Submitted by VDO Vault, May 2, 2007 08:54

I am blogging this very problem at http://vdovault.wordpress.com

Fans like Chris (and for that matter myself) can go on and on about how many of us TiVo or record the shows to watch later, or download them from an online site or watch the repeats on USA or Bravo, or buy the DVDs when they come out (and I am an avowed CI DVD junkie and cannot wait for NBC Universal Home Video to release Seasons 4-6 of CI on DVD). But that does not count towards the ratings for NBC (at least that's how I understand that the Nielsen ratings currently work). If people do not park their behinds in front of their TV sets on Friday nights for L&O (the mothership) or Tuesday nights at 9pm for CI *and watch at those exact times* then no amount of 'support' they give their shows counts in NBC's book. As I write this (early Tuesday morning before the latest set of overnight ratings have been released), the mothership scored an abysmal 5.1/9 for it's first May sweep episode.

The shows cost too much for NBC. Contractually, Wolf has cleverly shifted all the production costs to NBC. NBC under mandate from its parent company GE (which is embroiled in an accounting scandal and thus is going to have to hustle to please GE's shareholders) to cut costs. Granted NBC is to blame for lousy scheduling (the real problem is NBC tends to air these thinking shows against other networks's news or thinking shows) and airing too few promotional spots. But Wolf is obsessed with cutting costs to the point that he's 'burning the village to save the village', he has a long history of thinking all creative people are equally acceptable when they're not fungible like the widgets he used to advertise and whatever gets him to the 'Gunsmoke' record is just fine and dandy with his loyal viewership. Meanwhile the creative people who got the shows to where they are have been betrayed in the name of dollar chasing and the long time fans are asked to put up with episodes of the quality of tainted pet food where in the early days we were treated to fillet mignon, and in the middle years some not so exotic but decent reliable hamburger.

Uh sorry guys, I'm not going to sit through that, especially not in your idiotic timeslots, especially not when I have so many entertainment and life options to choose from. Sacrificing your fans for soft ratings points isn't going to work because even the most casual of viewers also realizes that among the plethora of choices for entertainment (and TV watching is just one option) you're putting out at best mediocre fare.

The saddest thing is that the NBC Wolf renewal negotiations have been far more dramatic than the episodes which are the subject of the debate.

Remember you should always leave us wanting more and let the shows go already if you can't keep up their quality.

I am shifting my loyalties to Paris Criminal Investigations...at least the French understand artistic talent and its appeal. Perhaps some of the actors and writers I have come to admire can learn a little French and go work where they'll be appreciated.

The Vault

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