Several commenters have pointed out that ABC's 8PM slot on Thursdays seems to be a "death slot" of sorts, as no shows in that timeslot have gone on to a second season since 2009. Military drama Last Resort was the latest victim of this scheduling curse, and it looks like supernatural drama Zero Hour could be the Thursday death slot's next casualty. What do you think? Does this drama have a chance, or is it doomed to fail before it even airs its first episode?
Last Resort wasn’t really a good show so I’m not too sad about it being cancelled. Certainly was as implausible as it gets, and it didn’t take long for them to bite star trek in the ep where everybody is drugged. The out there premise was bogged done by episodic episodes that lack creativity, and that’s a hard task when having Andre Braugher on the cast. Zero Hour has no shot, even if it’s actually any good. ABC just doesn’t know what they are doing. maybe they need to get more racially insensitive like other shows. Maybe a drama staring a grey back confederate soldier and former slave owner on the road to redemption.
I think Jared is on the right track. The problem isn’t some stupid curse, it is the types of shows. Last Resort is actually a good show, but it is a 9pm or 10pm action drama, not a 8pm lead in for Grey’s…seriously, who is making ABC’s schedule? Now they want to put in a supernatural drama? First that doesn’t pair at all with Grey’s, secondly it is up against VD which already has that demographic at 8pm on thursdays.
I agree with the reality idea, but how about going big and putting DWTS on thursday’s at 8pm? Yes they would have to move Grey’s, but they could work around that and really improve their position on a couple of nights. I just keep thinking that doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is the definition of insanity!
I voted for “Why Are We Even Talking About This?”
Last Resort was a stupid, highly implausible premise – not to mention that everyone else probably had cognitive dissonance that the government would act that way (although they would) – and that is what killed it, not the time slot.
By the way, as for scheduling, people here seem to think that the networks schedule shows in order to kill them by putting new shows in a “death slot”. That’s ridiculous. If a new show goes into a “death slot”, it’s BECAUSE the network thinks that show is – or at least could be – a strong competitor against the other network’s shows. If they did not think that, some OTHER show would be there. That’s obvious.
They schedule what they think are or might be strong shows up against their strongest competitor. That’s HOW you beat your competitors! If a show proves to NOT be strong enough to do that and ends up getting canceled, well, tough luck! Try again next time! Sucks for the viewers of that show, but this is how it’s done.
I feel Zero Hour would do better on Monday @10pm. If it started before the return of Revolution, it could establish itself and weaken Revolution. Castle needs to help another night. And with the Thursday @8pm being considered a tough spot, why not put the established show with a loyal audience in that spot.
I hear its good
It needs about a 2.0+ to get renewed safely, a 1.8+ gives it a shot.. I don’t see it. That timeslot is hard.
ZH is a goner. If Last Resort couldn’t survive that slot, nothing new will.
My predictions for all the midseason shows-
ABC
Red Widow: Renewed
The Taste: Cancelled
Celebrity Diving: Cancelled
Body of Proof: Renewed
The Family Tools: Cancelled
How to Live With Your Parents: Renewed
Zero Hour: Cancelled. Duh.
Primetime Nightline: Renewed
CBS
Golden Boy: Cancelled
Friend Me: Cancelled
Rules of Engagement: Renewed
CW
Carrie Diaries: Renewed
Cult: Cancelled
Fox
The Following: Renewed
The Goodwin Games: Renewed
American Idol: Anyone who thinks this is is any danger of cancellation is a lunatic.
Touch: Renewed
NBC
The Biggest Loser: Renewed
Deception: Renewed
Betty White’s Off Their Rockers: Renewed
Smash: Cancelled
Community: Renewed
1600 Penn: Renewed
Do No Harm: Cancelled
Hannibal: Cancelled
Save Me: Cancelled
@Richard Steven Hack
Networks don’t really care about whether or not they beat the competition. Shows like Castle and Parenthood would have been cancelled long ago if that was important.
The show will be a zero to a hero for ABC!
Sounds like a cross between Haven, X-Files, and a dash of Fringe. Zero chance unless it’s very, very good.
This new show stands no chance in this timeslot I have watched many shows I love killed in that particular timeslot. I think they should move Grey to 8pm and put Zero hour in its time slot.
It’s not because of its timeslot this show doesn’t stand a chance.
Focus group: I like this show because the cast looks like my family coffee addicts at Starbucks
Maybe this is the “announced slot” and by the time mid-February rolls around they’ll instead move something else there (burn off remaining Don’t Trust the B’s and Family Tools?) Zero Hour could be held in the wings in case Red Widow fails, then they could move Nashville to Sunday and put Zero Hour on Wednesday. It doesn’t hurt to hope!
Before some of you completely count this show out, let me suggest you look up Addison Timlin. She played Sasha Bingham on Californication (yes THAT chick)!!
Note: Her current IMDB profile pic is from several years ago when she was a minor. Not doing her any favors!
i already know which shows will get renewed and which ones will not
Yes, the death slot will kill it, but the people saying ABC should just put Wipeout reruns there or burn-off shows are wrong. They can’t do that.
Thursdays at 8PM it’s a premium time-slot for ad revenue. They cannot give up on it. They have to try to find something.
In my opinion, they should just wait for S.H.I.E.L.D. at this point. That’s their 8 o’ clock savior.
ABC has cancelled great shows that deserved a 2nd season that were on the Thursday death slot. I’m looking at you “Missing” and “Last Resort”. Also FlashForward and Charlie’s Angels got only one season too. I say this show has ZERO CHANCE of being successful.
I don’t know why they even bother to make dramas anymore. Seems like all people want to watch these days is reality garbage and mindless “comedies”.