This week marks the end of shooting on episode 13 of ABC's under appreciated fantasy show Pushing Daisies.
Those are the only episodes the network ordered, and word has come through the trades that ABC will not order the back nine, which essentially means the series is at an end.
While ABC spokespeople are saying nothing, but the death of the show is a huge disappointment. Partly, though, its fall from grace can be blamed on last winters 100 day writer strike. Only 9 episodes were made before the show was shut down, and due to its complex production, no new shows could be made after the WGA strike ended. But faced with no new pilots, ABC picked the show up for a second season, but since it's return back on October 1, the show has failed to achieve its mediocre success from last year. It seems the viewers have moved on.
And sadly, it has trailed behind NBC's much lamented, and generally panned, re-do of Knight Rider (which is not a huge success in the ratings either, failing to match the ratings Bionic Woman got last year in the same time slot. And we know what happened to that show). Still, NBC picked up the show for a full season -and is revamping it for the back nine, dropping two cast members.
Daisies was one of the most creative shows on TV, sly and witty. Its a sad comment that American TV viewers would rather watch a craptacular show like Rider than one of quality and good humor.
Still, I must realize, that I'm a minority here. No-brainer TV shows like Knight Rider will always win, it seems, over intelligent and well-written, well acted programs like Pushing Daisies.
The one good aspect, if this becomes official, creator Bryan Fuller has said he’s sufficiently invested in the project to finish telling the tale of Ned, Chuck, Emerson and Olive via graphic novel or maybe a movie.
This cancellation could also help NBC's Heroes, as Fuller will probably return to the show to help shepard it through its final eight episodes (despite the firing of Jesse Alexander and Jeph Loeb last week, their stamp of approval will continue through episode 17). During its first season, Fuller was the showrunner and is credited with making the show the huge hit it was during that first year, include writing one the most critically acclaimed episodes of that season, Company Man.
Those are the only episodes the network ordered, and word has come through the trades that ABC will not order the back nine, which essentially means the series is at an end.
While ABC spokespeople are saying nothing, but the death of the show is a huge disappointment. Partly, though, its fall from grace can be blamed on last winters 100 day writer strike. Only 9 episodes were made before the show was shut down, and due to its complex production, no new shows could be made after the WGA strike ended. But faced with no new pilots, ABC picked the show up for a second season, but since it's return back on October 1, the show has failed to achieve its mediocre success from last year. It seems the viewers have moved on.
And sadly, it has trailed behind NBC's much lamented, and generally panned, re-do of Knight Rider (which is not a huge success in the ratings either, failing to match the ratings Bionic Woman got last year in the same time slot. And we know what happened to that show). Still, NBC picked up the show for a full season -and is revamping it for the back nine, dropping two cast members.
Daisies was one of the most creative shows on TV, sly and witty. Its a sad comment that American TV viewers would rather watch a craptacular show like Rider than one of quality and good humor.
Still, I must realize, that I'm a minority here. No-brainer TV shows like Knight Rider will always win, it seems, over intelligent and well-written, well acted programs like Pushing Daisies.
The one good aspect, if this becomes official, creator Bryan Fuller has said he’s sufficiently invested in the project to finish telling the tale of Ned, Chuck, Emerson and Olive via graphic novel or maybe a movie.
This cancellation could also help NBC's Heroes, as Fuller will probably return to the show to help shepard it through its final eight episodes (despite the firing of Jesse Alexander and Jeph Loeb last week, their stamp of approval will continue through episode 17). During its first season, Fuller was the showrunner and is credited with making the show the huge hit it was during that first year, include writing one the most critically acclaimed episodes of that season, Company Man.
1 comment:
It's always the shows I really like that get the axe.
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