Ok, so I know I'm going to the Variety well often today, but man can not live by fixation on Dollhouse and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles ratings alone!
This might strike fear into the hearts of some Chuck fans who seem to feel its an either or situation and that any potential success of a new NBC show is the death knell for Chuck. I am a Chuck fan, but, I do not feel that Chuck's fate is highly tied (if at all) to Southland's performance.
I have seen the Southland pilot, and I enjoyed it and will definitely continue watching for a while to see what happens.
Though Variety wasn't enamored with Harper's Island, it seems to have taken a shine to Southland.
via Variety.com:
After 15 years masterminding "ER," producer John Wells probably earned the first crack at replacing it, and he didn't push the envelope premise-wise with "Southland," an ensemble drama about the thin blue line keeping a lid on Los Angeles' simmering melting pot. The crisp execution, however, has a decidedly elite-cable feel -- a gritty, grainy show reminiscent of director Michael Mann's work, with a touch of Joseph Wambaugh. NBC's heady days of Thursday dominance are long gone, but Wells and company have delivered a cop drama with its own racing pulse, albeit for a network that's uncomfortably close to flatlining.
At the show's core, in the premiere anyway, sit a pair of patrol cops -- fresh-faced rookie Ben Sherman ("The OC's Ben McKenzie) and his world-weary, anything-to-survive-the-night partner, John Cooper (Michael Cudlitz).
After seeing more previews for this show than any other show in history, I have to say the concept still doesn’t appeal to me. Still, a Michael Mann feel to it could work, but only at a late hour I think. That will have to be 9pm for NBC next season, so I’m curious how gritty they think they can make it.
Still, this doesn’t seem so much glowing praise, more like an assessment of where NBC stands and taking anything that appears to have some substance. “A network that’s close to flatlining..”? Sounds like they’re saying “oh my god they may have a show that won’t get canceled!”
That said, I agree with Robert’s assessment. The success or failure of this show will have almost no bearing on any of NBC’s existing shows. This is taking ER’s place. If it fails, NBC is going to stuff the spot with another similar show I think. Shows like Chuck or Heroes are going to have to continue to tough it out on Monday, and either sink or swim.
Though our tastes for dark cop shows isn’t aligned, Frank, I agree that the pilot seemed like something that could only air at 10pm.
Whether Southland makes it to the fall (I’m leaning towards thinking it will, but that’s based on ZERO ratings data!) it will be interesting to see how they handle the lack of 10pm next year with regard to L&O: SVU
I’ll give it a shot. Previously I watched Private Practice at 10 and watched ER on DVR, so now that ER is gone I have an open slot on my TiVo. Might as well try Southland because Harper’s Island does not appeal to me at all.
The description of this show (young cop/old cop) sounds like half a hundred other cop shows I’ve seen over the last thirty years. T. J. Hooker, anybody?
At least that had Heather Locklear going for it.
If this is what NBC thinks is new and fresh, no wonder they’re in the toilet.
Noooo, Robert! You have struck (more) fear into my little Chuckaholic heart! I really wasn’t that concerned about it seeing as Chopping Block and Kings are already out of the way, but I was reading peoples’ proposed NBC schedules on here and it seems they’ve got plenty of shows without Chuck.
All the talk about what shows are okay to air at what time amazes me – I mean, I guess it makes sense that SVU wouldn’t make the best 8:00 show, but I had never even thought about it before I saw people talking about it on this site. I know that networks WANT to be family-friendly and don’t want to raise any eyebrows at the FCC, but it just surprises me that it’s such a big deal.
I used to like them, Robert. But I feel like I’ve just seen so many of them over the years. Just not interesting to me anymore.
i would like to see Hapers and Southland make to the fall so i will hapers and watch Soutland
tape Harpers
of course a show like southland is gonna suceed. People are plain they stick to wat they know, BORING COP AND DOCTOR SHOWS…I will not be watching southland because I have an imagination so Ill be watchin harpers island , thanks.
cant wait for Southland
maybe some shows only appear in mid-season on sunday night…
to Tvmegafan
i see what you mean by “boring cop and doctor shows” that have been recycled mostly through CBS with no good characters. Every other network knows how to produce good cop shows like FOX and Bones and House, ABC’s Castle and Grey’s Anatomy and Life on Mars, NBC’s ER and Life.
CBS’ shows are crap because there’s no character development in like ANY of their shows.
I would give Southland a chance. It’s not just the same old same old. It’s very profound and gritty television
I’m going to look like an idiot for saying this in a few weeks, because it’s NBC and all, but I think Southland is going to be a hit. There I said it. The odds are against it, given the network is on, but it’s got a decent lead-in, which is rare on NBC, and it’s got the ER lineage. All the ingredients are there. Plus 16 million people saw the promos for it last night, which look so, so good.
As a Chuck fan, I will feel bad if I choose to watch this (i’m still trying to decide between it and Harper’s Island), but I won’t feel that bad because it looks so awesome.
Seriously, shea? Seriously? Castle is a better show than Criminal Minds simply by the network it is on? I mean, I get what you are saying regarding Life vs. the CSIs, although I still think CSI was a fresh take on things when it first came along precisely because forensics was the star over the cop characters, but Castle is the most formulaic piece of garbage currently on TV.
gritty cop drama? Where have I seen that before? Oh right, countless movies and TV shows. I don’t care how good this gritty cop drama is; it’s not ‘the wire’, and even if it was one ‘the wire’ is more than enough.
I can’t wait for Southland! it’s NBC’s next The West Wing and E.R. and Heroes
Personally, i know this is not another boring cop show because it is shot completely differently then any others.. the emsemble(especially michael mcgrady) is one of the best…cmon guys like michael said in the on set interview..”everything john touches turns to gold” and i agree to that 100%… look at how well ER did..
i cannot wait for southland to come out.. ill be tivoing it every thursday it looks so great
i agree with jeana… michael mcgrady will make the show.. hes such a badass
Luv Michael mcGrady <3
Loved the show day break he was on, such a talented actor
i think southland will get 8.3 million viewers and 2.9/8. harper’s island will get 12.5 and 4.4/10. it’s the truth: maybe southland is a good show, but its airing on NBC so will get poor rating. harper’s island seems the bad-new-lost-relocated-10pm, but its airing on CBS so will get higher rating.