I’m not quite as surprised by Bill with the Friday scheduling of scripted shows, but that’s only because last week someone I trust wrote to say “Fox is going to do a couple of things that will surprise a lot of people.”
Otherwise I’m pretty surprised, but also happy about it. As a fan, networks trying to program Friday night is a good thing. Fox has had the idea in its head for a while, going with some original scripted content in each of the last two seasons, including last fall. This fall Fox will again be scripted both hours on Friday nights (Human Target and The Good Guys) with one hour planned for mid-season. It looks like The Good Guys will be a carryover from the summer, but FOX’s fall schedule will be impacted by baseball for a few weeks.
Despite past failures, CBS’s ratings attrition with its Friday scripted content might have embolden FOX to give it another try. The economics might be such that a 1.6 adults 18-49 rating is worth the extra expense of scripted content versus, say, a 1.2 rating for a repeat. If so, it seems reasonable for FOX to try.
It’s still a surprise to me, but a happy surprise both in terms of more original scripted content and more interest in the Friday overnight ratings reports. Fans and the curious will be looking to see if it works.
If CBS renews Ghost Whisperer and put it still on fridays 8PM,I hope Human Target will be crushed.GW had been on friday for a long time and hold a good amount of demo and viewers for a friday show.
What I can't believe,Human Target was renewed
Nothing has really worked for FOX on Fridays with MAYBE the exception of Kitchen Nightmares. You could look through most of the list, but Dollhouse, TSCC, Fastlane, etc. X files did work for a bit, but that was a long time ago. Personally think HT and TGG will fail on Friday nights, but obviously they could surprise. Still surprise that most of the networks will go with at least some scripted content for Fridays seeing as CBS is the only network to have small success that night.
HT is not a bad show! I am so amazed by people who hate decent shows like this. Where is the vitriol for pathetic women, with sex tapes, who now have reality shows? Or rich pampered brats who have soap-like reality shows? Or women who aren't housewives or even married with reality shows called the real housewives or X? Or a show in which a couple thinks the world is interested in seeing them take their 10 or 15 kids out for ice cream. I would put my anger towards those shows versus a simple action drama.
I also wonder what do people do on Friday which prevents them from watching TV. Am I the only broke person who can't afford to go out on Friday nights? Has Nielsen or the networks ever done any research to understand what the non-TV competition actually is on Fridays and Saturdays? All I have ever heard is conjecture.
Additional points for headline alliteration.
Impressive headline!
freaky. fantastic. fun. fatal flaw. flop.
So much to work with here!
I guess theres something to be admired in FOX's attempts, I'm not sure Human Target will be a success. That said I would have thought such a drama would do well on fridays – action and slight comedy. Maybe FOX is trying to again tap into the collegue student success of The X-Files. That said Human Target's finale pulled just a 1.9 (I think) which would mean it would have to hold 84% of that audience to be a moderate success on fridays: a tought feat.
While fridays seem unsuccessful ventures for scripted programming networks seem bent on trying: FOX, NBC with Outlaw, and most likely CBS and The CW with Smallville. I'm not so sure about ABC.
Question: Given the reason drop for CBS's drama's is there a possibility of say CBS moving CSI: NY plus The Good Wife to friday and killing most of its currrent line-up. I mean a 1.6 isn't good for The Ghost Whisperer, the show along Medium is getting old it can't be that cheap to produce.
Typo alert: “This fall again, it will be unscripted both hours on Friday nights”. Should read scripted.
But in my mind, Fox's Fall Friday Filler serves two purposes: It tries to keep the night alive for scripted shows (which Fox will need for growth, when AI/XF take up three hours fulltime) and allows Fox to get the returns on their emergency midseason filler while still keeping them “in reserve” in case Lonestar or the Comedy Block are DOA.
Not to mention that whatever increase Fox gets for originals vs. repeats on Friday helps them win that Fall 18-49 crown, when it is uncertain if their inheritors of SYTYCD's slots will actually be upgrades (looking at you Comedy Block).
“Not to mention that whatever increase Fox gets for originals vs. repeats on Friday helps them win that Fall 18-49 crown, when it is uncertain if their inheritors of SYTYCD's slots will actually be upgrades (looking at you Comedy Block).”
While every hour of their 15 each week “helps”, Fox's winning or losing the Fall ratings race almost certainly comes down to the baseball playoffs.
A good draw in the NL championship series, and a long series, plus a long World Series and they can win again. With short series, they have little chance.
I think it's interesting that Fox is being criticized for trying to attract new viewers to Friday night. I don't understand in todays environment why anyone would root against shows to succeed. I am not a fan of American Idol, but I do understand that the revenue produced by it is funding Fox's ability to try something on Fridays (and most every other night for that matter). Would it be better if all shows failed on Friday, and we only had repeats and reality/news shows?
Props to FOX for giving it a shot on Fridays. Much better than Hell's Kitchen. I liked Human Target, but couldn't make room for it on the DVR on Wednesdays for some reason. I think it's the perfect Friday show against Ghost Whisperer. A little more testosterone and action! Better scripts would be appreciated, but hey this is a good thing. CBS needs to fight back hard to maintain a lock on Fridays.
Now on to Saturdays!
I think Human Target will fade pretty badly. Shouldn't been renewed anyway. If it stays on that night, I doubt it'll live. I don't like it, and I don't like the looks of Good Guys, so I'm fine with them being placed on a bad night. Better them than shows I enjoy.
Lisa, are you typically a fan of action dramas? My dad loves Burn Notice, Magnum PI, Chuck Norris' show, and other shows like that. If you are not a fan of this type of show, then it is not for you. My dad and my two brothers love this show and already want the DVDs!
I'm glad to see Human Target on Fridays — I hope it works there.
While I give Fox props for trying Fridays again, I have to say I'm amazed that they put a weak show to headline the night. Bones should have gone there IMO. Lie to Me, even though the only Fox procedural I watch, could have worked on Friday nights. Human Target will fail inevitably. Which also begs the question, why put such an expensive show on the weakest night of the week?
Then there's The Good Guys. Judging by the promo, it looks realllly bad and realllly cheap. Kind of like that MacGruber sketch on SNL or the Bitch Hunter skit on 30 Rock which were, of course, made to look cheap for irony purposes. So I guess it's back to reruns/reality (KN) in the spring or Lie To Me could move there should it get the back 9.
Robert sure likes his alliterations, doesn't he?
While I give Fox props for trying Fridays again, I have to say I'm amazed that they put a weak show to headline the night. Bones should have gone there IMO. Lie to Me, even though the only Fox procedural I watch, could have worked on Friday nights.
Human Target is getting the “out to pasture” treatment, they don't expect the show to succeed, so why not put it on Fridays, if it can get a 1.5 there it will worth it to keep it on the schedule, but they didn't want to tie up a Mon – Thurs timeslot with it.
I'm not sure where the ratings bar is but I agree with you. It's a balancing act, not a “we will claim Friday victory, regardless of the costs!”
Well, surprises can happen. Remember when everyone thought Smallville was gonna die on Fridays and it managed to survive and outperform many of the other CW shows that were on earlier in the week. Really, we have an idea of what may happen, but we won't know until it airs. Plus, we have been proven wrong a few times this year: Undercover Boss, Betty White SNL, to name a few.
Which begs the question why renew it? They aren't even sticking to all scripted Fridays all season. I understand they want to try to make waves on Friday, but why do it with a show they have already tested and deemed unworthy?