You may have noticed that every day there seems to be some new story about a new pilot ordered by one network or another. As networks consider new shows, they have to make room for these new prospects on the calendar by canceling existing programming. This is primarily done based on viewership and while some lesser watched shows deserve to be canceled, some are hidden gems, missed because the network did not do enough to promote the show or scheduled it in a difficult timeslot (whether because of the competition or because the actual time does not get many viewers). Or, as is sometimes the case, the show loses its viewership because of a weak pilot or first couple episodes, only to bloom into something hysterical and amazing when no one is really watching.
Those shows, the funny ones like the canceled too early Better Off Ted and Happy Endings or the complexly fascinating ones like Firefly or the emotionally deep Pushing Daisies and Dead Like Me, deserve better. Now is the time to look at what shows deserve the attention and fanfare that they have thus far been lacking.
Starting with the comedies:
Enlisted- Midseason premieres have their own unique challenges in finding an audience (I detail this later with Intelligence), but this show’s biggest problem simply comes down to timeslot and lead in. Fox has been trying to schedule a Friday night comedy block for some time now. Yes, once upon a time T.G.I.F. was a very successful programming block. Unfortunately, these days it has become ever more clear that viewers just don’t care about Friday night. Added to that was the terrible lead in that Raising Hope provided. Even retaining 100% of its lead in would not make Enlisted a success. (In fact, Fox switched the schedule to air Enlisted first because it was outperforming Raising Hope ever so slightly.) But Enlisted is a half hour full of laughs and heartwarming moments that deserves more attention. The family dynamic of the three brothers is very real and relatable and the last couple weeks have given us the strongest episodes yet, particularly the story about reuniting a kid with his father, who is a soldier overseas.
Trophy Wife- I would say this show suffers from a problem very similar to the one Cougar Town suffered from. The title indicates a particular premise that is more a turn off than an attraction to a prospective viewer. In Cougar Town‘s case, the title was appropriate for about four episodes before the writers realized the “cougar” premise was the weak point of the show and did away with it. What followed was a hilarious sitcom, albeit stuck with an awkward, inappropriate title that continues to deter new viewers from attempting the show, no matter how good the word of mouth. Trophy Wife is in a similar boat. The name conjures ditzy, twenty-something blond who does nothing but hangs on to her rich, much older husband’s arm. Malin Akerman’s Kate, the show’s titular character, may be a young blond, but she’s no sit-at-home, vapid idiot. That may be the writers’ point, that Trophy Wife doesn’t necessarily match with what it conjures, but it doesn’t scream “watch me, I’m funny and interesting!” either.
Suburgatory– In addition to the catchy tune, Suburgatory has a standout cast and solid writing to back it up. Being reserved as a midseason show and having little-to-no promotion, it is not surprising that this show does not have much of an audience. (To be fair, its first two seasons did premiere in the fall, but even then promotion was slim.) This show is admittedly a tougher sell than some other comedies, not everyone likes sarcastic teens, but I find myself appreciating every episode, not only for Tessa’s snark and Dahlia’s deadpan, but also because I’m invested in the characters, especially the Altman family.
The Neighbors– Like I said, the Friday night comedy block thing is a bust. Of the four shows being aired on Fridays (Last Man Standing, The Neighbors, Enlisted, and Raising Hope) only Last Man Standing has had ratings strong enough to be considered a lock for renewal. It certainly helped that Tim Allen has a built in audience (though even this does not guarantee an audience, as the recently canceled The Michael J. Fox Show demonstrates). I will be the first to admit that this show did not start out strong. It focused more on the weirdness of the aliens than on the family dynamics that made a show like 3rd Rock from the Sun so successful. But the show has grown, as the Weavers and their alien counterparts struggle with the desire to make something of themselves, fall in love, and find meaning and independence. Perhaps the most interesting story is the love story between sullen Amber Weaver and the ever-upbeat alien Reggie Jackson. Their struggles stem not only from the inter-galactic aspects (not only is Reggie and alien but he also supposedly has a “soul mate” named Jane who is determined to be with him forever), but with reconciling their very different interests and personalities.
(Already a cancelation victim, ABC’s Back in the Game was a great family sitcom that definitely deserved better.)
NEXT: Dramas in need of more attention.
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