"The Simpsons" is just hit or miss for me now (and I did enjoy last night's episode of that show and "KOTH"), but there is no doubt you have a huge advantage when you own the show, own the network, and own the studio that produces the show - something the FCC banned for 25 years (1970-95) in a guise called "fin-syn", where the networks couldn't own studios and weren't allowed in the lucrative syndication business. In any case, "The Simpsons" could go on for long as it wants. If the rules were still in place, would ABC consider bringing back "According to Jim" for another season?

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Originally posted by KothFan:
Personally, I am shocked The Simpsons is still getting the ratings it does. The show is just a shell of what it what once. When is the their mindless audience going to realize this and walk away. It's been years since there have been quality episodes and some of the current ones are actually atrocious.

I know Marc is always trying to retire King of the Hill, but what about The Simpsons? Enough is enough. We have the good episodes in syndication, why do we need the new crap?

The answer is money of course. It still makes buttloads so who cares about the quality, right. As for King of the Hill, I feel the quality of writing on that show is far superior to The Simpsons these days. Yet, their rating are always lower. Why? Maybe it's because KOTH is CONSTANTLY changes time periods.

The fact that their ratings are still close to The Simpsons should be applauded, since they've been on at 7pm, 7:30pm, 8:30pm back to 7:30pm, back to 8:30. What other show has been through that many changes (each year) and still pulled ANY audience?

But the truth is they do dip after The Simpons. So why keep KOTH on? Of course, the quality of the show is not reason enough. So how about because it makes a profit for the studio through syndication. And that's what it's all about anyway. Not just the ratings. Not just the quality of the show. The bottom line.

So it will be back next year whether Mr. Berman likes it or not.

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Originally posted by Chimera:

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Originally posted by Chimera:

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I'm a librarian too and Sue Grafton and Janet Evanovich are the most popular mystery authors here. I wonder if someone will ever make those into a series?

I always felt like Sue Grafton's novels would make for a great tv series, or a series of tv movies!

I've thought this for about 10 years now, and at that time I thought Jamie Lee Curtis would have been great as Kinsey Millhone -- she's probably too old now, but she proved that she could play such a role in True Lies. Any ideas on who would be a good lead in that?

Jamie Lee Curtis would probably be great as Kinsey Milhone. I don't think she's too old at all, though she isn't quite what I've always pictured Kinsey as. I've always seen Kinsey as someone who's approaching middle age with some trepidation, and is fighting against it, but at the same time is reveling in the empowerment that comes with it. While she is someone who is attractive, I always saw her as somewhat regular and normal looking, not movie star gorgeous. I would love to see someone like Kathy Bates play her. I think she could do a fantastic job with a character like that. We know she has some range and she would be well-suited to Kinsey's almost brash, take-no-prisoners style. And it would be refreshing to see a lead character who isn't movie star gorgeous but is intelligent and likeable anyway, even with all the quirks that Kinsey has.

There are lots of great book series with strong female leads that would make excellent television. Besides the Stephanie Plum books (Janet Evanovich) and Kinsey Milhone (Sue Grafton), there is also the Kay Scarpetta series (Patricia Cornwell). There have already been a couple of great book series made into tv shows, like "Women's Murder Club" (James Patterson) and "Bones" (Kathy Reichs). I also just read that HBO picked up "No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" as a series. Could this be the start of a trend? Or is it something that's been done in H'wood for years,(in television, that is. I know they do it for movies all the time)?

I only saw about 10 minutes of it but plan on catching up online. Really good and once again given the death slot on Fox Sundays: 9:30. Why not give it a shot after the Simpsons and leading into Family Guy?

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Originally posted by Riff Rafferty:
I watched this. It was good.

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Originally posted by Marc Berman:
One week earlier, Unhitched debuted with a similarly disappointing 5.77 million viewers and a 2.6/ 6 in the demo.

Funny you mention this, mushu_jj: Unhitched will air on March 23 after "The Simpsons" at 8:30/7:30c and after "Family Guy" at 9:30/8:30c. Not sure if "The Simpsons" nor "Family Guy" will air original episodes on March 23.

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Originally posted by mushu_jj:
I only saw about 10 minutes of it but plan on catching up online. Really good and once again given the death slot on Fox Sundays: 9:30. Why not give it a shot after the Simpsons and leading into Family Guy?

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Originally posted by Douglas:
Funny you mention this, mushu_jj: Unhitched will air on March 23 after "The Simpsons" at 8:30/7:30c and after "Family Guy" at 9:30/8:30c. Not sure if "The Simpsons" nor "Family Guy" will air original episodes on March 23.

quote:

Originally posted by mushu_jj:
I only saw about 10 minutes of it but plan on catching up online. Really good and once again given the death slot on Fox Sundays: 9:30. Why not give it a shot after the Simpsons and leading into Family Guy?

Is one of the episodes a repeat and one new? Whats going on with Unhitched

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Originally posted by AL:

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Originally posted by TV-aholic:

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Originally posted by AL:

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Originally posted by TV-aholic:
Hey Marc.
before we forget, here are some of the newer shows that do not have Individual topic threads in the forum

- Oprah's Big Give
- Here come the Newlyweds
- Eli Stone
- Lipstick Jungle
- New Amsterdam
- Caterbury's Law
- My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad

THANKS!

Other than Oprah, all these shows will probably be gone 1 month from now. Why waste time creating new threads?!

If thats the case, why waste time responding to my post?

I guess my point was more to state that the shows were all clunkers (except for Oprah) than to say that we should not have threads for them.

Unhitched needs one too!

Just about 8 hours remaing to join in Game 68! Don't miss out on all the fun!

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Originally posted by Douglas:
Funny you mention this, mushu_jj: Unhitched will air on March 23 after "The Simpsons" at 8:30/7:30c and after "Family Guy" at 9:30/8:30c. Not sure if "The Simpsons" nor "Family Guy" will air original episodes on March 23.

quote:

Originally posted by mushu_jj:
I only saw about 10 minutes of it but plan on catching up online. Really good and once again given the death slot on Fox Sundays: 9:30. Why not give it a shot after the Simpsons and leading into Family Guy?

I read somewhere that Family Guy will not have any new episodes until late April, and I don't think the Simpsons is new that week. I have to give credit to Fox that at least the network gave this show a chance (I personally think it fit well with family guy, but American Dad's rating is higher.) Unhitched will follow the footsteps of The Winner last year...

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Originally posted by Obveeus:

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Originally posted by Marc Berman:
Aliens in America (Viewers: 1.17 million; A18-49: 0.4/ 1),

It is a real shame that this first rate comedy is going unnoticed. Last night's episode was very funny. Crossbow hunting accident with Dad, the way the daughter talks back to her mother, and the way that 'aptitude tests' get obsessed over. All very good send ups on the real world.

Couldn't have said it better! Best comedy on TV right now.

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Originally posted by Chimera:

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Originally posted by Holly:

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Originally posted by Chimera:

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Originally posted by TV-aholic:

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Oprah’s Big Give still dominated the 9-10 p.m. time period, with 11.83 million viewers and a 4.1/10 among adults 18-49. Comparably, however, that was down by 3.85 million viewers and 23 percent among adults 18-49 from it’s week-ago series-opener (Viewers: 15.68 million; A18-49: 5.3/13 on March 2, 2008).

How bad is it when Oprah can't even hold viewers?

I think Oprah may have finally hit the "Over Exposed" Level. This may have been just 1 project too many for her empire.

That loss is purely due to the EM:HE repeat leadin into it -- its unreasonable to expect any show, with or without Oprah in its name, to stand on its own in just its second outing. And when you consider that, both OBG and Newlyweds did very well. Let's see what happens when EM:HE is new again, and then we'll talk...

Both TVGuide and the Futon Critic have last night's EM:HE listed as new. Did anyone watch that can verify either way?

I DVRed it so I can tell you for sure tomorrow. They advertised it, but I don't explicitly remember referring to it as a new episode. This is about the range that its repeats usually get. But you're right that it was listed as a new episode. ABC's press release will let us know later in the afternoon...

It was new, i have my dvr set to record first run episodes only, and it recorded last nights episode.

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Originally posted by tvratingsjunkie:
It was new, i have my dvr set to record first run episodes only, and it recorded last nights episode.

Not to pick nits, but the way to tell if a show is new is to actually watch some of it and determine if you have seen it before. A DVR has no way of knowing it a show is actually 'new'. The DVR just records what the DVR guide says.

Last night's New Amsterdam (Monday debut) was much better than the first two episodes. This episode was the first episode in which the crime/mystery was solved in a reasponable manner that fits with police proceedures. The backstory on the main character was also rich and interesting.

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Originally posted by Obveeus:

quote:

Originally posted by tvratingsjunkie:
It was new, i have my dvr set to record first run episodes only, and it recorded last nights episode.

Not to pick nits, but the way to tell if a show is new is to actually watch some of it and determine if you have seen it before. A DVR has no way of knowing it a show is actually 'new'. The DVR just records what the DVR guide says.

I didnt realize thst, thanks for giving me that bit of info, I will start checking the listings myself.

Holy excitement!!! Folks...I am talking to Julie Newmar on the phone today. A dream come true!

Hey Marc.
before we forget, here are some of the newer shows that do not have Individual topic threads in the forum

- Oprah's Big Give
- Here come the Newlyweds
- Eli Stone
- Lipstick Jungle
- New Amsterdam
- Caterbury's Law
- My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad

THANKS!