# Goddamned motherfucking FOX network
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamned-motherfucking-fox-network/238162
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [April 4, 2004, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamned-motherfucking-fox-network/238162 "2004-04-04T06:22:17Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2004, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamned-motherfucking-fox-network/238162/41 "2004-04-05T14:13:06Z")
On the bright side, I hope Tim and Joss have learned their lesson, and will never ever pitch another show to Fox.
Daniel
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### Author:  [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2004, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamned-motherfucking-fox-network/238162/42 "2004-04-05T15:11:34Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#):
>
> On the bright side, I hope Tim and Joss have learned their lesson, and will never ever pitch another show to Fox.
>
> Daniel
They may not have a choice. They may be under a contract that requires that they give Fox a chance to purchase their shows before they send them out to anyone else. It’s called first refusal rights, IIRC.
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### Author:  [@Mauvaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mauvaise)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2004, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamned-motherfucking-fox-network/238162/43 "2004-04-05T15:39:52Z")
> [@DeadlyAccurate](#):
>
> They may not have a choice. They may be under a contract that requires that they give Fox a chance to purchase their shows before they send them out to anyone else. It’s called first refusal rights, IIRC.
Holy fuck, I sure as hell hope FOX doesn’t have that kind of contract with Joss and Tim. That would fucking suck for the us fans because I don’t trust FOX with that kind of power. That’s two shows they’ve fucked up.
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### Author:  [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2004, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamned-motherfucking-fox-network/238162/44 "2004-04-05T15:45:40Z")
_The Nun’s Habit_: a new docudrama shows the daily life at a nunnery’s laundry, including washing, bleaching, and drying uniforms and other clothes. The nuns who work in the laundry struggle with such issues as their faith in God, their continuing attachment to the secular world, and their occasionally less-than-charitable attitudes toward other nuns; all these struggles are beautifully elaborated in the nuns’ features, as they work under a vow of silence. Whaddya think, Fox?\*
I imagine if they pitched the show like this to Fox and then like _Firefly_ to the other networks, they could get in trouble, huh?
Daniel
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### Author:  [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2004, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamned-motherfucking-fox-network/238162/45 "2004-04-05T16:04:08Z")
Don’t blame Fox. Blame the people who sit by the millions to watch crappy reality TV shows.
I mean, why pray you get another Seinfeld when you can make the same killing by turning out… reality TV.
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### Author:  [@Orbifold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orbifold)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2004, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamned-motherfucking-fox-network/238162/46 "2004-04-05T16:27:01Z")
Clearly it’s time for “SIF: the Suck It, Fox network”. For all the shows that Fox underpromotes, moves to death slots, and then cancels prematurely. Wonderfalls, Futurama, Firefly, The Tick, Undeclared, Family Guy, what else?
(Idea shamelessly stolen from a Television Without Pity thread, which also provided the tagline: “SIF. We don’t think you’re stupid.”)
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### Author:  [@Mauvaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mauvaise)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2004, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamned-motherfucking-fox-network/238162/47 "2004-04-05T16:30:48Z")
> [@smiling bandit](#):
>
> Don’t blame Fox. Blame the people who sit by the millions to watch crappy reality TV shows.
Oh, believe me, I do hold them partially responsible. Hence my “Reality Television will be the downfall of our civilization” comment in the OP. However, I also blame FOX for pandering to them. But mainly I blame them for not even giving another other type of show a chance. If it’s not promoted and switches time slots (with little or no advertising of the fact), then I tend to place the blame on the network more than the sheep who watch Reality TV.
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### Author:  [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2004, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamned-motherfucking-fox-network/238162/48 "2004-04-05T17:36:38Z")
> [@Mauvaise](#):
>
> If it’s not promoted and switches time slots (with little or no advertising of the fact), then I tend to place the blame on the network more than the sheep who watch Reality TV.
I should hope so, because _some_ of usnow I’m not mentioning any nameslike both reality television and witty television like the fab Wonderfalls.
Don’t know _who_ is like that, admittedly, but I’m sure they’re out there.
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### Author:  [@Rex\_Fenestrarum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rex_Fenestrarum)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2004, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamned-motherfucking-fox-network/238162/49 "2004-04-05T18:18:54Z")
Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
The Lone Gunmen
Firefly
Undeclared
Andy Richter Controls the Universe
Futurama
Family Guy
Space: Above and Beyond
Keen Eddie
The Ben Stiller Show
The Tick
Greg the Bunny
John Doe
Profit
And now… Wonderfalls. Why are you surprised?
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### Author:  [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2004, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamned-motherfucking-fox-network/238162/50 "2004-04-05T18:28:49Z")
Profit? Wow that brings back memories, I thought only 6 people saw that show. That accounts for two of us.
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### Author:  [@av8rmike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/av8rmike)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2004, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamned-motherfucking-fox-network/238162/51 "2004-04-05T19:00:57Z")
> [@Mauvaise](#):
>
> What I don’t get is why bother to pick up the show in the first place if they aren’t going to actually give it a fair chance to develop an audience. It’s like they want it to fail. I realise this isn’t rational, but it’s like FOX is picking up these shows _because_ they are good, only to cancel them. That way they aren’t picked by another network and therefore give them competition.
Exactly. Have you ever read the “Upcoming Season Preview” articles (or whatever they’re called)? They run in TV Guide, Washington Post, and most other places that cover TV and cover all the new shows each network has approved for the next season. They all read the same:
Token drama covering occupation of the week, be it cops, doctors, The Supreme Court, lawyers, reporters, whatever.
Several token sit-coms.
Token reality show permutation.
Maybe a non-fiction news magazine show.
Finally, risk-taking show/sci-fi show/anything else of potentially limited appeal.
I think the networks have a self-imposed quota of shows of each genre to green-light for a season, but they have no responsibility to ensure or even help that show succeed. Further, I think they just want to give aspiring writers/directors the _appearance_ that potential shows to pitch to a network have a chance at getting produced. The sad reality is that the networks are just milking the existing formats and shows (_Law & Order_) until they’re all played out. Then we’ll be left with nothing.
And for the record, I watched most of the episodes of “Wonderfalls.” I kind of liked it, but had already accepted the liklihood it would never last.
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### Author:  [@Lambo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lambo)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2004, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamned-motherfucking-fox-network/238162/52 "2004-04-05T19:02:28Z")
> [@Nutty Bunny](#):
>
> I fear that **Arrested Development** ’s days are numbered as well. I’m surprised it’s lasted this long.
Actually, I got the feeling that they were giving this one a chance. First off, I was surprised to see Fox running a marathon of the show on FX in March (I know, I know, not a ringing endorsement, but there it is). Also, Jason Bateman seems pretty comfortable with the way Fox is treating the show in this [Onion AV Club](http://www.theonionavclub.com/feature/index.php?i=2) article (again, of course, he doesn’t want to piss off the bosses, but one can hope).
In the end, if they cancel it before its time, I guess that just means that my dollar doesn’t mean as much to the advertiser as the dollar of the guy who watches ‘NASCAR’s greatest little people weddings while aliens attack’ (hey, that sounds pretty good!).
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### Author:  [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2004, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamned-motherfucking-fox-network/238162/53 "2004-04-05T19:13:38Z")
I actually watched 1.5 episodes of **Wonderfalls** and was underwhelmed. Which is where the .5 came from.
That said, I have nothing nice to say about **Fox**.
Oh, and the most horrible series cancellation of all time was **My So Called Life**.
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### Author:  [@Mauvaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mauvaise)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2004, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamned-motherfucking-fox-network/238162/54 "2004-04-05T21:23:36Z")
> [@erislover](#):
>
> I should hope so, because _some_ of us—now I’m not mentioning any names—like both reality television and witty television like the fab Wonderfalls.
😛
> [@Rex Fenestrarum](#):
>
> Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
> John Doe
I completely forgot that those two shows were on FOX. I loved both of them. I must have some deep scars from FOX over the years and have supressed the memory.
> [@](#):
>
> And now… Wonderfalls. Why are you surprised?
Not surprised. After the pilot I said that “I loved it; thought it was cute, and smart and snarky and quirky. FOX is sure to fuck it up”. I just wasn’t expecting it quite so soon. And I think deep down there was a part of me that hoped that FOX would prove me wrong. ☹
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### Author:  [@Mauvaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mauvaise)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2004, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamned-motherfucking-fox-network/238162/55 "2004-04-08T12:47:19Z")
I discovered last night that they have replaced Wonderfalls with (I KNEW IT!) a Reality TV show - [The Swan](http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/ae/tv/2489459).
> [@](#):
>
> That question is likely to come up during the run of the Fox reality series (8 p.m. April 7, Channel 26), which takes a willing woman, hooks her up with a trainer, coach, therapist, nutritionist, plastic surgeon, dentist and stylist, then parades her before a national television audience in a dramatic, episode-ending revelation.
> {snip}
>
> In The Swan, contestants change their lives inside and out while learning the real meaning of beauty – then they go toe to toe in a pageant.
> {snip}
>
> The show, Galán said, will reveal important life lessons – one of them being that it takes hard work to change yourself outwardly and inwardly.
> {snip}
>
> “One of the most important elements is the pageant,” said Galán. “If you don’t give people goals, they don’t make changes in their life. Instead of creating a pageant that you have to be born beautiful to be in, you have to earn (a spot). So it’s the antithesis of what we know as a beauty pageant.”
Words fail me.
Oh, and to dig the knife in a little deeper: the episode of The Swan :rolleyes: that’s on tonight? It’s a repeat. When did it originally air, you ask? LAST FUCKING NIGHT! :mad:
☹
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### Author:  [@Skelji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skelji)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2004, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamned-motherfucking-fox-network/238162/56 "2004-04-08T13:50:06Z")
Another episode of The Swan? I love her!!!
“Yaaaaaa. Wat you tink, meester? You tink Ms Swan need a surgewy?”
Oh. Wrong Swan.
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### Author:  [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2004, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamned-motherfucking-fox-network/238162/57 "2004-04-08T14:32:31Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#):
>
> There’s been countless shows on FOX that have died a painful death after being scheduled on Friday night. The only long-term survivor was The X-Files only because they moved it to Sundays.
Actually, it was [very strong](http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,241,00.html) on Friday nights, The show even had viewing clubs set up around the Friday night timeslot in which it aired.
The move to Sundays was one part of the formula that killed it, imho.
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### Author:  [@5que](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5que)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2004, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamned-motherfucking-fox-network/238162/58 "2004-04-08T18:19:42Z")
Damn, and just when I was getting excited that my Tivo could follow Wonderfalls all over the week.
This is why I pay for HBO, especially Sunday nights. The Sopranos. Six Feet Under. Oz. Carnivale. And my new favorite Deadwood. I just keep watching the episodes over and over again. And happy dance for me, Carnivale and Deadwood are picked up for a second season.
At least there’s something interesting and different out there.
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### Author:  [@threeorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threeorange)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2004, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamned-motherfucking-fox-network/238162/59 "2004-04-12T15:10:48Z")
I suspect that the reason _Wonderfalls_ was cancelled wasn’t exactly that Fox didn’t give the show a chance to find its audience; I think that Fox didn’t like who they perceived the audience to be.
Many of us who became fans of the show did so, in part, because at some level, we could identify with the primary protagoninst, Jaye Tyler. Part of her character is a certain level of revulsion at her family’s consumerist excesses. Advertisers don’t want viewers who can identify with such a character; they want people who believe they can consume their way to happiness. So even if we had been large in number, _Wonderfalls_ would probably still be cancelled because we’re the _wrong_ people.
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### Author:  [@straykat23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/straykat23)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2004, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamned-motherfucking-fox-network/238162/60 "2004-04-13T05:53:49Z")
Back to the OP:
I’m not sure Shrub has ever had a press conference, only scripted speeches. He doesn’t really like talking to us. Why now???
Maybe afterward they’ll cut to Randy, Paula & Simon for their critiques.
Randy: What’s up, Dawg? You feelin’ all right? I don’t know man. It was just OK? Average.
Paula: You picked the totally wrong questions to answer for your range. It was a little pitchy and you looked like you were lip synching.
Simon: Abysmal. Absolutely awful. Even Tony Blair wouldn’t have liked it.
Ryan: If you wan’t to reelect George Bush you have to vote by text messaging the words I’m a Fool and then immediately jumping off a bridge.
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