NBC sitcom''s last hope

Tina Fey on Netflix

This article proclaims that Netflix may save the network sitcom (in particular NBC). Tina Fey's new comedy has just premiered on Netflix (all 13 episodes) allowing people to binge watch 6 hours of a new sitcom, the way they binge watch dramatic or sci-fi series.

With every single sitcom premiering on NBC since fall of 2009 failing (about 2 dozen sitcoms), the show is in better hands with Netflix. Since the production company is part of the same company as NBC, the corporation may be doing better by selling the show to Netflix.

I am curious why NBC could not premier the show on NBC Video on Demand, which must reach more customers than Netflix. Is it because advertisers are reluctant to spend money on a show with no track record, or does Netflix just pay much more than can be earned by advertising?

Quote: Pacomartin

Success is defined as remaining on the air and having positive reviews, as the ratings were very low/

Success is defined as making money in sufficient quantity for the amount expended in presenting the content.

Consider Reefer Madness. Shown at midnight in the East Village, shown in coffee shops, shown at frat parties, shown in "art houses", etc. Not a success for its content or acting or accuracy. Well beyond copyright date anyone with a print simply shows it and makes money. Anyone who tries to show it in Peoria won't make money on it.

Its not the content, its the marketing expenses.

Low ratings can be due to opposition or changing time slots but whatever the cause low ratings can be a death knell on broadcast TV. On cable low ratings simply means you run it over and over again but get sufficient ratings. On Internet Video Services it means ratings that are "sufficient". That German girl sailing her yacht around the world is "in the black" because she has several loyal followers seeing her ads on youtube. Netflix is ecstatic about its Fourth Wall Breaking Bonanza, House of Cards, because the ratings are so high its bringing in loyal customers and keeping them loyal.

Many shows are now multimodal shows. Consider BREAKING BAD... it was cable, it was on the internet, it had actors and producers blogs, it had loyal viewers on cable and loyal consumer gobbling up the 'extra content' of behind the scenes and Chat with Tuco. Just as these reality shows make a fortune in Product Placement fees there is always something that will cure low ratings.

Broadcast TV is dead? Dying? Perhaps,,,, but someone will make money syndicating the funeral rights.

Quote: Fleastiff

Many shows are now multimodal shows. Consider BREAKING BAD... it was cable, it was on the internet, it had actors and producers blogs, it had loyal viewers on cable and loyal consumer gobbling up the 'extra content' of behind the scenes and Chat with Tuco. Just as these reality shows make a fortune in Product Placement fees there is always something that will cure low ratings.

But in order for the ancillary revenue to kick in, the original show has to be popular enough to stay on the air. NBC has had 26 sitcoms in a row get cancelled before reaching the required 88 episodes to go into syndication. But NBC is doing reasonably well with drama, reality, sports and news.

But as long as ABC has Modern Family and CBS has The Big Bang Theory, the sitcom isn't dead.

Maybe it's time for someone to reboot "Three's Company." :)

The premise, as originally done in the late 70s, couldn't possibly work today. which is why Hollywood would think it's a great idea.

Quote: Pacomartin

With every single sitcom premiering on NBC since fall of 2009 failing (about 2 dozen sitcoms), the show is in better hands with Netflix. Since the production company is part of the same company as NBC, the corporation may be doing better by selling the show to Netflix.

I am curious why NBC could not premier the show on NBC Video on Demand, which must reach more customers than Netflix. Is it because advertisers are reluctant to spend money on a show with no track record, or does Netflix just pay much more than can be earned by advertising?

Wow! This show got some good reviews, I had no idea that NBC was producing it but not airing it on their own network. Comcast's mastery of incompetent management is a sight to behold.

I disagree with your description of it having "no track record" because the point is that it was created by Tina Fey, who does have a track record with SNL & 30 Rock. If they are unwilling to bet on Tina Fey, who could they possibly trust? For this show to be a success, they don't need to hit a home run, they just need to hit a single or a double, anything to get a man on base. Even if they only break even with advertising revenue, they could still use this show to promote other crappy programming on the network.

What exactly is NBC's strategy: reality TV game shows? Blood/crime dramas? The Olympics? Comcast needs a long-term strategy to survive the cord-cutters, and selling Tina Fey shows to Netflix doesn't seem like a viable business plan.

Quote: reno

Wow! This show got some good reviews, I had no idea that NBC was producing it but not airing it on their own network.

NBC Universal does co-produce shows that air on other networks. The Mindy Project and Brooklyn Nine-Nine air on Fox. The Jack and Triumph Show airs on Adult Swim. So it is not unprecedented.

I saw the pilot on Netflix, and it's got some charm.

Ok, I watched the first 2 eps. Sigh.

The first is Beverly Hillbillies hit
the big city. The second is Tammy
and the Doctor, where she is
baffled by every phrase and every
situation, yet wins them over with
her homezy charm. My question is,
where is the laughs. It's just not
funny. Tina Fey is better than this.

If it had appeared on NBC it wouldn't
have lasted 6 eps. That's why they
so willingly gave it to Netflix. Watch
the pilot to Modern Family or Frasier
or Friends or 30 Rock. Then watch
the pilot to this.

Upon viewing, it's obvious NBC unloaded this
turkey anyplace they could. The production
values were awful, it's like they had no money
at all to shoot it.

This is an accurate review buried in the 20
5 star reviews made by Tina Fey's friends
on IMDB.

"I really wish this site would give one the ability to score (0) out of (10). In this case it is necessary. (1) is an extremely high rating for such a nonsensical mess of a show.
This is the absolute worst TV show I have ever viewed....ever, ever, ever...EVER!!! You will never get this 1/2 hour of your life back so think carefully before viewing."

Battle Creek is still doing well for me; it's the
relationship of the two main characters.
Dean Winters is so good in this role you
think he is this cop. You can completely
see him hating the FBI agent if this was
real life.

I watched one episode of the second season of 'Package Deal', a Canadian sitcom about a guy with two brothers whose dating a lady, but his brothers are always involved in his life.

It was terrible. Apparently film in front of a studio audience, I only heard canned laughter, and the humour is oh-so-obvious.

There's a new show this season called Forever.
It's not bad, but it's just another cop murder
show with a gimmick. The main character is
handsome, his woman counterpart is beautiful.
But it's just like all the other 30 whodunit
murder shows, what's the point. So he can't
be killed, so what. Silly.