get a 2nd season but it might be close.

Deal or No Deal is going to suffer from fatigue once again and by the end of the season, the show will be on life support but will be safe. Lipstick Jungle should not of gotten a 2nd season and fall flat on its ugly face and Law & Order is the next ER, IMO but NBC is desperate these days and the show will reach 20 seasons.

My Name is Earl and 30 Rock will continue there downward spiral and should be cancelled but NBC are weird these days. The Office will continue to bring in a large demo but only decent total viewers and will be safe. However the The Office spinoff will get a 2nd season most likely end up being much weaker than its parent show.

ER will end on a whimper though I expect a large series finale audience of at least 12 million+ maybe higher if Noah & Clooney return for the last ever episode.

Life, Crusoe and FNL will all flop horribly on friday nights and NBC will realise Las Vegas deserved one final season.

Medium should be safe but expect to see it lose viewers on sunday night but the other new shows, Kings & Merlin will flop big time.

FOX

T:SCC will continue to lose viewers IMO and its fate is probably 50/50 though I will say canned. Prison Break will hopefully end next season though I expect the ratings will make sure of that for FOX. 24 will return in force next season after a huge break and I expect series high ratings to begin with.

House may suffer a little bit from the 8pm slot but should draw in 14 million minumum, however Fringe will see the benefit of leading out of House but will need to stay at least above 10 million though I expect the show to scrap a 2nd season.

Bones should have no problem until midseason but overall the show will lose viewers IMO but get a 5th season to get it ready to pass 100 episodes in 2010. Til Death has the advantage of a good partner but FOX will be forced to cancel the show after 3 seasons IMO. Do Not Disturb will struggle airing out of Til Death but could benefit from Til Death getting canned.

The Moment of Truth will continue to ruin TV brains for many years IMO and Kitchen Nightmares is going nowhere anytime soon though Greys and CSI will hammer the show next year.

Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader and Don't Forget The Lyrics will lose viewers on friday nights but should do enough to put FOX on the map on friday nights.

The Simpsons should end but probably won't though I feel King of The Hill will finally get hit by the axe. Family Guy will continue to be the top rated sunday show for FOX and American Dad should squeeze a 5th and possible final season. The Cleveland Show and Sit Down/Shut Up will both flop for FOX and be cancelled.

Dollhouse will most likely be fantastic in terms of writing but being a Joss Whedon someshow not bring in viewers though I do think despite being 50/50 IMO, it will get a 2nd year from FOX.

CW

Expect to see all shows shed more viewers and the network could face going bust IMO by the end of 2010.

 

[Top41]

I hope you're right about 24!

I'm curious as to why you don't think Eleventh Hour will catch on. I haven't heard much about it, but the previews sure look good, and it is a Bruckheimer show on CBS, which usually equals hit.

 

[Jax]

I hope you're right about 24!

I'm curious as to why you don't think Eleventh Hour will catch on. I haven't heard much about it, but the previews sure look good, and it is a Bruckheimer show on CBS, which usually equals hit.

10pm is the hardest slot to get right for any show and while CSI will give it a good lead out, the weight of CSI success could be its down fall in lack of retention. Also I am unsure if CBS wants it to be a 22 episode season and if so that means LOST will come back and most likely damage it.

 

[Super Grover]

NBC will realise Las Vegas deserved one final season.

More like needed two less.

 

[Jax]

NBC will realise Las Vegas deserved one final season.

More like needed two less.

The ratings for it were virtually double FNL and only just behind Deal or No Deal. At 9pm the show got 8.5ish million and then at 10pm it dropped to 7 million ish.

Crusoe, FNL and Life will most likely get lower numbers though out of the three, Crusoe will stand the best chance.

 

[Super Grover]

It was still a mercy killing. And Life and FNL will still be better shows than Vegas was.

 

[Jack Bauer]

FOX

24 will return in force next season after a huge break and I expect series high ratings to begin with.

One good thing about the delay for 24 is that it allowed the writers to plan out the entire season ahead of time.

 

[Jax]

It was still a mercy killing. And Life and FNL will still be better shows than Vegas was.

Quality means jack for network...They care about ratings and FNL will dip even further next year and Life will never score high ratings in LV's former slot.

 

[Super Grover]

And Las Vegas is still cancelled.

 

[Jax]

And Las Vegas is still cancelled.

Aren't we feeling smug today, doesn't change the fact all 3 NBC friday shows most likely get canned next season.

 

[Super Grover]

Looks like someone can't seem to let it go either.

 

[Jax]

Looks like someone can't seem to let it go either.

No rule saying I have too especially when people obvisouly take pleasure in a someone else's show getting canned

 

[Super Grover]

Likewise.

 

[Angel4576]

Dollhouse will be fine. It may go up against Dancing with the Stars for a short time, but other than that, its competition is fairly light. Similarly with Fringe.

Re: Friday nights, I really wished that they'd move FNL. They must be avoiding a certain potential audience by airing a show about Friday night football on a Friday night......

Friday night's not a great night to begin with, and whilst I don't think that FNL will get great numbers, it doesn't really need to. As long as DirectTV are happy with the cable numbers and are willing to pump more money in then it should be safe enough providing it gets semi-relatively-respectable numbers on NBC.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

The networks will try to revive/safeguard the ratings on their returning shows with a big publicity push (Chuck, Heroes, Pushing Daisies, 24) but the newcomers will suffer a bloodbath. I really don't see a lot of concepts among them that are going to catch on with viewers.

Fringe - too derivative, like The X-Files without Mulder & Scully's chemistry.

Life on Mars - the cop show crowd doesn't care about the sci-fi stuff, and the sci-fi stuff won't be prominent enough to capture the sci-fi crowd. It will have to survive on its cop-show merits alone, and I don't see that happening in the very crowded cop-show field.

Eleventh Hour - too preachy; does the police procedural crowd this is being pitched to (it's CBS after all) really care about clones?

Dollhouse - might catch on, but I don't really see what the why-we-should-care factor is.

The one that might work out is Harper's Island - Agatha Christie murder mystery, updated, with slasher elements - that should have broad appeal. Unless they screw up the casting, it could be a winner.

Prison Break will continue its ratings decline and this season will be its last.

And keep in mind that the WGA delayed show development so there will probably be more new midseason shows than usual. Inseparable, Virtuality and Boldly Going Nowhere might still appear.

 

[Super Grover]

Life on Mars - the cop show crowd doesn't care about the sci-fi stuff, and the sci-fi stuff won't be prominent enough to capture the sci-fi crowd. It will have to survive on its cop-show merits alone, and I don't see that happening in the very crowded cop-show field.

The thing I don't get about this show, is that the writers, from what I heard wanted to do a cop show like the ones they grew up with. Then why did they need the sci-fi element at all, just make the show a period piece and leave it at that. It worked for Mad Men.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Life on Mars - the cop show crowd doesn't care about the sci-fi stuff, and the sci-fi stuff won't be prominent enough to capture the sci-fi crowd. It will have to survive on its cop-show merits alone, and I don't see that happening in the very crowded cop-show field.

The thing I don't get about this show, is that the writers, from what I heard wanted to do a cop show like the ones they grew up with. Then why did they need the sci-fi element at all, just make the show a period piece and leave it at that. It worked for Mad Men.

No doubt they wanted to sell it in with the suits by using a premise that had worked for a show in the UK. The suits could feel more comfortable that the premise was a proven thing. (This is what drives all those remakes that keep popping up - it's just to give the suits a false sense of security in a business that is notoriously insecure.)

This argument has two gigantic flaws:

1. Who says this Life on Mars will be anything like the UK one?

2. Who says what works in the UK will work in America?

If they keep doing remakes and they keep crashing & burning like that Viva Laughlin disaster, maybe they'll realize what a dumb idea it is overall. The Office may be a success, but that's evolved so far beyond the UK version that it's the exception that proves the rule.

They should have had a bit of originality and created a true period-piece cop show. How about something going a bit further back, such as the Roaring 20s? I'd be interested in a cop show in that era, simply for showing me something different.

 

[Trekker4747]

FOX

24 will return in force next season after a huge break and I expect series high ratings to begin with.

One good thing about the delay for 24 is that it allowed the writers to plan out the entire season ahead of time.

Presuming that is what they are doing.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

24 will return in force next season after a huge break and I expect series high ratings to begin with.

One good thing about the delay for 24 is that it allowed the writers to plan out the entire season ahead of time.

Presuming that is what they are doing.

If they screw up again, there's no excuse. For them or for the Heroes writers.