It’s really starting to look that way, and I find it rather surprising. Did anyone  see it coming? I like Mark Feuerstein and everything, but my best guess was that the show would enjoy modest success and work as a nice companion to the bigger hit, Burn Notice. So far, that’s just not the case. Last week, Burn Notice (5.8m/1.9) was back to usual levels, but Royal Pains (6.5m/2.1) was up, again. Where will it stop? Meanwhile, on the broadcast networks, it was more of the same. Lots of repeats, and much of the original programming left something to be desired where the numbers were concerned. Read the rest of this entry »

Oh, how I’ll miss my weekly dose of Banks and Delahoy. I really don’t understand why The Unusuals didn’t make it to season two. All about the numbers game, I suppose.

At any rate, I’ll just take this opportunity to say that I loved the show, loved all the characters, and will miss it. Since we won’t have another episode, rather than talk about the guy who broke into apartments making porn movies, or Shraeger and Walsh’s conversation about her being a “she-male,” I’ll just use this wrap-up post for a few of the great quotes in the final episode:

“Wanna do the ostrich?” – Shraeger, approaching a suspect
“No, let’s do the frisky beaver.” – Walsh

“So, we get to spend all day and night watching porn. We’ve been preparing for this moment since the day we were 13.” – Delahoy
“What? I don’t wanna watch porn without you.” – Banks
“That is maybe the gayest thing you’ve ever said to me, in a long list of gay things you’ve said.” – Delahoy

That didn’t take long. When Conan debuted on the Tonight Show, his premiere soundly defeated Letterman. Of course, as expected, the curiosity of the premiere wore off immediately, and the numbers began to drop. Things really got interesting last week as we started seeing the first signs that the late night war is back on. In week 2 for Conan, Letterman actually managed to win a couple nights in the overnight household ratings. NBC is quick to point out that Conan is still tops in the younger demos.

While that is true, it’s worth noting that the last time Letterman managed to top Leno in the overnights was some eight months ago. Considering that the late night shows operate on scales of years, it’s way too early to declare a winner. However, it all does serve to make the late night ratings race, one which Leno had pretty much owned for years, very interesting again. Elsewhere this week, more good news for cable, from The Closer, Burn Notice, and Royal Pains. Back on the networks, The Bachelorette and I’m A Celebrity squared off again, the dancing kids were winners for FOX, and even without Lebron, the NBA was very good to ABC. Read the rest of this entry »

Yes, the boys over at USA earned the headline this week. There just really wasn’t that much to talk about where the networks were concerned. For example, CBS was the most watched network on three different nights, with a combination of repeats and one episode of Million Dollar Password.  It was much more interesting seeing the press release from USA that revealed Burn Notice had 6 million viewers for the season premiere. Royal Pains was right on pace with 5.6 million. It will be interesting to see if Royal Pains can stay that close as the weeks progress. After the jump, it’s the NBA vs the NHL, So You Think You Can Dance vs Wipeout, and I’m A Celebrity vs the basic common sense of viewers. Read the rest of this entry »

We’ve talked about it before, but it’s worth bringing up again as we kick off the summer viewing season. The various CBS crime shows don’t get all the sexy press coverage that things like Grey’s Anatomy, Lost, or Heroes do, but they still manage to compete very well in new episodes. Where they really shine though, is in repeats.

This past week saw CBS as the most watched network, despite only having three hours of non-repeat programming. Even better, with only repeats, they were able to win the demo on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday. If you really want to see the power of CBS crimetime, an NCIS repeat on USA was the highest rated scripted show on cable last week, trailing basketball and wrestling. Even better, NCIS was number 6 in the top 20 cable programs. Cable watchers do love their Gibbs. Read the rest of this entry »

I’m really not that big on cop shows. I guess maybe NYPD Blue was the last one I watched on a regular basis. But The Unusuals was really starting to grow on me.

I liked the goofy characters, each with their own issues. I liked the music and the cases each week, especially things like “the murder store.” Banks and Delahoy were headed for pop culture stardom, but now that dream’s been cut horribly short.

Read the rest of this entry »

A few months back, I took cursor to digital paper and wrote an ode to shows that I’ve lost over the years. With yet another network television season complete, I believe it’s time to revisit that list, and add an addendum cataloging the massacre that accompanies the close of each season.

For all of you still out there fighting the good fight for these shows, this should in no way be seen as final. I’d love to come back and correct myself. So, keep sending those watches, bulletproof vests, lottery tickets, live butterflies, pitchforks, or whatever else you can think of. But, if this is the end, I figure now’s as good a time as any to pay my respects. And, if you’re wondering why the following’s light on the jokes … the fresher the wound, the deeper the hurt.

I’ve already written about the plight of The Unusuals. A lot of people have applied the show’s title to the conceit, and either used it as a pro or a con for what they see as different or ordinary, respectively. The only thing “unusual” about the show was the following: it was great from the get go. Sure, each character had a quirk, and there was an otherwise infrequently seen mix of excitement and comedy to the scripts, but what stood out the most for me was honestly how enjoyable an hour it was to spend in front of my television. I’d absolutely love to see it live to air another day (beyond closing out the episodes already in the can), but if it’s not to be, at least it went out as great from beginning to end. Read the rest of this entry »