From TV Week:
"A lot of comedies on the air now are observational," Mr. McPherson said. "There's an intimacy missing when the sitcom isn't on the air. I think there's a place for it."
Mr. McPherson said he still enjoys watching repeats of shows such as "Seinfeld" and "Home Improvement," and explained that viewers right now are looking for "comfort food" to help them through difficult times.
As with all press tour sessions this week, the economy's impact on programming was a key theme of Mr. McPherson's session.
"We're in one of the worst economies in 70 years, if not a century," Mr. McPherson said. "We're looking at everything we can do to be more effective. We have to look at everything across the board, from cost-cutting ... to smarter ways to program our network. The world has shifted underneath these businesses. We need to be incredibly bold."
Plus this little gem:
—Mr. McPherson said “According to Jim” is “probably (in) its final run. But you never say never. … ‘Jim’ has been an amazing asset for us.”
It boggles the mind in a multitude of ways, plus, apparently you never say never even after the set has been bulldozed!
Mcpherson also waxes on NBC's bailing out of programming the 10pm block in favor of Jay Leno and more. Click over to TV Week to read the full article.
Robert, Did you see James Hibberd article where Mcpherson blamed the bad numbers for PD and DSM on Nielsens?
Holly, yes I did, and in fact am trying to post on it right now (we almost never hear from McPherson, so I’m making up for lost time, plus, I love the Nielsen finger point) but right now thrfeed.com is down for me so I’m holding off until i can access the site again
I do agree with him that the traditional sitcom is one that’s ripe for a comeback, especially as CBS’ Monday line-up begins to flourish. Which makes it all the odder that they don’t have much of anything for those kinds of sitcoms on right now. It’ll certainly be interesting to see if he follows up on these comments with some more sitcoms on the fall schedule.
All the talk about sitcoms from FOX and ABC makes me think that CBS is not going to give up the Wednesday block…Before I would have put it at 40/60 (leaning toward it not coming back). If FOX and ABC follow through (not a guarantee), I think having comedies on CBS Wednesdays is a lock.
Is a good that they will go with multicameria comedies.
CBS has a good lineup of sitcoms to build on. However putting on just any kind of sitcom and getting ratings does not always happen.
On the single camera side The Office is doing great and 30 Rock has grown audience wise. Worst Week is likey to not make it.
It seems that CBS will do better with multicamera/laugh track comedies. It has a good lineup of shows. Geeks, Friends and Sex Starved men.
What is observational comedy?! That makes no sense to me. Anyone?
Robbie, I think he meant that comedies are often commentary/observations on current societal conditions.
Haven’t most sitcoms always been observational? The Brady Bunch — observations about being a blended family… Mary Tyler Moore — observations about being a single gal in the workforce…. Seinfeld or Friends — observations about life in the big city. Even today’s show’s Till Death… observations about marriage. Except for sitcoms that are fantasy based — I dream of Jeannie, Gilligan’s Island…etc. What shows aren’t observational? Plus, he said it like it was a negative thing. Isn’t that people want to watch — something they recognize… some version of their own lives on TV? No wonder ABC doesn’t have a hit comedy on the air. This guy doesn’t seem to know what he’s talking about.
A different guess on his meaning….He followed up the “observational” comment with a comment about a lack on intimacy. Could it be that he means that comedies in the past drew you in more, made you feel like a part of that group. Watching the shows, you wanted to hang out at the bar in Cheers, you felt like you were part of the Cosby family, etc. You tuned in ever week in part because the people on the show felt kind of like your friends or family. Now, more shows revolve around people you don’t actually want to know, much less be friends with. You may laugh at Dwight’s antics, but would you actually want to work at Dunder-Mifflin? Does any part of Kath&Kim make you wish you lived next door? Would you ever consider staying at the hotel in Do Not Disturb? They’re people you can watch and laugh at, but they never feel like family.
Yes, but then he uses Roseanne as an example. And who would ever want to live in that family?
OK, really answer. It’s the TCA tour and he’s blowing smoke out his ….
What? A network exec LYING??? I refuse to believe it.
It’s not lying…it’s having an non-traditional relationship with the truth
People watch sitcoms from the past if they’re good, they don’t watch lousy sitcoms in the present because of ” hard times.” I could just as easily make the case that in hard times, like the Depression, crime dramas and murder mysteries go up in popularity. And According to Jim is the worst asitcom to ever last this many seasons, ever.
“People watch sitcoms from the past if they’re good, they don’t watch lousy sitcoms in the present because of ” hard times.” I could just as easily make the case that in hard times, like the Depression, crime dramas and murder mysteries go up in popularity. And According to Jim is the worst asitcom to ever last this many seasons, ever.”
As I said you just can’t put a sitcom and get great ratings. It still has to has a premice that will bring people to the sitcom. That overall will make or break a sitcom…not by how many cameras the production has nor does the show use a laugh track. I perfer the single/non-laugh track, but I do like The Big Bang Theory which is a exception…at least they record the show in front of a live audience.
This from the man who’s network played ALL reality crap monday?