Back in the television season of 2006-2007, I stopped trying to watch new shows because, invariably, whatever I liked got cancelled. Either I had really terrible taste or I was the kiss of death for network series. It was several years before I could open my heart to newcomers again and let pilot season excite and enthrall me.
Studio 60 was a Sorkin show. It starred Matthew Perry and Bradley Whitfield. It was a behind-the-scenes look at an SNL style variety show. It was timely in its humour, cleverly self-referential, and had lots of attractive women and the cuter Corddry brother. It had all the earmarks for another long-running hit from the chatty, brilliant brain that had spawned Sports Night and birthed The West Wing.
For a variety of reasons, some having to do with the ratings, NBC jerked around the show's scheduled airings starting before Christmas (Happy holidays!) that year and then all over the spring schedule until they finally officially pulled the plug in May (Happy birthday to me!) of 2007. The shirt was a souvenir from the NBC Store in New York City after the cancellation.
Good shows often get good runs. Awesome shows often get killed off early with only a brief, brilliant season or two to glow in the memories of its fans and following. Firefly, Cupid (which was apparently re-booted in 2009 and I didn't even notice), even Snoops with the uneven Gina Gershon deserved more than their short, mutilated run. The brutality of the spring up-fronts are such that many freshman shows are afraid to build in a cliffhanger ending in case the renewal fairy doesn't visit. Last year, I was given the chance to eulogize one such single-season casualty online - the late, great Chicago Code. Since then, I've been purposely more jaded about new offerings and was pleasantly surprised by the renewal of Scandal. It's all about expectations and I've gotten to the point where good writing, engaging characters and a clever concept means it'll probably be gone by morning.
All right, readers, give it to me with both barrels: You have the power to reverse the cancellation of one show in all of television history. Not a reboot but an actual contiguous extension from its untimely demise in the time and context that it was gunned down. What do you choose, hot shot?
You know I can't resist this one.
ReplyDeleteI'm tempted to say Karen Sisco, since I give an annual award to the most regrettable cancellation of the season, and name it after that series. Then there are the winners of that award: Terriers and Lights Out. I wish Deadwood lasted, but Milch had moved on, so that wouldn't have been v.good, anyway.
Heck, I might as well say Karen Sisco, since it's a highly unlikely anyone else even remembers the show. It was based on Jennifer Lopez' character from Steven Soderbergh's film Out of Sight, which also starred George Clooney. It starred Carla Gugino, from the hugely successful Spy Kids franchise. It was very well made. They only shot ten episodes, only showed seven before cancelling it, and it has never been released on DVD. The closest we've come to a reboot was in an episode of Justified, where Gugino played a character who, for legal reasons, was Sisco in everything but her last name.
Gugino was terrific in Political Animals this season, which was billed as a mini-series of six episodes and yet they ended it with a cliffhanger obviously geared towards a continuation.
DeleteI'm in the group of people who never heard of/saw Karen Sisco so thank you for making me aware of it. I bought Terriers on iTunes on your recommendation
Well you know which one I'm going to say! :D "Firefly", of course, although "Dollhouse" would be a close second, with "Studio 60" not far behind. I have the DVD sets for all of them. Oh, and "Wonderfalls"! I didn't even get to see that one on TV - cancelled after four episodes. Poor Tim! It's a wonder he doesn't have a complex but he has a good attitude about all his cancellations - including his Twitter name. :D
ReplyDeleteAre you watching Aaron Sorkin's new show, "Newsroom"?
Absolutely. Jeff and I watched it in as timely a manner as we were able to during the Season 1 run. In fact, Steven (aka Mon-Sewer) has several interesting posts on his blog about it.
Deletehttp://www.google.com/search?q=newsroom&btnG=»&domains=begonias.typepad.com&sitesearch=begonias.typepad.com
I recommend reading his reviews of the season. He was able to put a finger on the flaw in Sorkin's formula which pulls into focus the contrast between Joss and him. Women.