With Modern Family, Cougar Town and The Middle all safely renewed for a second season, ABC's Steve McPherson also talked about some other shows.
McPherson said that ABC has obviously been disappointed by Scrubs and Better Off Ted ratings but said he loved both shows and noted comedy on any night but Wednesday was an island. He said that it wasn't ABC's intent was not to burn the episodes off, but "that was the best slot we have at this time." McPherson said he loved both shows. They'll almost certainly be canceled just like they're certainly being burned off, even if it wasn't their intent to burn them off!
But McPherson did say there was a possibility for either BOT or Scrubs at 8pm on Wednesday.
McPherson said they really love Ugly Betty, but were disappointed that it didn't perform better when it moved from Fridays at 9p to Wednesdays at 10pm. "I'm not sure how many people knew about the move," McPherson said.
The prognosis for Castle looks much better. "We're very excited about it," said McPherson. Plus, the next Castle novel is scheduled for September.
Better Off Ted is hell-a better than Modern Family. Swap the shows in to the other’s timeslot and see what happens. Modern Family has poor writing and poor acting. I don’t know what the fuss is about. For a sitcom, Better Off Ted has a major quality that Modern Family lacks…it’s funny.
What, no Castle love from this site? I guess people are too busy swooning over Chuck on the other story threads
Of course he loves them, like his very own children!
Until the day he cancels them.
Should we start begging for an Ugly Betty renewal? “Loving” a show certainly does not help a “dissapointed” network. I really really really hope Betty makes it!
Fingers crossed that a new Castle book means something to ABC!
Better Off Ted is must see TV. Its a shame more don’t know about the show who have Nielsen boxes. Everyone I encounter watches Modern Family and Better Off Ted (and are catching on to Parks & Recreation being funny this season). I’m hoping ABC realizes that BOT is a goldmine if they hold onto it. Its destined for cult status, a la Arrested Development.
No wonder ABC is horrible now in days, we have a horrible president with horrible taste. Get him out of there.
I think if Better Off Ted didnt have Scrubs lead-in, it could do better than its doing right now. I know Scrubs is moving to Comedy Wednesday for two weeks to air its final 2 episodes of the season. Hopefully ABC will do the same for Better Off Ted for its final 2 episodes.
Scrubs had a great run, even though I love it, I’d sacrifice it in favor of saving Better off Ted.
This is just like Sophie’s Choice!
Then again I cant believe him after what he did with Eastwick, calling it a “quiet success” then cancelling it the next week.
It’s a shame that Better Off Ted didn’t get a better time-slot or better network for that matter. Only if it was on NBC’s Thursday night line-up. It’s a perfect fit with P&R, The Office, and 30 Rock. It’s WAY funnier than ho-hum Community.
Better Off Ted is the funniest thing on TV at the moment. The writing is consistently hilarious, and he ensemble terrific. And I cannot WAIT for tonight’s episode, after viewing the raunchy outtakes on YouTube (Fair warning: Do not click if you have even the SLIGHTEST aversion to bad language) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh7Nz4bIwss
Ted can’t even hold the abysmal numbers from it’s lead in. So don’t blame it on Scrubs.
Qualitywise the show can’t hold a candle to The Office, HIMYM, Parks & Recreation, Community or even Scrubs 2.0. Let alone the show it tries to be so hard: Arrested Development. (Even so Portia deRossi plays her role almost exactly like Lindsey.)
That beeing said … Ted is a lot better rthan BBT or Two and a Half Men and it could improve a lot if they got rid of the annoying labrats.
Ted can’t even hold the abysmal numbers from it’s lead in. So don’t blame it on Scrubs.
Qualitywise the show can’t hold a candle to The Office, Modern Family, HIMYM, Parks & Recreation, Community or even Scrubs 2.0. Let alone the show it tries to be so hard: Arrested Development. (Even so Portia deRossi plays her role almost exactly like Lindsey.)
That beeing said … Ted is a lot better rthan BBT or Two and a Half Men and it could improve a lot if they got rid of the annoying labrats.
Community and BoT are both really great; I just don’t think they follow the traditional sitcom mode. They make you concentrate in order to pick up on all the funny stuff going on in any scene. BoT is different than most popular sitcoms with the “setup…joke…wait for audience to laugh…set up another one” format. Ted shoots a rapid fire joke, a visual gag, yet another joke at the viewer, trusting us to get it all and that may be why it isn’t doing well with viewers used to the more familiar style.
I do think ABC gave it a chance – I gotta give them credit for letting me see all the Pushing Daisies, Eli Stones, Teds, etc. that were produced because they could have aired crappy reality shows in those timeslots instead and had better ratings to show for it.
Funny I originally gave up on BOT but then watched a few episode just before Christmas and enjoyed it. So I am one of those that originally wrote it off but came back. Maybe there will be more like me!
BOT is a horrible show. i watched an episode 2 weeks ago and i was like “really? this show is on a major network?”
Scrubs is one of my favorite shows but the ratings are so low its a miracle its still on.
Ugly Betty had a horrible Season 3 but really bounced back this year. i hope the ratings come up. but like i mentioned last week i’m not really knowledgeable when it comes to the 10 PM slot. the numbers last week were like 5+ million and people weren’t saying thats not too good.
ABC has more to gain from renewing Ugly Betty, especially because it’s near syndication and improving dramatically in creativity. And there’s PR benefit, especially because the media is rooting for it this season.
The new Scrubs is just a spin off which hasn’t found it’s feet ( and likely won’t) and Better off Ted will need some serious re-adjustments to gain back it’s viewers (where there any to start off with?)
I like Parks and Recreation and Community on NBC. It’s a shame NBC is so f’d up. But I also loved Ugly Betty and ABC f’d that up too.
Ugly Betty is a GREAT show. Who watches TV on Friday Nights? They should have kept it on Thursday. Don’t blame a show for the Network’s bad move.
Hopefully Betty will do well on Wednesday but Idol is on then.