Wonderfalls cancellation....or what should we do to those idiots at FOX? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

sadatx · 04-30-2004, 11:43 AM

I know Wonderfalls has probably been mentioned in the favorite cancelled T.V. shows thread, but it deserves it's own thread dammit. And I haven't seen anything about it since it's cancellation. Where's the outrage people? Plus I need to vent about FOX which seems to be having a power struggle in it's programming department between smart, intelligent T.V. Execs (if there are such a thing) and a team of monkeys.

The monkeys' are winning, by the way.

So did anyone else like this show or am I the only one sad to see it gone? Honestly, it took an extremely gimmicky premise and rose above it, getting better each episode (I much preffered it to Joan of Arcadia and even to Arrested Development, which is good but a tad overated). And Caroline Dhavernas, wow, I don't know what to say. Now that probably the perfect role for her has been taken away, I hope someone else recognizes her enormous talent, it would be a great shame if she faded away into obscure roles because Fox thought a series about making women feel horrible about themselves and then putting them through extreme surgeries would be a better show to air.

So what do we do? Storm FOX and take over operations? Raise a couple billion and start our own studio? At least start a petition?

I don't normally care about a T.V. show, but I actually made a point of staying home 'til nine on fridays to catch it. Something I usually never do with other shows (on the major networks anyway).

So if you'd like to rant about FOX, please do. And please show your support if you'd like to see Wonderfalls back on the air.

Batman976 · 04-30-2004, 01:07 PM

I've been continually bitching about Wonderfalls cancellation since it occurred. Maybe not so much here (although I know I did a little), but a lot on other message boards and in real life.

gmoot · 04-30-2004, 01:17 PM

My complaint isn't so much about FOX, but more about the quality of TV in general today.

I blame Survivor for the downfall of quality television programming. It seems like after the first season was such a hit, every network exec and his brother came up with a new Reality TV premise and every single one of them got aired. I'll be the first to admit that some of them are good, some of them are unhealthily addicting, and some are complete and udder garbage. I watch American Idol. I was addicted to Paradise Hotel.

But the whole idea of reality tv just sickens me. Has American life become so mundane and complacent that we need to look into this pseudo-reality that the networks keep shoving down our throats just to be happy? If you are that starved for 'reality', turn off the tv and look around...its all around you. The networks come up with some inane idea, send out a camera crew to film it, then promote the hell out of it as if you absolutely must watch it or your life won't be complete. If this is the direction that television is evolving in, I will probably give up tv within the decade.

Remember the early 90's? Remember when there wasn't a 'reality' show in sight and the primetime lineups were the stomping grounds for sitcom after sitcom followed by a good drama? Man those were the days. I honestly can't think of a single decent sitcom to come to television and last since the death of Seinfeld. Friends is running on momentum (just starting up now, it probably wouldn't have made it), and everything else halfway decent is cancelled 1-2 seasons in. No good, deserving shows (such as Wonderfalls) get a chance to make it anymore because 3 months in some exec gets an idea for a reality show and puts regular programming on the backburner where it quickly gets forgotten.

Today's television is dominated by Reality TV and Law & Order wannabe crime dramas. Neither of which really interest me at all. I'm hoping that this is just a phase, because as it is, I only watch TV for about 3-4 good shows a week and just forget about the rest.

sadistikdreams · 04-30-2004, 01:56 PM

I was exquisitely pissed when FOX cancelled Dark Angel. Just so some other exec-monkey could put her show on the air, Firefly. And that damn show bombed.

elfstar · 04-30-2004, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sadistikdreams
I was exquisitely pissed when FOX cancelled Dark Angel. Just so some other exec-monkey could put her show on the air, Firefly. And that damn show bombed.

Sorry to say, but that is one of the few things Fox has done right in recent memory. Of course, they turned around and sabotaged it by pre-empting practically every episode for sports and showing the episodes in a completely bone-headed and incorrect order. Firefly was one of the most innovative, well-written, and visually stunning shows ever produced. Thankfully they're making it into a movie right now...

Anyway, there's no reason to argue. Fox could have kept both Dark Angel and Firefly if they hadn't produced Fastlane. Fox execs: "Hey that Fast and the Furious movie did pretty well! I bet we can make a show with nothing but fast cars and big boobs and everyone in the country will watch it!"

Xell101 · 04-30-2004, 04:46 PM

I own the entire series of Firefly. I love that show. I was planning on catching Wonderfalls in the not too distant future as well. Damn crappy TV execs, they are now hideously loosing the battle against books during my free time, with exception to History Channel, it's generally pretty hard to screw up something like that, so I'm hoping it won't go the way of Discovery Channel and TLC, it used to be coool! Now it is primarily composed of cars, homes, and real life stories, and not an interesting thing at all.

CinnamonGirl · 04-30-2004, 06:18 PM

I was going to point you to the saving angel site for some ideas, but unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be doing any good

For the most part, TV sucks now...a lot. I don't watch reality shows, and the only Law & Order type show I watch is, well, Law & Order.

I'm with you on raising money for our own studio, though...as long as we play Buffy and Quantum Leap reruns

Batman976 · 05-11-2004, 11:37 AM

I downloaded two of the unaired episodes of Wonderfalls last night. Fans of the show might want to be on a lookout for them, because they're both very good. I'm not really sure if it's against the rules for me to tell you where to look, so hopefully you know.

Charlatan · 05-11-2004, 12:34 PM

Reality TV is not just an issue in the US market. I can tell you that Reality has shaken the entire TV universe to the core.

Prime time schedules around the world are stuffed with Reality.

Big Brother, which bombed in North America, is a hit in Europe. RTL2 in Germany strips the show daily at 7pm. That's five hours a week of primetime, gone.

Reality is cheap to make (the budgets are a fraction of what dramatic programming costs). Reality rates well (people watch the shows, and if they don't well they didn't cost that much to begin with). Reality can be produced indiginously (outside of North America they live on US produced programming, a lot of it... With Reality, they can license the format to a show like Survivor or the Bachelor and make their own version in their own language... these rate extremely well).

Reality is also extremely versatile. A UK producer was telling me that he had pitched a documentary series on twins to a broadcaster. It was to be a very informative factual series. The broadcaster suggested that they turn it into, "The most perfect twins". It was to be a competition to see which twins were the most identical. The show would still have all of the factual information that the original concept would have but that information would be delivered in a more entertaining method.

Needless to say the show was greenlit.

I wouldn't moan over US programming too much. People forget how much drek has been produced that wasn't reality.

The interesting fact is that most of the truly innovative programming being made today is coming from the world of Cable and Satelitte rather than the networks -- HBO, Showtime, etc. -- a creatively wiping the floor with the networks.

punx1325 · 05-12-2004, 08:12 PM

At least FOX is doing something right for once and bringing back Family Guy.

thespian86 · 05-16-2004, 11:02 AM

They always seem to screw you over somehow. I loved family guy and Futurama and they are being brought back (or so I hear) but they just recently canceled Bosten Public. I loved that show... bastards

Rodney · 05-16-2004, 07:54 PM

It's hard to even remember all the quality shows Fox has canceled: Brimstone, Joe Doe, Futurama, Titus (okay, it was getting weak), Firefly, Wonderfalls, Dark Angel, the list goes on. Sure, reality shows are cheaper, but Fox doesn't even give half these shows a chance.

Hell, if X-Files came along today, Fox would probably cancel it after 13 episodes. I think X-Files was like 90th most popular show for the first few months until it gradually built up an audience. But Fox didn't have any big hits in those days (Married, with Children was about it), so they gave it a chance. Today, if something doesn't hit BIG in a month or two, Fox pulls the plug. Short-sighted studio drones...

04-30-2004, 11:43 AM	#1 (permalink)
sadatx Psycho	Wonderfalls cancellation....or what should we do to those idiots at FOX? I know Wonderfalls has probably been mentioned in the favorite cancelled T.V. shows thread, but it deserves it's own thread dammit. And I haven't seen anything about it since it's cancellation. Where's the outrage people? Plus I need to vent about FOX which seems to be having a power struggle in it's programming department between smart, intelligent T.V. Execs (if there are such a thing) and a team of monkeys. The monkeys' are winning, by the way. So did anyone else like this show or am I the only one sad to see it gone? Honestly, it took an extremely gimmicky premise and rose above it, getting better each episode (I much preffered it to Joan of Arcadia and even to Arrested Development, which is good but a tad overated). And Caroline Dhavernas, wow, I don't know what to say. Now that probably the perfect role for her has been taken away, I hope someone else recognizes her enormous talent, it would be a great shame if she faded away into obscure roles because Fox thought a series about making women feel horrible about themselves and then putting them through extreme surgeries would be a better show to air. So what do we do? Storm FOX and take over operations? Raise a couple billion and start our own studio? At least start a petition? I don't normally care about a T.V. show, but I actually made a point of staying home 'til nine on fridays to catch it. Something I usually never do with other shows (on the major networks anyway). So if you'd like to rant about FOX, please do. And please show your support if you'd like to see Wonderfalls back on the air. Last edited by sadatx; 04-30-2004 at 11:45 AM..

04-30-2004, 01:07 PM	#2 (permalink)
Batman976 is you wicked? Location: I live in a giant bucket.	I've been continually bitching about Wonderfalls cancellation since it occurred. Maybe not so much here (although I know I did a little), but a lot on other message boards and in real life. __________________ The following statement is true. The preceding statement was false.

04-30-2004, 01:56 PM	#4 (permalink)
sadistikdreams lonely rolling star Location: Seattle.	I was exquisitely pissed when FOX cancelled Dark Angel. Just so some other exec-monkey could put her show on the air, Firefly. And that damn show bombed. __________________ "Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials." -Lin Yutang hearts, by d.a.

04-30-2004, 06:18 PM	#7 (permalink)
CinnamonGirl She's Actual Size Location: Central Republic of Where-in-the-Hell	I was going to point you to the saving angel site for some ideas, but unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be doing any good For the most part, TV sucks now...a lot. I don't watch reality shows, and the only Law & Order type show I watch is, well, Law & Order. I'm with you on raising money for our own studio, though...as long as we play Buffy and Quantum Leap reruns __________________ "...for though she was ordinary, she possessed health, wit, courage, charm, and cheerfulness. But because she was not beautiful, no one ever seemed to notice these other qualities, which is so often the way of the world." "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"

05-11-2004, 11:37 AM	#8 (permalink)
Batman976 is you wicked? Location: I live in a giant bucket.	I downloaded two of the unaired episodes of Wonderfalls last night. Fans of the show might want to be on a lookout for them, because they're both very good. I'm not really sure if it's against the rules for me to tell you where to look, so hopefully you know. __________________ The following statement is true. The preceding statement was false.

04-30-2004, 01:17 PM	#3 (permalink)
gmoot Upright Location: Ohio	My complaint isn't so much about FOX, but more about the quality of TV in general today. I blame Survivor for the downfall of quality television programming. It seems like after the first season was such a hit, every network exec and his brother came up with a new Reality TV premise and every single one of them got aired. I'll be the first to admit that some of them are good, some of them are unhealthily addicting, and some are complete and udder garbage. I watch American Idol. I was addicted to Paradise Hotel. But the whole idea of reality tv just sickens me. Has American life become so mundane and complacent that we need to look into this pseudo-reality that the networks keep shoving down our throats just to be happy? If you are that starved for 'reality', turn off the tv and look around...its all around you. The networks come up with some inane idea, send out a camera crew to film it, then promote the hell out of it as if you absolutely must watch it or your life won't be complete. If this is the direction that television is evolving in, I will probably give up tv within the decade. Remember the early 90's? Remember when there wasn't a 'reality' show in sight and the primetime lineups were the stomping grounds for sitcom after sitcom followed by a good drama? Man those were the days. I honestly can't think of a single decent sitcom to come to television and last since the death of Seinfeld. Friends is running on momentum (just starting up now, it probably wouldn't have made it), and everything else halfway decent is cancelled 1-2 seasons in. No good, deserving shows (such as Wonderfalls) get a chance to make it anymore because 3 months in some exec gets an idea for a reality show and puts regular programming on the backburner where it quickly gets forgotten. Today's television is dominated by Reality TV and Law & Order wannabe crime dramas. Neither of which really interest me at all. I'm hoping that this is just a phase, because as it is, I only watch TV for about 3-4 good shows a week and just forget about the rest.

04-30-2004, 04:46 PM	#6 (permalink)
Xell101 Junkie	I own the entire series of Firefly. I love that show. I was planning on catching Wonderfalls in the not too distant future as well. Damn crappy TV execs, they are now hideously loosing the battle against books during my free time, with exception to History Channel, it's generally pretty hard to screw up something like that, so I'm hoping it won't go the way of Discovery Channel and TLC, it used to be coool! Now it is primarily composed of cars, homes, and real life stories, and not an interesting thing at all.

05-11-2004, 12:34 PM	#9 (permalink)
Charlatan Getting it. Super Moderator Location: Lion City	Reality TV is not just an issue in the US market. I can tell you that Reality has shaken the entire TV universe to the core. Prime time schedules around the world are stuffed with Reality. Big Brother, which bombed in North America, is a hit in Europe. RTL2 in Germany strips the show daily at 7pm. That's five hours a week of primetime, gone. Reality is cheap to make (the budgets are a fraction of what dramatic programming costs). Reality rates well (people watch the shows, and if they don't well they didn't cost that much to begin with). Reality can be produced indiginously (outside of North America they live on US produced programming, a lot of it... With Reality, they can license the format to a show like Survivor or the Bachelor and make their own version in their own language... these rate extremely well). Reality is also extremely versatile. A UK producer was telling me that he had pitched a documentary series on twins to a broadcaster. It was to be a very informative factual series. The broadcaster suggested that they turn it into, "The most perfect twins". It was to be a competition to see which twins were the most identical. The show would still have all of the factual information that the original concept would have but that information would be delivered in a more entertaining method. Needless to say the show was greenlit. I wouldn't moan over US programming too much. People forget how much drek has been produced that wasn't reality. The interesting fact is that most of the truly innovative programming being made today is coming from the world of Cable and Satelitte rather than the networks -- HBO, Showtime, etc. -- a creatively wiping the floor with the networks. __________________ "My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars." - Old Man Luedecke

05-12-2004, 08:12 PM	#10 (permalink)
punx1325 Junkie Location: San Diego	At least FOX is doing something right for once and bringing back Family Guy. __________________ If something seems too good to be true, then it probably is....

05-16-2004, 11:02 AM	#11 (permalink)
thespian86 change is hard. Location: the green room.	They always seem to screw you over somehow. I loved family guy and Futurama and they are being brought back (or so I hear) but they just recently canceled Bosten Public. I loved that show... bastards __________________ EX: Whats new? ME: I officially love coffee more then you now. EX: uh... ME: So, not much.

05-16-2004, 07:54 PM	#12 (permalink)
Rodney Observant Ruminant Location: Rich Wannabe Hippie Town	It's hard to even remember all the quality shows Fox has canceled: Brimstone, Joe Doe, Futurama, Titus (okay, it was getting weak), Firefly, Wonderfalls, Dark Angel, the list goes on. Sure, reality shows are cheaper, but Fox doesn't even give half these shows a chance. Hell, if X-Files came along today, Fox would probably cancel it after 13 episodes. I think X-Files was like 90th most popular show for the first few months until it gradually built up an audience. But Fox didn't have any big hits in those days (Married, with Children was about it), so they gave it a chance. Today, if something doesn't hit BIG in a month or two, Fox pulls the plug. Short-sighted studio drones...