'Studio 60' Poised To Be Deep-Sixed. Or Then Again, Maybe Not. But Regardless, Please, No Whining. Life Will Go On. I'm Pretty Sure It's Just a TV Show (Quiet Aaron!)
A quick primer in network primetime television economics: you make money, you get to stay; you lose money, you have to go. It's kinda Business 101, really. And this is the dilemma that Aaron Sorkin's much-hyped and fate-debated "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" finds itself in right now. It was pulled from the NBC Monday night schedule following last night's episode because its ratings blow.
The show reportedly costs over $2 million per episode to make and isn't coming close to justifying that investment based on numbers that continue to head south. Last night's hour was its lowest yet: a 2.6 rating and 7% audience share with 6.4 million total viewers, according to Nielsen. It was "Studio 60's" worst performance in both total households and the crucial adults 18-49 demographic measure that advertisers use as a key yardstick for buys.
When NBC announced last week that the show was being replaced on Mondays at 10 p.m. by "The Black Donnellys" beginning Feb. 26, it also said "Studio 60" would "return to the schedule later this season." But I wouldn't hold my breath, and neither should you. More likely, the completed episodes will get burned off over the summer before winding up as "TV That's Too Good For TV" on Bravo.
(UPDATE: I just spoke with someone in authority at NBC who assured me that -- while "Studio 60" is off on a two-week production hiatus right now -- it will indeed resume production (on Episode #18, of a 22-episode order) the first week in March. This seems to point to NBC actually bringing the show back this spring, unless it's hellbent on blowing $10 million more on a series that's already been relegated to the ash heap. Then again, we'll see if production actually resumes.)
NBC Entertainment chief Kevin Reilly has proven himself to have the patience of Job, considering the way he stuck through thin and thin with "The Office." But the man also has shareholders to answer to, and "Studio 60" appears to be showing not even the thinnest glimmer of upward trending or any reason for optimism. Yes, in the past networks have given promising shows that happen to be performing poorly a season to find their legs. But that was in the era before TV began to demand instant success.
Please don't take it personally that "Studio 60" is undoubtedly looking at a one-season-and-out fate. It's just one of those things. And don't blame NBC. This is a business, ladies and gentlemen, not a public trust. That's what they tell me, anyway.
Not surprised. I've been disappointed in this show from day one. Not that it's awful or anything but completely overrated and way too in love with itself. Nice try. I for one, am looking forward to it being replaced with something less pretentious and more watchable.
Posted by: Tamsen T | February 20, 2007 at 02:59 PM
The problems with this show, from the gitgo are:
1) It's poorly lit --the background's dark walls swallow up the foreground's action...
2) It's TOO TALKY and TOO PREACHY... I find it hard to believe that comedy writers are all that consumed with social consciousness. And, like its 'role model' --overplays its scenes way past attention spans...
3) There are too many characters and not enough plot to really make anyone give a damn.
4) There's not enough 'comedy' to sustain it --and waaaay too much hype; which is sad, since the cast is peddling as fast as it can to make this wheeless sherman tank move across the screen...
It's common knowledge amongst the exec production community that the *real* money is in Short Rates... A series is better off canceled in it's early stages than trying to feed the beast, expecting it to live into syndication...
Matthew Perry deserves **better** than what he's getting...
Posted by: Theodora | February 21, 2007 at 10:47 AM
I've enjoyed Studio 60 thus far. I like the pacing of the dialogue and the characters are interesting and charming. I would hate to see it go.
http://framerate.blog.com
Posted by: Clint | February 21, 2007 at 04:49 PM
Okay, I have a perfect solution: move the show to HBO. With DEADWOOD gone and ROME and SOPRANOS going, they need another classy drama series, and fast. Plus it's a Warner Bros. show anyway. And if only a third of that 6.2 million follow it over, it's a bona fide hit. Ray, you must know someone there--make the call.
Posted by: cadavra | February 21, 2007 at 07:54 PM
"NBC Entertainment chief Kevin Reilly has proven himself to have the patience of Job,"
?
Sticking with a promising show through a full season is "the patience of Job"? Why do the studios keep forgetting that their biggest money makers almost, as a rule, suck wind the first season?
Ensemble shows seem to be the real ratings dreadnaughts, and it simply takes time for an ensemble to warm to each other and their roles. It also can take time for an audience to discover a show.
Studio 60 is up against CSI:Miami, which has a fairly dedicated following. But why not give the show a chance to be found by new viewers over the summer (the MASH plan) and hope that next year maybe they'll be tired enough of procedurals to stick with something different.
As for "preachy, talky, too many characters" - some folks seem to have forgotten Sorkin's last show. I think it did okay.
Posted by: Philo | February 27, 2007 at 04:04 AM
Studio 60 is my favorite show! I don't find the show to be too talky or too preachy. I agree that it's very talky and I think that's a good thing. In what way is it preachy?
If you're a fan of the show, there's an online petition you can sign to show your support:
http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/Save-NBC-Studio-60
Posted by: Suncho | February 27, 2007 at 09:02 PM