Sorry, but PD is not at Bionic levels. The only episode to score below 7 million was the most recent with nothing leading out of it, and the only other performance under 8 million was a Thanksgiving episode where Private Practice drew mid 8 range. BW has had strong lead-in support on pretty much all airings, and is in a timeslot with higher HUT levels. It would be hard to see ABC not giving it a new season based on their performance this fall. The writer's strike most certainly would factor into that decision, however.
In fact, the only factor that can bring PD back is ABC not having enough time to order up anything else, with development temporarily ended by the strike.
There was no other first-run scripted English language program at 8pmEST, last Wednesday night. Not on the networks, not on cable. If you didn't want to watch reality shows, repeats, or Spanish language telenovelas, PD was the only other option. And what was the result? The ratings went down. A lot.
A show that depends on its lead-out being first-run is beneath pathetic.
Yes, BW did worse, and deserves to be canceled sooner--but just in case people have forgotten, BW was up against tougher competition. If they'd put it up against underperforming reality shows and sitcoms, it probably wouldn't have been canceled by now. And if PD had been up against BW's competition, we wouldn't still be talking about it.
If it had gotten a full first season, there would never have been any chance of a second season. The ratings would have continued to fall.
ABC is so confident of how well it'll repeat that existing eps will be reaired on Fridays, in tandem with DSM and WMC.
I'm sorry, but people who want to gloat here about PD will have to wait for it to get a full second season, and then a third season renewal.
In other words, forever.
Not only will PD get a new season thanks to the strike, but it will get one thanks to critical acclaim too. If it worked for Arrested Development, why wouldn't it here? Pushing Daisies has higher ratings than that show did.
Not only will PD get a new season thanks to the strike, but it will get one thanks to critical acclaim too. If it worked for Arrested Development, why wouldn't it here?
Because Arrested Development didn't cost as much to make, and was a lot more critically acclaimed--and won a lot of major Emmys, and boy are you in for a nasty surprise come Emmy night.
Anyway, I didn't like AD either. And it wasn't exactly a long-running show, now was it? Far more acclaimed shows have had to be taken off life support eventually. PD won't last nearly as long as AD. AD didn't last long enough to be considered a success. Are you admitting PD is a failure, and simply banking on ABC keeping it on out of desperation? That could definitely happen. Once.
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Pushing Daisies has higher ratings than that show did.
On ABC, with no other dramas to contend with--and we don't know yet how small its core audience is--that is to say, the people who'll go on watching it no matter what.
Not only will PD get a new season thanks to the strike, but it will get one thanks to critical acclaim too. If it worked for Arrested Development, why wouldn't it here?
Because Arrested Development didn't cost as much to make, and was a lot more critically acclaimed--and won a lot of major Emmys, and boy are you in for a nasty surprise come Emmy night.
I have no idea what Pushing Daisies costs, but I do know that Arrested Development was actually surprisingly, quite expensive. I believe I remember reading it cost something like $2.0-2.5 million per episode.
It was one of the reasons why it didn't get picked up by Showtime.
I'll see if I can find the price.
Posts: 533 | Location: Ohio | Registered: 22 September 2006
I have no idea what Pushing Daisies costs, but I do know that Arrested Development was actually surprisingly, quite expensive. I believe I remember reading it cost something like $2.0-2.5 million per episode.
Yeah, it cost a lot to make--but its pilot didn't approach the cost of PD's pilot.
And how could AD be so expensive?
PD fans keep insisting PD couldn't be expensive to make. But fact is, shows with a lot of complicated scenes to set up cost major bread.
Just found the price for AD: $1.6 million per episode. Not sure if that's the license fee, or the production budget (though I'm pretty sure it's it's the license fee).
Posts: 533 | Location: Ohio | Registered: 22 September 2006
Thats pretty pricy for a 1/2 hour show, 3-5 years ago.
But with so many characters, storylines and known actors, its not too surprising.
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Originally posted by RussTC3: Just found the price for AD: $1.6 million per episode. Not sure if that's the license fee, or the production budget (though I'm pretty sure it's it's the license fee).
Just found the price for AD: $1.6 million per episode. Not sure if that's the license fee, or the production budget (though I'm pretty sure it's it's the license fee).
That's definitely less than PD--and AD sold a lot of DVDs. And won a lot of Emmys. And lasted less than three full seasons. On a network that is always pathetically grateful for major awards and critical acclaim--much more so than ABC.
Originally posted by RussTC3: Just found the price for AD: $1.6 million per episode. Not sure if that's the license fee, or the production budget (though I'm pretty sure it's it's the license fee).
I just happen to think, does PD, or even most hour long Dramas cost over 3 million per episode?
I know ER was in the $7 million range (License fee) recently, but I wouldn't think new shows would be even close to that figure.
Just found the price for AD: $1.6 million per episode. Not sure if that's the license fee, or the production budget (though I'm pretty sure it's it's the license fee).
That's definitely less than PD--and AD sold a lot of DVDs. And won a lot of Emmys. And lasted less than three full seasons. On a network that is always pathetically grateful for major awards and critical acclaim--much more so than ABC.
I'm so glad this was brought up.
We don't even know what the license fee or production budget for PD is though. I really doubt that ABC is paying anymore than $1.5-2 million per episode for the show.
Posts: 533 | Location: Ohio | Registered: 22 September 2006
Originally posted by mushu_jj: Not only will PD get a new season thanks to the strike, but it will get one thanks to critical acclaim too. If it worked for Arrested Development, why wouldn't it here? Pushing Daisies has higher ratings than that show did.
FOX was more inclined to give "AD" a long leash to do badly because it was in-house.* I don't believe for a minute that it would have lasted 2 and a half seasons if FOX had had no ownership stake in it.
"Pushing Daisies" isn't in-house. Working in its favor is that, unlike "AD," it wasn't dead on arrival. I also agree that I don't think that the show has done extremely badly -- except for the last episode. Even that was considerably higher-rated than the repeats that followed it that night. But the strike-imposed hiatus may very well finish it off.
*Same goes now for "Friday Night Lights" and, to a lesser extent, "30 Rock." It's not just the critical acclaim that's keeping them around.
-- "Better Off Ted," Wednesdays at some time or another at some point or another in the near future. Because we can't all live in mansions and not ever work like the people on "Modern Family."
We don't even know what the license fee or production budget for PD is though. I really doubt that ABC is paying anymore than $1.5-2 million per episode for the show.
