I got a few e-mails and saw a few comments that didn't think my headline for Wednesday night's overnight report was fair. One was rather heated:
You're a miserable [expletive deleted]. Must you inflict your misery everywhere? You hate every television show, but why the [expletive deleted] can't you ever say anything nice? You want every show to be cancelled. Life's numbers were up 30% from its last new episode and you act like it's lights out! I know you get more traffic by writing it that way, but it's [expletive deleted] wrong.
There isn't any more traffic in writing it that way. The more traffic route would've been "More than 26 million watch Bikini Girl get booted off American Idol". Especially if it included a big picture of Bikini Girl in a bikini. It wasn't about the traffic.
If you're a writer, producer, director, actor, work on the crew, pass out the scripts, etc., or are just a fan, I really enjoy the show. But, that the number of viewers was up 30% over the last new episode wasn't very meaningful to me from a numbers standpoint for a couple of reasons. That Wednesday (December 18), Life had an awful outing. This past Wednesday night, it was merely bad.
Despite the fact that, yes, viewers did increase by more than 1.5 million viewers, the 18-49 rating only increased from a 1.7 to a 1.8. Almost a six percent increase, but almost a 6% increase over an awful outing. That's not any glimmer of hope to shine a spotlight on really. Some sites will do it, but this isn't that site. And it's not meant to be mean, it's not meant to be dispiriting. It's not meant be hateful either, it's just the numbers. And unfortunately for NBC, the shows' producers, actors, directors, script-passer-outers and the rest of the crew, and all of the fans, including me, the numbers aren't good.
I don't hate television shows. There are many shows I'm not really that interested in, but I don't hate them. I'm not a fan of American Idol. But I certainly don't hate it. I just don't watch it. As for Life, I happen to like the show very much, and have watched every episode including the episode on Wednesday night. I don't want it to be cancelled.
In terms of attempting to generate more traffic, at least in the short-run, always giving hope would be the way to go. That sort of thing just appeals to more people, and it's understandable. But neither Bill or I believe in stirring false hope. We'd rather be accurate with predicting outcomes than attempt to make everyone happy.
Television can be an ugly business, and sometimes the news isn't good, not for the networks, the people working on the shows or the fans. When the bad news can be easily predicted (and quite often, it can), I don't see the point in trying to spin things otherwise. Another thing that's fairly easy to predict is what happens next in terms of comments from fans, and rumors around the Internet, which if reflected as blog post headlines would include some variation of the following:
- Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease NBC don't cancel Life...
- Antiquated Nielsen system dooms Life
- Could NBC move Life to USA Network?
- Will DirecTV save Life?
Sounds like someone can’t cope with their show actually being cancelled, or the thought of it. Personally i think Life should have been cancelled back in the fall, just delaying the inevatble because if five hours of shows have to go, Life will be on of them; seeing as new shows need to come in as well for Fall 2009. Sorry life.
Wow it is odd some people think that just writing the actual information is wrong, because i think people would be more annoyed if Robert lied, i thought this webstie was meant to inform or be a warning system.
Anyway i think if you’re emailing someone to yell at them for doing something right: – you’re either ignorant to the fact that theres no point in Robert lying or turning it bad, because if he were wrong it would make the website seem less reliable, thus long-term people stop using it.
– Secondly you’re sad and don’t know how to express your anger so you attack the messanger.
P.S. I wouldn’t take this website for granted, ever emailed to say wow thanks for all the info and stuff???
Fin, thanks, and for what it’s worth, the nice e-mails really do outnumber the mean ones by a wide margin.
I adore Life, too, but it’s pointless to ignore the numbers. They suck, and it’s probably gone, barring a steady increase in the ratings.
Sigh. I’ve already lost Pushing Daisies, Prison Break, and probably Sarah Connor Chronicles; it’s not a good season for me.
I adore Life, but OMG writing on the wall and all. I did think NBC should have considered moving it to USA last season when they practically had to beg Monk to do another season and would have a) needed good original shows on USA and b) Life was still doing soso. Right now Life isn’t doing anything for NBC so I am not expecting NBC to do anything much for Life.
As a Life fan the only thing I will be pissed about is if they actually do bend over backwards and keep Lipstick Jungle or Friday Night Live alive again. Seriously?
Anyway, I also wanted to say thanks for all the info, especially since its presented without venom. Other places are full of the “why do all the stupid people watch reality TV and CSIs” whining, which gets old faster than you’d think.
# Will DirecTV save Life?
I pick this one. If DirecTV saved FNL, why not Life?
It would be great to have Life and Psych on friday nights on USA!!!
The option of moving it to USA never really occured to me and whilst I don’t in a million years think it will happen it’s an interesting idea that has some value to it. However no matter how you spin it Life is a failing show and I’m not sure it does much for USA’s reputation/image to pick up or have it forced upon it at this stage, especially as in general terms USA have been able to find their own succesful original programming.
As things stand I just don’t think there’s enough upside for NBC to keep Life around. With something like Friday Night Lights they had the upside of it being a prestige show (to some degree at least) to motivate them keeping it alive I just don’t see that with Life.
You think thats bad? Just try reasoning with what is called a “Jericho Ranger”. Those people are off the wall NUTS. Pun intended.
It’s amazing. You make it very clear on a regular basis that your observations about the fates of shows have nothing to do with the quality of them. This isn’t the first time that you have said on here that you like Life. I guess some folks just don’t pay attention.
I like the straight forward numbers that you provide. As a fan of several bubble shows, I like to know where they stand. Besides, I’m used to my favorite shows being canceled. I have quite a track record to prove it. I guess it says something about my quirky tastes.
Ha, I like how the comments here have turned into speculation that your fake headlines are true.
I think NBC would be very wise to try to use a DirecTV-type deal to cut costs on a NEW show. One that actually has potential to be a hit. Present a pilot to DirecTV or Comcast and get them onboard. That way NBC has both cut costs (and hopefully increased the profits) and not wasted an hour or two of their very limited schedule on a show that is going no where.
Silly ol me, but I love the show also!!
OK this is getting kinda ridiculous IMO. Fans need to face reality and realize that shows have to be cancelled if people aren’t watching them. It’s ridiculous how people think EVERY godddamn show is going to be saved by cable a la Friday Night Lights. Lipstick Jungle, Life….when will the torture END?!
Anon..we will never give up!!!
LIFE is over. It’s done. It’s finished. The producers KNOW it. They had a full season order, then they had that shortened. When that happened they knew. The people that know at NBC say it won’t be picked up. It’s over. They won’t officially tell the producers/media until it’s a good time. Now isn’t a good time. They need advertising money, and “canceled,” shows have lower premiums.
My next post will be headlined “Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease NBC don’t cancel Life…”
But with an additional “e”. Tough times like these require more vowels.
I expect that headline for today’s ratings. I mean, if you can’t beg for more Life on a day when it doesn’t even air, are you really sympathetic with the plight of the Life fans?
I think entertainment writers have a part to blame in this type of fan reaction. When a show is tanking, if they like the show runner, they don’t hit the pause bottom, and re-watch trying to figure out what why it is not working in an unbiased way. People learn their TV reading the entertainment mags, read the sycophantic reviews, and are surprised that when the show is canceled. The critics, say it’s good, why?
Bryan Fuller comes to mind. The only show that he was involved from the inception, that got a 3rd season, he was not there running the show on a daily basis. Now that he is back, I suspect that his expertise was required for the last rites of Heroes. After all he was there for the last season of Star Treck:Voyager…
Then we have the morons entertainment writers that sponsor false hopes based on fan campaigns. After the total failure that was the return of Jericho, the networks, are not going to listen. Jericho fans pretty much tainted that well for everyone else.
And again, I need to note that if anything, I am the more negative one, at least in print, of the two of us, and yet I almost *never* get the kinds of emails Robert writes about above. My theory is that Robert is seen as more receptive to communication.
That, and his email is listed first on the contact page. Try switching them and see what happens.
Julia has a point, consider yourself lucky Bill.