Southland is cancelled before it season premier [Text View]

Michael S

10-08-2009, 07:49 PM

I'm really surprised by this it I thought it was getting good rating and they cancel it before there season premier.

http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2009/10/nbc-cancels-ben-mckenzie-drama-southland-before-its-season-premiere.html

Ment

10-08-2009, 08:02 PM

Casualty of Leno?

BriGuy20

10-08-2009, 08:09 PM

It may be fair to blame it on Leno.

I'm guessing the only reason they're canceling Southland and not Heroes is that the latter is easier to syndicate internationally.

Enrique

10-08-2009, 08:10 PM

Casualty of Leno?Of course, why would it be anything else.:rolleyes:

firerose818

10-08-2009, 08:11 PM

That sucks. We really enjoyed it. :(

Zevida

10-08-2009, 08:12 PM

:(:(:(

:down::down::down:

I loved Southland! What a major bummer.

SorenTodd

10-08-2009, 08:14 PM

I hate NBC with a passion. I would much rather see them go belly up instead of The CW.

nyny523

10-08-2009, 08:48 PM

Seriously???

Very disappointing - I really liked this show. :(

DevdogAZ

10-08-2009, 08:58 PM

I can't believe anyone is surprised by this. Southland did huge numbers in its first week due to all the promotion it got around the time of the ER finale. NBC renewed it shortly after that, based on those inflated numbers for the pilot. However, by the 3rd or 4th episode, the ratings had fallen off significantly, and NBC ended up burning off a bunch of new episodes over the summer. They scheduled it for Friday this fall, which indicates they didn't have high expectations.

I'm pretty sure that if the show had premiered a month earlier, it never would have been renewed, but because the renewal decisions came right that the time where it looked like Southland might be a hit, NBC renewed it based on those numbers. However, the numbers didn't hold up.

GadgetFreak

10-08-2009, 09:05 PM

Bummer. I liked it. Hope to see it on cable. It was sure better than Mercy.

Quote from John Wells:
"I'm disappointed that NBC no longer has the time periods available to support the kind of critically-acclaimed series that was for so many years, a hallmark of their success," Wells told THR. "We remain extremely proud of 'Southland' and are actively looking for another home for the series."

http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/08/nbc-cancels-well-regarded-southland/

TheMerk

10-08-2009, 09:15 PM

Quote from John Wells:
"I'm disappointed that NBC no longer has the time periods available to support the kind of critically-acclaimed series that was for so many years, a hallmark of their success," Wells told THR. "We remain extremely proud of 'Southland' and are actively looking for another home for the series."

http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/08/nbc-cancels-well-regarded-southland/

Wells is right. NBC used to stand behind critically acclaimed series despite their ratings. Homicide: Life on the Street comes to mind.

SorenTodd

10-08-2009, 09:18 PM

In giving this some 2nd thought, it would be great if TNT picked it up. I think it would fit in with the rest of their crime dramas (Dark Blue was pretty good, not great, but good).

pex

10-08-2009, 09:34 PM

This shocks me. I'm a "fussy" television watcher, and only regularly watch four or five series per year. Southland was a "keeper."

Jay Leno is not.

What a disappointment.

pmyers

10-08-2009, 09:34 PM

Really enjoyed the show

Mikeyis4dcats

10-08-2009, 09:37 PM

burn in hell NBC

calitivo

10-08-2009, 09:47 PM

BIH Jay Leno?

GadgetFreak

10-08-2009, 09:52 PM

In giving this some 2nd thought, it would be great if TNT picked it up. I think it would fit in with the rest of their crime dramas (Dark Blue was pretty good, not great, but good).

burn in hell NBC

Agreed, SorenTodd. And NBC may have actually done them a favor, so I will hold out for a little while before giving them a BIH. If they had aired the 6 produced episodes and then cancelled it, the odds of a cable channel picking it up would be very slim -- we all want things like that to happen but it rarely does. However with 6 produced episodes and some press coverage, it might be very tempting for TNT or someone else.

EDIT: especially attractive since NBC must pay for all 13???

Along the lines of shows switching networks -- interesting article at thefutoncritic:

http://www.thefutoncritic.com/rant.aspx?id=20091005_10things

smak

10-08-2009, 09:59 PM

BIH Jay Leno?

Nah, he doesn't have a responsibility to turn down 10's of millions of dollars so that NBC can air real programming.

Though, he does have a responsibility to make a decent show so...

BIH Jay Leno!!

-smak-

LoadStar

10-08-2009, 11:07 PM

Alfer

10-08-2009, 11:09 PM

The buzz is that either Trauma or Mercy (or possibly both) are next in line.
A poster at Deadline:Hollywood pointed out that NBC only has 8 hours of scripted television scheduled next week. That's it.

Anyone think this might mean Chuck comes back earlier than expected?

I can totally see them both disappearing soon.

jsmeeker

10-08-2009, 11:12 PM

Nah, he doesn't have a responsibility to turn down 10's of millions of dollars so that NBC can air real programming.

Though, he does have a responsibility to make a decent show so...

BIH Jay Leno!!

-smak-

Aww.. come on.. He TALKED to you! Where is the love?

:p

:D

Kamakzie

10-09-2009, 01:18 AM

BLAH LAME! All because Leno couldn't go off to pasture.

Kablemodem

10-09-2009, 01:40 AM

Maybe CBS can pick it up. They can start a "Thanks, Suckers!" theme with Southland and Medium.

MickeS

10-09-2009, 01:48 AM

They could just start reruns of "Hill Street Blues" instead to fill the cop-drama quota. It would look like a period drama a la "Life On Mars" now anyway, and be really cheap.

Jeeters

10-09-2009, 07:17 AM

...by the 3rd or 4th episode, the ratings had fallen off significantly, and NBC ended up burning off a bunch of new episodes over the summer.What episodes? The first season had seven episodes, that all aired before the end of May. And except for the 2nd to last episode (nearly 5 million), the ratings were all above 6 million viewers which was very respectable for a 10pm show.

Gunnyman

10-09-2009, 07:21 AM

Loved this show. Great cast, excellent writing. Hope Wells finds a home for the show.

BIH NBC's list is getting almost as long as Fox's.

RIP Journeyman
RIP My own worst Enemy
RIp Southland.

Jeeters

10-09-2009, 07:22 AM

Anyone think this might mean Chuck comes back earlier than expected?I could see that happening. But then it means Chuck will just end up disappearing earlier (I don't expect it to last past whatever episodes they have).

nyny523

10-09-2009, 09:19 AM

The buzz is that either Trauma or Mercy (or possibly both) are next in line.

A poster at Deadline:Hollywood pointed out that NBC only has 8 hours of scripted television scheduled next week. That's it.

Anyone think this might mean Chuck comes back earlier than expected?

I canceled my SP for both these shows after the first episode.

The sad thing is that Southland was a very good show, whereas these two shows are not.

Bob Coxner

10-09-2009, 09:45 AM

You gotta be fraking kidding me! I'm extremely picky when it comes to cop shows but even I liked this one.

Leno and NBC can share the same circle of hell.

ewilts

10-09-2009, 12:49 PM

We never liked it and were actually surprised it got picked up for this season.

ewilts

10-09-2009, 12:50 PM

The buzz is that either Trauma or Mercy (or possibly both) are next in line.

That would suck - we like both of them.

DevdogAZ

10-09-2009, 01:08 PM

What episodes? The first season had seven episodes, that all aired before the end of May. And except for the 2nd to last episode (nearly 5 million), the ratings were all above 6 million viewers which was very respectable for a 10pm show.
You are correct that it didn't air in the summer. I was mistaken. But the ratings when it aired during May were abysmal.

April 9: 3.2/9 1st place in the hour
April 16: 3.1/9 1st place in the hour
April 23: 2.4/7 2nd place in the hour
April 30: 2.2/6 3rd place in the hour
May 1: NBC announces that the show is renewed for Season 2.
May 7: 2.0/6 3rd place in the hour
May 14: 1.7/5 3rd place in the hour
May 21: 2.0/6 1st place in the hour (first night of summer, other networks were airing repeats)

It was trending downward pretty fast, and they can't realistically start a whole fall season with a show that was likely to draw a 2.0 or less. Again, I'm not surprised and I can't believe anyone else is.

Bob Coxner

10-09-2009, 05:51 PM

Two good stories that explain what happened (and could happen) with Southland.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2009/10/so-if-nbc-didnt-like-southland-why-didnt-it-just-keep-medium.html for the past

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2009/10/shopping-southland.html for the future

TIVO_GUY_HERE

10-09-2009, 06:10 PM

Anyone think this might mean Chuck comes back earlier than expected?

Michaels Moles over at EW say Chuck could come back as early as late October!!!!!

http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2009/10/09/exclusive-nbc-may-move-up-chuck-launch/

MickeS

10-09-2009, 06:27 PM

Michaels Moles over at EW say Chuck could come back as early as late October!!!!!

http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2009/10/09/exclusive-nbc-may-move-up-chuck-launch/

But wait, there’s more. If Chuck does come back sooner rather than later, the chances of NBC ordering additional episodes beyond the 13 it initially commissioned increases dramatically. And they increase further if it performs solidly… which for NBC, at this point, means my cat, Mr. Scooch, sits down to watch with me.

LOL. Great news! I hope it's true.

LoadStar

10-09-2009, 07:05 PM

Michaels Moles over at EW say Chuck could come back as early as late October!!!!!

http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2009/10/09/exclusive-nbc-may-move-up-chuck-launch/

/me does the Snoopy Dance at the news. :)

:up::up::up:

Kablemodem

10-09-2009, 08:53 PM

I'd love to see Southland on cable. All they have to do is unbleep everything.

Jeeters

10-09-2009, 09:47 PM

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2009/10/so-if-nbc-didnt-like-southland-why-didnt-it-just-keep-medium.html for the past
"The numbers for 'Southland' and 'Medium' were almost identical. Last season, 'Medium' averaged 8.5 million viewers and 2.9 rating in adults the 18 to 49 demographic while 'Southland' drew 8.3 million viewers and a 2.7 in adults 18 to 49.

Both did better last year than anything NBC has going on this year, and 'Medium' on CBS is getting more viewers than NBC is averaging in prime time. And now NBC has neither."

Hah! BIH, NBC.

cptodd

10-10-2009, 02:04 AM

this is truly sad! I gasped when I was told the news. Please CBS do us all a favor.

I will have to agree with what others have said about Trauma and Mercy. Both are awful. Especially Trauma. I hope I don't sound too mean when I say that I want that helicopter guy to crash again and this time not come back. In my own little opinion, the proliferation of his character type is what is wrong with TV these days.

Rob Helmerichs

10-10-2009, 06:30 AM

'Southland' star on show's axing: 'I'm pissed off' (http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2009/10/09/southland-star-on-shows-axing-im-pissed-off/)

bicker

10-10-2009, 07:47 AM

Casualty of Leno?Maybe casualty of suckage. I found Southland to be unwatchable. I was shocked that they actually renewed it, and think they made the right decision by not wasting their time airing episodes on NBC that they surmised were not worthy of being aired.

The buzz is that either Trauma or Mercy (or possibly both) are next in line.The premiere episode for both were better than Southland's first episode was, but I'm not sure how much more either of these shows warrant. Trauma is really bad, so I cannot imagine seeing it continue much longer (we're recording it but probably won't watch), and Mercy is marginally mediocre.

Archangel00

10-10-2009, 01:13 PM

This series so needs to be on FX.......

netringer

10-10-2009, 01:18 PM

In giving this some 2nd thought, it would be great if TNT picked it up. I think it would fit in with the rest of their crime dramas (Dark Blue was pretty good, not great, but good).

NBC cable ground is Bravo where about the only non-reality shows are West Wing at 6-8AM.

Boom! Watch What Happens - Real Housewives of ....

(Real housewives watching "Real Housewives?" )

LoadStar

10-10-2009, 01:35 PM

NBC cable ground is Bravo where about the only non-reality shows are West Wing at 6-8AM.

They also have USA.

bicker

10-10-2009, 02:05 PM

I don't think Bravo offers any original dramas (anymore?). USA and Syfy do.

DevdogAZ

10-10-2009, 03:48 PM

"The numbers for 'Southland' and 'Medium' were almost identical. Last season, 'Medium' averaged 8.5 million viewers and 2.9 rating in adults the 18 to 49 demographic while 'Southland' drew 8.3 million viewers and a 2.7 in adults 18 to 49.

Both did better last year than anything NBC has going on this year, and 'Medium' on CBS is getting more viewers than NBC is averaging in prime time. And now NBC has neither."

Hah! BIH, NBC.
I wonder where they got those numbers. According to the ratings which I found and posted above, only two of Southland's seven episodes drew better than a 2.7 rating in adults 18-49, while most of them were far below that. And given that the ratings fell steadily, the average, even if it is that high, is very misleading.

Schmye Bubbula

10-10-2009, 04:24 PM

Burn in hell, FOX - uh, I mean Leno/NBC!

JYoung

10-10-2009, 05:15 PM