Blind Item: "Hit" Show Facing Ax OK, everybody, close your eyes and read on, 'cause it's blind-item time again! Today's guessing game involves a drama that is often called a hit even though it, in fact, misses that mark by a mile. You see, while this show draws a sizable audience, it attracts fewer viewers in the hot 18- to 49-year-old demographic than the network would get by running Matlock in its place. As a result, there's almost no way it's coming back for another season. Its only (slim) chance? The fact that, as craptacular as the program is doing, it at least is performing better in its time slot than pretty much everything else the network has tried there.
My initial thought was "Close to Home" but some people say "Boston Legal" which I always thought was a sure thing for a fourth season (especially to ensure syndication). Marc and others: thoughts?
I highly doubt its Boston Legal. It does very well with high income affluent viewers. Plus, ABC has so many holes on Tuesday, why make another? My guess is either Close to Home or either Law and Order Criminal Intent or the original Law and Order.
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Originally posted by RadioTV2: Per TVGuide's Ausiello Report:
Blind Item: "Hit" Show Facing Ax OK, everybody, close your eyes and read on, 'cause it's blind-item time again! Today's guessing game involves a drama that is often called a hit even though it, in fact, misses that mark by a mile. You see, while this show draws a sizable audience, it attracts fewer viewers in the hot 18- to 49-year-old demographic than the network would get by running Matlock in its place. As a result, there's almost no way it's coming back for another season. Its only (slim) chance? The fact that, as craptacular as the program is doing, it at least is performing better in its time slot than pretty much everything else the network has tried there.
My initial thought was "Close to Home" but some people say "Boston Legal" which I always thought was a sure thing for a fourth season (especially to ensure syndication). Marc and others: thoughts?
I am going to say Close to Home, though I think that is an unfortunate choice. I really like that show. While it is No. 1 in viewers most nights in that time slot, it drops in 18-49 from its lead-in, Ghost Whisperer. Ghost and Numb3rs are both No. 1 in 18-49 (usually) for the night, so Close to Home is the one weak spot.
I also noticed that a couple weeks ago their aired new episodes of Ghost Whisperer and Numb3rs but put a special about Super Bowl commercials in Close to Home's place. I think they were testing out to see if "other" programming would perform better in that spot.
It's one of two shows...either Ghost Whisperer or Close to Home. CBS is in such good shape it can afford to lose one of them. My pick has to be Close to Home because it loses part of the A18-49 Ghost Whisperer lead-in. I still think CBS should ship Close to Home to Saturday next season.
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Originally posted by Paul Ketz: I am going to say Close to Home, though I think that is an unfortunate choice. I really like that show. While it is No. 1 in viewers most nights in that time slot, it drops in 18-49 from its lead-in, Ghost Whisperer. Ghost and Numb3rs are both No. 1 in 18-49 (usually) for the night, so Close to Home is the one weak spot.
I also noticed that a couple weeks ago their aired new episodes of Ghost Whisperer and Numb3rs but put a special about Super Bowl commercials in Close to Home's place. I think they were testing out to see if "other" programming would perform better in that spot.
Hey Marc, do you think Close to Home may get a pick up by another network, say ABC, which does well among the female viewers Close to Home targets? ABC could pair it on Tuesdays with Boston Legal or on Monday next year with Dancing and Brothers and Sisters.
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Originally posted by Marc Berman: It's one of two shows...either Ghost Whisperer or Close to Home. CBS is in such good shape it can afford to lose one of them. My pick has to be Close to Home because it loses part of the A18-49 Ghost Whisperer lead-in. I still think CBS should ship Close to Home to Saturday next season.
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Originally posted by Paul Ketz: I am going to say Close to Home, though I think that is an unfortunate choice. I really like that show. While it is No. 1 in viewers most nights in that time slot, it drops in 18-49 from its lead-in, Ghost Whisperer. Ghost and Numb3rs are both No. 1 in 18-49 (usually) for the night, so Close to Home is the one weak spot.
I also noticed that a couple weeks ago their aired new episodes of Ghost Whisperer and Numb3rs but put a special about Super Bowl commercials in Close to Home's place. I think they were testing out to see if "other" programming would perform better in that spot.
Oh dear....at first I thought it would be Close to Home too, but now I'm worried it might be Boston Legal. Please don't cancel Boston Legal! It is one of the best shows on TV! I don't know why it doesn't get higher 18-49 ratings though...
Unfortunately, I doubt it. But it could be a good edition for Lifetime.
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Originally posted by mushu_jj: Hey Marc, do you think Close to Home may get a pick up by another network, say ABC, which does well among the female viewers Close to Home targets? ABC could pair it on Tuesdays with Boston Legal or on Monday next year with Dancing and Brothers and Sisters.
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Originally posted by Marc Berman: It's one of two shows...either Ghost Whisperer or Close to Home. CBS is in such good shape it can afford to lose one of them. My pick has to be Close to Home because it loses part of the A18-49 Ghost Whisperer lead-in. I still think CBS should ship Close to Home to Saturday next season.
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Originally posted by Paul Ketz: I am going to say Close to Home, though I think that is an unfortunate choice. I really like that show. While it is No. 1 in viewers most nights in that time slot, it drops in 18-49 from its lead-in, Ghost Whisperer. Ghost and Numb3rs are both No. 1 in 18-49 (usually) for the night, so Close to Home is the one weak spot.
I also noticed that a couple weeks ago their aired new episodes of Ghost Whisperer and Numb3rs but put a special about Super Bowl commercials in Close to Home's place. I think they were testing out to see if "other" programming would perform better in that spot.
Originally posted by wayne: Oh dear....at first I thought it would be Close to Home too, but now I'm worried it might be Boston Legal. Please don't cancel Boston Legal! It is one of the best shows on TV! I don't know why it doesn't get higher 18-49 ratings though...
Are you sure it's not Boston Legal? Two of the cast members joined pilots, but we all know know David E. Kelly loves to switch up the cast. I think it would be dumb for ABC to axe it. Maybe it is Close to Home, I think CBS would be dumb to axe that.
Posts: 169 | Location: LA | Registered: 21 September 2006
I don't watch either show, so lets look at the numbers from Marc's PI column.
This past Tuesday 10pm Demo #'s BL got a 2.8/ 7 LO:SVU - 4.9/13 WOAT repeat - 2.6/ 6
Last Friday's 9pm Demo #'s Close to Home - 2.7/ 8 Las Vegas - 2.9/ 9 20/20 repeat - 2.5/ 7 Smackdown - 1.6/ 5 Trading Spouses - 2.2/ 7
Tuesday 2/6 @ 10pm BL - 2.9/ 8 LO:SVU - 4.8/12 The Unit repeat - 3.3/ 8
Close to home didn't air on Friday Feb 2, so I'll go to the previous weeks #'s
Friday 1/26 at 9pm Close to Home - 2.0/ 6 Trading Spouses - 2.8/ 8 Las Vegas - 2.0/ 6 Brothers & Sisters repeat - 1.4/ 4
If it is between BL and Close to Home, my guess would be Boston Leagal. The numbers may be close to being the same, but Friday's expectations for ratings is lower than those for Tuesdays
Boston Legal pulls in very high income affluent viewers. I guarantee you Boston Legal is safe. It typically grows off its lead in by big amounts and its ABC's only positive show on Tuesday. Close to Home on the other hand, was almost cancelled last year. Plus, CTH only got a 13 episode order to start this year. The bottom line in my mind is this: If either of these two shows are cancelled, the other nets, especially NBC and ABC should pick em up. They both have solid viewership and with the right lead in, can do very nicely.
One of the Boston Legal vets (Craig Bierko who played Jeffrey Coho) and has a pilot for fall left the show this past Tuesday.
He could not be around Denise after the pregnancy results (not his baby even though he was praying it would be his), so he quit the firm and left. So, that explains one of the exits. Who is the other person leaving? I could see the actor playing Brad (Mark Valley is his name I think) leaving as well due to storyline.
As for Close to Home, I wonder if they had to pay a lot of money to get the actor from JAG to join that show with little to nothing to show for the investment. I don't think the ratings went up too much when he joined the cast. So, if the budget went up a lot because of his addition to the cast, that could be another reason they would want to dump it.
Not that I am pushing for this type of show too much, but would something of a religious nature (like a Touched by an Angel) work in the Close to Home time slot? It may be more compatible with Ghost Whisperer than a procedural crime drama. Or even that show that had the guy getting the newspaper the day before and then saving people who would be in jeopardy?
I always thought Ghost Whisperer, Joan of Arcadia, and Touched by an Angel were similar styles of shows (even though very different) and something along those lines would compliment each other. There is also nothing else on TV right now with that type of theme or that is specifically aimed at a religious audience.
