I’m noticing a pattern here, people — follow along with me, if you will. Last October, we get the news that Showtime’s Dexter is renewed for not one, but two more seasons. A big yay from me, as there really isn’t much TV that’s better than Dexter. Then, just this month, we learn that NBC is in negotiations to renew Friday Night Lights for two more seasons. OK, that’s good news for FNL fans, but interesting just the same.
Now, if you think I’m making something from nothing, consider the press release that CliqueClack received this week, announcing The Big Bang Theory was just renewed for two more seasons, and Two and a Half Men for three — yes, three! — seasons.
This tells me several things. If I were to make a pilot to pitch to any of the networks, you can be sure it would be about serial killer geeks who play football and engage in potty humor. But that’s not really the important thing to get out of this new multi-season renewal trend.
Methinks there’s a dichotomy brewing amongst the networks. On the one hand, they are giving certain shows the golden ticket. Sure, they may have proven themselves in the ratings, but do The Powers That Be really have any guarantee the shows’ quality won’t plummet now that they’re sitting pretty?
Meanwhile, the amount of quality shows either on the bubble or canceled nearly before they began this season is astounding. canceled: Eli Stone, Pushing Daisies, Dirty Sexy Money, My Own Worst Enemy, Kyle XY, Lipstick Jungle, Life on Mars, On the bubble: Reaper, Dollhouse, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Chuck, Life, Medium, Law and Order (yes, according to Variety, this pillar of procedurals is not a gimme), Worst Week, Privileged. Every single one of these shows was written about at some point on CliqueClack TV, because we thought they were good enough to comment on. Heck, if our staff writers are watching, and we know a bit about TV, then they can’t be — or can’t have been — all bad.
So what if the shows who’ve got the cushy spots lined up for two or three seasons get sloppy? We’ve then got two problems. One: there’s more crap on TV. Two: there’s less room in the lineup for new shows that may be great to even have a chance. I can’t help but think of the whole Leno deal here, and wonder if the networks have collectively given up on supporting any new programming at all.
I suppose we’ve got to sit back and see how it all plays out, while thanking USA and TNT for believing in their shows and continuing to give quality television a home.
Clacked by Debbie McDuffee
on Mar 19, 2009 @ 13:30 EST5EDT
Seriously. Because where are all the 10pm shows on NBC going to go, anyway? Everything going to run an hour earlier? I doubt it. Boo.
I think you’re even giving the benefit of the doubt to the shows that have been getting renewed. Recently a presidential address resulted in my having a partial episode of Two and a Half Men recorded, a show I have never seen. I figured I’d check it out. I made it through about two minutes before the bad jokes and even worse laugh track drove me to hit delete. Wow, awful show.
And the Big Bang Theory I tried when it premiered…every absurd still I see from it just reaffirms my decision never to subject myself to it again.
And these are the things being renewed???
I’m totally with you on Big Bang Theory- I’ve tried to watch it twice & it just seems like a bunch of unfunny nobs being unfunny nobs on a show made by unfunny nobs (nobs being a British nice-ish version of dicks)
I totally missed any jokes, but it seems that I really did miss something because someone must find it hilarious
Wow, so much hate for a fairly benign and inoffensive comedy. I was half-dreading the nerd stereotypes before BBT premiered, but I have to admit that the writing is very sharp and the characters likeable.
I completely understand where you’re coming from, though. I’ve watched less than 20 minutes of Lost, but every still photo I see of that show only makes me less interested in trying it again. And if I didn’t like it, it’s only logical that it must be a stupid show.
I don’t think anyone said that either of these shows was stupid, just bad, as far as our tastes are concerned. Stupid is for a much larger discussion; awful is as subjectice as your not enjoying Lost.
If one thinks a comedy’s jokes aren’t funny, are they not allowed to call it a disaster, regardless of what others might think of it?
Speaking as a nerd, BBT is not the world’s funniest television the way everyone claims. I’ve heard many of these jokes before. And Sheldon ain’t all that and a bag of chips for funny either.
I think renewing for multiple seasons is bizarre, given how networks generally have the axe out for shows before they even start. And again, what happens if those shows really suck later?
Is the multi-year renewal the reason “According to Jim” is still on?
For the life of me, I don’t understand all of the hate for BBT. It is a really well done show and is truly funny in an time where very little television is intentionally written funny.