So you’re not calling “Lipstick Jungle” and “Life” failures? I guess you wouldn’t since you, as noted, have incredible logic. If the over/under for success or failure is 1 season/2 seasons, that must mean “Oprah’s Big Give” failed, since, you know, it only lasted one season.

“If Southland does poorly in its second season and gets cancelled”

Change “If” to “When” and you’ve got it.

“then you can call it a failure.”

No, thanks. I can call it a failure now.

“I could just make the argument that obviously after two seasons, viewers just dont care about Chuck and that its a FAILURE, but I’m not going to resort as being as annoying.”

Rest assured, even without that, you’re way more annoying.

The story is told in a very chaotic way. The cast is too large. The acting is like “Heroes”, that I’m-so-serious-because-I’m-saving-the world pomposity.

From http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/nbc-renews-chuck-medium-law-order/

Also if SOUTHLAND pulls another 2.0 or worse next week, you know they’ll renew CHUCK. Because they’ll need it after they cancel SOUTHLAND.

All I’m saying is that the fact that it held up so steady for the first two weeks, show that viewers were interested. NBC just needs to find a way to keep (or bring back) that audience next season. Southland is getting unneccessary hate because people are pissed that their favorite show might get cancelled. But its done better than any other new NBC drama this season.

Southland premiered in ER’s vacant timeslot, which drew 16.3 million viewers and a 6.0 18-49 a week before, and had about a dozen Southland ads throught the two hour ER finale. It went up against ABC reruns, Harper’s Island, and FOX 10:00 news for its first two weeks. That seems like a “cushy” timeslot to me.

We’ll see. In the meantime, it’s been renewed, and renewed in advance of the rest of the lineup announcement. I’ll take it.

“Bay City Blues” garnered praise, too. You know how long NBC stuck by that? A month.”

And yet, NBC has still renewed Southland. I’ll take it.

I think Southland can only survive next season if its paired with Law and Order: SVU. Other than that, than I think it could fall in the ratings. There’s no real audience flow from 30 Rock to Southland, so I think thats mainly hurting show. It needs a stable drama lead-in.

I never said Life or Lipstick Jungle were smash hits. But obviously, you cant call a show a failure if its been renewed for a second season. If Southland does poorly in its second season and gets cancelled, then you can call it a failure. I could just make the argument that obviously after two seasons, viewers just dont care about Chuck and that its a FAILURE, but I’m not going to resort as being as annoying.

W@W! What incredible logic! I guess that means “Lipstick Jungle” and “Life” must be SMASH HITS!!

The viewers have already spoken. Much like the other 2 NBC shows I mentioned (which, lo and behold, both premiered at 10), the viewers will speak more when it is relocated.

I meant that Southland built in the half hour for its premiere and the following episode. If it dropped in the latter two, its due to heavier competition. But SL seems like a show that could do better if paired with another stable drama, aka Law & Order.

Southland did not build in the half hour. In fact, it dropped:

http://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/05/01/thursday-ratings-abc-wins-southland-continues-to-head-south/17815

10- 6.875 2.2
1030 6.490 2.0

Heck, in the finals Southland got a 2.0 in the demos. It build in total viewers, but that’s meaningless to advertisers. The demos from 30 Rock (2.9) to Southland fell 0.9, that’s not “building in the half hour”.

Not this one.

“Anyone have stats on that? Someone above mentioned Cheers.”

I’m pretty sure “Cheers” grew over the course of its first season, since, you know, it’s hard not to when you start at the very bottom of the ratings. I’m also pretty sure if it lost a third of its premiere audience over the course of 2 weeks, it wouldn’t have run 11 years.

“I recall reading that Hill Street Blues was a critical darling/ratings dog its first year, and NBC stuck by it because of the praise it garnered.”

“Bay City Blues” garnered praise, too. You know how long NBC stuck by that? A month.

One. Obviously it didnt fail, because it JUST GOT RENEWED FOR A SECOND SEASON. Two, look at the ratings:

Episode 1: 9.86 million viewers/3.2 demo
Episode 2: 9.58 million viewers/3.1 demo
Episode 3: 8.40 million viewers/2.5 demo
Episode 4. 6.68 million viewers/2.1 demo

The first two episodes did great, not only that, the show grew in each half hour, something that is rare for a new 10pm series. The last two episodes of the show faced greater competition, therefore it is down, but its ratings average is still higher than Chuck this season. Southland didnt premiere with American Idol or Dancing With The Stars as a lead-in, it was a midseason show, and the fact that those were even its initial ratings, on a 4th place network, is not expected. Its done way better than Cupid or The Unusuals. The show has potential. As seen with The Office, 30 Rock, Friday Night Lights, and even Chuck, NBC likes to give shows second chances. And no offense, Chuck has already had its chance. I hope it comes back, but there is no reason to suggest that Southland is a failure or that it doesnt deserve to come back.

I didn’t know we could make that pronouncement after so few episodes. NBC evidently doesn’t think so, and that’s the opinion that matters. I wonder what other hit shows started off slowly, maybe even moved time slots, and ended up doing well. Anyone have stats on that? Someone above mentioned Cheers. I recall reading that Hill Street Blues was a critical darling/ratings dog its first year, and NBC stuck by it because of the praise it garnered.

I’m just happy the show will be around for another 13 episodes. I’ll worry about what’s comes at the end of those 13 if the show continues to entertain me, and if I feel it deserves to be renewed once again.

“Cold Feet”
“UC: Undercover”
“Boomtown”
“Kingpin”
“Hunter”
“The Lyon’s Den”
“LAX”
“Medical Investigation”
“Heist”
“Inconceivable”
“The Book of Daniel”
“Conviction”
“Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip”
“Kidnapped”
“The Black Donnellys”
“Journeyman”
“quarterlife”
“My Own Worst Enemy”
“Law & Order: Trial by Jury”
“The Others”

So the fact that Southland even premiered to pretty decent ratings and held most of its audience in the second outing is surprising for NBC. Also, Chuck has been for two seasons, Southland has had four episodes. The comparisons arent fair. Maybe paired with another stronger drama, Southland could do better, instead of having to build off 30 Rock (which I love) every week. Variety and Hollywood Reporter have both suggested that NBC may do a SVU/Southland line-up on Wednesday, or possibly another night. While I dont consider SVU an 8pm series, I’m sure if they had a “Viewer Discretion Advised” warning, then it wouldnt really matter (since thats what FOX does with its shows too).

Also, while I like Chuck, every NBC related thread about another show shouldnt turn into a Chuck forum. Its annoying.

And when it comes to NBC fall pilots: dramas Legally Mad and Lost & Found tested poorly; while dramas Trauma and Parenthood, along with the comedy, Community, tested pretty high. And I completely agree. The scripts for the latter three were all great, while Lost & Found was awful, and Legally Mad could have been better. Though its interesting that not much as been mentioned about Day One recently.

But I agree, when the picture is used in consecutive featured posts, it is unsettling. Happy now?

“Southland” is going to tank big time in a new time slot. Once it gets some real competition (and by that, I mean something more than a “Criminal Minds” repeat), it’s toast. The only minor chance it has is Sundays 10:00 in January. There’s no way in hell they will air it at 8:00, and it will get murdered like a white man walking around at night in South Central in a 9:00 slot.

NBC has to make sure this airs on Monday Nights away from CBS procedurals whether its 8pm or 9pm. I would like for them to use SVU as a lead-in at 8pm on Mondays.

American Idol is a winter show. ‘Nuff said.

Yes, they clearly flipped episodes. I was curious about that, too.