# Zero hour (New series on ABC) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 15, 2013, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zero-hour-new-series-on-abc/650424 "2013-02-15T19:32:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zero-hour-new-series-on-abc/650424/1 "2013-02-15T19:32:02Z")
Anybody else catch this last night? I caught by sheer dumb luck. I don’t recall seeing any promos for this show. Anyway, I liked it. The characters are all likable and a good story line. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zero-hour-new-series-on-abc/650424/2 "2013-02-15T19:49:57Z")
No spoilers, but talk about a lot stuffed into a first episode-this show moves fast! ---
**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:** [February 15, 2013, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zero-hour-new-series-on-abc/650424/3 "2013-02-15T21:04:27Z")
I just watched it, and it looks like it could be quite good. I’m going to give it a shot. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zero-hour-new-series-on-abc/650424/4 "2013-02-16T17:57:12Z")
Good news is that we thought it was pretty good and would like to see what happens. Bad news is that it got the [lowest ratings for an ABC scripted show - ever](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/15/zero-hour-ratings_n_2695800.html?utm_hp_ref=tv)! So, do we continue to watch a show that might/most probably will be yanked in the next couple of weeks? I hate when they do this - start some grand series with a plot that is going to take at least a season to uncover, and then you wonder if you are going to be able to see even the second or third episode before it is taken off the air. The least they could do is make some promise to the viewing audience at the beginning of shows like this saying, “No matter what happens, we will most certainly air the entire first season and come to a conclusion.” So - do we continue to watch or do we stop now and not waste the time? ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zero-hour-new-series-on-abc/650424/5 "2013-02-16T18:01:46Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > So - do we continue to watch or do we stop now and not waste the time? If the ratings are that bad, I’d stop. [Alan Sepinwall says it’s bad but not bad enough to watch for the yuks](http://www.hitfix.com/whats-alan-watching/review-abcs-evil-nazi-clock-drama-zero-hour-isnt-quite-terrible-enough). ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zero-hour-new-series-on-abc/650424/6 "2013-02-16T18:12:30Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > Good news is that we thought it was pretty good and would like to see what happens. > > Bad news is that it got the [lowest ratings for an ABC scripted show - ever](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/15/zero-hour-ratings_n_2695800.html?utm_hp_ref=tv)! > > So, do we continue to watch a show that might/most probably will be yanked in the next couple of weeks? > > I hate when they do this - start some grand series with a plot that is going to take at least a season to uncover, and then you wonder if you are going to be able to see even the second or third episode before it is taken off the air. > > The least they could do is make some promise to the viewing audience at the beginning of shows like this saying, “No matter what happens, we will most certainly air the entire first season and come to a conclusion.” > > So - do we continue to watch or do we stop now and not waste the time? Well, gee. Maybe if they put a little money in promoting the damn thing. It figures. Every damn show I like gets canned. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zero-hour-new-series-on-abc/650424/7 "2013-02-16T18:24:43Z")
BTW, if anyone does want to see the pilot episode, I believe it is being repeated (tonight or tomorrow?) at a later hour (10:00 pm locally). ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2013, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zero-hour-new-series-on-abc/650424/8 "2013-02-17T00:14:32Z")
What is the premise? Maybe I’ll watch tonight. ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2013, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zero-hour-new-series-on-abc/650424/9 "2013-02-17T00:20:47Z")
[According to adweek under a headline that read in part “Less than Zero”](http://www.adweek.com/news/television/less-zero-abc-drama-bows-record-low-ratings-147346): > [@](#): > > Per Nielsen live-plus-same-day data, [_Zero Hour_](http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/zero-hour) bowed to 6.38 million viewers and a 1.4 rating in the 18-49 demo, marking ABC’s all-time lowest in-season scripted series debut. But such is the state of broadcast television that _Zero Hour_’s premiere stands as only the third-worst showing among the Big Four’s 23 new scripted efforts. Season to date, CBS’ [_Made in Jersey_](http://www.adweek.com/news/television/fuhgeddaboudit-cbs-cancels-made-jersey-144364) (1.1) and NBC’s [_Do No Harm_](http://www.adweek.com/news/television/nbc-bumps-do-no-harm-147193) (0.9) have put up tinier demos—and both shows were canceled after two episodes. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2013, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zero-hour-new-series-on-abc/650424/10 "2013-02-17T00:21:12Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > What is the premise? Maybe I’ll watch tonight. Have you ever seen National Treasure? It’s like that. Only except way better done. And their “Holy Grail” so to speak is the main guy’s wife who gets kidnapped. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2013, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zero-hour-new-series-on-abc/650424/11 "2013-02-17T14:07:03Z")
We wanted to watch it, but it was up against Community and Big Bang Theory. Hell, ABC might as well have advertised it with the tagline “Eh, don’t bother. We’re going to kill it before anything gets resolved.” We saw it on Hulu the next morning, and… it’s not bad. Could be interesting… but since ABC’s apparently already decided it won’t make it, there’s really no point in trying to watch it, is there? ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2013, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zero-hour-new-series-on-abc/650424/12 "2013-02-17T22:19:59Z")
I saw it a while ago (it was on ABC’s web site weeks ago) and didn’t much care for it. It seemed to be a mix of **National Treasure** and **The Da Vinci Code**. Biggest issue? Sorry, but just kill the wife. Internationally known terrorist and possible anti-Christ has killed hundreds of people, and he’s going to feed the kidnapped wife all season when he’s already gotten what he was after from her because… she’s the main character’s wife? Keep her alive and it’s bad writing. Kill her and the main character has just as much motivation for unraveling the plot and chasing down the bad guy. Which makes more sense than the FBI agent character, who quit her job as a social worker in her 30s and became an FBI agent to pursue ONE guy on a personal vendetta, and the government LET her. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zero-hour-new-series-on-abc/650424/13 "2013-02-18T18:27:02Z")
Well, there were many small inaccuracies. I’ll list some later. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zero-hour-new-series-on-abc/650424/14 "2013-02-19T18:03:33Z")
I thought about giving it a look, but the overwhelming blast of negativity from all of the reviews caused me to decide that it probably wasn’t worth it. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zero-hour-new-series-on-abc/650424/15 "2013-02-19T21:37:35Z")
I recorded it, but I found Anthony Edward’s acting grating and wound up fast-forwarding through most of it. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zero-hour-new-series-on-abc/650424/16 "2013-02-19T22:12:36Z")
I’m a sucker for that kind of show and I like Anthony Edwards. But it will stay on the DVR until I see if they give it a chance. ---
**Author:** ![rwilliams759](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/54ee81/32.png) [@rwilliams759](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rwilliams759)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2013, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zero-hour-new-series-on-abc/650424/17 "2013-02-23T20:56:41Z")
Just caught the show on demand. For a show supposedly based on church and religious history (like the Da Vinci Code), you would think that the writers would have access to a Bible. Twice it referred to Luke as one of the origional 12 Apostles. He never was! Also it has a priest quote Luke 4:22 which was never even close to what the actual verse is! This seems like pure stupidity. ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2013, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zero-hour-new-series-on-abc/650424/18 "2013-02-23T21:10:30Z")
Looked like an interesting series, but also on the cancellation radar already, so I will have to wait and see if ABC gives it a chance before I will. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2013, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zero-hour-new-series-on-abc/650424/19 "2013-02-23T21:28:07Z")
I saw the second episode after my wife clued me in to the first.\* There was no cliche left untouched, no character idiocy that was front and center, no technobabble too ridiculous to throw out. I gave up watching **Community** to see it. **Community** has gone down in quality, but could never be this bad. A really stupid show that I won’t be watching again. \*Not that you needed any background, since the show took from every supernatural/sci fi/adventure film and TV show in the last 30 years, so there was nothing that wasn’t depressingly familiar. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zero-hour-new-series-on-abc/650424/20 "2013-02-26T13:09:22Z")
> [@rwilliams759](#): > > Just caught the show on demand. For a show supposedly based on church and religious history (like the Da Vinci Code), you would think that the writers would have access to a Bible. Twice it referred to Luke as one of the origional 12 Apostles. He never was! Also it has a priest quote Luke 4:22 which was never even close to what the actual verse is! This seems like pure stupidity. Or that they work for “Modern Skeptic” magazine but are open to all sorts of supernatural things. It seems like if it were successful, it’s one of those shows that could go on for a long, long time and have more “character development” and “flashback” episodes that don’t progress the story at all, but just fill in the episode quota for the season. That said, it’s good background TV while doing something else and they should move it to a Friday night slot instead. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zero-hour-new-series-on-abc/650424.md?page=2)