GOOD WEEK/BAD WEEK: 2012-13 Week 4

GOOD WEEK: "REVOLUTION"
NBC placed all its major marketing muscle behind Revolution this summer and it paid off with the best drama debut in years. Still, most people thought it would drop quickly even with the big lead-in of The Voice. After all, Smash couldn't keep the ratings going with the same huge lead-in. And for awhile it looked like the critics were right. Revolution went dropped in weeks two, three, and four. But then in week five, it suddenly popped back up three tenths in the demo to a very impressive 3.3. This was in spite of the lead-in staying the same. Revolution has definitely won fans over on NBC, I did not think it would be anywhere close to a 3.3 demo by episode five and to be honest, I don't quite see the appeal of the show as I've gotten bored with it. But it's NBC's best hope in the drama department in years. This week, it was second only to Grey's Anatomy among drama demos. It is off this week for a debate which will be a test but right now, I wouldn't bet against Revolution.

BAD WEEK: THE OTHER NEW 10PM DRAMAS
10pm is tough on many nights of the week for the broadcast networks and it has been particularly glaring this season with so many new shows in the hour. Yes, Revolution has been rocking the slot with a 3.3 demo this week but a quick look at the other new 10pm dramas reveals problems: Vegas skews ancient, Elementary has underperformed, Nashville and Chicago Fire took huge second week falls, and 666 Park Avenue is dead despite an additional script order. In my opinion, the networks needed to launch more 9pm dramas because that's where shows really break out. I know they don't want to move some of their hits but it would be worth it in the long run.

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EPISODE GUIDES: Rhoda Season Five

On Thursdays, I go through classic series with a critical look at each season. Today I am looking at Season Five (the final season) of Rhoda ! RHODA: SEASON FIVE 1978 13 episodes Rhoda' s final season was a truncated one as the show was cancelled in December 1978 after only 13 episodes had been produced (and only nine had aired). This feels like a continuation from season four in many ways except with the ill-advised split between Ida and Martin (more on that below). While Rhoda has an occasional good moment and even a couple decent episodes, it is a show that seems so wildly different from season one and not in a good way. Rhoda could never figure out what it fully wanted to be and only made it four and a half seasons as a result. Starring Valerie Harper as Rhoda Morgenstern (13 episodes) Julie Kavner as Brenda Morgenstern (13 episodes) Ray Buktenica as Benny Goodwin (11 episodes) Kenneth McMillan as Jack Doyle (9 episodes) Nancy Wa...

SCHEDULES OF THE PAST: 1995-1996 Thursdays

On Tuesdays, I take a look at schedules from yesteryear. Here's a look at Thursdays in the 1995-96 season! ABC 8:00 8:30 9:00 10:00 Sep Charlie Grace The Monroes Various Programs Oct Murder One Nov Various Programs Dec Various Programs Thursday Night Movie Jan Feb World’s Funniest Videos Before They Were Stars! Mar Apr May NBC was the powerhouse on Thursday nights but ABC still gave it the old college try in the Fall of 1995 with a trio of new dramas that they hoped would help them cut into the Peacock's dominance. Headlining their night was Murder One , a high profile new show from Steven Bochco that received much of the network's attention before the season started. The series focused on one murder case for an entire season, whi...

DECADE IN REVIEW: The Best Comedies of the 2010s

During the month of December, I will be looking back at the decade that was the 2010s on TV. I will be sharing my favorite sitcoms, dramas, the best episodes, the best performances and the worst shows of the decade. To be eligible for this list, a show had to air the majority of its episodes in the 2010s. However, for the rankings and determination, all episodes were taken into account, including ones that may have aired before 2010. I will also preface that there are comedies that have aired this decade that I haven't watched yet so this is the best of what I have watched. To be fair, that preface is more true for dramas. There's not a ton of unwatched comedies sitting in my Netflix or Amazon watchlist. So here are my Top 10 comedies of the 2010s! Close Calls: Master of None (Netflix) - An inconsistent but occasionally fascinating commentary on many life issues done so with innovative storytelling. The Good Place (NBC) - A show that aims high with a fascinating premis...

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