An Open Letter to TV Network Executives (Or, How NBC Killed TV for Me)
Even though this may not be read by anyone who can actually influence any given network's programming decisions, I felt a need to express how I feel since the cancellation of my favorite TV show, Revolution (NBC) in May of this year.
Revolution's cancellation has had two lasting effects on my TV viewing choices and habits regarding all other shows on all networks/cable channels...
One, I now flat-out refuse to check out any new show because the risk is just too great that it'll be cancelled just when it really gets good (like Revolution). For example, I wanted to check out Forever on ABC, it has an interesting premise and looks like something I would like but, because of my new 'fear', I haven't and I won't. Thus, Forever lost out on a potential fan. My new policy is that IF a show survives for at least two seasons, THEN I may start watching it (using Netflix or similar service to catch up).
Two, I find I'm no longer truly involved in the shows I had loved for years. I still more-or-less enjoy them: The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones (when it comes back next year), Castle... but, I find I just don't care as deeply about them. I'm actually at the point that if Daryl was to be killed on TWD, I'd just say, "Oh well," where before I'd have been upset to say the least, and I'm completely indifferent as to whether Castle ever gets his memory back of the time he was missing. I now only watch established shows like those mentioned above, and those that ended years ago with a proper finale.
It's not that no other shows I loved in the past were ever cancelled, but I either didn't love them as much as Revolution or they got a proper finale first. And, none that I loved were suddenly cancelled after being on for more than one season -- it's been my experience that most networks/cable channels give shows that have had more than one season a chance to wrap up the story before canceling it. At least that's been true for the 1+ -season shows I loved in the past. Any that got cancelled after only one season; I was more able to deal with the loss and it didn't affect my other viewing choices.
I'm sure I'm not the only person to be so affected as a result of a favorite show being cancelled; there could well be thousands, if not more. If Revolution were still on, I wouldn't have hesitated to check out Forever and other new shows that sounded interesting. And just maybe some of them would be doing better in the ratings.
How many shows have failed to attract viewers and how much money has been lost by their networks as a result of decisions made by shortsighted network executives who don't understand that suddenly cancelling shows makes people too risk averse to take a chance on their new shows? I'm betting it's a lot.
Revolution had been the first NBC show I'd watched since ER ended in 2009. And as a result of watching Revolution, I had seen ads for and checked out other NBC shows, like Hannibal and The Blacklist. I do not watch them anymore as I'm currently boycotting NBC altogether.
Bottom line: Those of you making the decision to cancel a show without allowing a final season or, at least, giving the showrunners enough warning for them to rework the last few episodes into an ending are FOOLS! All you're doing is alienating potential viewers for your new shows, and in my case, costing other networks/cable channels a viewer as well since I'm unwilling to risk loving a new(ish) show only to have the same thing happen again. And it seems to me, that it'd be cheaper for you to stick with a show with an established, even if small, fan base and build on that fan base through good promotion rather than scrapping it in favor of a new show that it's completely unknown whether it'll even last one season, let alone multiple.
I know this rant probably won't change anything, but I had to say it. Maybe somebody who makes these decisions will listen! Thank you for reading.
P.S. Someone, please #RelocateRevolution! If it is, it would go a long way to restoring my faith in network TV, and I promise to check out new shows again! Even on NBC.
P.P.S. If anyone reading this also enjoyed Revolution, pleas join us on Twitter to #RelocateRevolution to a new home.