Comments on: Cold Case: One Season Too Many?

By: Meli

Meli — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:35:35 +0000

It happened again this week: football ran until around 7:30 last night, which pushed all the start times backwards. That means CC didn’t air until nearly 10:30. How is it fair to judge whether a show should be renewed if it can’t even air in its 10 PM time slot?

By: Zach

Zach — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 21:44:59 +0000

I imagine when it gets moved back to 9 p.m., it’s ratings will get a slight boost. This is most likely its last season but seven years is nothing to sneeze at.

By: Meli

Meli — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:03:50 +0000

Renewing WAT really wasn’t an option, IMO. CBS was looking to cut expenses and frankly, Kathryn Morris makes less money in salary than Anthony LaPaglia. That’s not to say LaPaglia didn’t deserve the higher pay–he was an established character actor before WAT and the show had been on longer–but at the end of the day when everything else was equal, expenses caused CBS to keep the cheaper show to produce.

By: Zach

Zach — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:37:16 +0000

One of the biggest problems is CBS football. That usually pushes it back at least 15 mins or more behind scedule. After ten people are getting ready for bed etc. Once it gets moved back to nine, I expect ratings will improve a bit. I too think this is it’s last season but the idea that WAT should have been renewed over CC was absurd in my option. Another season of the Jack & Sam will they hook up or will they not show? The cases became secondary to that. Plus, Malone had become nothing more than a bully with a badge.
While it’s not what it once was, CC is still better than WAT was in its final seasons. I just hope they give it a proper sending off. And seven seasons is nothing to sneeze at.

By: Jon

Jon — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:55:04 +0000

The music in Cold Case is its strength and its weakness, I imagine the show is profitable for Warner Bros but being unable to release it on DVD probably makes it less valuable than say NCIS or CSI. I agree that they need to write a series finale but I imagine it’s in the works.

I think Three Rivers will get 9-10m for its debut but I dread the plethara of Alex O’Loughlin fans who are going to bombared TVBTN if and when it gets pulled.

By: Dan

Dan — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 18:43:56 +0000

Donald – Music licensing issues

Tom – I think that CBS will axe Three Rivers after a few airings and bring Cold Case back to 10pm. Hopefully Flashpoint will join the sched, airing new episodes at 10. After thats done, either The Bridge or Miami Trauma will fill in the 10pm slot. I dont think after the likely Three Rivers disaster, CBS would air a new series at 9. Cold Case has been reliable at 9.

This WILL be Cold Case’s final year so its never too early to write a series finale…..

By: Donald

Donald — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 18:36:19 +0000

I love Cold Case. I never miss it and I record it or watch it on TNT as well. Why won’t they put it out on DVD? There is a loyal following for Cold Case. CBS is jeapordizing their entire Sunday schedule as all of the programs are delayed because of the football games on CBS. You can’t even record the programs because none of them start on time!

By: Meli

Meli — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:52:52 +0000

The problem with Cold Case is the same problem with the Sunday night lineup on CBS from last season–CBS Sports. Because of the football game, the primetime lineup was at least 30 minutes late in starting. By the time you get to a 10 PM show, it’s 10:30 or 11:00 before it airs. On Sunday night children have to get up on Monday morning to go to school and adults have to get up and go to work Monday, even if they don’t have to the rest of the week.

If CBS isn’t considering this when they make a decision to cancel Cold Case or not, then they may need to start pre-empting or even joining ’60 Minutes’ in progress in the 7 PM hour to keep their schedule on schedule.

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:52:17 +0000

Yeah, a show will frequently get an extra season to get to syndication count. After that point, syndication is extremely unlikely to result in extra seasons though, and when it does it is usually comedies (the most recent example being According to Jim; Scrubs is half syndication money and half ABC desperation for comedies).

Cold Case may or may not be moved. CBS still has Miami Trauma and the Canadian shows in the wings. Given they know CC is dead, there’s definitely no point in trying to give it a cushier timeslot until they have tried all their other options AND football is over.

By: Holly

Holly — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:51:14 +0000

Add Crossing Jordan to the list of dramas canceled despite being in syndication, Giving us at least 3 in recent years.

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:00:08 +0000

Forg – Its ratings on average for its 8th and final season were 3.5 million, which was the same as its 7th season. It was getting older and more expensive so the WB decided to end it. It was probably the right time to end it to but 8 seasons and 178 episodes arent bad.

By: forg

forg — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:04:55 +0000

Holly, Charmed on its last season did relatively well for the WB, it was pulling 3-4 million viewers on a Sunday night. I think they ended it because it was already expensive and the 8th and final season’s budget was slashed down resulting to sub par special effects and one of the regular cast Brian Krause was demoted to recurring status. But the show had an announced finale anyway so it was good they ended it with a closure.

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:51:37 +0000

Jon – a lot of people were suprised that Case was renewed. I belive Bill and Robert both thought Trace would get renewed. I thought it would turn out like a Judging Amy/Joan of Arcadia situation in 2005 where CBS were thinking of keeping 1 over the other but ultimately both were axed. In the end, Case is still around because its a year younger, and still holds up Sunday. CBS alo already axed a veteran from sunday (The Unit) so two would be surprising. Case’s down fall this year is airing at 10 and since numbers will go down from Amazing Race to Three Rivers to Cold Case, Case will get hurt by its Three Rivers lead in. I still think Case will be moved back to 9.

By: Jon

Jon — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:43:30 +0000

Both Without a Trace and Cold Case were expensive veterans and both needed to cut their costs. It was surprising that Trace got cancelled over Case because the music rights would make it more expensive to produce and it hasn’t been released on DVD but Cold Case does have a smaller cast in comparison to Without a Trace and I think the finances must have in favour of Cold Case.

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:32:44 +0000

Thats the problem with being a network like CBS, every year most of their shows do well, but ultimately they have to make a tough decision on which to let go. This year, I realistically believe that NCIS: LA will be the only new drama renewed for a second year, (Medium is new to CBS but im sure that will get a seventh year), and Cold Case will be the only veteran gone from CBS.

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:30:44 +0000

j – I doubt CBS would move The Big Bang Theory to their troubled, 8:00 wednesday slot, Bang will be at 9:30 as long as Men is at 9. When Men finishes likely in 3 years, Bang will inherit Men’s slot.

Forg & Stacy – CBS really wanted to keep Trace but they had to let something go. If CBS didnt have so many other well performing dramas, Trace could have been kept. I suggested that if CBS kept Trace they could put it 10pm sundays like the 2006-2007 season and have a Race/Case/Trace trio. But ultimately CBS realized the show was getting older (It was the third oldest drama behind CSI, and CSI Miami). CBS even said they were said to let the show go and though it did well for the troubled Tuesday 10pm slot, ratings were still down overall. Last May it was 50/50 between Case and Trace so a finale wasnt really a priority. This season its a little obvious which long running drama will be axed. So that series should prepare a finale.

By: Holly

Holly — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:10:48 +0000

Holly, what I meant is I can’t think of any dramas in recent years other than WAT that was already in syndication and was ended due to ratings.

Las Vegas

Not really recent, but Judging Amy

maybe Charmed (though that might have been contract issues)….

By: Don J

Don J — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:52:28 +0000

There is an article in the Hollywood Reporter that Greg Plagemen, the Co-showrunner of Cold Case, just signed a new deal to continue working on the show and with WB TV. Probably doesn’t mean squat for the show though.

I like Cold Case alot, but realistically it’s probably time for it to end after this season. The cast is getting older and I don’t think this show really attracts many younger viewers. Also, the music and production costs are just going to continue to climb.

By: j

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:42:39 +0000

For Fridays, I like looking at it with a *1.5 scale. Which would put Ghost right below Mentalist, Medium right above Good Wife, & Numbers somewhat above Gary Unmarried. Sounds about right to me.

By: j

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:32:39 +0000

Good news for those who love the level of originality that CBS brings: Criminal Minds is having a spinoff, with a backdoor pilot in the spring.

It is getting better ratings so far than the CSI trifecta. And last season it had the same demo rating as NCIS, whose spinoff just premiered with huge #’s. I’m guessing either it’ll take the place of one of the low-rated Sunday dramas (I’m expecting small things from 3 Rivers too.) or maybe Good Wife though that show at least shows they occasionally go outside crimes.

Given Bang’s #’s so far, I’m thinking that Bang will start off Wednesdays next season as people have predicted, paired with a new comedy.

By: forg

forg — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 07:32:22 +0000

Yeah, Without a Trace deserved to have a proper series finale not a de facto one. Oh well. I hope the producers of Cold Case, which is a good procedural IMO, will provide a closure for the show.

By: Stacy

Stacy — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 07:02:40 +0000

I think they should have kept Without a Trace, the actors all agreed to take a pay cut just to keep the show going. They could have made this year the last one and wrapped up some loose ends in the show.

Like whatever happened to Vivians son and husband?
Does Martin ever find love and settle down?
Does Jack ever find happiness?
What about Jack’s daughters how are they doing the Mom dating another man? ETC, etc, etc.

By: iretos

iretos — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 07:02:39 +0000

Holly, am I reading different numbers? The only new show that did well was NCIS LA. For the rest, old and new (here again, excepting NCIS) were all down in comparison to last year, even “The Mentalist”. Wat’s ratings were far better than those of Cold Case and Numbers and were the same – or better, not rarely – than CSI Miami and NY. More expensive? It’s possible, that’s what they said. But there is a way to do things, particularly for a long-run show with lots of fans throughout the world. But evidently the word ‘respect’ for fans (for all those people thanks to whom a network survives) is outdated and I’m too much an idealist.

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 06:30:28 +0000

Tom – With Three Rivers likely to be axed in a few weeks, CBS may move Cold Case back to 9 and air Flashpoint at 10. It will be the final season for Cold Case but the show had a very good run. Hopefully the producers give closure to the series.

By: tom

tom — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 05:30:55 +0000

I actually prefer Cold Case over Without a Trace. Its a shame they moved Cold Case to 10pm considering it did so well against Desperate Housewives last season. Sadly this probably will be its final season But hey 7 seasons isnt too shabby!

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:50:42 +0000

AO – Your right. The West Wing wasnt just a ratings thing. It was an agreed final season type situation where the cast wanted to move on, and NBC was ready to end it. Though ratings did take a hit, the shows end was agreed upon.

By: AO

AO — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:38:20 +0000

@ Julia,

Regarding the West Wing, my recollection is that since it had run for 7 Seasons then the contracts for most of the cast were running out. I do not remember the details too clearly, but I think that some of them either wanted to leave or wanted more money to return. So I think that the consensus going into S7 was that it would be the final Season, especially as some observers had commented that S6 had declined in quality.

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:27:17 +0000

Julia – Besides ratings, Garner did want out and 104 episodes is pretty good for a drama. Trace was owned by WB and I think Case is owned by CBS but their syndication deals are similiar. When dramas get more than 100 eps, whatever they get beyond that doesnt seem as good for syndication as opposed to if Jim or Scrubs gets above 160. Since comedies’ episodes are half the amount of dramas, 180 episodes of a comedy would be as profiable as around 100 eps of a drama.

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:23:17 +0000

Holly – the best thing I can conclude about syndication is that comedies are usually always considered for it, while a lot of factors are considered for dramas to enter it. Comedies are 90% more liekly renewed for syndication while dramas are rarely renewed just for that purpose. Ugly Betty and Medium were both bubble series for each network (no guaranteed future). Its not likely Betty will get a fifth year but Medium will liekly get a seventh.

By: Julia

Julia — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:22:22 +0000

Dan, I’m pretty sure Garner wanted out of Alias as well. And Without a Trace was mentioned several times already. CBS had to cancel something and made the choice to cancel Without a Trace. It would be interesting if we had access to syndication deals to see if WAT had a worse deal than CC.

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:18:15 +0000

Julia – Alias had enough for syndication and was cancelled just because ratings lowered significantly from seasons 4-5. It did get a final episode. The OC was owned by Warner Brothers so syndication didnt matter to FOX. Plus OC has very very low numbers its last year, it does air on SoapNet. Its harder for dramas to get syndicated unless they are either still on the air or a good deal is made. Without a Trace was in syndication and ended with 160 episodes but it entered a few years back.

Since comedies are easier to sell into syndication, all comedies currently on the air (that have aired since 2007) are in consideration for eventual syndication while dramas, it depends on how well the show did.

By: Julia

Julia — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:13:56 +0000

I think it’s something that will become more of an issue in coming years. With hour long procedurals doing so well in syndication, as soon as the first runs start dropping in ratings we’ll see whether syndication will make a difference.

By: Julia

Julia — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:11:37 +0000

I think that’s the conclusion we have to draw.

By: Holly

Holly — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:10:59 +0000

^So our end result is that we don’t have enough information to say either way?

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:09:42 +0000

Holly – NBC renewed Medium for 13 episodes, but CBS studios argued for 22 which NBC didnt want to pay for because They wouldnt get any profit, so NBC axed it and CBS picked it up. Besides Medium, and Ugly Betty there arent any dramas that are just renewed for syndication, since dramas are more expensive than comedies, most that are in syndication are there because theyve done well during their network runs. Cheap multi camera comedies tend to stick around for syndication, along with Scrubs but its rare that dramas do.

By: Julia

Julia — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:08:55 +0000

Holly, what I meant is I can’t think of any dramas in recent years other than WAT that was already in syndication and was ended due to ratings. And with WAT it was because CBS had to cancel something. Can you think of any others that weren’t saved despite syndication?

I went back to 2005-2006 season and the only dramas I could easily spot that had been canceled despite syndication (or at least enough episodes for syndication) are:
Alias (I think Garner wanted out?)
West Wing (Don’t remember the reasoning for ending, but I don’t think it was ratings)
The OC (Had 92 episodes, so not sure if it really made it to syndication)
ER (Producers and NBC decided to give it a good send off)
Without a Trace (Already discussed)

By: tvmegafan

tvmegafan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:07:49 +0000

All these shows…and half of them involve STUPID cop drama’s, Sooooo unoriginal…Ghost Whisperer and How I met your mother are the only good shows they have.

By: Holly

Holly — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:01:44 +0000

@iretos,

Yep, I’m sure CBS is just pissed that they had a great premiere week, had strong launches for their two new shows, and are up year-to-year. That will teach them to cancel expensive shows with mediocre ratings.

By: Holly

Holly — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:56:58 +0000

@Julia, If existing syndication isn’t a factor in the renewal of dramas, perhaps the S designation could be used on dramas only if they are nearing syndication but on comedies nearing or in syndication.

By: iretos

iretos — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:54:22 +0000

As a huge fan of Wat, I’m enjoying the low rates of some (many) of CBS shows, old and new. Some of you said that Wat would probably have undergone the same fate of CC this year, but Wat showed, throughout the years, that it was able to survive despite the lack of respect with which it was treated by the PTB. Moved here and there, it still kept its public and never, never had such low numbers as CC or Numbers or others. CBS didn’t give a damn about its viewers (and about people working in the series, all of them) giving us a seasons that didn’t end in any way, leaving everything suspended, cutting abruptly the only classy series they had after 7 years of success. Now, if things will go badly for CBS, I’m nothing but happy for this.

By: Jon

Jon — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:52:43 +0000

I imagine Brothers and Sisters will end up on Lifetime or a similar channel, surprised it hasn’t been picked up yet. Gossip Girl doesn’t strike me as a show that would do well in syndication but I could see on ABC Family or TeenNick.

By: Holly

Holly — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:48:47 +0000

@Dan,

The question isn’t whether being close to syndication makes a difference in renewal, we know it does. The question is whether already being in syndication makes a difference.

It has made a difference for some comedies (According to Jim and Scrubs) that were renewed several times despite horrible ratings.

Can the same be said for any dramas?

Medium is a maybe. The syndication deal got CBS to pick it up, but it would have been renewed on NBC anyway (albeit with fewer episodes).

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:46:28 +0000

The Office and Earl both aired on TBS in fall 2007 despite only having 53 and 47 episodes, though it technically wasnt syndication, TBS just reran the series 1nce or twice a week I believe.

By: Julia

Julia — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:45:16 +0000

Holly, I forgot about the CSIs. I think the problem with dramas is most of them are better rated to begin with it they make it to syndication, since they are more expensive, and less likely to be renewed from the bubble.

(And I mean the problem with using dramas in the theory about keeping them around for syndication money.)

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:42:49 +0000

Holly -I cant think of another drama, only around for syndication. Shows that debuted either midseason 2006 or fall 2006 (that are still around) are shows that would be ready to enter syndication after this year. All of CBS’s veteran dramas are already in syndication or entering it. (Except The Mentalist).

From 2006-2007 season besides Ugly Betty, dramas

ABC’s Brothers & Sisters will enter syndication next year but ABC will still keep it around after that just because its doing OK in the ratings.

NBC’s Friday Night Lights or Heroes, may enter it, depends on a lot of factors and from CW maybe Gossip Girl (in a few years)

FOX, CBS, and CW have no surviving dramas from this season

From 2007-2008
ABC’s Private Practice will make it in a few years. I believe the show will survive to that point.

NBC’s Chuck may not make it, and it depends on if the show is renewed again.

CW’s Gossip Girl will also make it, down the line.

FOX and CBS have no surviving dramas from this season.

The only comedy surviving from 06-07 that wont make it soon is Rules of Engagement which by the end of its fourth season will have 48 episodes. Til Death and 30 Rock will make it with 76 and 80 episodes (respectively) atleast by the end of the year.

By: Holly

Holly — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:38:11 +0000

Jon,

I think it depends on the setup, and the number of episodes available. They’ll only do daily if they have enough episodes to run it for more than a month or two. If TBS had the Office after only two or three seasons, they would have only had 28 or 40 episodes.

By: Jon

Jon — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:31:12 +0000

Holly, I imagine that serialized shows like Lost and 24 would struggle to sell or get an audience since you can’t dip in and out but these shows make up for that by selling really well on DVD which is another lucrative market for studios.

Don’t some shows get aired weekly on cable before getting stripped daily, I know that The Office aired on TBS before it hit syndication.

By: Holly

Holly — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:28:27 +0000

@Jon, The people who own Spike already had the rights to CSI: Vegas and bought the rights for CSI: NY after its first season. I can’t remember whether TNT made a deal with the people who own Spike or with CBS, but they have it set up so that one has rights for primetime on the weekdays and one has rights for daytime and weekends. It’s in local syndication too (MyNetwork or the CW around here).

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:26:57 +0000

Holly – L&O wasnt renewed for syndication. It was well into that for atleast 10 years. It was renewed because the series still did well for the network whenever a new series failed, and like CBS’s CSI, L&O was a flagship series.

Jon – Criminal Intent was still making money, yet NBC couldnt afford to keep it, so they did the smart thing and transferred it to USA, where the show could help that network and NBC could air repeats without technically owning the show. It seems win-win until now where NBC has nothing except regular L&O and SVU.

By: Jon

Jon — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:23:46 +0000

Didn’t know that CSI:NY had already in sydication, I’m guessing TNT picked up additional rights for cheap. Apparently Two and a Half Men is to air on FX as part of its syndication deal but not till 2010. I think episodes numbers required for syndication range from 65 to 100. I know Disney had a policy to end all shows after 65 episodes.