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CW programs question
Sun, 1 Oct 2006 08:48:49 -0400 rec.arts.tv
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Obveeus...
Rob Jensen...
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At that point, they start buying in blocks, which is why you see
certain blocks of episodes of The Simpsons disappear from local syndication for years at a time, but the sheer volume of episodes means that you can rotate them in and out without exhausting it as a syndication package, as happens with shows like NewsRadio, that almost get to 100 episodes or thereabouts. It took a LONG time after NewsRadio was on the Biography channel several years ago for TBS to just now pick NewsRadio back up for afternoon repeats, and I'd put that success directly at the feet of the NewsRadio DVDs. However, Friends, NYPD Blue, The X-Files and MASH all had 200 episodes or more and are in syndication in complete blocks. I don't think it's 200 episodes that's the benchmark anymore -- I suspect that it's more like 300. I think in the first three cases, the situation is that the shows are so serialized that you can't not air them in order, barring the occasional theme weeks. At the same time, as the ownership of local stations has consolidated under the multinational conglomerates, often the owners of the networks whose programming they carry, the local station groups have deeper pockets from which to buy the larger packages. BTW, the larger packages have become more important because, not counting The Simpsons, Friends and Raymond, there's a drought of long-running half-hour shows from the late-90's, especially now that Home Improvement has exhausted its syndication run. That's why Seinfeld got a new syndication run in the afternoon and a few other older half-hour shows like NewsRadio and shorter run shows like NewsRadio and IIRC What I Like About You, have also gotten recent syndication berths. There really are more than enough timeslots to go around. |
Rob Jensen...
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That was the rule of thumb back then, but by the time of TNG, DS9 and
VOY, the rule of thumb for the Treks became 7 years/175 episodes, which is considered to be the target lifespan for even non-Trek shows now. The interesting thing is that while the three main Trek revivals had a Logan's Run-like self-destruct button cancelling them at 7 seasons, most shows that do get to that 7 season target last beyond the 7 year target for between one and three years on average. Think Charmed. Will and Grace (both 8 seasons). L&O: SVU (8th season and counting), The X-Files (9 seasons). Stargate: SG-1 and Friends (10 seasons), 7th Heaven, Cheers and Frasier (11 seasons each), NYPD Blue (12 seasons.), ER (13 seasons and beyond). Law & Order: Original Recipe and The Simpsons (a gazillion seasons each). I think Raymond has been the only recent non-Trek exception, lasting for only the 7 seasons. Which is yet another reason that I'm confident that Gilmore Girls will go on to s8 (especially when the CW/WB and ABC Family keep trying and failing to clone it.) -- Rob |
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Tonight on CW is the premiere of Girlfriends. One of the best comedies on
television, it starts its 7th season on the air and first season on the new CW. The question is: what other shows on CW are currently in regular repeats/syndication on other channels? I know that Girlfriends plays regularly on BET and my local CW channel. I know that previous seasons of ANTM play on VH1. I know that 7th heaven plays on the Family Channel. Has anything else currently on CW made it into syndicationland? The Christmas Place...
Rob Jensen...
evwill...
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