I'm just saying...

I was browsing the internet the other day when I happened upon this article about some questions that the president of CBS faced about it's programming decisions. Specifically, the idea that viewers will turn off of serialized television shows because networks cancel the shows without wrapping up the storylines, which then alienates viewers. The president of CBS' reaction was mystification at the suggestion, which frankly mystifies me! Hello! I think that is a concern that networks should take seriously.

Let's take Invasion as an example. (I know, it wasn't a CBS show...that's not my point.) Did NBC ever explain the mystery of the show? Did they satisfy their viewers at the end of the one and only season? I don't know...I bugged out. The show was struggling and networks don't have the guts to stay with shows that struggle. I could see the writing on the wall--why would I allow myself to be left hanging? So, I do make decisions about whether or not to watch shows based on whether or not I think they are going to make it to a second season. I don't want to be betrayed as a viewer anymore.

For that matter, I'm still holding a grudge about the crappy endings of some long running shows to which I was loyal. Anybody remember how horrible the finale of Quantum Leap was? Poor Sam is still out there leaping from lifetime to lifetime. All because they wanted to leave the show open for a theatrical offering. (When did that movie ever get made? Oh yeah--never.) What about the awful finale of Roseanne when Roseanne was allowed to kill off Dan? Wow--that was a crummy way to reward viewer loyalty which hung with the show in a lousy last season. I also haven't forgotten the bizarro world that Twins Peaks decended into when it's creativity raced ahead of good story telling and it petered out with a whimper. Did we ever find out who killed Laura? Was there a girl named Laura? Who can remember. I'm just saying--networks need to be getting viewers on their side, not alienating them into cable-world.

Meanwhile, PSYCH, the new show on USA is awesome. I highly recommend it. I love Dule Hill and was thrilled to see him in a new show so quickly. But more, it's clever with wonderful characters and the dialogue is smart and witty. I still trust USA because look at their history with other shows like Monk, I'm pretty confident that I can commit to Psych.