But don’t keep your hopes up for a Turner network saving an NBC show, they couldn’t save My Name Is Earl with TBS.

a – it’s not an obvious keeper,
b – it’s not one of those CBS shows with great audience counts, but fair to middling demos (see “Worst Week”)
c – it’s not a show getting awful ratings on anyones’ scale, even the CW’s (see “Til Death”)
d – it’s Renew/Cancel Index last season was at 107 percent of NBC’s average demo rating, and did not fit the other profiles of a cancelled show with above .92 indices (see CBS)…

…so it’s a slightly above borderline show on a network that deserves to be sucking duck embryos (see “Deal or No Deal”) than collecting their retirements and golden parachutes – which generates lots of discussion, page hits, ad views, and revenues…

…I wish I had a nice Barton Yarborough avatar – Bill, Robert – who gets Joe Friday?

It was going to be on Fridays nights this year. Last year it had ER’s old spot Thursday at 10.

Once again, your comments are right on.

According to futoncritic.com, something like 2-3% of shows have changed networks/channels. So I woulnd’t be holding my breath.

Don’t be so hard on yourself about DVRing a show after it starts to generate numbers. Unless you have a Nielsen box on your TV, the sad reality is your viewing habits don’t matter. Hell, even if you do the Nielsen DIARIES, your habits don’t matter either.

However, if you DO have a Nielsen box, then shame on you!! If not, no harm no foul.

What part of TV by the Numbers are you not getting? This is a TV ratings site, not a TV self-esteem site. I love the way some people show up here to play shoot the messenger when their favorite show is circling the drain.

You stated about that NBC has obviously already coughed up for these 6 episodes. However, in the UK many broadcasters do not count the cost of shows until they are actually broadcast. So, even though they have physically paid for a show to be produced, so long as they leave it on the shelf it will not show up on their accounts. As a result, a strategic decision is often made to hold back a show in order to boost profitability or balance the books. Is this practice used in the US?

Still, there is some precedence here. What was that CBS show with Joe Pantoliano, “Waterfront”? It was new for 2006, the filmed about 6 episodes, then shut it down and canceled it and never showed it. HBO did it just recently with the Lily Tomlin “8 Miles of Bad Road” or whatever it was called. Plenty of shoes are getting yanked after just a couple of airings. It’s gotten to be, over the last 6-7 years at least, that I typically Tivo the first few episodes of a new series I’m interested in, and only start watching them after the ratings seem decent enough to keep it on the air. I’m sure others do as well, which of course hurts the ratings. I just don’t want to waste time getting interested/invested in a series, only to have it crap out after 10 episodes with no resolution at all. Every year, it seems like it happens, so every year, I watch less network TV.

Stay in the dark about how the business of TV really works if you want. I can’t stop you. I’ll take living in reality though. It hurts more but better that than the shock of sudden cancellation later.

For the record, speaking for myself, I have no ill will toward any one personally. I don’t know you, except for what you post here. I try to gauge what will happen based on the networks’ number-one goal, maximizing profits. Any “high-art” or “quality programming” in pursuit of cash is strictly coincidental.

DB because there’s no chemistry between the characters and the story lines have been weak.

Southland because it already died once, let it rest in peace.

NBC – No Body Cares

Now what was it you were saying?

I saw the same attitude displayed towards Medium a few months ago.
The put downs on Medium, the dismissive attitude towards Medium fans.

Monday: The Closer/Saving Grace
Tuesday: HawthoRNe/Raising the Bar
Wednesday: Leverage/Dark Blue

All but RTB and DB have already been renewed, although SG closes after next season. There’s been plenty of debate about whether either or both of the others will survive.

TNT theoretically could start a fourth night of drama. Sundays are most viable. Thursdays are open only during the summer; NBA coverage anchors the night from Halloween to Memorial Day. Fridays and Saturdays are, well, Fridays and Saturdays.

Additionally, TNT has never acquired some other network’s castoff for the purpose of producing new episodes. I don’t mean the daytime, second-run syndication lineup. Neither has FX. Both networks are building reputations on creating their own brands. TNT already has Dark Blue; FX made its bones on The Shield. How is Southland going to help either network?

After that, THEN FX should buy it (or TNT…it could be a good companion piece to “The Closer”) and continue on with it. If ABC could take “Scrubs” and CBS could take “Medium”, I think someone can take “Southland”.