Two Moonlight questions from TV Guide's Ask Matt column.
Mourning Moonlight
Question:
I know you'll be getting millions of heartbroken letters from fans of TV shows (in addition to Moonlight) that were cancelled, but I'm writing because my feelings this season are bigger than my normal disappointment from upfronts. I actually think I'm done with network TV. I am so upset with the trend to cancel shows that don't instantly perform that I will be tuning out and going to cable. First Veronica Mars, then Jericho and finally the stake in the heart of Moonlight. It is so depressing to invest in great shows that deserve a bigger audience, but never get them because they are labeled as "quirky" or "genre" or are in "TV death slots." At times it feels like we (the TV watchers) work harder than the networks to create buzz for shows. The one network that may have succeeded in picking me up as a viewer again may be the CW. After Veronica Mars, I boycotted the station, but the loyalty the network seems to be showing to promising shows with low ratings like Gossip Girl and Reaper may have won me over for at least a trial run this year. All I have been hearing about is the drop in viewers for prime time, but it seems like the networks don't understand that they play a big part in this. Why be loyal to a station that isn't loyal to its shows or its viewers? So, stick a fork in me, CBS — I'm done. I and my wallet will be watching commercials on another station. — A.M.
Matt Roush:
With all due respect, and with all possible sympathy, I hear variations on this rant every year at this time. There's always some show (often more than one) that triggers this kind of outpouring, and I don't deny it's genuine, but it's nothing new. Shows get canceled every season. It's a function of the business, which has a terribly high casualty rate, especially for shows that don't hew to a particular network's formula. And while I freely admit that CBS's axing of Moonlight took me by disappointed surprise, you'll never get me to advocate a boycott. Life, and TV, goes on. You never know where the next terrific show will turn up, maybe even on CBS, maybe even on Fridays. I can't afford not to keep an open mind. Getting hooked on a TV show always carries an element of risk. I still think it's worth it. As for giving too much credit to the CW for sticking with its low-rated shows, what choice does it have? If Moonlight had aired on the CW, it probably would have survived. But given that network's parameters, Mick would probably have been a teenage vampire, so it's a bit apples and oranges, no?
Question:
Is there any possibility that another network might pick up Moonlight, now that CBS has canceled it? I know that the show was on the bubble, but I was really surprised by its demise, considering all the buzz that surrounds it. I hope that you are enjoying the upfronts! — Sarah Anne
Matt Roush:
Thanks, but I'd be enjoying them a lot more if they didn't throw curveballs like the Moonlight cancellation my way. My instinct, as always, is to say there's little if no chance that anyone will come along to rescue Moonlight, although as I write this column on a crazy Upfront-week deadline, there's a report that the company renting space on Sunday from the CW may be mulling over putting Moonlight into their mix. I'll believe that when it becomes a reality, but until then, no false hope from this corner.
askmatt@tvguide.com
Mourning Moonlight
Question:
I know you'll be getting millions of heartbroken letters from fans of TV shows (in addition to Moonlight) that were cancelled, but I'm writing because my feelings this season are bigger than my normal disappointment from upfronts. I actually think I'm done with network TV. I am so upset with the trend to cancel shows that don't instantly perform that I will be tuning out and going to cable. First Veronica Mars, then Jericho and finally the stake in the heart of Moonlight. It is so depressing to invest in great shows that deserve a bigger audience, but never get them because they are labeled as "quirky" or "genre" or are in "TV death slots." At times it feels like we (the TV watchers) work harder than the networks to create buzz for shows. The one network that may have succeeded in picking me up as a viewer again may be the CW. After Veronica Mars, I boycotted the station, but the loyalty the network seems to be showing to promising shows with low ratings like Gossip Girl and Reaper may have won me over for at least a trial run this year. All I have been hearing about is the drop in viewers for prime time, but it seems like the networks don't understand that they play a big part in this. Why be loyal to a station that isn't loyal to its shows or its viewers? So, stick a fork in me, CBS — I'm done. I and my wallet will be watching commercials on another station. — A.M.
Matt Roush:
With all due respect, and with all possible sympathy, I hear variations on this rant every year at this time. There's always some show (often more than one) that triggers this kind of outpouring, and I don't deny it's genuine, but it's nothing new. Shows get canceled every season. It's a function of the business, which has a terribly high casualty rate, especially for shows that don't hew to a particular network's formula. And while I freely admit that CBS's axing of Moonlight took me by disappointed surprise, you'll never get me to advocate a boycott. Life, and TV, goes on. You never know where the next terrific show will turn up, maybe even on CBS, maybe even on Fridays. I can't afford not to keep an open mind. Getting hooked on a TV show always carries an element of risk. I still think it's worth it. As for giving too much credit to the CW for sticking with its low-rated shows, what choice does it have? If Moonlight had aired on the CW, it probably would have survived. But given that network's parameters, Mick would probably have been a teenage vampire, so it's a bit apples and oranges, no?
Question:
Is there any possibility that another network might pick up Moonlight, now that CBS has canceled it? I know that the show was on the bubble, but I was really surprised by its demise, considering all the buzz that surrounds it. I hope that you are enjoying the upfronts! — Sarah Anne
Matt Roush:
Thanks, but I'd be enjoying them a lot more if they didn't throw curveballs like the Moonlight cancellation my way. My instinct, as always, is to say there's little if no chance that anyone will come along to rescue Moonlight, although as I write this column on a crazy Upfront-week deadline, there's a report that the company renting space on Sunday from the CW may be mulling over putting Moonlight into their mix. I'll believe that when it becomes a reality, but until then, no false hope from this corner.
askmatt@tvguide.com
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