TV Guide ~ Question regarding CBS and ratings

Another concerned fan asks Matt Roush to try to explain how CBS looks at ratings when deciding its television programming & schedule.

Ask Matt

Question : I'm so frustrated! How many times do I watch a CBS show at 9 pm/ET on Friday after Ghost Whisperer and it gets cancelled? First, Close to Home, then Moonlight, and now The Ex List. Out of the three, Moonlight was the best, followed by Close to Home. The Ex List wasn't great, but it wasn't terrible TV. To me, it was better than watching Supernanny at that same time. My question is this: When will CBS get a show and leave it there? Why must CBS be so specific about ratings, and dump a show if it doesn't hold Ghost Whisperer's ratings? Is there any way for the suits at CBS to hear us "regular folks" who are actually the ones watching the shows? I just don't get it, but maybe it's because I'm not familiar with the way TV Networks work. It's just very frustrating. It almost makes you not want to watch anything anymore for fear it will be canceled. This 9 pm time slot on Friday on CBS is the worst. But I know there are other shows in danger of cancellation (Pushing Daisies, etc.). Why do they expect so much from "ratings?" — Mary M.

Matt Roush : This Friday time slot is the last tough nut for CBS to crack. (The network finally fixed its Tuesday 10 pm/ET problem, where shows had gone to die ever since Judging Amy packed it in, by moving Without a Trace there.) Simply put, ratings are the necessary evil by which the network business still functions. Even in these technologically transitional times, it's the measurement system by which shows live or die, and Fridays are particularly challenged as the viewing levels on the night continue to dwindle. Finding a show that fits between Ghost Whisperer and Numb3rs has proved particularly vexing, and going the supernatural or romantic-comedy route the last two seasons hasn't met CBS's expectations. (In retrospect, giving Moonlight a second season to develop might not have been such a bad idea.) I keep seeing speculation in the trades that plugging in the summer hit Flashpoint would make the most sense, and I guess we shouldn't expect anything else from CBS beyond yet another procedural hour.

http://www.tvguide.com/Roush/Roush-House-Daisies-58319.aspx

Thank you, Eva, for sending me a message to be sure I had this info!

"Alex O'Loughlin is a major TV star waiting to explode"

A thoughtful fan asked TV Guide's Matt Roush about the long wait for Alex O'Loughlin's new television project. She articulated a worry I've heard from many of you..... Not wanting Alex to lose momentum, fan recognition and appeal by taking too much time out of the public eye.

We want to keep Alex on the media radar!

ASK MATT

Question : I am concerned regarding the ratings for Pushing Daisies and the very real possibility of this show being canceled. While there are no shows on this year that will cause me agony like Moonlight's cancellation did last year, I think Pushing Daisies is a really unique show unlike anything else on television. What do you think of its chances to at least make it for a full season? As I mentioned, I still mourn the loss of Moonlight. While my love of the show was always about the whole show and not a particular actor, I have noticed that Jason Dohring will be on a new HBO show. What is going on with Alex O'Loughlin? CBS signed him to a talent contract and he was supposed to be working on something, but there's been no mention of anything recently, particularly from CBS. Do you know anything? With all his fans, CBS is making a major mistake not getting him on something. — Faye

Matt Roush : Right now, I'm just hoping ABC will air all 13 of the Pushing Daisies episodes that were initially ordered. I'll worry about the rest later, but I think you have to consider it a long shot to make it to the end of the season, let alone beyond, unless someone high up is really looking out for the show. As for Alex O'Loughlin: Haven't heard anything, but to me, an even bigger mistake than not yet having announced his next project would be to rush him into a project before they've found the right one. (And while the early demise of The Ex List no doubt has the I-told-you-so'ers chomping for a Moonlight comeback, that's beyond unlikely.) TV is always at its worst when it's more about the deal than the show, and locking a star into a show if it's not the right fit for either the star or the network is a recipe for disaster. But make no mistake: Alex O'Loughlin is a major TV star waiting to explode, and given the success Simon Baker is finally having with The Mentalist, it should be only a matter of time before O'Loughlin finds a suitable vehicle to take full advantage of his undeniable charisma.

http://www.tvguide.com/Roush/Roush-Fringe-Heroes-35141.aspx

Thank you to Cobby for making sure I knew about this :)

Photograph ~ Alex O'Loughlin doing Q&A session for his film, Feed.

Moonlight takes over Ask Matt again

Ask Matt tackles several Moonlight related questions today. The fans are pouring out their feelings of loss over our show being canceled. Fan campaigns & Vampire stories being extremely popular right now are discussed.

Question : Do you think that CBS will ever be bold enough to try and break their crime procedural mold? Just look at their line-up! Every single show (except for a few reality shows and maybe Ghost Whisperer) is extremely similar to each other. They cater to one audience only, and seem extremely stubborn to change it. This season they put a couple new shows out there with a bit of a different focus, but what did they do? They canceled every single one of them! Even the one with the most charismatic, best looking star I've seen in a while: Moonlight. It had excellent cult status, with the possibility for more, yet they cancel it. In a season where all of the other networks were giving new, low-performing shows renewal just because the season was so screwed up by the writer's strike, CBS still can't take a chance, break the mold or maybe stop themselves from continuing to dig a dull, boring, same-as-usual pit for themselves. My heart is broken for Moonlight, and my puzzlement with CBS lingers. — Angie L.

Matt Roush : More than most networks, CBS is caught in that damned if you do, damned if you don't paradox. A year ago, CBS tried to shake off some of its stuffiness by going decidedly off-brand with shows like Viva Laughlin, Cane, Kid Nation and Moonlight (the latter of which had the most potential, I agree). In each case, the results ranged from disappointing to outright dud. With the exception of Moonlight, I wouldn't second-guess any of those cancellations. The only freshman hit on CBS, and it's a modest one, is The Big Bang Theory, which I'm a big fan of, but which I'd never call groundbreaking. The short-term lesson in all of this is that CBS tends to be rewarded when it plays to its strengths, with well-cast, solidly produced but undeniably formulaic crime/action procedurals and classic-style, mass-appeal multi-camera sitcoms with laugh tracks. Throw in the occasional blue-chip reality show like Survivor and The Amazing Race (which I'm thrilled will produce two cycles next season), and the greatest newsmag ever in 60 Minutes (just ignore the demos), and that's CBS in a nutshell. After the year CBS just had, you can't blame them for retrenching. Well, I guess you can, but it wouldn't do any good. So to answer your initial question: I'm betting CBS will continue to try to mix things up in seasons to come — at some point, they won't have a choice — but the process of trial and error isn't likely to be pretty.

Question : With the recent demise of Men in Trees, October Road, Jericho and Moonlight, did it seem like there was more fan fervor this year with "Save Our Show" campaigns? I have never seen such enthusiasm and creativity, and yet not a single campaign seemed to make any difference. Is there anything that the fans could have done differently that would have worked to save their shows? And please don't say, "Tell people to watch the show to improve the ratings," — from what I understand, it only matters if you're a Neilsen family, and even if it doesn't, it's not like I know millions of people. And I certainly didn't have any control over the way ABC decided to promote — or more accurately, not promote — Men in Trees, or the way ABC bounced the show around the schedule so it could never gain a decent following. Have we reached the point where the networks have so little regard for the voice of the viewers that we will never see a successful fan campaign again? — Lori

Matt Roush : ABC doomed Men in Trees (which returns this Wednesday for its final three episodes, by the way) with its inept and inexcusable scheduling, and there's probably nothing any fan campaign could have done to rescue that one. I was impressed by the pro-active and certainly pro-social awareness campaigns by fans of Trees and the various vampire dramas, but network TV isn't a charity business, to put it mildly. Ratings are just one consideration in choosing whether or not to renew a show. Strength of schedule, time-slot needs, economics, audience flow, other research factors all play a part, and maybe even the buzz that comes from these kinds of fan actions is factored in. It certainly helped Jericho get its second chance, which is why it's way too soon to cast a pall over any future fan campaigns. But once the tide has turned against a show, it can be hard to reverse it. And once a show is actually canceled, the odds get worse, despite the inevitable rumors that some network or other white knight is going to swoop in and rescue a show from extinction (which rarely happens).

Question : I must say how disappointed I was when I heard Moonlight was being canceled. I had only started watching it a few episodes ago, but that was enough to get me hooked. There's a series of books which I am sure you have heard of called Twilight. They of course deal with vampires and werewolves, and a human falling on love with a vampire. If it wasn't for those amazing books, I probably wouldn't have started to watch Moonlight. These books are selling out nationwide, and women especially are the ones buying them. I think CBS needs to rethink canceling Moonlight for the sake of women everywhere. We read in these books about love and sacrifice, but actually seeing something like it makes it more real for us. If they won't give us another season, they need to come up with some sort of show that would be similar to it, because more and more people are getting into these kind of vampire books. And sooner or later, some network is going to come up with something, and it's going to be a smash hit because they knew exactly what audience they were going to get. — Brittany A.

Matt Roush : The popularity of vampire book series like the Twilight series probably helps account for why the networks keep making shows like this, in hopes they'll catch on. Twilight itself, if I'm not mistaken, is being made into a feature film. Probably less risky than going the TV route. I suppose the next watershed moment for the genre will come when HBO finally launches its True Blood series, based on Charlaine Harris' "Southern Vampire" series. If HBO can't make something like this fly, who can?

askmatt@tvguide.com

TV Guide's Matt Roush says "CBS blew it" by canceling Moonlight

SPOILER ALERT.... for those who still have not seen Moonlight's season finale ~ Sonata (episode #1x16)

Matt Roush discusses Moonlight's finale & gives his opinion of the show's potential.

I love this part ~ "There was lots of untapped potential on this show. CBS blew it with this one." The yellow highlight is my emphasis!


Roush Dispatch
Finale Fever: The Critic's Notebook

Another show had a more permanent finale over the weekend. CBS’ cult fave Moonlight wisely faded to black with its romantic heroes, Mick and Beth (Alex O’Loughlin and Sophia Myles), in a clinch, not in some sort of mortal or immortal peril. A cliffhanger would have been the wrong way to go, even if the show had been renewed. “I can’t close the door on Beth,” Mick voice-overed, after Beth tearfully shuts the door on him and their star-crossed vamp-human romance. He rekindles the flame by declaring his love and, more important, remembering what she was wearing the day they met. Moonlight was just starting to deal with interesting notions of undying love among vamps: a vampire couple, together for 150 years, decides to go down in flames together rather than let one be sacrificed alone to “vampire justice” (administered in part by a ferocious Claudia Black of Farscape). We learned about the concept of “freshies,” human “donors” who freely offer their blood to vampire mates. (Josef naturally has one.) Beth was still struggling with feeling left out of all the vampire underworld intrigue, and Mick was still torn between his loyalty to his vampire buds and to his protective yearning for Beth. (“You want me to drink your blood?” he asked her after she catches him and Josef red-mouthed, sucking on Josef’s “freshie.”) There was lots of untapped potential on this show. CBS blew it with this one.

http://tinyurl.com/3q272w

Nielsen ratings, time shifted viewing and Friday night

Aside from Moonlight (I make time to see it live.... and then over & over again), we watch our television shows at our convenience. Either recording them for later viewing or watching them online. That is another reason why I feel that the Nielsen rating system is out of date. Lots of you have joined the ratings project by sending postcards to CBS letting them know we never miss an episode of Moonlight, but are not counted by Nielsen.

TV Guide's Matt Roush touches on this issue, as well as Friday night ratings in general. I could not agree more with this part ~ "I think CBS made a short-sighted error by scrapping Moonlight, undervaluing the buzz potential for the show and especially its star."

YES.... the Moonlight DVD set will be a huge seller! I'm already on the waiting list to get mine.

Roush on Moonlight

Question :
Along with millions of others, I'm a big fan of Moonlight. Although its ratings were not great, it usually won its timeslot on Friday night. I also realize Friday is not a big viewership night, but I think a lot more people were watching Moonlight than the Nielsen ratings indicate. From what I can tell, since it's on Friday night when many people are out on the town, it seems that many viewers DVR it and watch it the next day. Then there are the viewers who download full episodes, not to mention all the YouTube videos that fans make. I'm also willing to bet that when the DVD for Moonlight comes out, it will be a big seller. Are networks taking this non-traditional viewing into considersation when making renewal decisions? It seems the wave of the future. — Lisa W.

Matt Roush :
All of these off-network factors are coming into sharper focus as the networks make tough decisions on what to renew or not renew, but still for now, the bottom line is all about how the show is performing in a specific time period, and CBS has opted to go a different direction on Friday next season with the romantic-comedy The Ex List. I've gone on record that I think CBS made a short-sighted error by scrapping Moonlight, undervaluing the buzz potential for the show and especially its star. But I'm with you when it comes to Friday-night TV. Much as I had come to enjoy Moonlight and as addicted as I am to Battlestar Galactica, I never ever watch them live. Like countless others, I am never home on Friday nights, and as long as the networks continue to program original fare on Fridays — let's hope it doesn't become another Saturday anytime soon — they'll have to take time-shifting and other new ways of watching the show into account.

askmatt@tvguide.com

Moonlight questions in Ask Matt column

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

Matt Roush on Moonlight's cancelation

TV Guide's Matt Roush writes about Moonlight's cancelation.... and how it surprised even himself. Unfortunately, he feels that it is unlikely another network will pick up our show. But ~ you never know!

The Moonlight Goes Out

I’ll admit it. I’m floored. I was wrong. I was naïve. I drank the bloody Kool-Aid and started thinking like a fan (even though I always had my critical reservations). Up until last weekend, when the prognostications started turning sour, I truly thought CBS would give its cult romantic-mystery vampire drama Moonlight a long leash and a chance to work out its kinks—the narrative ones, that is; the kinkiness of the vampire romance was actually working—with a second-season renewal, or even a midseason backup order.

But no, they went and put a stake in Mick St. John, who as played by the charismatic Alex O’Loughlin had arguably the greatest potential for breakout buzz of any freshman-series character this season (and yes, I’m including the nubile fleshpots of Gossip Girl in this statement). My initial reaction, beyond despair at the thought of the unforgivingly bitter and relentlessly anguished mail that’s starting to arrive in my mailbag, was: Did CBS learn nothing from Jericho? And then I pondered: Well, maybe they did. They brought Jericho back, and despite massive media hype over that nearly unprecedented resurrection, it was a dud.

The circumstances are a bit different here, but the shows shared a few crucial roadblocks to success. Both Jericho and Moonlight were disrupted midway through their first seasons: Jericho by a misguided programming strategy that took the show off the air from November to February, stalling its momentum; Moonlight by the writers’ strike, which damaged network TV across the board. They aired in tough time periods: Jericho in the challenging lead-off Wednesday position, and in its comeback, in the Tuesday at 10 pm/ET death slot, while Moonlight struggled on Fridays as most shows do on the night. Both are what’s known as “off-brand,” experiments in serialized and genre formats for a network that finds its greatest success in traditional crime dramas and classic-style sitcoms.

It doesn’t help that CBS isn’t a producer of Moonlight (a Warner Bros production) the way it was for Jericho (from CBS/Paramount). The business side of the equation was no doubt also affected by all of the backstage turbulence on a show that bled show-runners as if an actual curse was in place. (Explains a recent Variety article: “It's understood that Eye execs were not impressed with the show's creative development, and there was much drama and turnover behind the scenes among producers and scribes and tussling between the network and studio over budgetary issues. The final straw was the show's sagging ratings perf during the past few weeks after its post-strike return.”)

Whatever the reasons—and why argue them; a show like this is always a crapshoot for a mainstream network—this goes down in my book as the most disappointing cancellation of the season. And again, for the record, I’m not even completely sold on the show, though as I recently argued in my Review column, it had plenty of potential and a star who’s an absolute keeper. (Not to mention a passionate fan base that literally gave blood to raise Moonlight awareness.)

So what are the odds that Mick will rise from the dead, in classic vamp fashion? Pretty steep, I’d think. No other broadcast network is likely to step in to save it—not even the CW, which at least has a corporate connection. (The CW being already satiated with genre programming like Smallville, Supernatural and the just-renewed Reaper.) Cable? Probably too expensive, even for Sci Fi—and fans are still smarting over that channel’s handling of The Dresden Files. But I’d be foolish to ever say never. Look what happened to Jericho, at least for a while.

http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Roush-Dispatch/Moonlight/800039595

Is Ron Koslow still involved with Moonlight?

TV Guide's Matt Roush answers whether or not Ron Koslow is still part of the Moonlight team.

Question :
I have read your columns and reviews since you were back with USA Today. I'm sure you remember a little show back in the late 1980s called Beauty and the Beast created by Ron Koslow, whose name is now on the credits as a cocreator of Moonlight. I tuned in to Moonlight because of Koslow's name. I love Moonlight, although it is different in tone than Beauty and the Beast, but still the emotional bond and unrequited love between Mick and Beth is reminiscent of Vincent and Catherine. I was wondering how much input Koslow has, since I haven't heard much about his involvement with the show even during the upheaval in the production staff that seems to have gone on. On a final note, the fans loving Moonlight and fighting to keep it on the air are also reminiscent of the fan outpouring of support for Beauty and the Beast, also on CBS 20 years ago. — Jane G.

Matt Roush :
Not just the CBS connection, but it also aired on Fridays, back before the night was considered a graveyard. Do I remember Beauty and the Beast? Do I ever. I reported at length about that show during its prime, including the fan campaigns and its post-Catherine cancellation. To answer your question: Ron Koslow was involved with the development of Moonlight, but like many other well-known names attached to the show during its turbulent first season (including Buffy/Angel vet David Greenwalt), he no longer has anything to do with the running of the show. There's no question, though, that Moonlight appeals to that same Gothic romantic streak.

askmatt@tvguide.com

Matt Roush says Moonlight deserves chance to grow

TV Guide's Matt Roush has reviewed Moonlight & Reaper previously. He decided to revisit each show now that they are airing the rest of this season's episodes. In his opinion, our show should be given the opportunity to continue growing!

Scary Times for Cult Horror Shows

In the world of supernatural TV, anything’s possible: a sexy vampire, a dapper Devil. Anything, perhaps, except overcoming so-so ratings and a creatively uneven first year. Two purely escapist series, CBS’ vampire mystery Moonlight and the CW’s satanic comedy Reaper, are on the bubble for renewal (their fates are announced the week of May 12 during the networks’ up-front presentations). While neither is likely to become a genre classic of Buffy or X-Files status, both deserve a chance to keep going and growing.

Moonlight in particular enjoys buzz from fans smitten by Mick St. John, a dashing private-eye vampire (Alex O’Loughlin) who bares his chest more often than his fangs. Overcoming a dreary pilot stuffed with noir clichés, Moonlight quickly developed into a sizzling romance between Mick and Beth (Sophia Myles), a reporter who seems to crave the immortality he has come to despise.

An awful lot of daylight pervades Moonlight, which loves sending up old-school vampire myths as it goes about solving otherwise routine cases. (The sun isn’t good for vampires, but doesn’t instantly kill them, and so on.) There’s a complicated backstory, naturally, and a very expendable supporting cast — not counting Veronica Mars’ Jason Dohring as Josef, Mick’s eternally boyish and ridiculously wealthy mentor. What really matters here is watching Mick wrestle with his demons and desires.

“Maybe love can’t exist without mortality,” suggests the ex who turned Mick undead decades ago, and who introduced him to a cure that made him temporarily human. (Mick on the beach! Swoon!)

Unlike Moonlight, the CW’s Reaper launched with a terrific pilot, featuring Sam (Bret Harrison), an underachiever forced to become bounty hunter for the playfully manipulative Devil (the hilarious Ray Wise). But it collapsed almost instantly, unable to eke out many eeks or laughs on a weekly basis. The missions and demons weren’t scary, and Sam, though charming, proved to be an awfully passive hero. If not for the Devil and Sam’s slovenly pal Sock (Tyler Labine), Reaper was a literal sleeper.

Only recently has the show found its way, opting for twisted romantic comedy — was Sam dating the Devil’s daughter? — over soul-catching, while drawing Sam into an underground rebellion to overthrow the Devil, led by gay demon neighbors (amusingly played by Michael Ian Black and Ken Marino).

The Devil made me like Reaper, but he’s now not the only draw. Too little too late? We’ll soon see.

Moonlight airs Fridays, 9/8c, CBS

Reaper airs Tuesdays, 9/8c, The CW

http://www.tvguide.com/roush-review/moonlight-oloughlin-reaper/080507-05

Moonlight Scenes on Matt Roush's Top 20 List

TV Guide's Matt Roush has published a list of his Top 20 television moments from last week. Moonlight is number one! He chose scenes from Fated to Pretend (episode #1x13) for the top spot.

Week in Review: The Good, Bad & Ugly Betty

What a wacky TV week it has been, from Paula Abdul’s latest live-TV debacle to the usual array of sweeps stunt castings. Here in roughly chronological order is another top-20 list of watercooler moments that had me buzzing: sometimes happily, sometimes not.

1. Josef turning Mick back into a vampire after his brief fling with mortality on Moonlight. That was one hot scene of desperate sacrifice, mutual feeding and otherworldly brotherhood. Also liked Beth’s final word on the situation: “You may have forever, but I don’t.” Mick can fix that, but will he?

http://tinyurl.com/47a8tm

Three Moonlight entries in Ask Matt's column today

Moonlight has three entries in Matt Roush's "Ask Matt" column today. I can not wait to hear what you have to say after reading them.... especially #2. *growl* Our fave scene of Josef turning Mick is Matt's highlight of the season too. He also says that he expects Moonlight to be picked up for a second season!

Question: Did you see Moonlight? It was stunning! Joel Silver has clearly outdone himself! It just blew me away. It was intense, romantic, action-packed, moved very quickly and yet had great continuity. The cast was superb. There are not enough adjectives to describe this show. The relationship between Josef and Mick was amazing. I'm so glad that Jason Dohring got a major role here. He's a very good actor. Hope to see more? The Prince of Darkness becomes Prince Charming and reverses back to save "his Beth" from the rogue vampire. Could it be any better? We ladies were salivating! Matt, no occult show on TV could possibly measure up. I'm not thinking People's Choice Award, I'm thinking Emmy! If the following three episodes are anything like this one, I'm ready for a two-hour premiere in the fall. — Sharon

Matt Roush: But did you like it? Now that's what I call a mash note, and I sure hope you enjoyed the two-page photo spread of Alex O'Loughlin in the current Sexiest Stars issue. Pages 56-57. (Who am I kidding? It's probably hanging on thousands of walls already.) I would agree absolutely on one point: The scene where Josef turned Mick back into a vampire was a highlight of the entire season, and definitely Jason Dohring's best work in the series to date. (Reminded me of the erotic charge I got out of the early Anne Rice vampire novels.) Emmy-worthy? I won't go that far. But worthy of cult status and a second season? More and more.

Question: I was a reluctant fan of Moonlight in the beginning. It was way too much like Angel, and the episode where Mick had to feed on his girlfriend to survive was very clichéd and an obvious copycat of Angel and Buffy. However, I gave the show a chance, and I have to admit, it grew on me until I found myself looking forward to its return. Then, I watched the first episode back last Friday night. Not only was the story incredibly obvious and way too easy to see where the plot was going, but the product placements were so obtrusive that they completely overwhelmed the story. There was iPhone, iPhone and then more iPhone, followed by Guitar Hero, World of Warcraft and finally Krispy Kreme donuts. There was hardly room for the badly written story. I was disappointed. — John

Matt Roush: I get this point of view as well. I'm enjoying Moonlight more as it goes, but still find much of the writing (generally, anything that doesn't involve the whole vampire/mortality thing) beyond clunky. So much of Moonlight feels like a generic CBS show: the obvious crime plots, the bland supporting cast (excepting Dohring, who has improved lately), the harsh lighting. (Has there ever been a sunnier vampire drama than the ironically titled Moonlight?) Alex O'Loughlin is pretty much carrying this show on his capable shoulders, but I hope that if things settle down behind-the-scenes in the second season (assuming there will be one), that the rest of the show can rise to the level of its star's charisma. It won't be easy. But to single this show out for its product placements is a bit naïve. That's the economic reality of the world much of network TV is living in. If you're watching the show in real time, already sitting through the commercials, you may have cause to complain. But if you're watching on DVR/TiVo, skipping the commercials, that's a big reason you're going to have to get used to this trend. But it's true they could be a little less obvious about it, especially when it comes to those loving close-ups of the phones.

Another Moonlight question: The cast in a recent interview said that the last four episodes would "stand alone" due to there being no second-season pickup as yet. That is, there would be no arcs created because they didn't want to leave the audience hanging in the event that the series did not return. They also said that all four episodes were now wrapped. My question is this: If the network announces a pickup before the final episode airs, do you think they would create (or may already have ready) an alternate ending in an attempt to leave a cliffhanger to entice second-season viewing? Or do you think they will leave it as it is and move into a less stand-alone format if a second season happens? — Lyn

Matt Roush: The CBS upfront announcement will take place two days before Moonlight's scheduled May 16 season finale, so this is a moot point. I doubt seriously any show would rejigger its finale at the last minute just to give the audience a contrived cliff-hanger, which is already a pretty overdone gimmick, don't you think? The main reason I bring up this issue is to state again my own conviction that producers of marginal series do themselves and certainly their fans a disservice by ending an "on the bubble" season with a huge cliff-hanger. It's one thing to leave a show open-ended (like, say, the finale of Eli Stone, where Eli woke from the coma with the tumor gone and a world of possibilities ahead of him) and another entirely to leave the fan hanging with a life-or-death situation (like, say, if Eli had chosen to end without letting us know if he was going to wake up.) If Moonlight gets renewed, which I expect to be the case, then let the arcs fly. Although knowing CBS's proclivities, I bet their desire is for the show to keep the stories as self-contained as possible.

askmatt@tvguide.com

Matt Roush answers Cobby's question about a pilot vs presentation

My sweet friend, Cobby, asked TV Guide's Matt Roush to explain the difference between a television show presentation... like Moonlight had... and a pilot.

Question :
What is the difference between a pilot and a presentation? I'm a Moonlight addict, and I've read about this quite a few times but don't know the difference. — Cobby

Matt Roush :
Simply put, a pilot is usually a full-length episode (sometimes even of TV-movie length) meant to introduce the show's premise and establish its tone. A "presentation," such as Moonlight made before it was picked up last year, is more or less an expanded trailer, a collection of scenes that tell the network what the show will look like and where it's going, but produced at far less expense than a typical pilot. There are more series than ever producing presentations or even bypassing the pilot process and going straight to series production, and the reasons are all economic. Pilots traditionally are produced at a much greater budget than a regular series episode and thus tend to promise more than the actual series can deliver week in and week out. The one thing that pilots and presentations have in common, though, is that they're all works in progress. And what makes TV so exciting to cover is the process of watching a show either live up to the pilot, sometimes even improving along the way, or imploding.

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Matt Roush answers question about networks not airing reruns

Moonlight fans have been fuming over this subject for a long time. Why isn't CBS rerunning the show? Especially, rebroadcasting the episodes in the week leading up to the four new episodes airing.... so that new fans can get their bearings. A great fan asked TV Guide's Matt Roush that question in regard to Moonlight & a few other shows.

Question :

Why is there a trend these days for TV series to go off the air completely until a new batch of episodes are ready? Wouldn't it make more sense to air repeats for new viewers to discover the show and veteran viewers to watch the episodes they missed? In other words, why aren't reruns of Life, Pushing Daisies, Moonlight and Chuck currently on the air? Doesn't this network tactic lessen momentum and viewer interest? — Tony R.

Matt Roush :

Simple answer for a complicated issue. With few exceptions (hit comedies and procedural crime dramas), most shows don't repeat well. Especially serialized shows. In fact, ratings for repeats tend to suck, dragging the networks' levels down below acceptable levels. That's why the networks clog the summer schedule with silly reality shows that might at least give them a temporary lift. The argument to keep a show in the public eye is a good one, but that's why the networks are making more of their shows available on streaming video, in download form and eventually on DVD. In some cases, including in this strike-altered season when so few originals were produced, it might actually hurt some shows more for their repeats to air continually, bringing their average number down. The challenge for the networks is how to relaunch these shows after a long absence from the schedule.

Moonlight was also mentioned briefly by a reader discussing what they would like to see happen with the CBS lineup.

Question :

I was just reading your responses to two different questions: one about The Unit not being on CBS' schedule and another about airing repeats of Supernatural on CBS, and I just wanted to respond. I actually think a better fit with NCIS would be Numbers. I know Numbers consistently wins its time slot, but it is on Friday nights at 10 pm/ET. I think the show has mass appeal and would benefit after a show like NCIS because it has the same feel. Finding a show to pair with The Unit is much harder. I think The Unit would do better on Sundays. As for Supernatural, I think it could be a great Friday-night companion to Ghost Whisperer and Moonlight. By putting it on at 10 pm/ET, they could make it even grittier and get it out to a larger audience. Plus being on Friday, they wouldn't have to expect huge numbers. — Adam

Matt Roush :

Isn't it fun to play junior programmer? My thoughts: CBS isn't going to mess with success. Numbers holds down a tricky Friday night slot very well, and even if CBS is otherwise supernatural for the night, the network knows its strength is in smart procedurals. Yes, Numbers would be a good fit with NCIS, but so would a handful of other CBS crime dramas. I still think the NCIS-Unit pairing works well on Tuesdays because of their shared military themes and because the tone evolves to darker action from the first to second hour. I suppose The Unit could work on Sundays at 10 pm/ET, but it's probably better off hammocked between other shows. This of course assumes that CBS is bringing The Unit back in the fall and not mulling a checkerboard with new titles in the equation. Supernatural, as previously noted, is staying put on the CW where it belongs.

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Matt Roush upbeat about Moonlight's chances of being renewed

A great Aussie fan wrote to TV Guide's Matt Roush to ask his opinion about Moonlight being renewed for a 2nd season. Like us, he thinks CBS realizes what an opportunity they have on their hands.... "especially this star Alex O'Loughlin." Amen!

Question :

I was really bored, so I decided to finally give Moonlight a try. I was instantly hooked and watched all 12 episodes in one day. I love the fact that, unlike Angel, this show is sticking with vampires as the only "unnatural" element and everything else is relatively normal. Do you have any scoop or news on a Season 2 pickup? — Allie, Australia

Matt Roush :

I think it's safe to say that the performance of Moonlight when it returns with new episodes on April 25 will have a direct bearing on CBS's decision to renew it, which may not be made official until the network upfront on May 14. I'm more concerned with all of the backstage disarray, with producers coming and going behind the scenes. If CBS has any worries about its creative direction, that could be even more problematic than its Friday night ratings. I don't know why I'm so upbeat on this show's chances — it's not like I'm a superfan — but I find it hard to believe that CBS doesn't know what a cult sensation it's sitting on with this show and especially with this star (Alex O'Loughlin).

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Don't get on the wrong side of Moonlight fans!

TV Guide readers wrote to Matt Roush concerning Fox's immortal show, New Amsterdam. One made it quite clear that John Amsterdam is absolutely no competition for our Mick St John (I agree). Her declaration that she would "like Mick to stake Mr. Amsterdam and cut off his head" and Matt's reply about Moonlight fans made me chuckle!

Ask Matt

Question :
As a huge fan of Moonlight, Lost and now Buffy the Vampire Slayer (I am so glad FX is repeating it on weekends or I never would've found and adored this show!), I love sci-fi. That's why I wanted to try New Amsterdam. Sorry to disagree with some of your other readers, but I am not a fan in the slightest. The first episode showed a tinge of promise — I thought it was interesting the way they were handling the immortal aspect, showing potential to become an original show. But by the second and third episodes, I was bored to tears. Some of those were tears of laughter because, honestly, some of the dialogue is just terrible! It's essentially a crime procedural with the slightest haze of a supernatural element. This is more for the CSI fan than the sci-fi fan, and even then, it is easily predictable and poorly acted. The twist with Omar came as a surprise, but then turned sour for me as I found the whole aspect of John's numerous children to be badly executed. Where is the pain in his eyes? He doesn't even act like a father! I won't be watching any longer, and I sorely wish that the far superior Canterbury's Law had gotten those prime post-American Idol slots. New Amsterdam may be a "supernatural" show, but the holes in the plot are way too huge to avoid. I've definitely fallen away from this one. — Angie L.

Matt Roush :
I agree that the procedural part of the show is the weakest. It's generic in every way, but I'm still relatively intrigued by the way Amsterdam's longevity and his knowledge of ancient New York plays into the cases. But back to the bashing, as Connie L. chimes in with this even harsher critique: "The flashbacks, which a lot of people seem to like, are artificial and boring to me. Mr. Amsterdam is not what a man who has lived 400 years would be. Where are the wrinkles from so much loss and grief? Yes, he's 35 or so, but he's been through so much death and pain that I don't see! I can't get past that at all. I want someone to shoot him, stab him or just have him fall off a building so I can see what happens. How does he stay alive and how does he deal with the people that see it happen? And a point his grandson made, which I can't get out of my head, is what if someone cut his head off? Yes, what if? He does not act like a father or grandfather at all. I want to see feelings, and he doesn't have it. I see this show as a crime show with flashbacks, nothing else. Mr. Amsterdam is no Mick St. John. I'll take my Mick any day. In fact, I'd like Mick to stake Mr. Amsterdam and cut off his head."

Lesson here: You really don't want to get on the wrong side of Moonlight fans.

Hahahaha......

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Which show's fans are the most rabid?

Interesting! A reader sent Matt Roush a question regarding Moonlight vs New Amsterdam and mentioned being "surprised by the fervor of the Moonlight fans on the Internet." In Matt's reply he says "I will spare you the Blood Ties-beats-the-pants-off-Moonlight letters I regularly get." Some interpret that to mean he receives tons more email from Blood Ties fans than from us. Others think Matt is simply saying that he is often told that Blood Ties is better than Moonlight. When I first read it in the wee hours of the morning, I wasn't sure which it was either. Who needs sleep?!?! ha! However, I think he is talking about the old "my show is better than your show" game. What do you think?

Question :

I think the recent letter comparing New Amsterdam unfavorably to Moonlight is a little unfair, considering the only episodes out at the time were the pilot and the second episode. The pilot of a new series is never the best episode and it usually takes a few episodes for me, at least, to really become a fan of a show. I watch Moonlight, and it wasn't until Coraline entered the picture that I thought the show was better than mediocre. I've now seen the first three episodes of New Amsterdam and think that it has definitely improved over the pilot and people should give it a shot (especially the fans of fellow immortal crime-fighter show Moonlight). I don't have high hopes that New Amsterdam will get renewed, given Fox's treatment of it so far, but any small smidgen of hope that it will indeed get more episodes? Also, do you think Moonlight fans are becoming the new Supernatural fan girls? I absolutely love Supernatural, but even I am scared of its fandom (and a friend of mine is so scared of the fandom that she is wary of getting into the show). I'm really surprised by the fervor of the Moonlight fans on the Internet; to me, they seem to be approaching Supernatural-level obsession. — Bonnie C.

Matt Roush :

Seriously, you want me to go there?!?! I am not stirring those cult waters. Suffice it to say that nearly every cult show has its ferocious online following, and they're often very unforgiving to any newbie that dares to step on their turf. (I will spare you the Blood Ties-beats-the-pants-off-Moonlight letters I regularly get.) I've said before that it's too early to know one way or the other about New Amsterdam's future. You're probably right not to get too attached, but you never know. Fox can't be expecting miracles now that Dancing with the Stars and Two and a Half Men have rejoined the time period.

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Matt Roush is asked why CBS moved Moonlight's return from April 11th to the 25th

Since CBS changed Moonlight's return from 04/11/08 to 04/25/08, I have received loads of concerned emails. As I said previously, one positive thing to keep in mind is our show will be on during the important May sweeps. Matt Roush brings up that same point in his response to a reader's question in his Ask Matt Column.

Question :

I'd like to know why Moonlight's next new episode was moved from April 11 to April 25? Are they simply not ready with the shows, or is it because of the replacement for Chip?— Sam

Matt Roush :

Given the behind-the-scenes chaos on this show, I'm thinking fans should consider themselves lucky with whatever they get whenever they get it. I don't know if production concerns are behind the delay, but practically speaking, it makes more sense for CBS to hold the episodes so all of the originals air during the May sweeps, which is what looks like is happening.

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Matt Roush gives his opinion on whether or not CBS is trying to kill Moonlight

In his Ask Matt column today, TV Guide's Matt Roush gives his opinion regarding something that Moonlight fans have been concerned about for quite some time..... CBS' commitment to our show. He also agrees with us that Alex O'Loughlin is our show's biggest asset, and that the network knows they need to hold on to him.

Question :

Does it seem to you that CBS is actually trying to sabotage Moonlight? I mean, instead of repeating it, they put on The Price Is Right. Even if they wanted to air the game show, rerun Moonlight at 9 pm/ET in its regular slot, or even on another night to perhaps pick up a new fan base. I just watched New Amsterdam on Fox and frankly was unimpressed. I'll stay with it a while longer just to give it a shot, because I like this genre. The star (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) is a good-looking guy, but he really does not compare with Alex O'Loughlin. Does CBS understand what a gold mine they have in him? Granted, the character of Mick St. John is sultry, but the real draw is O'Loughlin's drop-dead gorgeous looks and style as an actor — he actually makes Mick funny. You can't help but love the character. His smile lights up the screen. Honestly, if they cancel Moonlight, it would really be a shame, because it's on the verge of an extremely interesting storyline and the fan base seems to be huge. Could another network possibly pick it up (like Forever Knight)? There are so many twists and turns this show could take. Perhaps they should do an end date like Lost, where Mick either dies (heaven forbid), becomes human, turns Beth or realizes that Coraline is the one for him and they stay vampires together forever. Any thoughts?— Debbie

Matt Roush :

Beyond advising you to take a deep breath and calm down? (Although this kind of advice recently got me in hot water with Supernatural fans.) As I've suggested before, if CBS really had it in for Moonlight, the show would already have a stake in it and you wouldn't be getting four new episodes next month. The current hiatus is a result of the strike and is more about CBS preserving the series from repeating the same handful of episodes over and over, which tends to diminish a show's overall ratings average. (The hardcore Moonlight fan may have no problem watching episodes repeatedly, but most people don't watch TV that way, and that's what video recorders are for.) I agree with you about Alex O'Loughlin's appeal. He's been the show's main asset from the start. (I also agree he's more fun to watch than New Amsterdam's more reserved immortal hottie.) The fact that the show remains in production, despite a fair amount of behind-the-scenes chaos, is a sign to me that CBS would like to keep this franchise going and that the network is aware of what a keeper this star is. Just because you don't agree with a programming decision doesn't mean they're out to kill it. (If you want to see an example of a network actively doing its best to harm a show, check out what's happened to ABC's Men in Trees.)

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Matt Roush gives his opinion on CBS not yet renewing Moonlight

Matt Roush was asked for his opinion on Moonlight not yet being officially picked up for a second season. His answer confirms what we have been discussing. It appears that CBS is waiting to see what happens with our four new episodes (which begin airing April 11th, 2008). As we have been told when calling the network, the decision probably won't be announced until mid-May.

TV Guide ~ Ask Matt

Question :

As you can probably imagine, there's plenty of wailing and gnashing of teeth out here in Moonlight-land with CBS' list of 2008-'09 renewals published and no mention of Moonlight. The pickup of the four episodes for April gave us all cause for hope. Now we don't know what to think. What are your thoughts? — Lyn

Matt Roush :

If Moonlight were really dead, CBS wouldn't have gone to the expense of putting the show back into production for just four more episodes. I'd take that as a sign to be cautiously optimistic that if the spring episodes show the same creative growth and fan momentum that Moonlight was exhibiting when the strike kicked in, then CBS will have little choice but to renew it. But I doubt we'll know for sure until the actual Upfronts in May.

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Matt Roush gives his opinion on Moonlight's return this season

Since the writer's strike is over, a viewer wrote to Matt Roush asking if that means Moonlight will begin production again for this season, or if we will have to wait for next season for more episodes. He answered in his Ask Matt column today on the TV Guide website. Of course, this is just his opinion. All the tv gurus have said the same thing thus far.

Question :

I'm concerned that shows will be in such a hurry to get new episodes on the air after the strike finally ends that the result will not be as good as what we might have gotten if there had been no strike. What are the odds of this happening? I've heard that some shows had episodes written but weren't filmed because so much is rewritten during production, and that couldn't happen during the strike. So those shows should be OK. I've also read that some shows will not finish this season but will hold new episodes until fall. As much as I miss some of my favorites, I think I'd prefer this over hastily written and produced crap. Do you have any intelligence on this? What's your best guess? The shows I'm most interested in are Supernatural, Ugly Betty, Lost, Heroes and Moonlight. I also greatly miss my Monday-night laughs with the gang at How I Met Your Mother. Thank you for an informative and often thought-provoking column.— Cindy B.

Matt Roush :

Once the dust settles from the strike (let it be soon), each show will be judged on a case-by-case basis. The decision to wait to produce new episodes until next season for many series has more to do with economics than creativity, but some long-running shows are enough of a well-oiled machine that they can probably pick back up without too much effort — especially those that knew where their stories were going for the next part of the season. It's all a mess, but of the shows you name, it's most likely that Heroes, Moonlight and possibly Supernatural will make do with what they've already produced. Lost is in such an odd position, having already planned to do a short season, that I'll have to wait to see what they decide before commenting. Ugly Betty is so plot-driven at this point it would be nice for them to move the story a little bit further along, in the way that Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy and Brothers & Sisters appear likely to do in April or May. And comedies are the most likely of all shows to resume production for at least a handful of episodes, so I'd be surprised if we don't get more How I Met Your Mother (along with the other CBS comedies) before season's end.

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