Dismayed about good press for Reaper
Jun. 1st, 2007 08:28 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
agt_spookyYou know, I've never wished a show ill will before. But all this positive press that Reaper is getting is really dismaying me. Because it's going to be sitting pretty in OUR old spot on Tuesday night, anchored by the successful Beauty and the Geek. Whereas we get thrown to the wolves once again on Thursday night.
This just reminds me of Sentinel all over again. After the regime change at UPN, the new guy wanted TS gone, because it wasn't "his show", even though it was the second highest rated show on UPN. And he ended up getting his wish, after we fought hard for an additional eight episodes.
The same thing seems to be happening with CW, where, guess what, Dawn Ostroff just happens to be from UPN. She's already said she "doesn't get" Supernatural. So what does she do? Introduce a new supernatural-type show of hers that she must be dumb enough to understand, since it seems to be some type of comedy that doesn't appear to require any thinking while watching.
I'm worried for Supernatural, I truly am. If our ratings continue to suck as bad as they did at the end of second season when third season starts, we're in serious trouble. Especially if Reaper pulls in big ratings.
I'm tired of us being stuck on Thursday nights and getting chewed up and spit out. If Ostroff is so big on her stupid reality shows, why not put one of them on Thursday night?
[sigh] Anyway, here are a couple of the articles that I'm referring to:
From Entertainment Weekly, issue 936, dated June 1, 2007
MOST PROMISING
Reaper (the CW) On his 21st birthday, our hero (The Loop's Bret Harrison) discovers his parents have sold his soul to Satan (24's Ray Wise). From Kevin Smith, it boasts a humor that's a study in perfect timing.
From Ad Week (written by Marc Berman, of all people!)
http://www.adweek.com/aw/magazine/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003590913
Special Report: Ruby Tuesday
May 28, 2007
By Marc Berman/Mediaweek
NEW YORK Outside of the competitive Thursday night waters, there is no time period as brutal as Tuesday 9 p.m., which features ABC's Dancing With the Stars Results Show, Fox sensation House and CBS' male-driven The Unit. That means that there may not be too much room left for NBC's Chuck, which tells the story of a nerdy computer tech who becomes the government's most powerful weapon, and supernatural CW drama Reaper. While Reaper's 21-year-old slacker-turned-bounty hunter might sound awfully familiar (think failed 1998-99 Fox drama Brimstone), what sets it apart is the humor. The pilot adeptly mixed drama with good old-fashioned chuckles. What could make Chuck a potential standout, meanwhile, is one of its creators, Josh Schwartz. The force behind Fox's The O.C., he knows how to tell tales that appeal to a young adult audience. Although the buying community was buzzing about Chuck, viewers may not find it en masse unless NBC finds a better time period. But is there a place on the network's troubled lineup that could give it more exposure? Reaper won't have the same sized support out of the relocated Beauty and the Geek as Chuck will out of returnee The Biggest Loser. However, the potential appetite for this Buffy, the Vampire Slayer-like type of storytelling makes Reaper a potential sleeper. Neither Chuck nor Reaper is likely to set the ratings on fire. But if fans missing Buffy and Angel discover Reaper, and NBC miraculously manages to find a more advantageous hour for Chuck, there could be hope. Patience could potentially pay off for both hours.
~~~~~
And the kicker? They showed a commerical for Reaper during Supernatural last night! I nearly choked and fell off the couch. From what I saw, this looks incredibly stupid. Did anyone else see the commerical last night?
I keep thinking I read where Kevin Smith is only directly involved with the pilot of Reaper, so the humor may fall flat in subsequent episodes if that's true.
So what do you guys think about Reaper and it's potential? Am I worrying for nothing?
This just reminds me of Sentinel all over again. After the regime change at UPN, the new guy wanted TS gone, because it wasn't "his show", even though it was the second highest rated show on UPN. And he ended up getting his wish, after we fought hard for an additional eight episodes.
The same thing seems to be happening with CW, where, guess what, Dawn Ostroff just happens to be from UPN. She's already said she "doesn't get" Supernatural. So what does she do? Introduce a new supernatural-type show of hers that she must be dumb enough to understand, since it seems to be some type of comedy that doesn't appear to require any thinking while watching.
I'm worried for Supernatural, I truly am. If our ratings continue to suck as bad as they did at the end of second season when third season starts, we're in serious trouble. Especially if Reaper pulls in big ratings.
I'm tired of us being stuck on Thursday nights and getting chewed up and spit out. If Ostroff is so big on her stupid reality shows, why not put one of them on Thursday night?
[sigh] Anyway, here are a couple of the articles that I'm referring to:
From Entertainment Weekly, issue 936, dated June 1, 2007
MOST PROMISING
Reaper (the CW) On his 21st birthday, our hero (The Loop's Bret Harrison) discovers his parents have sold his soul to Satan (24's Ray Wise). From Kevin Smith, it boasts a humor that's a study in perfect timing.
From Ad Week (written by Marc Berman, of all people!)
http://www.adweek.com/aw/magazine/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003590913
Special Report: Ruby Tuesday
May 28, 2007
By Marc Berman/Mediaweek
NEW YORK Outside of the competitive Thursday night waters, there is no time period as brutal as Tuesday 9 p.m., which features ABC's Dancing With the Stars Results Show, Fox sensation House and CBS' male-driven The Unit. That means that there may not be too much room left for NBC's Chuck, which tells the story of a nerdy computer tech who becomes the government's most powerful weapon, and supernatural CW drama Reaper. While Reaper's 21-year-old slacker-turned-bounty hunter might sound awfully familiar (think failed 1998-99 Fox drama Brimstone), what sets it apart is the humor. The pilot adeptly mixed drama with good old-fashioned chuckles. What could make Chuck a potential standout, meanwhile, is one of its creators, Josh Schwartz. The force behind Fox's The O.C., he knows how to tell tales that appeal to a young adult audience. Although the buying community was buzzing about Chuck, viewers may not find it en masse unless NBC finds a better time period. But is there a place on the network's troubled lineup that could give it more exposure? Reaper won't have the same sized support out of the relocated Beauty and the Geek as Chuck will out of returnee The Biggest Loser. However, the potential appetite for this Buffy, the Vampire Slayer-like type of storytelling makes Reaper a potential sleeper. Neither Chuck nor Reaper is likely to set the ratings on fire. But if fans missing Buffy and Angel discover Reaper, and NBC miraculously manages to find a more advantageous hour for Chuck, there could be hope. Patience could potentially pay off for both hours.
~~~~~
And the kicker? They showed a commerical for Reaper during Supernatural last night! I nearly choked and fell off the couch. From what I saw, this looks incredibly stupid. Did anyone else see the commerical last night?
I keep thinking I read where Kevin Smith is only directly involved with the pilot of Reaper, so the humor may fall flat in subsequent episodes if that's true.
So what do you guys think about Reaper and it's potential? Am I worrying for nothing?
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2007-06-01 10:30 pm (UTC)I don't know enough about network workings to guess if SPN is in trouble because of Reaper, but I do remember the whole TS thing and how that went down. If a similar situation arises and SPN doesn't pick up some viewers, it could be a bad end. :-/
(no subject)
Date: 2007-06-07 02:35 pm (UTC)think Reaper looks decent, and really, *anything* Kevin Smith's name is attached to is going to draw the fanboys in droves
I agree. That's what'll bring them in for the pilot episode. But that's all Kevin's involved in, just the first episode, so I wonder if they'll hang around if the writing starts to tank after that.
If a similar situation arises and SPN doesn't pick up some viewers, it could be a bad end. :-/
God, that's what I'm so afraid of! Especially with Reaper sitting pretty in our old spot where we did freaking great, and us getting thrown to the wolves again on Thursday. [sigh]