GOOD WEEK/BAD WEEK: October 12, 2013

GOOD WEEK: THE 3.0 + DEMO SHOWS
It was a brutal week for the broadcast networks with almost every show dropping and some having catastrophic performances. It was so bad that only a handful of shows were at a 3.0 demo or above. They are: The Big Bang Theory (5.1), The Voice (4.6), Modern Family (3.9), The Blacklist/Scandal (3.1), and How I Met Your Mother/The Millers/The Simpsons (3.0). That is a pretty weak number of shows and some of them are getting pretty up there in years with one (Mother) ending this year. The broadcast networks have to hope that chilly fall weather will lead to more tune-in in the weeks to come because even in an ever-changing business, more than eight shows should be getting a 3.0 demo.

BAD WEEK: NBC THURSDAY LINEUP
Well I had the same winner for Bad Week last week but how could I not do it again even with lots to choose from after everything plummeted quickly here. Parks and Recreation is not an anchor, Welcome to the Family and Sean Saves the World are in "pull immediately" territory, The Michael J. Fox Show is one of the biggest disappointments of the season, and Parenthood is being brought down by all these sitcom problems. NBC was not stupid to launch three new comedies - the problem is none of them are a homerun in quality like Modern Family was in 2009 for ABC. NBC says they're not making any changes yet but if they let it go another week, that's just another chance to set a new record low.

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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

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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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