Chuck Stays, Bionic Woman and Journeyman Go

[Xray]

Few new pilots for NBC

NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker has confirmed to The New York Times that NBC will save as much as $50 million a year by reducing its reliance on expensive pilots of new series on the network.

The combined double hit of the ongoing writer's strike and the pending U.S.-led global economic recession has led many networks to tighten their belts and cut back on the several hundred million spent on TV pilots each year by the five major free-to-air broadcasters.

CBS, The CW, and Fox have all cut several scripts currently in development and along with NBC, the four are streamlining their development slate by narrowing their focus on fewer projects reports TV.Com.

For example last year NBC launched four pilots in the Fall with two (Chuck, Life) going onto success, one (Journeyman) already canned and another (Bionic Woman) likely not to return. It's expected that next Fall the network will only launch only two or three new shows.

Similarly the others are expected to follow suit, as is ABC who confirmed yesterday that it is cancelling commitments to between two and three dozen projects. All the major networks simultaneously cut dozens of development contracts with major players in the industry last week.

With practically all primetime scripted series having now aired or presently airing the last few episodes they have in stock, the likelihood of any series coming back with new episodes before the Summer seems next-to-nil, whilst the fate of some of this past Fall's solid performers (eg. CBS's increasingly gripping "Moonlight") remains up in the air.

That's ok with me. I really like Chuck a lot, and I tried watching Jorneyman for a few episodes, but it was the same thing every time.

[Xray]

And another...

Chuck Stays, Bionic Woman and Journeyman Go

The journey is coming to an end for NBC's freshman series "Journeyman."

NBC had until Tuesday to give a full-season pickup to the time-travel drama starring Kevin McKidd. The network let that option lapse, practically canceling the series, which posted its lowest adults 18-49 rating (1.7 rating/8 share) on Monday without a "Heroes" lead-in. The network already tried out fellow rookie "Life" in "Journeyman"'s Monday 10 p.m. slot last week.

Despite the Hollywood writers strike, "Journeyman" was able to complete its 13-episode order.

The remaining two original segments will air as scheduled, an NBC spokeswoman said.

NBC recently handed out full-season pickups to two of its four rookie scripted series, "Life" and "Chuck."

Since the production of most scripted series has been suspended because of the strike, such orders are considered a vote of confidence to the shows and a potential renewal for next season if the additional episodes can't be produced by the end of this season.

In limbo is the fate of the fourth new NBC series, the once-promising "Bionic Woman," which has been sliding in the ratings since its premiere.

[nocturne2212]

too bad... I like bionic woman...

[elcabron]

Journeyman was forumlaic, but I think it had great acting and it handled these sort of silly sci-fi ideas in an intelligent and serious way, but also in an entertaining and dramatic manner. It had some big ideas, and clues for those idea were sprinkled throughout the episodes, meaning you had to stick with it for the long haul, and i guess people weren't willing to do that. Viewers need to learn how to watch a show with patience, but who knows, maybe when this strike is over, the show will get another chance. o well, yet another lost opportunity