Happy Trails

April 16, 2007

34,000 players, 25 video iPods, and quite a bit of pleading from readers for us not to cancel shows (which we found baffling – we don’t cancel anything…) – we’ve had a ball playing DeathWatch this year.

We'll be posting a full list of winners here later in the week, but for now, here’s our final countdown:

1. In Case of Emergency (ABC) -- This critically-panned ensemble comedy just missed a chance at "safe." The series was allowed to play out the complete original order -- with a short run -- and it was never technically cancelled. Final odds of cancellation were 3:1.

2. Andy Barker, P.I. (NBC) -- Another show that will complete its original order in the coming weeks, this Andy Richter comedy drew critical acclaim but low ratings. Final odds were 3:1.

3. Raines (NBC) -- Jeff Goldblum's show hasn't exactly been bringing huge ratings, but it's still on the air. Final odds were 7:1.

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Trouble for Andy Barker PI

April 10, 2007

NBC announced this morning that it would be moving the next two episodes of "Andy Barker, PI" to (yee-ouch) Saturday nights at 8pm. Those two episodes also happen to be the last two episodes shot for the sit-com about an accountant turned private investigator.

No new episodes have been ordered. There goes that...

The interesting thing about "Andy Barker PI" is that it's a bit of a critical darling. It's been called a "joyous, ridiculous, warm, affecting and silly comedy." It's been praised for its ability to carry out a joke without pandering to the audience. Could it be the next brilliantbutcancelled show that we will forever mourn the loss of?

Provided that the show can stay afloat on Saturday nights..."Andy Barker" could be called one of the few DeathWatch success stories. Six episodes were ordered, and six episodes will air. This is the same thing that happened to "Big Day" (ABC). It won't be returning for a second season, but boy if they didn't put up a good fight with the original order.

In other DeathWatch news, we're heading into our last week, so if you have votes to place, now's your big chance. Networks continue to slough off their dead weight on the way into May Sweeps. Log-in to vote now.

Three Shows Axed

April 03, 2007

This is a new DeathWatch record. We’ve never seen such a bloodbath!

Heading into the May Sweeps period, three networks lowered the axe on three DeathWatch series. Two are cancelled, one moved into a Coma.

CANCELLED: "The Wedding Bells" (FOX)

Teri Polo led David E. Kelley's take on a family wedding-planning business run by three sisters –will air one more episode, and then it will disappear. The network has asked the show to cease production immediately after they finish the episode they're working on, which is episode 7. Plans to air remaining episodes were announced, but not dates were given – never a good sign.

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Update: "Underbelly" and "Standoff"

March 29, 2007

It's a tricky time to be a television show if you're not "American Idol."

In a highly unusual move, ABC took matters into its own hands this week, by moving Midseason comedy "Notes from the Underbelly" around the line-up in order to avoid the ratings bulldozer. The show will now premiere on Thursday, April 12 at 10p with two back to back episodes. We're curious...is the back-to-back new episode thing a way to compete with watching television shows on DVD? It's similar, no?

The show had originally been scheduled to go up against "Idol" but producers not only moved it out of harms way, they moved it into a spot that has a "Grey's Anatomy" lead-in.

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Remote Roundup: Three New Shows!

March 19, 2007

This last week saw the premieres of three new DeathWatch shows, and we're curious as to what you think of them. So we've listed them here to get your opinion on them.

"October Road" (ABC) -- The premiere episode scored a 5.8 in the 18-49yo demo. That's a pretty amazing accomplishment for a show that seems to be universally hated by critics. Maureen Ryan, in the Chicago Tribune, pulled out all the stops to trash the show: "This wretched show not only features a lead character who is an unredeemable nitwit but dialogue that manages to be leaden, preposterous and pretentious all at once." Damn. What'd you think?

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"Traveler" Gets Premiere Date

March 12, 2007

The show we've all been jabbering about really wanting to see has finally gotten a premiere date!

The plot goes something like this: These three guys graduated from college. And they’ve been planning this prank to rollerblade through a major art museum. The problem is that once they pull it off, one of them disappears, and effectively frames the other two for domestic terrorism.

See, we’d totally watch that. At least the premiere! It’d actually have to be really stupid for us to not watch the second episode!

And the good news is that the drama has been given a premeire date of May 30th at 10pm.

The bad news is that it will follow ABC's new reality show that sets out to find America's next great (yawn) celebrity impersonator.

"Traveler" sits at number nine on the DeathWatch, with odds of cancellation at 77:1.

"Knights" Days End

March 06, 2007

The latest casualty in the ongoing ratings bulldozer that is "American Idol" has been taken down.

This morning, ABC announced that they are pulling "The Knights of Prosperity" from the air -- effective immediately (after it scored an average 1.9 rating in the 18-49yo demographic).

We were excited when we first heard about this series, and disappointed to learn that ABC had decided to hold it until midseason. The show premiered on January 3rd, along with the Lori Laughlin, Jonathan Silverman sitcom "In Case of Emergency" (still on the air).

Originally titled “Let’s Rob Mick Jagger,” "Knights" was centered around a group of self-described misfits and losers who aim to achieve fame and glory by robbing celebrities.

We've moved the show into a coma. Will it come back? ABC's "Six Degrees" did, so who knows? If you voted for "Knights" this week, you're eligible to win a Video iPod!

End of "The Class?"

March 05, 2007

Tonight may just be the last episode of “The Class” on CBS. We don’t know if the show will be picked up for a second season, and though it doesn’t look good – we kind of really hope so.

Due to the fact that this show is being allowed to finish its freshman season, we’re actually moving it into the “safe” category on the DeathWatch, along with two other shows (“Big Day” on ABC and “Standoff” on FOX).

We’re actually a little sad to stop tracking it. When the show premiered in the fall, viewers, critics, and even we hated it (and we’ll watch anything!). The show held its own, struggled through a bumpy first season, and went on to win a “People’s Choice” Award for best new comedy.

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Six Degrees of the Black Donnelly's

February 26, 2007

We were shocked (yes, shocked!) that ABC will be returning "Six Degrees" to their schedule in March. Although they will be returning the show to a Friday night at 10pm timeslot, we're still unsure about the future of the show. We really didn't think this show would see the light of day again, but sure enough...ABC has made good on their promise to return the show to air.

Does this mean they'll be bringing back "The Nine" as well?

There was actually a lot of movement at ABC last week. The network has decided to shelve the Anne Heche-led comedy "Men In Trees" for up to six weeks as it introduces "October Road." That show will premiere in a few weeks (March 15th) and stars "One Tree Hill" alum Bryan Greenberg (thanks readers!) as a writer who returns to his hometown and is confronted by his former friends and neighbors who are the basis for his best-selling novel.

For now, let us know what you think of "The Black Donnelly's" tonight on NBC? It's currently ranked at number 7 on the DeathWatch, with odds of cancellation at 52:1.