Shows on the bubble

UH, WHAT?! Almost every show I watch is in trouble, according to TV Guide. Check out the shows on the bubble and my response:

Happy Endings : Finding a home for Happy Endings since it moved from Wednesday and away from its strong­­ lead-in Modern Family has been tough (it now airs on Tuesday, a night full of comedies). And its scheduling options are limited, since ABC still embraces the concept of family hour and avoids airing shows with racy content before 9pm. Happy Endings is popular with the network's ad-sales department, since the audience has a high concentration of viewers with incomes over $100,000. The question is, are there enough of them? With only 2.9 million people tuning in to the Jan. 29 episode, maybe not.

I think you solved the problem here, TV Guide. When is Happy Endings even on? We were used to Wednesdays, then it switched to Tuesdays (when we're already watching a TON of other comedies!) and then it pops up on Sundays recently? I don't think ABC has ever given Happy Endings a chance. They are too busy fawning over Modern Family (and now, for some reason, The Neighbors it seems).

Besides that, Happy Endings is most definitely geared towards a younger crowd (at least I think so). That is historically a great demo for advertisers, but nowadays we're DVRing, watching online, downloading episodes, waiting for the DVD, etc. Until we can figure out a new model that factors in those viewers better, I fear all 20/30 something-centric shows will fail.

Nashville : The Music City drama hasn't attracted the kind of audience it deserves based on the critical raves it has received. But it's making money, and ABC's other fall dramas (like Last Resort) fizzled fast. Marketing new shows gets harder and more expensive every season, so ABC is likely to stick with Nashville and hope its viewership can grow.

I don't doubt it will. Every person (girl) I know that has started watching Nashville is instantly obsessed.   We need a good soap - no more One Tree Hill, Desperate Housweives, Brothers & Sisters, etc. I think Nashville fills that role.

Parenthood : NBC often wins Parenthood's Tuesday-at-10pm time slot among broadcast networks in the 18-49 age group that advertisers covet. That should make it a sure thing for a fifth season, right? Not necessarily: The large and expensive cast could be an obstacle. If Parenthood returns, don't be surprised if there's a budget-related family tragedy that thins the herd. Another route the show can take is to keep the entire cast on board but not for every episode, as ABC did with Brothers and Sisters in its later seasons. 

As much as that solution saddens me, it actually makes sense with the storyline. Keep Haddie at college except for a couple episodes. Send Drew off the same way. Send Sarah to live with Hank in Minnesota or Michigan or wherever he moved. Cut Mark completely.

That being said, more people should be watching Parenthood. Seriously. It is so, so good. A bright spot in the week - despite me usually spending half the episode in tears. The Bravermans are such a joy to watch. It would be a shame not to spend time in their world every week.

 Vegas : Eleven million seems like a lucky number for any new show. Not CBS' Vegas. Despite the large average audience, it hasn't fared well with the 18-49 demographic. (Not even close: The median viewer age is 60.7.) Nor does it generate the kind of online buzz that serialized shows typically do (yes, network executives pay attention to that). With its high-priced cast, including Dennis Quaid and Michael Chiklis, and feature film-worthy production design, Vegas is too expensive to move to Friday, where there are plenty of ­older viewers but where programming costs need to be low. Don't bet on this one to come back. 

This kind of sucks. I'm 26, and I kind of like Vegas. I agree that it has done what Playboy Club couldn't 
for recreating that Mad Men  magic on network television. That being said, people my age are not going to get into this show. Ever. Great cast, sure. Interesting storyline, yes (I'm really rooting for Chiklis to go straight! And more Chiklis / Quaid interaction!). But it doesn't hold a candle to any other crime shows / dramas we watch. Justified. The Following. Boardwalk Empire. I'm sorry, but the gangsters on Vegas are goody goodies compared to what we're used to watching. Implied violence, a wink and a nudge, will only get you so far.

 The Mindy Project : The Mindy Kaling-led Fox comedy hasn't shown any sign of being popular enough to lead off a night next season. "They chopped Ben and Kate, and it wasn't doing that much worse than Mindy," says one rival network exec. "It depends how many comedies they need next fall." Mindy does have supporters at the network who like the show creatively; one insider gives it a 75 percent chance of returning. 

Excuse me while I go lay down in a fetal position in the corner and cry. First, you cancel Ben & Kate - my favorite new show of the season. And now you speak of cancelling my 2nd favorite? I wish I could make all my friends watch Mindy. Literally. Tie them down. Force them to watch 'In the Club'. Force them to witness Mindy and her BFF wrestling. Force them to watch Mindy date that total douche / prince charming and see them be like 'OMG this is my life. This show is hilarious.' Mindy is the more PG, less awkward, less naked, network TV version of Girls.

The Carrie Diaries : The CW's Carrie Diaries is an example of how online streaming is changing the TV business. The network's deals with Hulu and Netflix to carry its shows are based on the number of episodes produced. So even if The Carrie Diaries isn't a hit the night it airs, if viewership remains steady, it might just come back.

No comment here. Cool I guess, about that Hulu / Netflix deal.