Broadcast networks continue to struggle; Empire top-rated 18-49 show of night nationally Wednesday night, NBC’s Chicago shows returned with their season premieres. But it was the Chicago Cubs who beat the Chicago-based dramas on their own home turf. Fueled by their chase for the NL Central championship, the Cubs game from Wrigley Field topped all prime-time programs in viewership in […]
Tim Allen? Vicki Lawrence? The once edgy Fox brand is history as the network retools to attract older audiences Fox announced its 2018-19 schedule and it is a radical departure from what it was in years past. In the 1990s, Fox was synonymous with “hip, edgy programming” with The Simpsons, Beverly Hills 90210, In Living Color, and Melrose Place dominating […]
But Rick and Morty gets a major pickup With the upfronts next week, the major networks are jockeying for position and clearing out the deadwood to make room for new shows. In the past, the Thursday and Friday before the upfronts see numerous show cancellations, and this year is no different. On Thursday, Fox shook up its comedy lineup by […]
Empire tops in national ratings (Editor’s Note: Excluding the Cubs number, these are final adults 18-49 ratings.) While yours truly should talk about Wednesday night’s prime-time ratings race, you can’t ignore the fact the Chicago Cubs’ return to the postseason is going to have an impact on the broadcast networks. TBS is happy given they have rights to the NLDS […]
Struggling network goes heavy on sci-fi, picks up Seth MacFarlane show Fox released its 2017-18 schedule this morning in advance of its upfront presentation Monday afternoon and has considerable changes throughout the schedule. The biggest move, Wednesday night sees the once-hot Empire move an hour earlier to accommodate the return of Star, the show that temporally replaced it last winter. […]
Also: CBS/Viacom merger dead; Hairspray Live! earns decent reviews and ratings; Alan Thicke dies Remember the message Jonathon Brandmeier put up on his website back two months ago when he said ” [We’ll] continue on the air until it’s officially over – or until they literally pull the plug?” Well, they just did. Cumulus and Westwood One abruptly pulled the plug on Brandmeier’s […]
Four new series in fall; the rest in midseason. Editor’s Note: Fox made an important schedule change after the Upfronts took place, involving Pitch, Bones, and Prison Break. This article is being rewritten to reflect the changes. I also have some thoughts about Pitch. -T.H. Fox released its 2016-17 programming schedule Monday morning in advance of its upfront presentation the […]