Smash moving to Saturday nights

[Huey's Pop]

Posted: 3/13/13 at 6:53pm

Just announced by NBC. Moving to Saturday at 9pm starting April 6 -- and all 17 episodes will air.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 3/13/13 at 6:54pm

Maybe it will get more Saturday night viewers than ever and will get renewed!

[Huey's Pop]

Posted: 3/13/13 at 6:56pm

I think not. They've sunk a lot of money into it. A third season would be a miracle.

[emo_geek]

Posted: 3/13/13 at 7:00pm

How will I choose between this and Joan and Mellissa: Joan Knows Best?!?

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 3/13/13 at 7:06pm

Awesome! My Saturday nights have been so boring...

[Alan Henry]

Posted: 3/13/13 at 7:13pm

This is a great idea. Not many good primetime shows on Saturday. This will make my saturday night.

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/13/13 at 7:18pm

Goodbye Smash.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 3/13/13 at 7:22pm

"and all 17 episodes will air."

That is all that matters to me. The show is most likely not going to get a third season, but at least we will be able to see all of this season and get some closure.

[Wishing Only Wounds]

Posted: 3/13/13 at 7:28pm

oof, that's a death slot. My school does not have WEtv, but Joan & Melissa would normally win in that battle.

[choitoy]

Posted: 3/13/13 at 7:29pm

Saturday night is an even worse kiss of death for shows over Friday night. I hope NBC keeps it's promise to air the rest of the season, instead of some L&O reruns (though, right now at 10, it's rerunning 1 hour versions of the prior week's SNL).

I'm also hoping the creators had enough foresight into the situation to not leave a loose end or cliffhanger for the end of this season.

[PlayItAgain]

Posted: 3/13/13 at 7:33pm

what the hell is NBC thinking why aren't they keeping this put so it can be behind The Voice in two weeks? If they think its to keep Revolutions numbers up, that show better not crash and burn.

[Tag]

Posted: 3/13/13 at 7:38pm

Deadline's article on this change also states this is the final season. So I guess it's official?
deadline.com

[dtzumbrunnen]

Posted: 3/13/13 at 7:44pm

@PlayItAgain, I'd imagine they're thinking that a dating show has a better chance at breaking the 1.0 share mark in the 18-49 demo. They're probably right.

As much as I'd like to get 6 more seasons of Smash, this is better than going the Do No Harm route. Even if Eva Longoria's dating show pulls in the exact same ratings as Smash, it has to be a fraction of the cost to produce.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 3/13/13 at 7:47pm

what the hell is NBC thinking why aren't they keeping this put so it can be behind The Voice in two weeks?

Because they already put it after The Voice and no one really watched it there, either.

[beensince1987]

Posted: 3/13/13 at 7:50pm

But Doctor Who is coming back on March 30th for 1st of 8 new shows...

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 3/13/13 at 7:52pm

Time to get a dvr, then.

[DAME]

Posted: 3/13/13 at 7:56pm

I remember a time when Saturday night was a fun night on tv. From the Mary Tyler Moore days till Love Boat. If by some miracle Smash does well on Saturday nights it might be a great opportunity by NBC to start getting itself out of the gutter by building on a night that does not have any network competition.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 3/13/13 at 8:10pm

I too remember when CBS' Saturday night (ALL IN THE FAMILY, THE JEFFERSONS, MTM SHOW, BOB NEWHART SHOW and CAROL BURNETT) was the REAL "must see TV"!

But IIRC that was when gross Nielsen ratings still mattered. Now that advertisers only care about the 18-45 demographic, Friday and Saturday are ratings wastelands because the desire demo is out dating.

[winston89]

Posted: 3/13/13 at 8:20pm

I don't get it. Why would they put it on the air in a "death slot" after they just announced that it has a litte boost in ratings. I mean sure, the boost might not have helped the show, but considering that this is a network that is aching for primetime dramas, they have kept worse shows going for a lot longer.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/13/13 at 8:40pm

You're looking at this the wrong way. Smash isn't being put into a death spot. This more like Smash has already died and now we're getting the chance to attend the calling hours.

This is called a "burn off" for a reason. They aren't trying to save the show by changing nights. The fate of the show was sealed weeks ago when it couldn't even eke out a 1.0 in the rating share.

Winston, when it got a slight increase this week (from a 0.8 to a 0.9) that's like saying the gross of a Broadway musical went from 20% gross potential to 22%. It's so negligible, and even more importantly it was a moot point.

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 3/13/13 at 8:47pm

How did NBC fall so far? They were the powerhouse for a short time and then they are scrambling to stay afloat. Thoughts Whizzer?

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/13/13 at 9:20pm

ucjrdude,
It will be interesting to read a study years from now about the demise of network tv scripted programming, or the evolution of network tv into a reality/procedural only zone.

You're right: NBC was the top dog for many years. Hits like ER, Friends, Frasier, Will & Grace, Law & Order, and SVU made the network truly must-see tv. I believe NBC became complacent with their success though. They sat on these long running shows and failed to create reality programming to compete with other networks.

Survivor and American Idol really changed the face of network tv. It became the future and quality scripted programming started to go to HBO, Showtime and later other cable channels like AMC and TNT. Of course there are still hit scripted programs like NCIS, Big Bang Theory and 2 Broke Girls, but hour long scripted dramas don't seem to find much success on network tv anymore.

After watching Mad Men, The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, The Walking Dead, Sex and the City, True Blood, Weeds, etc viewers have a different standard for scripted programs. Shows like the critically acclaimed Last Resort couldn't find a viewer on ABC, and Nashville, a show Smash could have learned a thing or two from, has anemic ratings as well.

Specifically NBC has made some HORRIBLE programming decisions. Who exactly green lit Animal Practice? NBC has no identity. You know what you're going to get with CBS- reliable cop procedurals (NCIS, CSI, Criminal Minds) and safe sitcoms primed for syndication (Mike & Molly, Big Bang, How I Met Your Mother). ABC tries to be soapier and I would say has more programming geared towards women. The aim for the Desperate Housewives/Revenge/Once Upon a Time/Modern Family crowd. It hasn't proven as successful as CBS' formula, but they aren't drowning yet.

Even The CW has more of an identity than NBC. We all know what we're getting from a CW show- cute shirtless guys in soapy/supernatural settings.

I really think the best thing for NBC to do is wipe the slate clean and start from the ground up with a new schedule. Show the public that they have changed and present the public with a clear vision of where the network is going.

[bk]

Posted: 3/13/13 at 9:20pm

Someone please tell me Winston was joking. Please.

[Back Row]

Posted: 3/13/13 at 9:20pm

Network TV is dying because of over reliance on reality shows. The newness factor of reality shows gives a network a short term ratings boost, with the audience response comparable to that of an excited child the first time you take him to the zoo. Then, when you take him a second time, he begins to notice that it smells bad and the chimps throw feces at you, so he his interest dies.

Networks are no longer interested developing stars, or story lines or quality. There is no profit in it. Maybe NBC is pulling the plug now because they realized that Jerry on Smash is a metaphor for NBC programming executives.

No, this wasn't a great show, but it had the potential to deliver enough great moments to develop a loyal, demographically desirable core audience if given time in a good time slot. Funny that this formula has been the key to the long life of NBC's own Saturday NIght Life, which has alway been dreadful most of the time, but it is the occasional, unexpected flashes of brilliance that keeps people tuning in.

As for me, I make it a point never to watch any reality TV show. I have better things to do with my time. So, even though I was tuning in to give Smash a chance, I won't be following whatever reality show they replace it with.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 3/13/13 at 9:27pm

Ah, I remember when Saturdays meant THE GOLDEN GIRLS and 227.