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How To Destroy A Successful TV Show

EXCLUSIVE!

[Blind Gossip] Why in the world would a television network want to destroy a successful TV series?

To satisfy a network executive who doesn’t think that the show fits his vision of what the network should be!

This cable sci-fi drama has received consistently good reviews and good ratings over multiple seasons. That won’t save it.

He wants the network to be sexier and to appeal to a younger viewership. More like Freeform. In his mind, this show just doesn’t fit with that vision. He hates [one of the executive producers], he hates the show, and he hates the high production cost. He’s cut back on promoting it to kill its numbers.

Cancelling a successful show outright would make him look really bad and cause a mutiny among fans. So he’s being stealth about it. He renewed it for another season… but took a passive-aggressive approach toward marketing the show. He throttled back promotions and upfront presentations, canceled any new promotional art, delayed the previews,  reduced the ad spending, muted the convention appearances, balked on scheduling cast interviews, etc.

Reducing the marketing should reduce the ratings. Once the season-over-season numbers come down, he can point to it as a show on the decline… and then ship it off to the cancelled show farm!

Similar: Erratic Behavior

TV Show:

[Optional] Unfair to fans? Or that’s show business?

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. vixsta33 says

    Black Mirror. Picture above is the huge clue. Black Mirror is another word for a screen, be it TV or computer monitor. And the smash in it looks like the Black Mirror logo. I’m a huge fan of the show, since it belonged to channel 4. I’m eagerly awaiting the new series, but have noticed very little publicity. Netflix can’t destroy it, if they do it will be bought by another channel, if not bought back by channel 4. It’s a fantastic show!

  4. Lucywagner says

    Could this be Colony on USA?

    It’s definitely just show business even though this sounds like a personal project

  7. FeistyFiona says

    Hmm. Sounds like Kevin Reilly (President of TNT/TBS) isn’t a fan of The Last Ship…or (like most humans) of EP Michael Bay?

  9. rachelw says

    Colony on USA.

    NOT Supernatural or any of the other CW fare since that’s not cable.

    Last Ship doesn’t read too sci-fi, convention fare to me.

    Walking Dead is the bread and butter or AMC. Not a chance.

  11. DuncanCh says

    I don’t know which show it is but I’m almost certain it isn’t Walking Dead or American Horror Story.. both shows are at the top of the ratings for younger viewers so if the goal of this executive is to make the network appeal to a younger viewership, the show in question has to have mostly older viewers.

    Regardless of what show this is, the idea is idiotic and if he does succeed in getting the show cancelled I hope it ends up in him being fired for the channel going downhill.

  12. WillieDynamite says

    Dark Matter on SYFY. Canceled even tho there have been strong ratings. Of the Friday night shows on SYFY it looks the best (the others look very cheap to produce) and SYFY doesn’t produce it “in-house “ so less money from it being popular on Netflix.

  13. LC1216 says

    FreeForm is a stupid name. I don’t even watch that channel anymore.

    Action, sci-fi drama is where it’s at right now. Game of Thrones, Outlander, Walking Dead. You’d think this idiot would understand that these shows appeal to both young and old audiences. Why would you want to gear it towards one age group…when you can have all the age groups.

  14. research boy says

    No idea who the exec is, but it sounds as though someone at SyFy doesn’t like “The Expanse”. Personally, the pilot bored the heck out of me, but I see that Rolling Stone likes it, so I guess the exec has to stop viewers from getting on board “the best sci-fi show you’re not watching”.

    Clues: “mutiny”, “ship”.

  16. BexSteve says

    Show: The Last Ship
    “Meanwhile, drama-oriented TNT will “sharpen the brand with a distinct slate of new programming aimed at a younger, more dual-gendered audience.”

  18. MikeInSanJose says

    Sounds sorta like what Netflix did with Sense8.

    Cancelled after a cliffhanger at the end of Season 2, but the fans wouldn’t have it. Raised such a ruckus that Netflix caved and offered a 2-hour “Finale” to wrap up loose ends, but apparently the Wachowskis are writing a whole third season.

    It’s a sci-fi, very expensive to produce, but I think it is very sexy and appeals to a younger audience (unless they are talking pre-pubescent audience).

    I hope they manage to bring it back long…

  20. GretaGuesses says

    I don’t watch any Sci-fi, so all i’ve got is “The Walking Dead”.

    Networks do crazy things. Tim Allen’s show was either the highest rated or second highest rated show on whatever network it was on. It was canceled, reportedly because he’s a conservative and supported Trump. There are several shows that I absolutely loved that have been canceled. It’s frustrating, so I try to not get too attached to any television shows.

  21. OhWaiterAndHesGone says

    Supernatural

    I think it’s unfair to fans. Fans kept it successful, the exec is slapping them in the face.

  23. Baileygirl says

    No idea about the show but sci-fi fans are relentless. They will turn their backs on any new productions he has and form a cult around the show being messed with. This network executive will be exposed and the show in question will live in perpetuity in sci-fi land. Yes, it is unfair to fans and they won’t forget. My God, they are still referencing Firefly on The Big Bang Theory!

  24. dberlcri says

    do people need a show they already like and watch to be promoted? would they forget it existed otherwise? I don’t see how cutting promotion would cut ratings. The only thing that would cut ratings is if the fans didn’t watch because it started to go downhill (like Ray Donovan). They’ll watch the show if they like it.

  25. LooksLikeCRicci says

    The Walking Dead.

    Mutiny among fans– “If Daryl dies, we will riot” is a long-time fan cry.

    • samsayssix says

      TNT already said it’s too soon to tell whether season 5 will be the last, so it could be. Specially with Eric Dane’s addiction resurfacing

  27. catri_mac21 says

    Please please don’t be Supernatural! It’s the only show I actually watch, and love. As far as I’m concerned it can keep going to season 50 and I’d still be a fan ?

  30. apple martini says

    “Walking Dead” is the only show that comes to mind. Multiple seasons, good reviews but a little long in the tooth and no real narrative end in sight.

  31. luvprue1 says

    TV show : The Originals (on the CW) they have been destroying the show by not promoting the show. The whole cast usually always appears at the CW upfront promotion and promote the show on Twitter/facebook but now the show seem to be missing from all promotion.
    Optional: It’s totally unfair to fans of the show. They broke up Elijah and Hayley , then they broke up all the originals so season 6 will focus on Hope and a younger crowd.

    • caligrlth25 says

      Didn’t they already say that this will be the last season especially since they barely made it through this last season

    • smittenkitten says

      I could be wrong, but I really doubt AMC, who was put on the map by very adult dramas like breaking bad is trying to be more like Freeform. TWD is basically carrying the network and if they cancel it to replace it with content that appeals to a younger demographic then they’d have to cancel FTWD as well, since it’s in the same vein.

      It sounds to me like Supernatural. It would make sense for it to be CW, since it’s basically a network for teenagers already.

  34. KCeagle says

    The Walking Dead – AMC ?

    Couldn’t the ungrateful, control freak exec sell the successful show to another network instead? Thereby kinda respecting the loyal fans who made the show a hit, gives him a job and a huge paycheck in the first place? If the network struggles or fails because of his direction, he needs to driven out of town and the industry. He’s arrogant and taking a big risk.

  35. thisgirl1 says

    TV Show: The 100

    [Optional] Unfair to fans? Or that’s show business? Unfair to fans the network’s pocket.. just a dumb business decision.

    • bigjinla says

      Black Sails is already off the air. Vikings might fit. It starts soon and has been renewed for another season already. Not sure it’s considered scifi though.

  37. aaaSeeK says

    No clue on the exec or the show, but clearly this guy’s an idiot. You don’t mess with good ratings when you’ve got them, especially when you can’t guarantee numbers for your new offerings.

    • Raoul Duke says

      Westworld has only one season, the blind says multiple seasons with positive reviews. Besides that it doesn’t much sexier than a huge orgy.

  39. Incuriosity says

    Show: with the multiple nautical references, it has to be The Last Ship.

    [Optional] Unfair to fans? Or that’s show business? Not just unfair to fans, but to cast, crew, advertisers, sponsors etc. If you’re going to can a show, just be honest, and give it a finite date. Don’t be underhanded about it!