NBC to Cancel "The Office"
This really sucks, NBC is canceling The Office due to [really] low ratings. I have no idea why one of the funniest shows is getting such low ratings.
I don't totally blame NBC for the decision to cancel, the show is under performing. But I think networks need to really get behind shows. I have heard that when starting a business you need to expect to loose money the first several years. Networks should understand that some shows need a little more than 6 episodes to get attention.
Another new show this season is Jake In Progress and as far as I know it's aired the same number of weeks as The Office, but has had 13 episodes already (airing two a night each week). I have no idea how well it is doing rating wise (looking up that info isn't a specialty of mine), but it is quite possible that airing these extra episodes will allow viewers (I almost called them "users" (I am a true geek)) to make stronger connections with characters in a shorter time frame.
It will be interesting to see how TV networks will try and capture viewers in the future.
I feel somewhat bad myself, I love The Office and have talked about the show with family and friends and encouraged them to watch it, but yet I have only seen 1 episode on TV during it's original airtime, the rest of the season I watched after downloading the shows off the Internet on my own schedule.
Am I hurting the ratings by this practice? Does me watching a show actually help? What about when I watch one show via my cable box but record another with my VCR? Do they both get credit?
I wonder when TV networks will start watching Internet downloads to help gauge what is popular (if they aren't already). It was like 6 (or more) years ago when the music industry really started paying attention and using download statistics to pick the next singles from albums for airplay. Hopefully TV will catch up.
I would love to say that DVD sales might bring back The Office for more episodes to be made, but with only 6 episode under their belts they would need a lot of extras to make it worth a purchase.
If you have missed out and you want to partake of the comedy goodness of The Office, it's not too late, the entire season (yes, all 6 episodes) can be downloaded via BitTorrent thanks to a wonderful BT site for TV shows, #BT - EFnet. If you only are willing to give the show one chance, download episode #104 "The Alliance".
1. I don't know if your practice of downloading the episode instead of watching it "live" hurts the ratings or not.
2. Go and get the British version of "The Office." I have seen 2 partial episodes of the US version and although it is unfair to compare the two, the British version is freakin' hilarious. I have the DVD of the first season if you wish to borrow it. Sometimes I can't breath watching the British version from laughing to hard.
Is it possible for a cable station to pick the US version of "The Office"? I heard that is what may happen to "Arrested Development", another fine sitcom.