# Hey, ABC! Are you TRYING to drive me away? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 27, 2009, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-abc-are-you-trying-to-drive-me-away/483249 "2009-01-27T17:30:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-abc-are-you-trying-to-drive-me-away/483249/1 "2009-01-27T17:30:19Z")
The news now is that ABC is [putting _Ugly Betty_ on hiatus](http://www.ocregister.com/articles/ugly-betty-abc-2291554-hiatus-series) until JUNE to highlight a “comedy block” on Thursday nights. ABC, you now have ONE SHOW that I watch. Period. Admittedly, Betty Season 3 is no Betty Season 1, but it’s loads better than the disastrous Betty Season 2. You’ve cancelled the only other scripted show I give any time to, _Pushing Daisies_. Now you’re basically kicking _Ugly Betty_ to live in the doghouse until summer when NOBODY WATCHES TV! Are you deliberately killing the shows I love? Is it something personal? Are you just complete idiots who wouldn’t know a good show with good writing and engaging characters if it fell on you? Buncha schmucks… ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-abc-are-you-trying-to-drive-me-away/483249/2 "2009-01-27T17:32:13Z")
They hate you. Hate them back. StG ---
**Author:** ![Qwisp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qwisp/32/397_2.png) [@Qwisp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwisp)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-abc-are-you-trying-to-drive-me-away/483249/3 "2009-01-27T17:33:14Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Are you just complete idiots who wouldn’t know a good show with good writing and engaging characters if it fell on you? > > Buncha schmucks… This ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-abc-are-you-trying-to-drive-me-away/483249/4 "2009-01-27T17:35:31Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > They hate you. Hate them back. > > StG I do, actually. I was indifferent to them until they started airing _Ugly Betty_. Then I liked them. Then they aired _Pushing Daisies_ and I was willing to bear their children. Then they cancelled _Pushing Daisies_ and I really wasn’t happy with them. Then they did this almost guaranteed method of killing _Ugly Betty_ and now I hate them. After _Ugly Betty_ tanks due to the long hiatus and lack of promotion, I can leave ABC’s dessicated corpse behind and turn my full attention to CBS, the only freaking network that has any shows I watch now. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-abc-are-you-trying-to-drive-me-away/483249/5 "2009-01-27T17:59:53Z")
I feel your pain, sorta. I don’t watch Pushing up Daisies or Ugly Better, but I was terrified that they were trying to kill **Life on Mars** when they put it on a ten week hiatus and _stopped_ advertising it during that time. It seemed like a good way to kill any momentum or audience it might have been building. But it’s back this week and I see they’re pairing it with **Lost** , so…I’m slightly hopeful that the only scripted show I watch will at least make it through the first season (after losing so many shows on FOX, making it through the first season is all I want). ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-abc-are-you-trying-to-drive-me-away/483249/6 "2009-01-27T18:08:53Z")
I can’t get their episode player to work so I can catch up on Grey’s Anatomy. I had to bump Grey’s for Bones when Fox moved Bones to Thursdays. Stoopid American Idol. Harumph. Anybody else having touble with the episode player? ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-abc-are-you-trying-to-drive-me-away/483249/7 "2009-01-27T18:39:53Z")
At least they have an episode player unlike SOME NETWORKS. (yes, CBS, I’m looking at you.) Last week’s _Ugly Betty_ was not good. So I’m ok with taking some time away from it. Maybe they can fix some issues. And learn that it isn’t that far physically between Manhattan and Queens. ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-abc-are-you-trying-to-drive-me-away/483249/8 "2009-01-27T18:43:20Z")
ABC killed Pushing Daisies. They are dead to me. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-abc-are-you-trying-to-drive-me-away/483249/9 "2009-01-27T19:47:03Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > At least they have an episode player unlike SOME NETWORKS. (yes, CBS, I’m looking at you.) Huh? CBS was the first network to put up an episode player online. Helped me catch up on Survivor when my VCR was busted it did. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-abc-are-you-trying-to-drive-me-away/483249/10 "2009-01-27T19:49:18Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > At least they have an episode player unlike SOME NETWORKS. (yes, CBS, I’m looking at you.) > > Last week’s _Ugly Betty_ was not good. So I’m ok with taking some time away from it. Maybe they can fix some issues. And learn that it isn’t that far physically between Manhattan and Queens. Like I said, Season3 is no Season1, but it’s light-years better than the hideous Season2 was. Frankly, if UB had died in mid-Season2, I’d not have even really cried. It was terrible last year. But it’s picked up a LOT and things have been generally better this season, so I’m going to be disappointed if it dies due to neglect. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-abc-are-you-trying-to-drive-me-away/483249/11 "2009-01-27T19:53:57Z")
What do you expect? Disney is antagonistic to quality. As for being far from Manhattan to Queens, for some people it may as well be another planet. ---
**Author:** ![Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prelude_to_Fascination)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-abc-are-you-trying-to-drive-me-away/483249/12 "2009-01-27T20:02:43Z")
Wasn’t dreck like Three’s Company and the Love Boat on ABC originally? Back when CART still existed, it was shown on ABC in the early 00’s, and races would routinely get bumped to show Aunt Martha’s Full Contact Crocheting or some crap. I wrote many nasty letters to ABC telling them I watched their network as little as possible, something I still adhere to. ---
**Author:** ![Dosipede](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dosipede](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dosipede)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-abc-are-you-trying-to-drive-me-away/483249/13 "2009-01-27T20:17:02Z")
ABC canceled “It’s Like, You Know” and “Sports Night” back around '99. I hold grudges. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-abc-are-you-trying-to-drive-me-away/483249/14 "2009-01-27T20:18:13Z")
> [@Dosipede](#): > > ABC canceled “It’s Like, You Know” Wasn’t that the one with the nasally-cropped Jennifer Grey playing herself? ---
**Author:** ![TheVioletCreep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eb8c5e/32.png) [@TheVioletCreep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheVioletCreep)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-abc-are-you-trying-to-drive-me-away/483249/15 "2009-01-27T20:29:58Z")
> [@pepperlandgirl](#): > > I feel your pain, sorta. I don’t watch Pushing up Daisies or Ugly Better, but I was terrified that they were trying to kill **Life on Mars** when they put it on a ten week hiatus and _stopped_ advertising it during that time. It seemed like a good way to kill any momentum or audience it might have been building. But it’s back this week and I see they’re pairing it with **Lost** , so…I’m slightly hopeful that the only scripted show I watch will at least make it through the first season (after losing so many shows on FOX, making it through the first season is all I want). Sadly, the original Life on Mars, runs only two seasons, by plot choice. I don’t know if they’re to do the same on this one… 😕 ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-abc-are-you-trying-to-drive-me-away/483249/16 "2009-01-27T20:53:14Z")
> [@Dosipede](#): > > ABC canceled “It’s Like, You Know” and “Sports Night” back around '99. > > I hold grudges. Cancelling \*Sports Night \*and now \*Pushing Daises \*has convinced me ABC is a bunch of rat bastards who wouldn’t know a quirky well-written show if it bit them on the butt. That said, CBS has somewhat returned to my good graces with _Big Bang Theory_, but I still harbor some resentment over _Joan of Arcadia_. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-abc-are-you-trying-to-drive-me-away/483249/17 "2009-01-27T21:56:06Z")
I really don’t see benching it till summer as its death knell. I read somewhere (near the end of or shortly after the writers’ strike) that the days of the September-through-May (and summer being nothing but reruns) TV season is a thing of the past. Seasons will begin and end at weird intervals (_Lost, Survivor_), will be shorter, will have long gaps between episodes, and may or may not have new episodes in the summer. UB gets good ratings, but not great ratings, so ABC moves it to summer when ratings matter less and it can try out new shows that might do better. ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-abc-are-you-trying-to-drive-me-away/483249/18 "2009-01-28T09:02:49Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Are you deliberately killing the shows I love? Is it something personal? Are you just complete idiots who wouldn’t know a good show with good writing and engaging characters if it fell on you? From a **Sports Night** fan…I’d say yes. Sports Night got the EXACT same treatment. ---
**Author:** ![Dosipede](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dosipede](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dosipede)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-abc-are-you-trying-to-drive-me-away/483249/19 "2009-01-28T18:36:10Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Wasn’t that the one with the nasally-cropped Jennifer Grey playing herself? That’s the one. It was criticized as trying to be a Seinfeld set in Los Angeles. To which I asked, “What’s wrong with that?”