I Can See For Miles: The Kids Are Alright In The Media

[SoMuchTV]

How many episodes are left, anyway? I'm hoping that, like Speechless, they have a season finale that's a worthy series finale. And 20 years from now, it'll be the Freaks and Geeks of its time - "hey - look at all these big stars who got their start in that show!"  As we stream it in our self-driving hovercars.

Edited May 11, 2019 by SoMuchTV

[biakbiak]

5 minutes ago, SoMuchTV said:

How many episodes are left, anyway?

2.

[incandescent]

This was a great show right out the gate, sorry to see it go.

[71dude]

What a fun show and what lunkheaded decisionmaking at ABC today. Between this and Speechless and no longer being interested in Fresh Off the Boat I have no reason to watch ABC anymore. 

[Caseysgirl]

I will really miss this show. They had developed the characters so well in such a short amount of time.  And yet they keep “Modern Family for another season?

[Yeah No]

I'm just gobsmacked at this news.  This doesn't happen to me with TV shows.  The last time a show I watched got the axe too soon was with "Men of a Certain Age" and that was a long time ago now.  I feel like this is going to be the way of the future.  Too many shows I watch are hanging in the balance regarding their renewal and I'm convinced all of them are going to get axed now.  WTF is going on with TV suddenly?  A lot of the renewals/cancellations make absolutely no sense.  Is it getting to be political or "who you know" to survive or are the ratings really that bad anymore?

[Phebemarie]

Mark Hamill is urging people to sign the petition to save the show on Twitter.  

[Yeah No]

20 minutes ago, Phebemarie said:

Mark Hamill is urging people to sign the petition to save the show on Twitter.  

Here's a link to the petition mentioned on his Twitter:

https://t.co/E8t32oEahK

[Armchair Critic]

14 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

35 minutes ago, Phebemarie said:

Mark Hamill is urging people to sign the petition to save the show on Twitter.  

Here's a link to the petition mentioned on his Twitter:

https://t.co/E8t32oEahK

Thanks, I signed it. 

[possibilities]

The writing for this show was really good. They managed such a large cast so deftly. I a really sad to see it go.

[libgirl2]

7 hours ago, Armchair Critic said:

Thanks, I signed it. 

me too

8 hours ago, Caseysgirl said:

I will really miss this show. They had developed the characters so well in such a short amount of time.  And yet they keep “Modern Family for another season?

Modern Family should have died a couple of seasons ago. I was an avid watcher and just can't anymore.

[SmithW6079]

😠😢

I just read the news. I loved this show. It was well written, it juggled its large cast well, and was often very touching.

I think my favorite episodes were the one where Frank builds the set for the school play and stands up to Peggy (the last scene between the two of them, where he shows her the program and declares, "They put my name in there" -- he finally got recognition for something good he did -- gets me every time), and the draft episode, which just had excellent performances all around.

[libgirl2]

And I saw Life in Pieces was cancelled. The other show I enjoy! That only leaves one comedy I watch each week, What We Do in the Shadows on FX. Time to bring out my DVDs.

[Marly Holley]

Tim Doyle tweeted it was the “new bosses” at ABC who , from what I can figure out had histories with some of the other show runners/creators whose shows were saved that were not doing as well as TKAA or not as well received, (this from when the bosses were at FOX) and saved those shows based on that. Tim tweeted that ABC’s decisions on the matter were “like high school with money.”

Also,ABC owns the rights to TKAA, so I don’t think Tim can shop it around. Another network would have to go to ABC to buy it, and I’m not sure ABC would be willing to set a good price. 

[Marly Holley]

I feel Tim Doyle was prepared for this in that, having read the detailed description of the last episode, he wrote it as a closing “just in case.” The name of the episode is “Irish Goodbye” and without giving away spoilers the episode comes full-circle from the pilot.   

[xander874]

This is short sighted. TKAA could’ve been a good utility player for them like the Middle was. With the Goldbergs and FOTB getting long in the tooth and MF about to go they don’t have any up and coming sitcoms. And I don’t count Single Parents  I like it but don’t see it lasting for many years 

Not sure what I’ll miss more: cute adorable weird Pat or Eddie in his tight t-shirts. 

Edited May 11, 2019 by xander874

[Yeah No]

Out of the shows I watch that got canceled yesterday, this one hurts the most.  The others were "The Cool Kids" and "Murphy Brown" and TBH, those were not a total surprise.  This one came out of left field.  I'm still waiting on "The Orville" and "Food Network Star".  What with "Big Bang Theory" ending and "The Middle" gone for a while now, the only half hour comedies left that I watch are "American Housewife" and "Young Sheldon".  Hearing how this happened is evidence to me that something is very wrong with TPTB. 

One question for anyone that knows - Were the ratings that bad or did TPTB just not care about this show?

[UYI]

I had never posted here before now, and obviously I won't be able to much longer, at least while it's still on, but here we go:

I'm honestly shocked this is getting cancelled. I know some of the ratings in the 18-49 demographics were a bit haphazard and all over the place, but still. Obviously good reviews from critics doesn't always mean something when it comes to a show being renewed, but this just FELT like a hit to me, and a very obvious one at that. What gives?

I do wonder if it's possible that enough fans--and it's clear there's a very dedicated group of fans out there--might complain enough that ABC reverses their decision. It's not like that hasn't happened before with other shows. Or hell, maybe it will be picked up by someone else. 

But even if it doesn't, this show was fun to watch when it lasted. I started watching it after I was finished watching The Conners, but even after that show finished its season, I kept watching TKAA. And it's clear that there others out there who did that, too. 🙂 

21 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Here's a link to the petition mentioned on his Twitter:

https://t.co/E8t32oEahK

And my question has been answered already. 🙂 

Edited May 12, 2019 by UYI

[mojito]

Well, at least we had the summer of 1972. 

[dcalley]

4 hours ago, Marly Holley said:

Tim Doyle tweeted it was the “new bosses” at ABC who , from what I can figure out had histories with some of the other show runners/creators whose shows were saved that were not doing as well as TKAA or not as well received, (this from when the bosses were at FOX) and saved those shows based on that. Tim tweeted that ABC’s decisions on the matter were “like high school with money.”

Eek, he's burning some bridges. I kind of like it, but I also hate it, because that is the nail in the coffin.

[SosaLola]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

This is my favorite show at the moment. The children act like real children. The parents are so real and not at all phony like every other parent in every other show. And more importantly, it's FUNNY!

I need a way to get this show renewed in any other network!

[Thumper]

I would sign a petition but I don't do Twitter.

Perhaps an old-fashioned hand-written letter, in the best penmanship the nuns taught me, will have to do.  Really sad about this.  There aren't many shows that really make me laugh.

[possibilities]

This chart shows the relative ratings compared to other ABC shows: https://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/renewcancel/cancel-bear-vs-abc-week-32-2018-19/

This site is usually EXTREMELY accurate about what will or won't be renewed, but this year there seem to be quite a few surprises.

If it's true that there's been executive turnover, and they brought people from FOX, that bodes ill for my continued viewing. I watch a lot of ABC shows, and I only watched one on Fox, and Fox just cancelled that one. So I guess they don't want my eyeballs on ABC either, if they're trying to follow the Fox model?

Sometimes a show I like gets canceled and I'm bummed about it, but usually not all that surprised. With TKAA, though, I really am shocked and I really do think they're making a mistake. I think this show could have run for a long time, and appealed to a wide range of people, and that it would build on its audience and repeat well in syndication for many years to come.

[HeySandyStrange]

8 hours ago, xander874 said:

This is short sighted. TKAA could’ve been a good utility player for them like the Middle was. With the Goldbergs and FOTB getting long in the tooth and MF about to go they don’t have any up and coming sitcoms. And I don’t count Single Parents  I like it but don’t see it lasting for many years 

Not sure what I’ll miss more: cute adorable weird Pat or Eddie in his tight t-shirts. 

I really viewed TKAA as a worthy successor to the Middle. It may have never been a huge smash hit, but it could've been a consistently quality show that pulled steady ratings and had a decent fanbase. And considering the declining quality of some ABC sitcoms (The Goldbergs, FOTB, MF) or the lack of quality from other ones (American Housewife and Single Parents) they really could use a really good quality show in their lineup.

In my saltiness, I really would love if TKAA got a little love from the Emmy's, so ABC could realize what they threw away. I know that's a long shot, though.

[chitowngirl]

2 hours ago, HeySandyStrange said:

In my saltiness, I really would love if TKAA got a little love from the Emmy's, so ABC could realize what they threw away. I know that's a long shot, though.

Huge long shot. Broadcast TV doesn’t get much Emmy love anymore.

[Yeah No]

4 hours ago, Thumper said:

I would sign a petition but I don't do Twitter.

Perhaps an old-fashioned hand-written letter, in the best penmanship the nuns taught me, will have to do.  Really sad about this.  There aren't many shows that really make me laugh.

You don't have to "do Twitter" to sign the petition.  The link I provided above is to a separate petition website that anyone can access.  I don't "do Twitter" either and I signed it.

Edited May 12, 2019 by Yeah No
Left out a noun, of all things.

[Yeah No]

3 hours ago, possibilities said:

This site is usually EXTREMELY accurate about what will or won't be renewed, but this year there seem to be quite a few surprises.

Yeah, the bear predicted that "The Cool Kids" would get renewed, but it was canceled yesterday.

[UYI]

12 hours ago, Yeah No said:

 One question for anyone that knows - Were the ratings that bad or did TPTB just not care about this show?

I saw in one of the articles about the cancellation that the ratings among those in the 18-49 demographic went back and forth between being really strong and really weak--although IIRC, they had just recently picked back UP. And then it still gets cancelled anyway.

Is it a case of the biggest numbers coming from "older" members of the audience, and therefore in ABC's eyes the "wrong" audience (despite the fact that these are the people with the most cash to spend in regards to advertisers)? I mean, it's certainly happened. CBS made this very complaint when they cancelled Million Dollar Password, and that was in 2008. Yes, really. They got good ratings, but the audience was too old in their eyes, so naturally they had to axe it! Whatever.

FWIW, I'm 30, and therefore in the so-called "right" demographic for this show, and I loved watching it every week. 🙂 
 

Edited May 12, 2019 by UYI

[HeySandyStrange]

53 minutes ago, chitowngirl said:

Huge long shot. Broadcast TV doesn’t get much Emmy love anymore.

Yeah, I know, but a girl can dream. The cast is very talented, and the writing was top knotch imo. It would be a real F-you! to ABC is the sitcom they cancelled was one if their only to get any Emmy's love. 

[AnnaRose]

14 hours ago, Marly Holley said:

Tim Doyle tweeted it was the “new bosses” at ABC who , from what I can figure out had histories with some of the other show runners/creators whose shows were saved that were not doing as well as TKAA or not as well received, (this from when the bosses were at FOX) and saved those shows based on that. Tim tweeted that ABC’s decisions on the matter were “like high school with money.”

I wonder if that is why somebody at ABC kept f-ckin around with the TKAA schedule... like when they pulled TKAA during May Sweeps to show a repeat of the terrible Bless This Mess (which must have been the favorite because it got renewed even though it shouldn't have)... or when they removed it from the schedule listings so enough people thought it wasn't on - probably enough to drop the demo rating a critical point right before cancellation decisions were made.

10 hours ago, dcalley said:

That's exactly how I'm feeling about this news.

1 hour ago, HeySandyStrange said:

Yeah, I know, but a girl can dream. The cast is very talented, and the writing was top notch imo. It would be a real F-you! to ABC is the sitcom they cancelled was one if their only to get any Emmy's love. 

I feel the same way!  I know Emmy usually ignores all of the non-cable/internet shows, but TKAA really deserves the recognition and I would love it if they end up with some award show love.  I think the pilot was nominated for a writers guild award, if I'm not mistaken.  This show has a lot of passionate fans.  I bet a lot of Hollywood peeps can relate to Timmy's youthful longing to break into show business.  It may be a long shot, but you never know.

I can't believe the horrible Single Parents got renewed.  Bless This Mess is pretty bad too.  I feel confident they are both going to tank next year, even more than they already have.  I hope ABC/Disney and whoever is responsible for renewing those and cancelling TKAA face harsh consequences.

[Yeah No]

2 hours ago, UYI said:

I saw in one of the articles about the cancellation that the ratings among those in the 18-49 demographic went back and forth between being really strong and really weak--although IIRC, they had just recently picked back UP. And then it still gets cancelled anyway.

Is it a case of the biggest numbers coming from "older" members of the audience, and therefore in ABC's eyes the "wrong" audience (despite the fact that these are the people with the most cash to spend in regards to advertisers)? I mean, it's certainly happened. CBS made this very complaint when they cancelled Million Dollar Password, and that was in 2008. Yes, really. They got good ratings, but the audience was too old in their eyes, so naturally they had to axe it! Whatever.

FWIW, I'm 30, and therefore in the so-called "right" demographic for this show, and I loved watching it every week. 🙂 
 

As a member of the "older" audience that remembers 1972 (I was 13 going on 14), I know all too well how that dumb outdated logic about advertising and age brackets has ruined a lot of great TV.  I don't think this was as much the case decades ago, which is why we had "Murder She Wrote" and "The Golden Girls".  But a show like TKAA had something for everyone.  The cast was made up of mostly young people after all.  And young people love nostalgia from an era before they were born.  Take "Happy Days" for example.  My generation LOVED it and it was set in the 50's before we were even born.  More recently, there was "Mad Men".

26 minutes ago, AnnaRose said:

I wonder if that is why somebody at ABC kept f-ckin around with the TKAA schedule... like when they pulled TKAA during May Sweeps to show a repeat of the terrible Bless This Mess (which must have been the favorite because it got renewed even though it shouldn't have)... or when they removed it from the schedule listings so enough people thought it wasn't on - probably enough to drop the demo rating a critical point right before cancellation decisions were made.

That's an interesting theory and I don't doubt it could have some truth to it.  I had that feeling this season with a new show on CBS - "God Friended Me".  It was always getting pre-empted for everything under the sun - every award show, you name it.  Plus it aired on Sunday after sports so there was sometimes a game delay.  It got ridiculous and I wondered if the network just didn't care about the show.  I saw the ratings go up and down, but they were always strong anyway, so the show got renewed in spite of the scheduling.

[Yeah No]

Speaking of "The Middle", I remember that was in danger of being canceled after its first season but someone wise at the network thought they'd give it another season to see if the ratings came up and it did slowly gain in popularity and eventually became a sleeper hit.  I think it was also changed to a better time slot which also helped.  Some shows take time to catch on and I think that this show was like "The Middle" that way.  Too bad TPTB right now do not have that same wisdom.

Edited May 12, 2019 by Yeah No

[Manhands]

I am sooooo bummed out!! This was one of the only shows on network television that I looked forward to watching. I cannot believe these idiots from ABC can’t tell what’s funny!!! Please please sign the petition started by Mark Hamill. May the force be with us!! 

[Snow Apple]

5 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Speaking of "The Middle", I remember that was in danger of being canceled after its first season but someone wise at the network thought they'd give it another season to see if the ratings came up and it did slowly gain in popularity and eventually became a sleeper hit.  I think it was also changed to a better time slot which also helped.  Some shows take time to catch on and I think that this show was like "The Middle" that way.  Too bad TPTB right now do not have that same wisdom.

Same with Cheers. It was in last place during the first season. It caught on during summer reruns and look what it became.

I hate how things work these days. If you're not a phenomenon right away, it's canceled.  And the backstage politics even for decent ratings gives me a headache.

[Thumper]

15 hours ago, Yeah No said:

You don't have to "do Twitter" to sign the petition.  The link I provided above is to a separate petition website that anyone can access.  I don't "do Twitter" either and I signed it.

Thanks!  Done.

[Angeltoes]

I left a message for the actors on the show's FB page and told them this cancellation was not a reflection of their talent.  And that it was the only show I looked forward to every week.  Caleb Foote, who played Eddie, replied by thanking me which was pretty cool.

I also left a polite message on the ABC website (although I did blatantly tell them they'd lost their minds) and said they'd made a huge mistake on this one.

[SosaLola]

But what's wrong if the audience are adults? What should matter is that the show has audience, right? 

[OnceAgain]

38 minutes ago, SosaLola said:

But what's wrong if the audience are adults? What should matter is that the show has audience, right? 

I agree but advertisers only pay based on the 18-49 demo and really the 18-34 is the most valuable. It is horse sh!& but the older you are the less valuable a viewer you are to the network. Seems really dumb, but it is what they base it on because if ad $$.

I am really going to miss this show. I really will. I am still so mad. 

[LakeGal]

I signed the petition.  It probably won't help.  But at least I felt like I was trying.  

[bad things are bad]

This show and Speechless...both shows I loved and were different and quirky. Both gone too soon. 

Modern Family should have died years ago and yet. 

What fresh hell will next year bring? Got to appeal to the youths, who don't watch as much TV as they used to. 

[Ilovepie]

Aw man, I just saw this! I am seriously bummed - this was the only new show I watched this year, and honestly, it leaving is just another nail in the coffin for network tv for me. I mostly watch Netflix and Hulu now. On network tv, anything that is not a doctor/lawyer/cop show is already at risk right out the gate, and I just don't like those type of shows. Besides reality shows, I think I'm down to B99 and Orville for network shows I watch. Thanks for nothing ABC.........

[Yeah No]

14 hours ago, OnceAgain said:

I agree but advertisers only pay based on the 18-49 demo and really the 18-34 is the most valuable. It is horse sh!& but the older you are the less valuable a viewer you are to the network. Seems really dumb, but it is what they base it on because if ad $$.

I am really going to miss this show. I really will. I am still so mad. 

The logic is that younger viewers will live longer so if ads can make loyal customers out of them they have longer to live to spend on the product.  Older people supposedly are set in their ways and not as influenced by ads.  Sounds a little bogus to me to be honest.  Products are constantly changing and brand loyalty only works for certain things.  Plus as an older person myself I can say that this doesn't really apply to today's older people.  We are more open to new products than our parents' generation by far.  We have to be because things change more rapidly now.

I wonder if the execs. realize that the younger generation doesn't watch TV as much as the older generation so they are competing for a much smaller audience to begin with, which makes the above logic even weaker.  So by following this so-called "wisdom" they are actually wasting their money and putting themselves out of business.

[libgirl2]

12 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

The logic is that younger viewers will live longer so if ads can make loyal customers out of them they have longer to live to spend on the product.  Older people supposedly are set in their ways and not as influenced by ads.  Sounds a little bogus to me to be honest.  Products are constantly changing and brand loyalty only works for certain things.  Plus as an older person myself I can say that this doesn't really apply to today's older people.  We are more open to new products than our parents' generation by far.  We have to be because things change more rapidly now.

I wonder if the execs. realize that the younger generation doesn't watch TV as much as the older generation so they are competing for a much smaller audience to begin with, which makes the above logic even weaker.  So by following this so-called "wisdom" they are actually wasting their money and putting themselves out of business.

My son is 25 and never watches TV. 

[71dude]

Maybe it can still be saved by the new Disney streaming service. I would pay for that if that happened.

[Ilovepie]

1 hour ago, libgirl2 said:

My son is 25 and never watches TV.  

Yep, and neither did I when I was that age (I'm 46 fwiw). Even worse, my kids are 14 and 10 and all they watch is YouTube. They care even less about any shows on tv. My sister is 30, and most of her friends just have streaming with Netflix or Hulu, although if you can wait a day, you can still watch ABC, NBC and Fox on Hulu, but I don't know if the networks care about that?

The really stupid thing is that older people generally have more disposable income. I've never understood the logic that younger is better to be honest...

[rhys]

43 minutes ago, Ilovepie said:

43 minutes ago, Ilovepie said:

The really stupid thing is that older people generally have more disposable income. I've never understood the logic that younger is better to be honest...

Sing it. Plus we may have more time than some people to watch tv. I know I do anyway, but I realize I can't speak for others. I'm just not driving kids to ballet & soccer & violin. 

[Phebemarie]

I hope everyone will tune in tonight on the slight chance a big audience will cause the powers that be at ABC to reconsider.  The petition has almost 4,000 signatures, and a demonstration is planned outside the ABC's upfronts with a few of the actors chiming in to say they'll attend.  If you're on Twitter, plan to tweet out some love for "Kids" tonight as well.  

It can't hurt.

[CountryGirl]

I am so bummed about this.

[bad things are bad]

Quote

Same with Cheers. It was in last place during the first season

Seinfeld too. It was a dog in the beginning. 

And American Housewife, which I find annoying and formulaic, lives on.

Oh well. I loved Community too, and Freaks and Geeks, and any number of quirky low-audience high-cult-following shows. 

[LucyEth]

On 5/13/2019 at 1:45 PM, bad things are bad said:

Modern Family should have died years ago and yet. 

Right, some shows go on for years just based on their reputation.  Modern Family has not been good in years.