# ...and the first show on the Fall 2010 TV chopping block is....

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-first-show-on-the-fall-2010-tv-chopping-block-is/555632>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [September 30, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-first-show-on-the-fall-2010-tv-chopping-block-is/555632 "2010-09-30T17:48:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-first-show-on-the-fall-2010-tv-chopping-block-is/555632/1 "2010-09-30T17:48:25Z")

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Lone Star. Canceled after 2 episodes. FOX advertised the hell out of this show. I had very little interest in watching it, and apparently nobody else (except for 3 million) wanted to either.

Goes to show that you should NEVER sell your new show to FOX unless it’s guaranteed to get 10 million viewers a week.

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**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-first-show-on-the-fall-2010-tv-chopping-block-is/555632/2 "2010-09-30T18:02:09Z")

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I never saw the show, but I’ve read a little bit about this. The most interesting thing about the ratings was that they actually went down _during the show_. If fewer people are watching the second half than the first, you’re losing viewers in droves, and that’s no way to run a network.

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**Author:** ![jk1245](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/49beb7/32.png) [@jk1245](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jk1245)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-first-show-on-the-fall-2010-tv-chopping-block-is/555632/3 "2010-09-30T18:02:39Z")

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I’m not that all that familiar with the way TV shows are produced, but how the hell can you cancel a new show after 2 eps? I mean, they don’t film these on the fly, so they have to have already sunk the money into more episodes, why not show them? There’s nothing lined up to take its place anyway, right? Why not move it to a different time slot and see what happens if you’ve already spent the money to film a few more episodes?

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**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-first-show-on-the-fall-2010-tv-chopping-block-is/555632/4 "2010-09-30T18:04:02Z")

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This show was praised in an NPR preview. I watched and just could not get behind a guy who is such a big fat liar to two families he presumably loves.

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**Author:** ![Shark\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Shark\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark_Sandwich)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-first-show-on-the-fall-2010-tv-chopping-block-is/555632/5 "2010-09-30T18:09:35Z")

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> [@Contrapuntal](#):
>
> This show was praised in an NPR preview. I watched and just could not get behind a guy who is such a big fat liar to two families he presumably loves.

I came in to mention the NPR review as well. I tried to watch the first two episodes, but David Keith was just unbearable.

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**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-first-show-on-the-fall-2010-tv-chopping-block-is/555632/6 "2010-09-30T18:11:28Z")

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> [@fusoya](#):
>
> Goes to show that you should NEVER sell your new show to FOX unless

they’re cheap to produce reality competitions, or you’re Seth McFarlane

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**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-first-show-on-the-fall-2010-tv-chopping-block-is/555632/7 "2010-09-30T18:26:46Z")

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FOX is going to burn off the remaining 4 episodes which were already completed at 11PM on Saturdays (did MadTV get cancelled?). Man, and you thought Friday nights was the slot of death! FOX is going to push up the third season premiere of Lie to Me (that’s still on???) to take Lone Star’s Monday night slot.

FOX has a long history of pulling the plug on shows at the first hint that they won’t be cash cows, and then not having anything better to replace them with, will just show reruns of House or something instead.

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**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-first-show-on-the-fall-2010-tv-chopping-block-is/555632/8 "2010-09-30T19:11:36Z")

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> [@fusoya](#):
>
> will just show reruns of House or something instead.

You would be surprised how many viewers will tune into a rerun of (insert wildly popular show here) and I firmly believe that reruns of House will get significantly more viewers than Lonestar, which was critically admired but never passed the “look” test with anyone.

So…what show is next?

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**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-first-show-on-the-fall-2010-tv-chopping-block-is/555632/9 "2010-09-30T20:34:39Z")

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Wild…the local reviewer in my paper (San Antonio Express-News) loved it too, but she seemed more excited that it was set in Texas.

I’m hoping Outsourced is next, but I fear it will be with us for some time.

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**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-first-show-on-the-fall-2010-tv-chopping-block-is/555632/10 "2010-09-30T20:50:33Z")

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> [@jk1245](#):
>
> I’m not that all that familiar with the way TV shows are produced, but how the hell can you cancel a new show after 2 eps? I mean, they don’t film these on the fly, so they have to have already sunk the money into more episodes, why not show them? There’s nothing lined up to take its place anyway, right? Why not move it to a different time slot and see what happens if you’ve already spent the money to film a few more episodes?

Nowadays the networks start a season expecting to cancel shows. So they already have replacement shows in production even though they have no open slots for them yet.

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**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-first-show-on-the-fall-2010-tv-chopping-block-is/555632/11 "2010-09-30T21:00:17Z")

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> [@fusoya](#):
>
> Lone Star. Canceled after 2 episodes. **FOX advertised the hell out of this show.** I had very little interest in watching it, and apparently nobody else (except for 3 million) wanted to either.

Generally, the more a network tries to ram a show down my throat, the less likely I am to watch it.

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**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-first-show-on-the-fall-2010-tv-chopping-block-is/555632/12 "2010-09-30T21:08:08Z")

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> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#):
>
> > [@fusoya](#):
> >
> > will just show reruns of House or something instead.
> 
> You would be surprised how many viewers will tune into a rerun of (insert wildly popular show here) and I firmly believe that reruns of House will get significantly more viewers than Lonestar, which was critically admired but never passed the “look” test with anyone.
> 
> So…what show is next?

Running Wilde is in a lot of trouble. It’s losing 50% of the audience from Raising Hope and finishing fourth in its time slot.

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**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-first-show-on-the-fall-2010-tv-chopping-block-is/555632/13 "2010-09-30T23:49:19Z")

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I thoroughly enjoyed the two episodes of Lone Star. Ah well. The pilot, in particular, was really fantastic and is worth a watch if you can find it online somewhere.

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**Author:** ![Annie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/858c86/32.png) [@Annie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie)\
**Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-first-show-on-the-fall-2010-tv-chopping-block-is/555632/14 "2010-10-01T01:16:56Z")

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So, the two shows I downloaded off itunes are either in the shitcan already (Lonestar) or being slamdunked into the can (Running Wilde) as we speak. \<delete\>

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**Author:** ![Evil\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/45deac/32.png) [@Evil\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_One)\
**Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-first-show-on-the-fall-2010-tv-chopping-block-is/555632/15 "2010-10-01T15:06:39Z")

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[quote=“Shoeless, post:11, topic:555632”]

> [@fusoya](#):
>
> Generally, the more a network tries to ram a show down my throat, the less likely I am to watch it.

See “The Defenders” on CBS…

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**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\
**Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-first-show-on-the-fall-2010-tv-chopping-block-is/555632/16 "2010-10-01T15:35:38Z")

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Considering the show airs on CBS, how many throats has it really been rammed down? 🙂

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**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\
**Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-first-show-on-the-fall-2010-tv-chopping-block-is/555632/17 "2010-10-01T16:31:26Z")

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> [@jk1245](#):
>
> I’m not that all that familiar with the way TV shows are produced, but how the hell can you cancel a new show after 2 eps? I mean, they don’t film these on the fly, so they have to have already sunk the money into more episodes, why not show them? There’s nothing lined up to take its place anyway, right? Why not move it to a different time slot and see what happens if you’ve already spent the money to film a few more episodes?

I assume it would be tough to sell advertising slots during the canceled show’s remaining episodes.

(I guess it depends on how far ahead they book advertising slots, and the terms of those agreements.)

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**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\
**Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-first-show-on-the-fall-2010-tv-chopping-block-is/555632/18 "2010-10-01T17:01:42Z")

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> [@fusoya](#):
>
> (did MadTV get cancelled?)

Yes, 2008-09 was it’s last season.

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**Author:** ![meanoldman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@meanoldman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meanoldman)\
**Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-first-show-on-the-fall-2010-tv-chopping-block-is/555632/19 "2010-10-01T17:29:19Z")

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I wanted to like 'Stuff my dad says"; but when I was trying to watch it, it just didn’t grab me. I have no idea of how it is doing in the ratings, but probably won’t go out of my way to watch it again.

Too bad, I liked the book and thought the casting of Shatner as the dad would be or could be great.

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**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\
**Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-first-show-on-the-fall-2010-tv-chopping-block-is/555632/20 "2010-10-01T17:40:16Z")

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Speaking of, I was less than thrilled with the premiere of _No ordinary family_… Time will tell. A bit too much Way Over The Top for my taste.

[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-first-show-on-the-fall-2010-tv-chopping-block-is/555632.md?page=2)
