When a Cable Network Becomes a Slave of Their Own Successful Show

The BBQ Pit
1

So VH1 began a program called Behind the Music a few years ago. It was wildly popular. So popular, in fact, that VH1 began showing it quite often. As ratings for Behind the Music grew, VH1 began making and airing more and more episodes. BtM’s ratings began to eclipse those of all other VH1 programs. So VH1 began to air BtM pretty much all the time. Soon the tail was wagging the dog: VH1 seemed to show BtM… and not much else. I read an article that said that VH1 couldn’t afford to get rid of BtM because it was their biggest money maker, but they couldn’t afford to keep it, either, because it was a juggernaut that was crowding out the rest of their programming.

Then, in a We-have-to-destroy-the-village-in-order-to-save-it bit of sheer programming genius, VH1 stopped showing BtM. Cold turkey. Ratings slipped, but then people got used to other VH1 programming and they eventually came back. Everyone was happy.

So why do I say this? Because other cable networks are headed in this same direction.

Exhibit A: The Learning Channel. The network that once gave us ground-breaking programming like, oh I dunno, The London to New York Underwater Tunnel and Why It Will Never be Built or 5,000-foot High Skyscrapers of the Future. TLC is now a victim of its own show, Trading Spaces, and its whole home-makover franchise, which includes such shows as While You Were Out and Surprise by Design. Of 21 hours of prime time next week, TLC is giving ten hours to shows like this and to shows in their personal makeover franchise, such as What Not to Wear. It looks like, for all intents and purposes, TLC is quickly becoming The Makeover Channel.

Exhibit B: The Discovery Channel. “It’s like PBS only not as boring!” screamed early reviews. And its informative little documentaries taught me all kinds of things I never would have known about police work, architecture, the animal kingdom, etc. But then TDC got into this whole Burly Men With Chainsaws Building and Rebuilding franchise. American Chopper. Monster Garage. Monster House. Good shows in their own right, one supposes (I’ve never seen either), but TDC is being a little, oh, let’s just say “excessive.” Looking at next week’s TV Guide, on Sunday night we have: American Chopper, Monster Garage and Monster House. Monday night there’s Monster House, Monster Garage and American Chopper (ooh, a different order this time!). Six hours of prime time dedicated to this one concept.

Is anyone else bothered when cable networks take a popular show (or concept) and run it into the freaking ground?

2

Well…American Chopper is pretty goddamned cool…

3

I agree about the Discovery Channel thing. I remember if I felt like seeing an awesome documentary with awesome footage, all I had to do was turn to the discovery channel. And I’ll agree, at first I really got into Junkyard Wars and Monster Garage, they were brilliant showcases of modern American ingenuity.

But Jesus, guys, too much of a good thing…

4

I think you could say the same thing about The History Channel and WWII.

5

Do you mean ‘The Hitler Channel’ ?

6

I made a joke about the History Channel once (something along the lines of “they’re running out of IMPORTANT aspects of WWII to do shows on; soon we’ll be seeing specials on Hitler’s mustache trimmer”) and now any time Gunslinger and I flip past a WWII show we say “They’re showing Hitler’s Mustache Trimmer again!”

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I know what you’re talking about Homie.

TLC used to have some good shows but on as time passed they tended to put a bit of political commentary on whatever subject they were covering (The Liberal Channel?) then they hooked up Junkyard Wars, Paint My Neighbors House Crappy, and whatever, and I completely fell off as a viewer.

The Discovery Channel had me years ago with their ‘Wings” series. Fascinating stuff. It got so popular that they took it off their line up and made a separate channel for it which cost extra. I didn’t make that leap, but I was happy to see MG and OCC on there.

MG is putting out new shows, but the production leaves me wondering. ‘ We’re gonna set up rules for the build, then ignore them, and hype the hell out of it’… Huh?

OCC has their moments, but they haven’t done a new show, well, this year I think, and they keep playing the old ones over and over and over and over. Sure, The Firebike is awesome, but ‘ to be honest with ya’ I gotta turn that show off now I’ve seen it so many times.

Monster House ? Well I guess that kinda follows the other two, and the guy from Cats found a good gig. Yawn.

They just seem to drive everything into the ground.

Maybe that’s why network TV suck so bad, they keep coming up with filler so they’re not repeating themselves every four hours.

8

Thats Funny!

Next week on The History Channel. “Does Hitlers bubblegum lose it’s flavor on the bedpost overnight?” Tune in…

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Yea, especially since Junkyard Wars got started in England :wink:

I love Monster House. Steve is a god. I don’t like Monster Garage and I’d watch more American Chopper, but they only seem to have 3 episodes, all of which I’ve seen.

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[History Channel Narrator Guy]
Now, on the History Channel…“Does Hitler’s Bubblegum lose it’s flavor on the bedpost overnight?” on Really Secret Weapons of the Third Reich And No, We’re Not Kidding This Time.

(Dramatic pseudo-John Williams music, stock footage of German tanks, soldiers, etc.)

  1. The Reich has conquered Belgium and invaded France. In Berlin, Adolph Hitler lays down for an evening’s rest.

(Stock footage of Hitler)

But before he could sleep, he needed to take care of his chewing gum.

(Cut to a guy sitting in an office with a lot of books, probably wearing a bowtie. Caption should read something like “Herbert Goober, Professer of Gum Studies, Harvard”)

Goober: Hitler was, ah, very serious about his gum. He, ah, chewed it a lot. And blew bubbles. So, you know, losing its flavor…well, it would’ve been a disgrace…

(Cut back to Hitler stock footage, with some Rommel stock footage)

Narrator: Faced with this flavor challenge, Hitler summoned Irwin Rommel to Berlin and demanded a way of preserving his gum’s flavor.

(Cut to another academic, this one female, though just barely. She should have slightly different books and a name like “Wanda Dorkhead, Gum Scientist, Wrigley”)

Wanda: And, you know, gum-flavor research had been going on for years now. And here Hitler was, demanding this…cutting edge flavor retainer. It was revolutionary…

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There was a great Junkyard Wars special where one of the American teams went up against one of the British teams. The challenge was to build a machine to crush a car. The episode really stands out in my mind because the results were the height of stereotypical comedy about American vs. British thought. The Brits built a big hydraulic press with an engine and some old hydraulic lines, for the purpose of crushing the car slowly under pressure. The Americans built a giant hammer, attached to the back of a truck, and just smashed the fuck out of their car. The Americans won.

Man, that was a great episode. :slight_smile:

12

Note to the Food Network: Emeril sucks and he can’t cook. Show other stuff.

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Its mindblowing to me how often VH1 shows “I Love the 80’s” and its sequal. The show is on for 2-6 hours EVERY NIGHT. Its on all the fuckin time.

As far as American Chopper goes, its still my favorite TV show, but I don’t understand why they show the same episodes over and over. There are a bunch of episodes that you never see anymore like the Black Widow bike, the Cody bike, the Jet bike, or the “origin of OCC” episode. They always show the fucking fire bike.

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BLASPHEMY!

(Although my parents don’t like him either, and I can see how he could be grating to some people.) As long as they show Rachael Ray and Tony Bourdain, I love Food Network regardless.

15

Anyone remember when TLC would do Great Books marathons? I loved that show and would specifically plan nothing for a weekend when it was on.

Havn’t seen it in quite a while though…

16

Let us not forget how Animal Planet got completely hijacked by The Crocodile Hunter.

Not that I objected. He’s one of the most fascinating people on television. It’s like watching a train wreck in shorts.

But for a while he was all they had.

17

Isn’t the only destination covered on the Travel Channel these days Las Vegas?

18

A&E used to be the Hitler Channel. Ah, how times have changed.

Marc

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It seems like sometimes, but this week’s prime-time listings say otherwise: [sub]All times Central[/sub]

Tonight: 7-Grand Canyon & Monument Valley. 8 & 9: Ancient Egypt

Sunday: World’s Best Fast Food; Top 10 Natural Wonders of the World; Egypt; Amazing Landmarks.

Monday: Haunted Hotels; Tattoos; Fast Food again

Tuesday: Scotland Yard; Madame Toussaud’s; Harley Mania

Wednesday: Vegas; World Poker Tour (bleah)

Thursday: Repeat Sunday’s schedule

Friday: Celebrity Neighborhoods; Top Ten Mexican Beaches; Get Packing.

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Don’t forget the “Victim Channel”.
erm, I mean “Lifetime”…