Nov 30 2007 05:04 PM ET

Bubble Shows: Strike gives them second lease on life

Categories: TV Biz

Cane_l
In any other TV universe, shows with viewership levels so low you can count them on your fingers and toes would have been canceled by now. But since the WGA remains on strike, the Big Four networks are being surprisingly kind to their so-called bubble shows (i.e. freshman series that have yet to receive orders for the back nine episodes). Says one suit, "With a strike going on it’s not fatal to leave them. So you tap dance with mediocrity. You don’t want to reach into your reserves more quickly than you have to because you know you’ll need stuff down the road." So if you’re wondering why struggling series like CBS’ Cane (9 million) and Fox’s K-Ville (5.4 million) haven’t been officially yanked, now you know. Other bubble shows include ABC’s Big Shots (8.8 million), Carpoolers (7 million), and Cavemen (6.6 million), and NBC’s Bionic Woman (9.9 million) and Journeyman (7.2 million).

 

 

 

Comments (1-14) of 14 Add your comment

  • Tim

    Please keep Journeyman and Bionic Woman on the air. Even K-Ville, which I’ll watch when Heroes ends its season this week. Anything to prolong the influx of crappy reality shows we’re bound to get

  • DanOregon

    I like Cane, but I imagine its demos aren’t good, which is why they’re upping the sex and violence on the show.

  • DanOregon

    I like Cane, but I imagine its demos aren’t good, which is why they’re upping the sex and violence on the show.

  • AAR

    I really wanted to like Bionic Woman, but now I watch more out of BSG loyalty to Eick. I wish they could do a “do-over” with the series and make the following changes: 1) Let the star speak in her native accent. The one episode in which she did was the best. 2) Drop the sister. Or kill her. That will be good for motivating revenge. 3) Love interest is good- as long as it stays at interest. Couples must earn happiness after seasons of long-suffering grief (see: Alias). 4) No more random episodes. Or, if they must, look again to Alias- individual missions connected by an over-arching plot/Big Bad. 5) Use Katee Sackhoff- But use her WELL. Have her and Jei go rouge looking for the same thing Jamie is- only in very different ways.
    Think that’s it.

  • chippy

    Once one,such as myself, becomes hooked on the superior quality of the series that are presented by the premium cable networks(Showtime and HBO),eg Dexter,Brotherhood, The Sopranos etc,etc…it is very difficult to get even intereted in the regular network offerings such as Cane,Desperate Housewives and so on. With all due respect to all the talented and hardworking cast and crew involved in these primetime efforts,they all seem to come off similar to the daytime dramas..a.k.a “soaps”,in comparison….Frankly,I’m surprised that any of them make it at all…duly excepted of course are the L&0′S and CSI(Las Vegas)

  • Rosie

    Aw, I can’t help it, I love Big Shots! Dylan McDermott and his daughter on the show, plus the pretty guy from Alias make it worth watching! The other two are LAME, but oh, well. Give it a chance!!

  • James Bolt

    I really enjoy the Bionic Woman. Michelle Ryan is great in that character. She was excellent in the Eastenders. However, fix the problems with writing. Don’t change the day or the time so that i forget about it. Work the problem-the cast is great. Looking forward to seeing the show next year.

  • elizabeth

    “Mediocrity”??? Journeyman is the best and smartest show to hit network TV since Lost premiered. And the show gets better and better over time. (They seem to have a knack for this novel concept called CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT.) And the ratings listed for most of the “bubble shows” are not bad ratings in a new TV universe where a L&O franchise show has gone to cable (giving USA some of its best ratings ever) and where actors on non-premium cable shows are recruited from film and stage and are therefore nominated for major awards over their counterparts on the “Big Three.” The Big Three need to get over themselves and look at the realities of entertainment in the 21st century. The Bionic Woman may be on again, but it sure ain’t the Jaime Sommers of 1976.

  • PDub

    SAVE JOURNEYMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • tara

    Journeyman is the only show on that list that I really care about. I hope they keep it on.

  • Anonymous
  • Anonymous

    keep Cane, it’s a great show -
    why do you think 9 million is to
    stick your nose in the air?????

  • Charlene

    Journeyman is the best of the lot. If you agree, give your opinion.
    http://www.heynielsen.com/view/journeyman/

  • JohnnyM

    SAVE JOURNEYMAN! Savejourneyman.net
    This show makes you want more. It just needs a better time slot!

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