Sunday, January 21, 2007

Poll Results - What new series that is currently running should have been cancelled already?

Wow!

I really wasn't expecting this. In no way shape or form was I expecting this. Not the turn out - which is the highest any poll that I've run on this blog has generated - nor the result, which I frankly find shocking. I think the turn out, and maybe the result were more than a little bit influenced by the sudden influx of Kidnapped fans who showed up last week demanding a revote. The problem with this sort of poll is that it's entirely unscientific. The people who - for whatever reason - find it and are motivated are the ones who set the result. It was also somewhat flawed because I accidentally omitted two series The Class on CBS and The Game on The CW.

Anyway, down to the results. There were 47 votes cast. In a tie for eleventh place with no votes were Big Day, Jericho and Brothers and Sisters. In a tie for seventh place, with one vote (2%) each were Men In Trees, Shark, Ugly Betty, and Standoff. Alone in sixth place with three votes (6%) is 'Til Death. Tied for fourth place with four votes each are 30 Rock, and Friday Night Lights. In third place with five votes (10%) is Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip. In second place with six votes (12%) is 1 vs. 100. But the big vote getter, with an amazing twenty-one votes (44%) is NBC's Heroes.

I'll have a post in which I try to glean some wisdom from this result posted soon, probably in the morning but right now I'm going to take some time to spout off a bit. In my opinion - and it is only my opinion - there is no way that Heroes should have been cancelled before many of the other shows on this list. If I had cast a vote I would probably have either voted for 'Til Death or Standoff. 'Til Death struck me from the first as a show with a pair of good leads in Joely Fisher and Brad Garrett that wasted them on a poor premise. As for Standoff, it struck me that in a season which produced some outstanding series television - some of it cancelled - this was a show that wallows in and indeed celebrates mediocrity. Although I like 1 vs. 100 personally (when the Detroit NBC station lets me see it instead of Detroit Pistons basketball) I can understand the antagonism towards it as a game show - if you don't like game shows in prime time this was the only option to vote for. As for Studio 60, it seems to be a very polarizing show. People either love it or they loathe it. Count me among the "love it" group and look forward to seeing it on Sunday night (here in Canada), but as I said, I can understand the opposing viewpoint.

Ah but in my wildest dreams I did not expect Heroes to be listed as the show that a plurality in the poll would think should have been cancelled already. I respect the opinion but I don't agree with it. I've only recently managed to catch up on viewing the episodes and I don't understand the animosity. In my opinion it isn't the best new show on TV no matter what the ratings say, but I enjoy the premise and I really like several of the characters, in particular Hiro Nakamura. As I think I've pointed out here there are several shows that debuted this season that are worse than Heroes and I suspect that there will be several shows that debut between now and the end of may that will be worse. Oh and by the way, NBC announced at the TV Critics Association press tour that Heroes has not only been renewed for the 2007-08 season, it has been given a full season order, along with My Name Is Earl, The Office, and Law Order: SVU. It ani't going anywhere.

New poll up sometime in the next 48 hours. I have some things to do and while I know the topic I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to include.

No comments: