# "We join our program already in progress..." **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 15, 2004, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-join-our-program-already-in-progress/274802 "2004-11-15T01:59:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-join-our-program-already-in-progress/274802/1 "2004-11-15T01:59:28Z")
Sometimes this is the stupidest thing. Take for instance tonight’s Central Standard Fox broadcast. Football had already gone past King of the Hill and was 20 minutes into the Malcolm in the Middle timeslot. So at :50 past the hour, they join Malcolm already in progress. Who wants to watch the last ten minutes of a show? I respect that they don’t want to throw off the rest of the night by starting it late, but why start at all at that point? Couldn’t James, Terry, Howie, and the gang vamp for a few more minutes? Why burn ten minutes of Malcolm. Is there any reason? Is it to keep the football audience? Wouldn’t more Commentary do that? It seems a waste to air a new episode of Malcolm (according to my tv grid) by airing the last ten minutes. I can see if they missed a few minutes, but when the show came on, some ugly kids were in a tree and a bunch of greased up, muscle men in speedos were harrassing Hal. Hard to pick up the storyline from there. ---
**Author:** ![caphis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19adc/32.png) [@caphis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caphis)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-join-our-program-already-in-progress/274802/2 "2004-11-15T02:25:45Z")
> [@watsonwil](#): > > Who wants to watch the last ten minutes of a show? Because if I tuned into Fox at 7:59 to see football commentary and not Malcolm credits, I’d assume they were preempting my precious Simpsons, too. > [@](#): > > It seems a waste to air a new episode of Malcolm (according to my tv grid) by airing the last ten minutes. I _think_ Malcolm was a rerun. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-join-our-program-already-in-progress/274802/3 "2004-11-15T02:39:12Z")
King of the Hill wasn’t even in my TV schedule. After the game, there was the Packer post game show. There was a crawl at the bottom saying Malcolm will be on at 9pm. I’ll find out ssoon enough if it is a rerun Brian ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-join-our-program-already-in-progress/274802/4 "2004-11-15T02:39:52Z")
East Coast here. I checked at 7:50 and it looked like the opening credits for Malcolm. I waited about 20 minutes and looked again only to see the Simpsons nearly finished! Luckily, I have the West Coast Fox feed, so I can catch the Simpsons at 11pm. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-join-our-program-already-in-progress/274802/5 "2004-11-15T03:04:35Z")
When they moved Malcom from after Simpsons to before Simpsons, that was a pretty clear signal they didn’t care about it. (Not that they’re wrong.) ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-join-our-program-already-in-progress/274802/6 "2004-11-15T08:10:11Z")
> [@caphis](#): > > I _think_ Malcolm was a rerun. It was new. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-join-our-program-already-in-progress/274802/7 "2004-11-15T10:46:59Z")
When they delay shows and broadcast them in their entirety, it screws up everyone’s TiVo and DVR. So, it sucks either way, but better to ruin one than ruin them all. ---
**Author:** ![davenportavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@davenportavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davenportavenger)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-join-our-program-already-in-progress/274802/8 "2004-11-15T10:55:19Z")
I was pissed. It looked like it was a funny episode. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-join-our-program-already-in-progress/274802/9 "2004-11-15T10:58:44Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > When they delay shows and broadcast them in their entirety, it screws up everyone’s TiVo and DVR. So, it sucks either way, but better to ruin one than ruin them all. Oh believe me, screwing up someone’s TiVo or DVR is the _last_ thing on the network’s minds. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-join-our-program-already-in-progress/274802/10 "2004-11-15T11:13:44Z")
> [@watsonwil](#): > > when the show came on, some ugly kids were in a tree and a bunch of greased up, muscle men in speedos were harrassing Hal. > > Hard to pick up the storyline from there. I don’t know - you just have to be creative. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-join-our-program-already-in-progress/274802/11 "2004-11-15T11:28:32Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Oh believe me, screwing up someone’s TiVo or DVR is the _last_ thing on the network’s minds. Lord, aint’ that the truth. I love those 9:00 to 10:01 deals. But I didn’t mean to imply that newtorks did it either way on purpose. Just that it’s fortunate for us who have DVR set to record a 9:00 program, that the network didn’t bump everything back 20 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-join-our-program-already-in-progress/274802/12 "2004-11-15T14:17:36Z")
> [@caphis](#): > > Because if I tuned into Fox at 7:59 to see football commentary and not Malcolm credits, I’d assume they were preempting my precious Simpsons, too. I _wish_ they’d pre-empted last night’s Simpsons! For probably the first time ever, it was an episode I’d rather have not watched. I didn’t laugh once, even with alcoholic help. Look, I’m _not_ one to always whine about how _The Simpsons_ isn’t what it used to be. I’ve quite enjoyed many of the shows from recent seasons. But either I must have been in a bad mood last night, or that was the Worst. Simpsons. Ever. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-join-our-program-already-in-progress/274802/13 "2004-11-15T15:01:42Z")
I was watching the DC Fox station, and it was worse, because they taunted me. I had checked the TV guide and saw that at 7, Fox was supposed to air a King of the Hill episode from last season that I hadn’t seen. So, I turn it on about 10 minutes before, catch the end of a Simpsons repeat, and get ready to watch KOTH. But no, instead Fox says, “We now take you to the end of a football game.” Now, the entire game hadn’t been on…it comes in with 8 minutes left in the 4th quarter, and it wasn’t the Redskins, so they don’t have that excuse. It was like the station’s executives said, “Let’s fuck with Steve.” I wasn’t pleased. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-join-our-program-already-in-progress/274802/14 "2004-11-15T15:16:53Z")
> [@Captain Amazing](#): > > I was watching the DC Fox station, and it was worse, because they taunted me. I had checked the TV guide and saw that at 7, Fox was supposed to air a King of the Hill episode from last season that I hadn’t seen. So, I turn it on about 10 minutes before, catch the end of a Simpsons repeat, and get ready to watch KOTH. But no, instead Fox says, “We now take you to the end of a football game.” Now, the entire game hadn’t been on…it comes in with 8 minutes left in the 4th quarter, and it wasn’t the Redskins, so they don’t have that excuse. It was like the station’s executives said, “Let’s fuck with Steve.” I wasn’t pleased. I couldn’t believe they did that. There I was with the Simpsons on in the background and then a game? with most of it already played? What was up with that? I thought maybe they would show the first three quarters instead of the Simpsons. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-join-our-program-already-in-progress/274802/15 "2004-11-17T13:27:18Z")
I have started subscribing to My Big Fat Boss on my TiVo just to make sure that I get all of Arrested Development in case they go over. ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-join-our-program-already-in-progress/274802/16 "2004-11-17T14:58:34Z")
> [@SmackFu](#): > > When they moved Malcom from after Simpsons to before Simpsons, that was a pretty clear signal they didn’t care about it. (Not that they’re wrong.) I was thinking of this too. Maybe they’re trying to cancel “King of the Hill” and “Malcolm…” the way they were able to cancel “Futurama” and “Family Guy”. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-join-our-program-already-in-progress/274802/17 "2004-11-17T15:21:02Z")
By the way, the crawl lied, Malcolm was NOT on at 9. Brian ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-join-our-program-already-in-progress/274802/18 "2004-11-17T16:00:51Z")
Yeah, they did the same thing with MARRIED WITH CHILDREN. The second show ever aired on Fox. Its flagship show. The one that paved the way for ROSEANNE and hundreds of lesser imitators. They put it on on 7:30 and cut into it constantly for football. It was moved to Monday nights but by then it was too late–the audience was gone. With eleven seasons! I think it was to preserve the timeslot of the new hit show THE X-FILES, which HAD to start at 9:00 or mass chaos, cats and dogs living together, etc. They didn’t even bother to inform the cast that it was cancelled–Christina found out on the radio, Ed from a honeymoon couple back home in Ohio who stopped him in a parking lot to commiserate. There was a brief, blissful moment in '95 where the Fox Sunday night was SIMPSONS-THE CRITIC-MARRIED WITH CHILDREN. Aaaaaah. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-join-our-program-already-in-progress/274802/19 "2004-11-17T16:49:50Z")
> [@Mehitabel](#): > > There was a brief, blissful moment in '95 where the Fox Sunday night was SIMPSONS-THE CRITIC-MARRIED WITH CHILDREN. Aaaaaah. Those were the days, weren’t they? I always thought _The Critic_ got a bad rap. It was funny as hell and original. Hmm…sounds like _Futurama_ and _Family Guy_. Am I detecting a pattern here?