While cruising my normal popular culture websites, I ran into a disturbing article: the lovely dolts at Fox have given Drive the ax after what amounts to four episodes. Let me repeat that: four episodes. Another halfway smart and engaging television series thrown on the scrap heap before it can gain any momentum. What is wrong with people? How is it that crap like American Idol and Dancing with the Has Beens can pull in the ratings and anything that's remotely interesting can't? Seriously, I'm not that out of touch with the rest of our culture, but I just can't figure out the viewing tastes, or lack thereof, of the US American audience. I think I'll quit trying to watch shows on a first run basis and do everything via Netflix. It's not even worth my time to try and support anything new on the major networks.
UPDATE: Found the following while perusing the Talk Back at Ain't it Cool News. Read 'em. Memorize 'em. chromedome speaks nothing but the truth.
1) Fox doesn't care about you
2) Fox will screw you over every chance they get
3) Never EVER pay attention to a new Fox show until it is well into its second season
4) Watch other networks at every opportunity
5) Support Sponsors of Shows that are given a fair shot (these will NOT be on Fox)
6) Post your concerns on Message Boards, sign petitions for your own venting, but see rule 1 above
7) Minear should read these rules. ANYONE ELSE BUT FOX, TIM!!*
*Minear, the man behind Drive, was also involved with Angel and Wonderfalls. If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know how much I've enjoyed all his projects. Sorry, Tim.
6 comments:
...and Firefly got the same treatment...well worse, since their episodes were aired out of order.
...but [Drive] sounds like it has potential. Unless Fox kills it halfway through the first season, that is. (q.v. Firefly, Space: Above and Beyond, etc.)
Yeah, I guess I called that one. Don't blame me, though. I'm just the messenger.
The good news is that the complete series on DVD ought to be REALLY cheap when it comes out....
Fox is pretty stupid (and I understand why Whedon says he'll never work with them again), but I don't blame them for this one.
Drive got tons of promotion and a choice slot in front of 24 and it still couldn't get any numbers. In fact, it harmed the 24 share. If a show isn't performing, it can't stay. Blame the viewing public.
On the other hand, it's just a television show, and everyone involved still has a career.
And I think that's why I've pretty much given up on broadcast shows, Gene. It's all about the $$$$ and instant gratification. Shows like M*A*S*H* and Cheers would have never made it past episode 4 had they debuted today. I wish folks like Whedon and Minear would explore the direct-to-DVD market. With the success of Wonderfalls and Firefly on DVD, there's clearly an audience . . . and $$$ to be made.
And you're right, with the business model currently being used in broadcast TV, the show had to go. Sucks to be a fan.
My perspective changed after working at MGM. Televised entertainment is a hugely expensive media to undertake and it has to be about numbers - as it's always been. Countless shows with great potential have died at the pilot stage, let alone those that don't make it past their first season.
In many ways, things are better NOW with the internet and DVD, shows sometimes get second leases while in the old days, they just went away.
The problem with Fox, though, is that they tend to treat their established shows poorly. On the other hand, they do start a lot of projects other networks wouldn't touch. Double-edged.
I don't watch TV either, other than sports, the History Channel, and MythBusters.
I agree with what you say about DVD stuff. The new Babylon 5:THe Lost tales is going direct to DVD and the first one comes out July 31st.
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