Defying Gravity on ABC HD - Page 5

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So it is pretty unreasonable, then, that folks expect broadcasters to expend a lot of resources staging space-based dramas, given that viewers don't do their part.

Wasn't 'Star Trek - The Next Generation' a top show when it premiered? I know it was syndicated by Paramount on their UPN network, which made it a broadcast show, but I seem to remember it drew a pretty big audience at the time. Of course, that was in a pre-500 channel world as well.

Actually it was a syndicated program, not on any network. ST:Voyager was the first one owned by UPN.

Indeed, and at its height TNG pulled in 11.5 million. And as Skip pointed out, that was back in the pre-500 channel world. Even today, in the 500 channel world, the #20 television series pulls in an audience of 12.6 million.

But 11.5 million would be huge for a sci-fi program today, eh? If you don't count LOST, no sci-fi show since ST:TNG has drawn anywhere near that number. Don't recall what 'Firefly' got, but it wasn't enough to survive. For as much acclaim as BSG got, I don't think it ever drew more than 2.5-3 million.

It's worth noting that the last scheduled broadcast for the show is 9/13, which is only the 8th of 13 episodes. ABC is airing Brothers and Sisters in the time slot starting 9/27. If they show the remaining 5 episodes at all, the best we can probably hope for is a Saturday evening burn-off. It's pretty obvious that by starting it so late in the summer they were never really committed to airing all the episodes anyway and setting it up for failure, at least IMHO.

Heroes was getting 14-17 million in it's prime during the first season and second season opener.

Heroes is not "space-based".

Yes, and as a superhero fantasy, it's not what I would really consider "science fiction" at all.

If you bring Lost up in the conversation, you have to bring up Heroes. Heroes is more SF than Lost is.

You're correct: Neither show is relevant to the question I asked.

Defying Gravity suffers from being space-based.

IMO....I watch it because its space based...& I also find it entertaining. Hoping ABC contine the season & order the next one

Me too, on all accounts. My statement didn't mean to imply anything different... Defying Gravity suffers from being space-based, from a ratings and longevity perspective, not from the standpoint of being entertaining and enjoyable.

That's very true. Funny how space exploration has completely fallen off the radar for most Americans. It's been over 30 years since the public's imagination was fired up by moon landings. A show like this, even dumbed down as it is, could have succeeded then. But now? Our primary space vehicle since those halcyon days is a souped up Ryder truck ferrying supplies to a low orbiting space station that appears to have no real purpose other than as a black hole in NASA's budget and a visual aid for international diplomacy. No wonder shows like this and the similar but more challenging 'Virtuality' get no respect; nobody cares anymore. Sad.

What about "V" when it first started airing? But that was 30(?) years ago.

Not sure that "V" would be considered space-based (my memory is foggy but wasn't it mostly Earth-based?) Regardless, it never was successful, canceled after 19 episodes once it became a series.

Right you are on all counts. Previous failure notwithstanding, 'V' "the remake" returns to the small screen this winter starring, among others, 'Firefly's' Alan Tudek and stunning Morena Baccarin, 'The 4400's' Joel Gretch, and LOST's lovely Juliet, Elizabeth Mitchell. You know rodents will be swallowed.

Indeed, this is basically summer schedule filler, if ABC was really behind this show it wouldn't be airing in this summer slot. As I noted in an earlier post, the creator already has 3 seasons and an ending already mapped out, what's sad is that we'll likely never see it. I wouldn't mind seeing how it ends, I have some ideas who/what "Beta" is, maybe he'll post the story in a blog or something.

BTW, anyone for "Journeyman 2.0"?

http://www.thewrap.com/article/exclu...fe-series_5273

This is what pisses me off broadcast channels & keep me off watching shows there. They mostly cancel shows even when the season havent finished.

As noted in ur comment, ABC by starting this so late & then also late night on Sunday...was setting it up for failure. That u ABC....ur behavior made me realise that I will not watch most of ur new series this season maybe except Flash forward.

Hoping that some cable network can pick it up & continue to series.

Any idea if they if fact produced all 13? All of 'em "in the can" somewhere? If so, then I guess it's going to be DVD-required to see the whole thing.

I believe all the ordered eps were produced, which was 13, but those 13 don't complete the story. As I noted above, the creator has a 3 season run outlined, it's highly unlikely the "ending" will be contained in these 13 eps. Some have noted that it seems to be moving slowly, well, that's by design as it was expected to go 30+ episodes.

It's a 4 country collaboration, but given it's tanking badly in the US, I would guess that's it's highly unlikely the other members will complete it for airing in their respective countries(Canada, UK, Germany).

This should have been a mini-series style presentation in my opinion, but then the big dollars for the production probably wouldn't be there, it has a wonderful look about it, but a short run mini-series may not provide the back-end revenue to make it worthwhile.

You really do have to wonder why they even bother sometimes(speaking of the network, ABC in this case). Of course, the current eps are filling a spot in the schedule.

You're ascribing emotional perspectives to an entity (television network) that operates solely on rational logic. The is just simple math to them. This show ended up in the timeslot it ended up with because it wasn't deemed worth bumping something else out of a better timeslot.


I've made an observation based on the past few years: Generally -- again presumably based on rational logic, not emotion -- networks will give series that they own more of a chance than they'll give series that they're paying someone else for. There is no reason to continue the bleeding longer than necessary to have a strong foundation for concluding that the series will fail.

Based on that, there is cause for concern for dramas this fall on ABC, specifically. Of the five big broadcast networks (counting CW as being owned by CBS and WB), all of the new dramas this fall are owned by the network that they're being broadcast on except the three new series on ABC (which coincidentally are all owned by WB).


I wouldn't count on it. Way too expensive I suspect.

^^^All good points. ABC is apparently investing a lot in 'Flash Forward', a heavily serialized drama in the LOST mode. The TV critics seem to think it has a shot at success. But if that one fails, it's curtains folks. We'll never see another LOST, much less another 'Defying Gravity'. Not when cheap reality shows can fill those schedule slots and draw millions of glazed eyeballs.

On the one hand, it's sort of a relief that there is less of interest (to our household, anyway) coming up to watch this fall. On the other hand, this is, of course, due to there being even more reality TV than ever. Anyone who intends to view something LIKE DG is probably out of luck now, and getting unluckier...

U r right....& I m one of those...that r getting unluckier. Broadcast channels have just too many reality shows....& cable r mostly filled with CSI type shows. Thankfully there r some interesting shows like Burn Notice, Royal pains, Warehouse 13, Leverage among others on Cable...that fill in somewhat...plus looking forward to Flash forward & Vampire Diaries on CW (not to mention the returning Lost, Heroes & for wife America Top model, Project Runway & Top Chef (which I also enjoy))

Sure; if the inhouse-produced series manages to become a hit to any degree, they benefit from also getting all the money from video sales, overseas rights, syndication profits, etc - rather than just getting profits from US broadcast on a show bought from another studio.

So, no next on. Did they pull the plug already?

I have no idea....but my DVR do show that next sunday will have a new episode. dont know if that will change by that time.