[KbatMO]

Thanks for the numbers - and for sharing your letter, lulu! Great idea - thank you!!!

p.s. How great was it to hear Scott sing in 1.14 - first time I've ever heard him! We got to see him pitch a baseball - haven't seen that since GG S1 (LBL before that!) ... and that was softball - underhand throw! We got to see him pitch a kid (another underhand throw ... LOL) Each episode has Scotty P gems - worth more than diamonds and emeralds IMHO!!!!!

[lancer1993]

Those ratings suck but I understand, most probably though it was still in re-runs as most shows were so didn't bother checking it out, the lack of promos didn't help either.

[SPA]

Under CW's standards they were average, at best for a non-reality-based show. Still, the CW could have done better with it. I noticed that the non-realisty shows that are making money for the CW were not created by the CW, but inherited before the merger.

I still say the direction that the CW wants to go is the reality show route. Everything else has to make it on their own or else. Silly network

[lancer1993]

I don't want to harp the point but I wonder how much money (ratings) did the CW loose with the departure of Gilmore last season?

OT - there is now a pending actors strip come June 30, I have to wonder in the next couple of years how well any scripted show is going to do?

Maybe if the strike happens they could do a reality show with out of work actors "I just want to work"

[KbatMO]

Originally Posted by lancer1993 (View Post) Maybe if the strike happens they could do a reality show with out of work actors "I just want to work"

Not tacky enough for the CW...... Maybe the sequel to Gossip Girls, "Gossip Actors"??

As for CW execs and promoting their programs - esp. the good ones (!) - that's like asking Santa Claus to endorse global warming. Not likely.....

[SPA]

Originally Posted by lancer1993 (View Post) I don't want to harp the point but I wonder how much money (ratings) did the CW loose with the departure of Gilmore last season? OT - there is now a pending actors strip come June 30, I have to wonder in the next couple of years how well any scripted show is going to do? Maybe if the strike happens they could do a reality show with out of work actors "I just want to work"

Lancer, I couldn't agree with you more. It just seems that the CW had a plan of action when the network emerged -- but it became clear, almost immediately that the plan was doomed for failure. If they wanted $$ to survive as a network, they needed to keep their "money-making" shows and build up "slowly" the new shows that they wanted to change direction. That is not what they did, however. They dove right into the deep part of the pool before confirming that it could swim. They burned bridges -- or however you want to call it before they were "solvent" How many decent shows were the victim of the CW's plan of action -- and reverse the tables -- how many non-reality shows have the CW "created" (after merger)that have survived??? I can't think of one show.

So, the SAG' contract ends this June? Sheesh -- Well the writers's got their due. The Directors have signed a deal, right??? So now it's the actors' turn. I think with all the actor's now out of work or jockeying into position for a "job" that their hand looks a little weak at the moment.

And I agree with Lulu -- At this point -- no news is good news for Aliens. The longer it stays in the bubble, the better the chance for a season two (unless they burst our bubble on around May 15th). Still keeping fingers crossed.

[KbatMO]

Or as they've done with other shows - early-announce the DVD vs. waiting for fall. That'll be a sign....

(I gather that SAG's not faring too well in their negotiations.)

[lancer1993]

It's not just AiA or the CW, look at what Fox did to Amy's new show. Now no matter what you think of the lady and how she left GG she was screwed but Fox, the show go no support, it was cut from a post AI time slot on Wednesday nights to the death of Friday and cut back to just 7 eps, this was before the critics stepped in!

Now I'm not saying AiA and ROJJ were in the same league but the topic her is network support!

[SPA]

That's true too Lancer -- there are many, many games played in Hollywood.

Food for thought. What if another network picks up Aliens??? Didn't some cable station(s) pick up FNL??? If Aliens can wiggle out from underneath the CW's incompetencies, maybe this show could thrive elsewhere????

[KbatMO]

Originally Posted by lancer1993 (View Post) It's not just AiA or the CW, look at what Fox did to Amy's new show. Now no matter what you think of the lady and how she left GG she was screwed but Fox, the show go no support, it was cut from a post AI time slot on Wednesday nights to the death of Friday and cut back to just 7 eps, this was before the critics stepped in! Now I'm not saying AiA and ROJJ were in the same league but the topic her is network support!

To be fair to Fox (another phrase I never thought I'd say or write!) ... as of the TCA's last summer, the early buzz for "The Return of Jezebel James" was not good. Last fall I found 2 clips from the pilot on a Fox website - watched them - totally cringeworthy. On the eve. it debuted, I missed the pilot but caught the second half (= the next ep.) ... there was so much Lorelai and GG redux for any GG fan (her #1 audience, I'd guess) ... it was almost embarrassing.
[And although I don't love what she did to the characters or plot of the latter part of S6, I'm not as negative or bitter about ASP as many ... she's still responsible for my all-time fave TV show ... and best of all for hiring Scott P and sticking by him - giving him his shot and letting him shine! I was truly prepared to like her next show if it were - just okay! Bad is bad. No can do!!! (Nice to see Scott Cohen (Max Medina) again though, even though it was routine "great boyfriend" stuff....)]

Whereas (!)- Aliens got amazing attention and critical buzz - which the CW totally could've capitalized on in its ads. Just as on GG materials (DVDs, e.g.) you see tons high-praise soundbites from leading critics and/or publications. They could've run a TV ad campaign and done the same thing - and perhaps a few more people might have turned and noticed. They also operated under the assumption that only a primarily young, African American audience would be interested in the story of a Muslim teenager (presuming their Muslim American teen audience isn't very large) ... and right there they not only pigeon-holed the show to death (in addition to the abject lack of promotion!) - but in so doing they acted under the very presumptions that the showrunners wanted viewers to reconsider.

[lancer1993]

Oh I'm not saying AiA and ROJJ are in the same league quality wise but that doesn't seem to matter and it comes back to ratings. At least AiA was giving a season to run it's course where as ROJJ was cut before they had a chance to get things working.

I'd rather watch AiA than ROJJ any day!

[SPA]

I'll second that, Lancer -- if there's a motion before this collective. Aliens over ROJJ any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

[KbatMO]

Amen bro and sis- friends. ITA - network support at the CW is somewhere between a bad joke and a contradiction in terms ... and I'm among that .9 in ratings that doesn't only like Aliens - I love Aliens! I mean - it's not GG - and I can't say I'm not biased by Scott being in it (big time) - but I love it! Do not want it to be over!
As for Fox - they're not refusing to air more eps. per se. After the first 6 or 8 were shot, they didn't order more of them ... that's late summer/early fall 2007 ... what's on now is just the result of that decision. I wasn't sure they were ever going to bother to air it. Quickly after that announcement came news that ASP was supposed to be working on a movie (not GG!) ... and I have no idea what became of that.
Fox probably aired even the few they had - vs. garbage bin(!) ... because of the notables in the cast - Parker Posey, Dianne Wiest, etc. Did you see the pilot with the character playing Posey's sister - a girl with blonde hair - wearing an olive green army jacket? When I say redux ... I mean redux!!! A cell phone decorated with bright pink feathers. Letting the sister decide how to decorate her room - with suggestions. Neurotic mother. Downhill from there!

[lancer1993]

Yeah the Hello Kitty phones, I bet Lorelai would have had one if they were out a few years back.

OT - 7 eps of ROJJ were ordered and shot after it was cut from 13.

I just wish studios/networks had the brains to release online the other eps for those interested, imagine there were 3 million willing to tune in so even if 1% wanted to buy it that's 30,000 sales!.

[KbatMO]

ITA! Meanwhile by the end of this run - I'm anticipating some MAJOR withdrawal symptoms (sorry for shouting - it's the DT's) ... with no weekly ScottyP - not even intermittently. It's what I feared at the end of GG - deferred but not long enough. There is no "long enough"!!