Some ardent junkies never ever leave their widescreens because so many exciting shows get broadcast week in and week out on US TV. Little beknownst to them, however, these choice shows are but the lucky survivors of a brutal Darwinian whittling process. You see, prior to each season, studio execs screen a multitude of pilot shows. They cull the pap and spoon off the cream of the viewing gems. Thus, alas, many a great show never sees the light of daytime, much less primetime, TV.
I thought to bring this viewing tyranny to an end and give you, the discerning public, the opportunity to possibly rescue a few of these top flight TV shows by creating a word of mouth campaign or an email blizzard to bring them back into the popular consciousness.
The first show that got unfairly and summarily axed was “CSI Billings,” a fast-paced drama about a team of forensic investigators trained to solve crimes by examining the evidence … in Billings, Montana. They are on the case 24/7, scouring the scene, collecting the irrefutable evidence and hootin it up at the local dive bar, usually too drunk to put together the missing the pieces that will solve the mystery. Interestingly enough, CBS originally pitched this as a “Reality CSI” series to augment their CSI franchise.
The next show to find the cutting floor rather than a coveted spot on the Food Network’s schedule is Rachael Ray’s “Cooking your Pets.” This idea was originally proposed to extend her bubbly franchise hits like “Cooking on $40 a Day,” “30-Minute Meals,” “Inside Dish,” and her syndicated daytime show. While the show pilot got subpar ratings in the US, it played very well in certain East Asian countries.
Next to get bobbited was primetime soap with a truly contemporary take on the “happily ever after,” “Desperate 2nd Cousins” takes a darkly comedic look at suburbia, where the secret lives of kissing cousins aren’t always what they seem.
The series began with Mary Jo leaving her perfect house, in the loveliest of suburbs, and ending it all. Now she takes us into the lives of her family, friends and neighbors on Histeria Lane, commenting from her elevated P.O.V. You know the axiom about Hollywood – “nothing new under the sun” this little experimental show was viewed by many audiences as too sophisticated for the average “Desperate Housewives” fan.
Well, if any of these shows catch your passing fancy then I suggest you get your stalk on and call, email and otherwise harass the offending network (execs) until they agree to reinstate the shows to their upcoming Spring slate.
Do you watch much TV?
What are your favorite shows?
27 Responses
Yes. I watch TV and no I don’t think that means I’m going to hell or that the TV will send me there
“House” is my all time favorite– there is NO better show on TV!! A new must-see for myself is “The Mentalist”.
Posted on November 12th, 2008 at 11:55 am
ah, my kids are house freaks and occasionally drag me into it
Posted on November 12th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Well Charlie, you have extremely brilliant kids and should watch it more regularly
I think you’d adore Dr. House 
Posted on November 12th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Yes, I watch TV . . . I don’t know if it is too much, but I do have my shows (CSI’s, House, a few others). New big screen with HD so TV is once again fun. Loved this blog. Hilarious. Glad to see you writing.
Daniel in Mount Juliet, TN
Posted on November 12th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
thank you oh joyful poet
Posted on November 12th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
bobbited!? that’s too funny! is it your creation or did you barrow it?
i only watch a few shows regularly.. i love Heroes and Amazing Race. used to love Sex in the City and Six Feet Under, but after those series ended i ended my HBO subscription. i’ve seen a few episodes of Weeds and like it, but i will just rent it instead of paying for Showtime. when i feel like vegging-out i’ve been tuning into Palidia a HD music channel… they have some pretty good live shows:)
Posted on November 12th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
i shakespeare’d that bobbit …. which means turning a noun into a verb with a bardish touch …
Posted on November 12th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
I have started to stray from my usual CSI/House/Bones to shows like Top Design, Top Chef, Project Runway, etc. I really have no idea why. Just don’t tell anyone
Posted on November 12th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
project runway??????
Posted on November 12th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
I am hooked on MSNBC. Thought I would be able to break the habit after the election, but nooooo….
Posted on November 12th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
are you ‘in love’ with keith olberman???
Posted on November 12th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
We miss American TV now we are back in the UK. Thanks for making us a friend.
X
Posted on November 12th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
ah yes
Do you prefer the US or UK version of “The Office”?
Posted on November 12th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
How dare they blow off “Desperate 2nd Cousins”….
Posted on November 12th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
i share your umbrage
Posted on November 12th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
i think i’d like “Cooking Rachael Ray” the best!! i loathe that person tremendously!!
Posted on November 12th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
yes
with fava beans
and a nice chianti ….
Posted on November 12th, 2008 at 6:55 pm
I watch CNN most of the time… I like cage fighting too… Not sure they have anything in common but that’s what I watch!!!
How about the old cook book joke: “101 ways to wok your dog” huh???
Posted on November 12th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
how about wolf blitzer in a cage fight … that would be cool
Posted on November 12th, 2008 at 10:18 pm
Nope, kissing cousins are always exactly what they seem. I have yet to be surprised by a 2nd cousin in any respect.
Sex Mahoney for President
Posted on November 13th, 2008 at 3:23 am
I watch mostly news, movies, and talk shows on TV, then round it out with whatever catches my interest on a particular day or season. I rarely just sit there and watch it though - there’s got to be a combination of Internet usage, eating, etc. going on at the same time. My favorite is Colbert, hands down.
Posted on November 13th, 2008 at 7:58 am
Now this is the kind of “JD blog” that pulled me in and got me hooked on Myspace (on your blogs) (seriously!). Kind of like those entrepreneurial blogs you’ve written….just something about them that you can relate to on some level, but are edgy at the same time.
Anyway, yes, I do have my shows that I watch, but it comes and goes with me. I (no lie) went 6 months straight without watching any TV. In fact, that wasn’t too long ago….not last summer, but the summer before. I went the entire summer and then some, without watching anything. That’s actually when I stopped watching the Today Show, so it’s kind of not been a good thing, since that was my news connection to the latest happenings…so I’ve sort of been out of tune with the world lately (among many other ways but won’t go into those at the moment).
CSI is one show that I like, though, the Las Vegas version….although I don’t actually watch it when it’s on…I buy the DVD once the season is over. I heard that Grissom is no longer going to be on the show, so if you’re a CSI fan you know that’s pretty much going to be the end of it. Eh, oh well….I’m sure some other show will swoop in and take its place for a few years until they get canceled, too.
What about you? You probably don’t watch much boob tube, but what have you been forced to watch because of your kids?
Posted on November 13th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
So alas i cut the cable years ago and only get my tv fix on dvd or the internet … i know i’m a luddite in a fast paced evolving world.
Posted on November 13th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
I do not watch much tv, a little news on the weekend, sci-fi channel, food channel, BBC America. My favorite show these days is Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares.
Posted on November 15th, 2008 at 12:19 am
do they have a star trek channel?
Posted on November 15th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
Mostly sitcoms and other comedy shows (Daily Show, Colbert, etc.) and then random odd things that show up as I’m flipping through the channels. For my money, nothing beats the randomly-scheduled “When Animals Attack.” That show should be on every night. Even if it’s a rerun.
(By the way, thanks for the add to your blogroll. I reciprocated.)
Posted on November 17th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
ah love Daily Colbert
and thx!
Posted on November 17th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
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