I don’t really know why television networks even bother going through all of the trouble to test out their new shows. Really, all they need to do is leave it up to me. If I like it, it will probably be canceled. If I don’t like it, it will probably live on the air for 10+ years and will likely spawn spin-offs. That’s not to say that I always have crappy taste in television shows; I have liked many, many shows that were quite successful. I loved LOST. 30 Rock, Mad Men, Dexter, Modern Family. See? All commercially well-liked.
But, okay, here’s the thing. My So-Called Life. Life Unexpected. October Road. Arrested Development. Freaks and Geeks. Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Once and Again. Everwood. Sports Night. American Dreams. The OC.Â
Canceled. All of them. Too Soon.
And not only did I like all of these shows. I LOVED them.
I like my shows like I like my books—character-driven. All of these shows had it. But audiences want something else, I guess.
I mourned each loss and wondered how shows like ER—which completely lost any sense of quality television for me the minute Mark Greene died—went on to create too many seasons of crappy television. Grey’s Anatomy? Really? Why do we all watch this show—it’s not even good. It hasn’t been good since the end of season 2. I guess it’s because I’m committed to these shows and will watch them all the way to their usually two-seasons-too-late demises. If you need any sort of proof, I am still watching One Tree Hill and The Office.
So, I can’t say I was at all surprised when NBC gave its new 1960s show The Playboy Club the axe after airing only three episodes. I can’t say that I loved the show. I was certainly intrigued after the first episode. I even found Eddie Cibrian’s Dop Draper impression likable, which shocked surprised me, because, well, he’s Eddie Cibrian. But my interest was piqued; and I was certainly willing to give it at least a half-season chance, unlike X-Factor, which I quit after episode 1 (Thanks, Simon Cowell, for bringing us American Idol AGAIN.) and Ringer, which I quit before episode 1 was even over. And don’t even get me started on Whitney.
So, I can only assume that because I was watching, it got the boot. Which means exactly one thing, I’m thinking: I know what else is getting canceled.
Hart of Dixie and Pan Am.
Because I love them.
I am probably picking the wrong shows. Based on the number of shows with acronyms for titles—NCIS, CSI, CSI COLON CITY OF YOUR CHOICE, SVU—maybe if Pan Am was called FTFS (Fly the Friendly Skies) or LBDT (Look But Don’t Touch) or DFTWYG (Don’t Forget to Wear Your Girdle) or something, it would stand a better change at getting picked up for a whole season. What am I even thinking? It’s already doomed. I’m cursed, or something.
Sorry, Christina Ricci. You might be out of a job soon. But the good news is that maybe you can get a part on CSI: Detroit or something. You’ll probably have a job for the next 18 years or so.
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