[firehawk12]

Yeah, Canadian hur, and on ABC Family & on our equivalent, ABC Spark, all of the commercials featured "from Amy Sherman-Palladino, the creator of Gilmore Girls" on them. I've definitely seen people online saying they'll check it out based on that alone. Still, ABC Family's management is atrocious and I have no idea how long the show will last because of it. I'm just going to enjoy the ride and be incredibly sad/angry if it's cancelled.

Heh. I really don't know anything about ABC Family. Do they have a history of killing shows quickly?

[anaron]

Heh. I really don't know anything about ABC Family. Do they have a history of killing shows quickly?

Their very best ones (Greek aside) have all been cancelled prematurely. But what they usually do to fuck up their ratings is have individual seasons split throughout the year, broken apart by like, 5 month hiatuses. Summer is usually the only time their show's seem to do well at all because of the little competition.


So in Bunheads favour, it has that and all of the network's other shows performing quite poorly at the moment.

[Memles]

Heh. I really don't know anything about ABC Family. Do they have a history of killing shows quickly?

Shows in general? Not really - they're no more finicky than other basic cable outlets on the whole.

However, they're a bit quicker killing shows that are really good but off-brand for the network, not fitting into the comfortable boxes of the teen girl demo the network has come to value. Specifically, The Middleman (a really great sci-fi comedy) and Huge (a really sharp teen drama) were two shows critical communities embraced but were eventually too low-rated to survive alongside more "buzzworthy" entries like Pretty Little Liars or The Secret Life of the American Teenager.

Bunheads is at a weird intersection, in that the pilot is very much about Michelle, but the demo of the network is clearly aiming more toward the teen girls who are underdeveloped. Accordingly, some critics (quite rightfully) have questions about how that balance will be struck in the future, acknowledging that they're much more interested in Michelle/Fanny than in the girls, and the network's track record is such that you could imagine the show getting gradually pushed in that direction.

Which, on some level, is just the consequence of the network. Switched at Birth, one of their stronger shows at the moment, always feels like it's compromising something, but the good parts (specifically the use of sign language and the investigation of deafness in a teenage context) are strong enough to make the show worth checking out (it's on Netflix). The question, I suppose, is whether Bunheads can be successful enough among young audiences without comprising the parts of the show that seem so sharp in the pilot.

The jury's out until we see ratings, and until we see next week's episode, but that's out of our hands at this point.

[anaron]

^ Also, what he said. :P

[Sloane]

Isn't Kelly Bishop a regular? Her and Alan Ruck were credited as guest stars?

[anaron]

Isn't Kelly Bishop a regular? Her and Alan Ruck were credited as guest stars?

She isn't technically a regular but she is essentially being treated as one. Alan Ruck however, kinda can't following this episode...

[HiroProtagonist]

It looks like Amy is back in true-form after that shitty Fox show. It's a shame she has such a terrible time naming shows. Bunheads? really?

As for ABC Family - they've had huge success with Gilmore Girls re-runs (it's always on), so i doubt they will be quick to axe a show that feels so similar (with at least 3 GG regulars) by the creator.

Amy writing small town quirky, plus Sutton Foster (so nice, and so talented) mean I'm in for the season.

[Clevinger]

I really liked this. The main actress is great.

[Like the hat?]

Got to watch 5 minutes before my dvr recording completely freezes. Ugh. Fucking Comcast.

Hope to catch it on a repeat. Gilmore Girls is one of my favorite shows ever.

[Sloane]

She isn't technically a regular but she is essentially being treated as one. Alan Ruck however, kinda can't following this episode...

Yeah, I wrote that while watching. His fate wasn't made entirely clear though?

Liked the pilot although the similarities to Gilmore Girls are bit too obvious for my taste. The actress even looks like Lorelai and wears almost the same clothes. Weird.

[BenjaminBirdie]

Halfway through the pilot but the Godzilla bit was all I needed.

SHERM'S BACK.

[Dynamite Ringo Matsuri]

I enjoyed GG back in the day, didn't know Amy had a new show in the works

[ivysaur12]

Don't mean to rain on everyone's parade but...

0.6 premiere. :-\

[firehawk12]

Don't mean to rain on everyone's parade but... 0.6 premiere. :-\

What do ABC Family shows typically get?

[BenjaminBirdie]

What do ABC Family shows typically get?

0.61 lol

No idea actually but, yeah

[anaron]

Don't mean to rain on everyone's parade but... 0.6 premiere. :-\

Isn't that alright though considering Secret Life's similar ratings as a lead-in?


For reference: SECRET LIFE/AMERICAN TEEN FAM 8:00 PM 1677 0.7

vs

Bunheads FAM 9:00 PM 1637 0.6

[ivysaur12]

Series premieres of ABC Family shows currently on the air:

The Secret Life of the American Teenager: --
Pretty Little Liars: 0.9/2.466 million
Melissa & Joey: 1.0/2.145 million
Switched at Birth: 1.3/3.304 million
The Lying Game: 0.5/1.386 million
Jane By Design: 0.6/1.612 million

(now canceled):

The Nine Lives of Chloe King: 0.7/2.171 million
Huge: 0.9/2.533 million
State of Georgia: 0.6/1.317 million

[anaron]

Series premieres of ABC Family shows currently on the air: The Secret Life of the American Teenager: -- Pretty Little Liars: 0.9/2.466 million Melissa & Joey: 1.0/2.145 million Switched at Birth: 1.3/3.304 million The Lying Game: 0.5/1.386 million Jane By Design: 0.6/1.612 million (now canceled): The Nine Lives of Chloe King: 0.7/2.171 million Huge: 0.9/2.533 million State of Georgia: 0.6/1.317 million

Yeah it could go either way. I guess the best thing to hope for is stability more than anything.

[anaron]

Promo for the second episode "For Fanny" is up.

[ivysaur12]

Yeah it could go either way. I guess the best thing to hope for is stability more than anything.

Pretty much.

[anaron]

Via Joe Adalian: Bunheads pretty much flopped Monday. Averaged a 1.0 in W18-34, retaining barely 65% of its SLATC lead-in (1.6). In W12-34, 2.1--1.3 (-38%)


Sigh.

[ivysaur12]

Via Joe Adalian: Bunheads pretty much flopped Monday. Averaged a 1.0 in W18-34, retaining barely 65% of its SLATC lead-in (1.6). In W12-34, 2.1--1.3 (-38%) Sigh.

Bad name + older star + weird premise = Does she do ballet? Is it about her life after this old man? Is about her as a showgirl? All three?

I'm disappointed, not surprised.

[Rafa=FedKilla]

Fuck Americans with Nielsen boxes for not watching this show. I can't get hurt like this again...I just can't......

[BenjaminBirdie]

Finished the primo. Brilliant.

But easily the worst named tv show since Lottery$

[Clevinger]

Don't mean to rain on everyone's parade but... 0.6 premiere. :-\

Parade officially rained on. Good job.

[destrudo]

I really have no idea if this show is going to survive.

The only reason I watched the pilot was because it was getting such good reviews. Even then I was pretty hesitant because of the awful title and the uninteresting description of the show. Thankfully I watched it anyways, and within the first 10 minutes I was pretty much sold.

I really hope general viewers won't dismiss it for the same reasons I almost did. Sadly I doubt many people care enough about critical opinion that they'll overlook their negative impressions.

Based on those ratings though, I guess I already have my answer.

[anaron]

AVClub will be covering the series and they give the pilot a 'B.'

&

Entertainment Weekly's Ken Tucker: Summer TV just got dreamier, dancier

[Sloane]

Don't really care about the ratings, it's not like the show requires a huge investment. If it ends after one season, too bad. I'll keep watching.

[ivysaur12]

Finished the primo. Brilliant. But easily the worst named tv show since Lottery$

Terriers.

The title is really, really bad. What were they thinking letting Amy keep it?

[anaron]

Terriers. The title is really, really bad. What were they thinking letting Amy keep it?

lol, they were probably afraid she'd walk out over it.



So, it looks like there's a controversy brewing over Shonda Rhimes tweeting about the show's lack of diversity. It's a totally valid point, but I think it's also just a little premature based on a pilot episode. Let's see what the season has in store, maybe?

[Lothars]

I watched the Pilot again and I really like it and hope that the ratings don't get it canceled right away.

[anaron]

I watched the Pilot again and I really like it and hope that the ratings don't get it canceled right away.

They usually don't decide until their series have fully aired, so I think we'll be ok in that regard.

[BenjaminBirdie]

Terriers. The title is really, really bad. What were they thinking letting Amy keep it?

How is Terriers worse than a show with an UNPRONOUNCABLE dollar sign in it? Did you ever see Lottery$? It don't sound like you did.

[Mitsurux]

Yeah, I wrote that while watching. His fate wasn't made entirely clear though? Liked the pilot although the similarities to Gilmore Girls are bit too obvious for my taste. The actress even looks like Lorelai and wears almost the same clothes. Weird.

Agree, the similarities are almost TOO muich for me (my wife and i both being fans of gilmore girls), 2 cast memebers that were a part of Gilmore girls, small town, etc. etc.

Heck even the banter between the mother that the main chracter reminds me of Gilmore girls (could partly be because the mother is the SAME Actress in both series!!)

The plot set up i found extrememly rushed, the cliff hanger completely silly when you consider that you were just introduced to the character...

This could (and probably should have) been expanded into 2 or even 3 episodes...or use some other method to get the main chracter to move to the small town.

With all that said with certain "things" out of the way.. the story could get interesting... we will be watching the next episode.

[anaron]

Bunheads was one of the winners for the California tax credit lottery, so I'm wondering if maybe that will help keep it around a bit longer?

[Rafa=FedKilla]

lol, they were probably afraid she'd walk out over it. So, it looks like there's a controversy brewing over Shonda Rhimes tweeting about the show's lack of diversity. It's a totally valid point, but I think it's also just a little premature based on a pilot episode. Let's see what the season has in store, maybe?

What's going on with this brah? Brah's got like three doctor shows and n0ne of the leads are minorities? Work on your own shit for lonely housewives Shonda.

[firehawk12]

Wow, you know, I was so into Sherman-Palladino world that I didn't even notice that the cast was pretty much all white. lol

[ivysaur12]

What's going on with this brah? Brah's got like three doctor shows and n0ne of the leads are minorities? Work on your own shit for lonely housewives Shonda.

???

[Rafa=FedKilla]

I was referring to the the three doctor show the brah had with only a random black woman. If the lack of diversity of this brahs show gave the brah massive succes then Shona shouldn't complain when a show ins't diverse. yes I know Shonda is black.

[firehawk12]

Brah?

[ivysaur12]

I was referring to the the three doctor show the brah had with only a random black woman. If the lack of diversity of this brahs show gave the brah massive succes then Shona shouldn't complain when a show ins't diverse. yes I know Shonda is black.

She has two doctor shows. The male lead on Private Practice (Taye Diggs) is black.

[Rafa=FedKilla]

She has two doctor shows. The male lead on Private Practice (Taye Diggs) is black.

The low rating for the premiere is really getting to my head and bothering me....

[anaron]

Clip from the second episode - Memorial service.

[Tim the Wiz]

I was referring to the the three doctor show the brah had with only a random black woman. If the lack of diversity of this brahs show gave the brah massive succes then Shona shouldn't complain when a show ins't diverse. yes I know Shonda is black.

Wait, do you think Kerry Washington is Shonda? Scandal, a Shonda Rhimes show, is the first network TV show with a black female lead. She only has the two doctor shows, last time I checked with my aunt.

And if I remember early Grey's Anatomy - I think I watched a few episodes when it was being marketed as the heir apparent to ER - then there was an Asian, and at least three black, regular supporting actors. Don't like her soap opera-style of television much, but I don't see diversity as being something absent in her shows. Also, when speaking to lack of diversity, it would be cool to see the lack of Asian and Hispanic representation kept in mind, when the intentionally-broad term "people of colour" is mentioned, too.

Otherwise, you need to define "brah". I'm not the only one puzzled, right?

[anaron]

^ LOL, nope.

What do people think of the show killing off Hubbell? For me, Fanny and Michelle's interaction was the strongest part of the pilot, so I'm perfectly fine with the show being left to them. The impulsive marriage aspect of the show was the one thing I kinda dreaded and while it was executed well (and thankfully, not shown to be something romantic) I'd rather it not tie down the show.

[ivysaur12]

Wait, do you think Kerry Washington is Shonda? Scandal, a Shonda Rhimes show, is the first network TV show with a black female lead. She only has the two doctor shows, last time I checked with my aunt. And if I remember early Grey's Anatomy - I think I watched a few episodes when it was being marketed as the heir apparent to ER - then there was an Asian, and at least three black, regular supporting actors. Don't like her soap opera-style of television much, but I don't see diversity as being something absent in her shows. Also, when speaking to lack of diversity, it would be cool to see the lack of Asian and Hispanic representation kept in mind, when the intentionally-broad term "people of colour" is mentioned, too. Otherwise, you need to define "brah". I'm not the only one puzzled, right?

Err...



ABC, 1950-1952. 87 episodes.

[Like the hat?]

Finally got to watch the pilot and it reminded me that I miss Gilmore Girls.

I liked it. Hope it sticks around.

[Tim the Wiz]

Err... http://i.imgur.com/ifZnp.jpg ABC, 1950-1952. 87 episodes. http://i.imgur.com/3uL0d.jpg

My mistake, the first since 1974.

[ivysaur12]

My mistake, the first since 1974.

The solution is not so easy as “Can’t her best friend be black?”—a question that is posed in a blunt, funny scene on “The L.A. Complex,” the new Canadian-made CW series about aspiring Hollywood entertainers. An aging white actress, informed that the “best friend” role she wanted to try out for would be cast black to “really reflect reality,” blurts out, “I mean, who has a black best friend, right? Like, in real life, if you’re trying to be all authentic?” She turns to the room full of unsmiling black actresses and asks, “Do any of you have a white best friend? No? Right.” (“The L.A. Complex” makes its own breakthrough in the next episode: a hot kiss between two black men.)

This was so perfect.

[anaron]

This was so perfect.

Ugh, why does this show not have an audience?