NBC cuts the Thursday episode of "Deal or No Deal" effective

[StevensM]

NBC announced today some changes in its Thursday lineup starting in November.  Of most interest, "Deal or No Deal" will be leaving the Thursday lineup.  There will not be an episode of "Deal or No Deal" on Thursday, November 16.  No mention is made of Thanksgiving Thursday, and the following Thursday the new lineup begins, with the 9/8C hour containing "Scrubs" and "30 Rock".  No mention is made of "Twenty Good Years", which is displaced by the change.  The Wednesday 8/7C hour, where it and "30 Rock" have been airing, will now be an hour for special programming.

No mention is made of whether "Deal or No Deal" will now air once a week or whether it will move its second weekly airing into another timeslot.

Read the details in the press release here:
http://www.nbcumv.com/release_detail.nbc/e...45makestwo.html

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'StevensM\' post=\'135593\' date=\'Oct 25 2006, 05:28 PM\']No mention is made of whether "Deal or No Deal" will now air once a week or whether it will move its second weekly airing into another timeslot.[/quote]

Give NBC credit.  DoND is still pulling in great numbers (it may still be NBC's top show), but the first announcement we hear is less DoND instead of more.  Whatever our opinions of the show, NBC seems to have learned the "golden goose" lesson from ABC's botching of Millionaire.

[tvwxman]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'135595\' date=\'Oct 25 2006, 06:00 PM\']
[quote name=\'StevensM\' post=\'135593\' date=\'Oct 25 2006, 05:28 PM\']No mention is made of whether "Deal or No Deal" will now air once a week or whether it will move its second weekly airing into another timeslot.[/quote]

Give NBC credit.  DoND is still pulling in great numbers (it may still be NBC's top show), but the first announcement we hear is less DoND instead of more.  Whatever our opinions of the show, NBC seems to have learned the "golden goose" lesson from ABC's botching of Millionaire.
[/quote]

Not entirely correct.

DoND was getting KILLED on Thursday, coming in 4th in prime demos.... So NBC isn't giving us less, just reorganizing the plate so they can (once again) give us more, and continue slaughtering the goose.

[itiparanoid13]

What I'd like to know is why, though.  They are replacing basically their only show that can compete against the heated Thursday night lineup with two sitcoms, while they are funny, but just do not pull in the ratings.  Is this partially a move to shut up the masses of angry TV critics for their game/reality 8PM mandate, just telling them "Hey, we still have our other shows on our mind, not just game shows."

[sshuffield70]

Well, if ol' whatsisface is to be believed, NBC is doing okay on Thursday.  DOND was pulling in 3rd in the "Grey's Anatomy/CSI" crossfire.  I'm wondering why DOND didn't get extended.  Obviously, it doesn't cost NBC quite as much money as their counterparts, so third place with about a 7 rating is pretty good, no?

[cweaver]

[quote name=\'itiparanoid13\' post=\'135604\' date=\'Oct 25 2006, 06:01 PM\']
What I'd like to know is why, though.  They are replacing basically their only show that can compete against the heated Thursday night lineup with two sitcoms, while they are funny, but just do not pull in the ratings.  Is this partially a move to shut up the masses of angry TV critics for their game/reality 8PM mandate, just telling them "Hey, we still have our other shows on our mind, not just game shows."
[/quote]

NBC has indicated several times it wants to rebuild a "Must See TV" sitcom-heavy lineup on Thursday, acknowledging they blew it when they put on The Apprentice awhile back.  They're banking on audience building up for Scrubs and 30 Rock like it did for its earlier shows like Seinfeld.  Whether that happens against the likes of Ugly Betty and CSI remains to be seen.

[Joe Mello]

NBC has also indicated that they want to do a lineup on the cheap.

I have a feeling this has something to do with sweeps.  That's the only reason I can fathom having a "special programming" block.

[Craig Karlberg]

I think this is more than just a "sweeps" stunt at work here.  Remember, NBCUniversal recently announced cutting 700 jobs mostly in production & news.  So, this is the first effect of the 8 PM game/realitu mandate.  I'm not so sure if it's meant to quiet the crittics as much as is a busness reaction to the NBCUniversal cutbacks.  Personally, I wouldn't mind DoND on a Friday night, but since 1 vs 100 is doing so wekk, it'll do for now.

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'Joe Mello\' post=\'135643\' date=\'Oct 26 2006, 12:49 AM\']I have a feeling this has something to do with sweeps.  [/quote][quote name=\'Craig Karlberg\' post=\'135652\' date=\'Oct 26 2006, 04:15 AM\']
I think this is more than just a "sweeps" stunt at work here. [/quote]
Those of us who READ the release saw that this change doesn't begin until November 30, so the only thing this has to do with sweeps is that they're waiting until sweeps are over to do it.  The only "stunt" is on November 16th, when they'll do one of their "super sized" nights of three forty-minute comedies with Earl, Office and 30 Rock.  Which, again, you would know if you read the release.

[GS Warehouse]

[quote name=\'StevensM\' post=\'135593\' date=\'Oct 25 2006, 05:28 PM\']... No mention is made of Thanksgiving Thursday ...[/quote]
NBCU didn't mention it, but Zap2it did.  Here's the updated 8-10 schedule, culled from AP, Zap2it, and Mediaweek:

November 16
8:00 - My Name is Earl
8:40 - The Office
9:20 - 30 Rock (new day)

November 23
8:00 - Deal or No Deal (final Thursday appearance, two hours)

November 30
8:00 - My Name is Earl
8:30 - The Office
9:00 - Scrubs (return)
9:30 - 30 Rock

[Matt Ottinger]

Mentioned briefly in the USA TODAY story is that 20 Good Years has been cancelled.  Don't know if this is "official" cancelled, or "hiatus, but there isn't a chance in hell..." cancelled.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'135684\' date=\'Oct 26 2006, 12:30 PM\']
Mentioned briefly in the USA TODAY story is that 20 Good Years has been cancelled.  Don't know if this is "official" cancelled, or "hiatus, but there isn't a chance in hell..." cancelled.
[/quote]
Jesus, how many episodes did it make? Three? Four? I saw it last night, in bits, for the first time. It didn't seem THAT foul.

/can't wait for the "20 Good Years: The Complete Series" DVD set

[BrandonFG]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'135684\' date=\'Oct 26 2006, 03:30 PM\']
Mentioned briefly in the USA TODAY story is that 20 Good Years has been cancelled.  Don't know if this is "official" cancelled, or "hiatus, but there isn't a chance in hell..." cancelled.
[/quote]
Well, damn...I actually thought that this was John Lithgow and Jeffrey Tambor's return to TV.

Would love to see Tambor get a successful network sitcom ("Arrested Development" doesn't count).

[SRIV94]

[quote name=\'fostergray82\' post=\'135687\' date=\'Oct 26 2006, 02:38 PM\']
Would love to see Tambor get a successful network sitcom ("Arrested Development" doesn't count).
[/quote]
Or if nothing else, he should regrow a mustache, develop a Southern accent, and be the understudy for the Dr. Phil World Tour 2007.  

Doug

[itiparanoid13]

Another Child's Play posting is reporting that Game Show Netw....I mean NBC is picking up Child's Play.  For some reason, I just can't see this getting the audience that 1vs100 or DoND gets.  Then again, as I always say, I never thought a bank offer would be a pony.  I still have NBC/Child's Play as a rumor, but 9 times out of 10, it seems to be right with these things.