ΝΒC had definitely one of the strongest fall rollouts that i can remember and they try really hard to reinvent their image after the Leno-apocalypse. Last spring they ordered a bunch of new shows -dramas & comedies- but none of them seems to really work for them. And even worse this week their strongest drama was Parenthood which scored only a 2.1 rating in adults 18-49 and another five shows fell to series low.
NBC's current condition
First of all, The Event, which was one of the most ambitious shows on NBC and they hope that it could become the next Lost/24 . But the highly promoted drama is performing even worse than last year's failure Flash Forward on ABC which we all know how it ended. Last Monday it only achieved a disappointing 1.7 rating in adults 18-49 and week to week it falls even further. NBC gave it a back 9 but the network also gave a back order to Chase which fell to a miserable 1.2 rating in adults (many dramas on The CW beat it in the demo). They always can reverse their decision but a drama that only scores a 1.2 rating can't grow in the future to at least NBC's acceptable 1.8-2.0 range. With Tuesday's The Biggest Loser down versus last season, the critically acclaimed Parenthood has a pretty much stable ratings but it is down versus last season 20% and a 2.1 average in demo is not what you calling a hit. Wednesdays was a pain on the a** with J.J Abram's Undercovers failing to attract audience and eventually canceled. NBC's flagship drama Law & Order: SVU is probably in its worst season (rating wise) and its sister show Law & Order: Los Angeles its definitely not the hit that the network hoped. Last Wednesday it achieved only a 1.7 rating in adults 18-49. Thursdays are one of the few bright spots for NBC-alongside with Sundays (NFL)- with Community doing a modest job, 30 rock improving the slot vs last year's occupant (Parks & Recreation) and with Outsourced retaining a decent percent of The Office's audience. But The Apprentice reboot is definitely one of the biggest failures of the season with an average of 4.5 million viewers and a 1.4 rating in adults 18-49. Fridays are difficult for every network but for NBC which was losing the night from The CW is surely worse. School Pride (or Extreme Makeover: School Edition, as i like it to call) is practically unwatched with a 0.6 rating, the Conan O'brien-produced drama Outlaw burning off its remaining episodes and veteran Dateline being significantly down versus past years.
What about Midseason?
NBC has three new dramas and four comedies alongside a few unscripted programs for midseason to replace some fall's failures. EW.com reported yesterday that the network is thinking to expand the Thursday comedy block into 3 hours. While i don't completely disagree as i understand that this move will create buzz and at this point they have nothing to lose, i hoped that they would move Law & Order: Los Angeles there to try to boost its ratings cause clearly its the only new drama that has some serious chances to return next season and that would let them to move Law & Order SVU back to Wednesdays at 10pm cause clearly the 9pm hurting the veteran drama. Giving a full season pick up to Chase is definitely the stupidest decision of the season so they need to cancel the extremely low rated drama ASAP! The Event is not the new Lost so i'd at least try to save it by putting on Mondays at 8pm a better lead in. Super-hero drama The Cape has been voted as the most anticipated new show of the season so i can see it have some kind of success. Of course they should spent a lot of money promoting it- which i'm not sure that NBC has right now- and try to launch it big with a possible 2hour event or something like that. Harry's Law with the amazing Kathy Bates as the lead and a surprisingly great cast can replace the need-to-be-canceled Chase. The Biggest Loser is STILL strong and it STILL can help launching a successful show. I'd premiere Love Bites there and move Parenthood to Wednesdays at 9pm. Parenthood has proved that its not a hit and NBC needs a new hit like yesterday. Maybe this anthology series with Becki Newton can achieve something better than a 2.0 rating but i'm unsure if Parenthood can survive without TBL's help. Wednesdays at 8pm is one of the least competitive slots on broadcast television so i'd try to open a new comedy block by moving Community at 8pm followed by one of the new comedies that NBC has (Friends with Benefits, Perfect Couples, The Paul Reiser Show) at 8:30pm.The highly improved-quality wise-Parks & Recreation could replace Community on Thursdays at 8pm. As of Fridays and Sundays NBC has a lot of unscripted programs-or alternative programming as networks like to call realities these days- to fill the holes with possibly Who Do you Think You Are & a 2hour Dateline on Fridays & Minute To Win It & The Celebrity Apprentice on Sundays when Football ends.
Its really interesting what the Peacock will do to improve their line up for midseason so that's why i started my blog with my suggestion/prognosis for their spring schedule. Stay tuned cause ABC's time is coming... & i have a lot of things to say about the alphabet!!
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