NBC Shows ‘Chuck’ Some Love in the Face of a Looming Writers’ Strike
…but just a teensy weensy bit.
Following the announcement last Tuesday of the first full pickup of the current fall season, which went to The CW’s new young-adult soap Gossip Girl, both NBC and ABC publicly stated that several of their rookie series have received orders for additional scripts.
No, in case you’re wondering, that’s nowhere near as excellent as getting the green light for an entire season. New shows have to start somewhere, though.
NBC has given all four of its freshmen series—namely Bionic Woman, Chuck, Journeyman, and Life—the go-ahead for three new scripts each, while ABC’s Cane has permission to produce four.
Not to spoil the good tidings, but these orders sound mighty measly to me, especially considering the general quality of the five shows in question. Of course, ratings are the reason. Yet, it’s no secret that, regardless of Nielsen numbers, residents of the United States are watching less broadcast television and more cable programming these days, and for good reason, too—the fare is just better on the far end of the dial for the most part.
So, what do broadcast-network execs expect? I suggest they wring as much as they can out of their decent shows now, ratings be damned, before an increasingly likely writers’ strike kicks in as early as November 1, eventually leaving U.S. TV audiences with little more than boring repeats and an onslaught of reality junk —cough!— shows.
Think the ratings for some series are bad now? Just wait until the strike gets in full swing, if it happens. Then there’ll probably be piss-poor ratings, and most definitely hordes of furious viewers and Writers Guild of America members.
Give Chuck a full season now, NBC, before it’s too late!
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