Vacation Robo-Post: What Does NBC Mean to You?

I realize I'm arguing against Robo-James...

but what exactly do you mean by TV fans? Now, I agree with you that the members of the TCA despise 08/09 NBC, but I'm not sure there's any populist hate towards the network.

That said, I too am deeply disappointed in 08/09 NBC.

Sure, I could see a given network purchase foreign shows for weak time periods (CBS does it), engage in questionable/self-interested pickups (every year's CW lineup seems to be an experiment in how much more of the schedule Dawn Ostroff can hijack from the Warner Bros side of the partnership), air alternative programming at 10pm (between Datelines, 20/20s, Primetimes, and 48 Hours, and Fox/CW not programming the hour, I'm not sure scripted programming has been the majority there this decade), and program for profits, not ratings (Fox, UPN, & The WB all started off by programming for specific underserved niches, not aiming for #1 in traditional demographics).

But to do all of the above just stinks of either desperation or incompetence - and neither reflects well.

That and the history - the network that brought us Cosby, Seinfeld, The Office, Friends, Law & Order, The West Wing, 30 Rock, etc, now brings us... entire seasons of shows that are instantly canceled (though Kings was quality).

Seriously, I believe Chuck is the only scripted show that was introduced during the Silverman regime that is still around. One show out of two years - and that required a co-sponsorship deal.

But no, I have no favorite network - though given their past track record, I am willing to give every FX show, preview unheard, a chance to woo me.

I don't have a favorite network - but I can say that at one point in my life all the shows I watched (and my family watched) were on NBC. That was a long time ago and I've seriously expanded my tv viewing horizons and don't like any one network over another. They have all aired quality shows that I have really enjoyed. They all have cancelled shows I cared about and kept ones that I hated. I'm still holding grudges against CBS for cancelling Moonlight and recancelling Jericho, the CW for cancelling Veronica Mars, and FOX for cancelling Firefly back in the day. But whatever... I get attached to the shows, not the networks.

I think it has to do with the fact a network has the audacity to coin a phrase "Must See TV", which it was for several years and then goes and destroys everything, while still using the phrase, it gets people upset. NBC has become so irrelevant for several years now that I think people's belief that NBC is awesome has been diminished and now is probably like the other networks in just roll your eyes at what stupidity they do next.

I tend to have a personal affinity for organizations that do things incredibly well. I become advocates for them and encourage friends & family to give them a try. I am a big fan of Amazon.com and TiVo. (I know you are feeling burned by them James and I emailed them to let them know they need to address this quality situation as it has hit some of my friends as well.) For TV, NBC used to be like a trusted friend. NBC dominated my television viewing, but then the sucktitude began. Now, the only shows the NBC have on my TiVo are 30 Rock and The Office. It is just plain sad to see what they have become. It would be nice to see NBC pulled their heads out of their nether regions and regain their position as one of the premiere quality television producers. I believed in the product and cut them some slack when things began to go awry, but the continued abuse brought frustration, disappoint, and anger. They ignored, disrespected, and alienated the loyal viewers that stood by them and they deserve all of the scorn and derision poured down upon them. The two NBC executives at TCA that hemmed and hawed their way through the executive session are perfect examples of the lack of ownership and culpability at NBC. Stop trying to pretend the ship didn't sink. Acknowledge that you suck, apologize, and then develop the plan to get back on top. NBC needs to trust the people they hire and give them the autonomy to get the job done, but then they also need to publicly destroy anyone that fails to get the job done. The good news for NBC is that I don't think any of the other networks filled that void when NBC fell. CBS does a good job and ABC had some occasional glimpses of brilliance, Better Off Ted being the most current example, but neither dominated in quality like NBC once did. Fox is just lucky that NBC blows as bad as they do cause they are not that much better off. The networks that really filled the void were HBO, Showtime, FX, and AMC that stepped up their games. HBO really filled the NBC void and, even when they lost their way, I stuck by them and, unlike NBC, they have course corrected and are once again producing high quality television. I am a big fan of HBO and stand by them today. As for NBC, I hope they get their collective crap together.

Half of me wants to answer with a "who cares what network a show is on as long as its a good show" response. I don't care about which movie studio releases any movie. But you are on to something, James. Specifically with NBC, because I, like you, came of TV age at a time when NBC started its hot streak, and we grew up with it, starting with Hill St Blues, Cosby, St. Elsewhere, Family Ties, LA Law, Cheers, Friends, ER, etc. Of course, there were terrible shows in there, too. But NBC seemed to stand for a certain intersection of "quality" and "mass appeal."

Now, any quality shows (I am thinking 30 Rock, FNL and The Office, but others are probably adding Chuck here) seem to be more niche-oriented. Not hits by even the diminished measure of network success.

Really, if we're made at NBC, it's because we're mad at networks in general, for being less relevant and less able to deliver the goods.

Yet there is probably MORE good TV now than any other time. It's just spread across more channels than 3 (or 4) networks to basic cable and premium channels. We have to work harder at it and there are fewer big hit shows that bring the country "together" anymore - I guess American Idol is as close as it gets, these days.

Sure, I am cheesed off at you, NBC, specifically, but also the rest of you, networks, for being so bad at what you seemed to be so good at in the pre-100 channel universe. It's unfair but too bad.

Oh yeah, and can we blame GE while we're at it? Being part of a massive industrial conglomerate (as opposed to a masive media conglomerate, like the other networks) has probably helped NBC slide into the tank.

I am right there with you. I don't why, but I've always wanted NBC to win. They were basically the only network I watched for several years. They owned "quality television". (Remember "the quality shows on NBC?")

But now it seems that no one wants to own the network. They green light a quality show like Kings and then place it at the worst possible time slot where the audience just is not watching. Then they blame everyone except themselves for the poor choice they made.

Instead, they could have grown that show into one of the jewels of the network. They could have seized the opportunity to grab Pushing Daisies when ABC dumped it, and continued to grow that audience.

NBC could--and still can--be the great network it once was. But I agree, they need to own up to the fact that they made some really bad decisions, apologize to the world, and then come up with a plan to fix it.

5 nights of Jay Leno at 10pm is not that plan. (Now, I would have loved to see a weekly comedy-variety hour hosted by Jay Leno, but not 5 nights a week. And not at 10pm.)

[...] on vacation, and thus allowed “Robo-James” take over his blog) posts the question of why viewers and/or critics take umbrage of NBC’s low-brow decision-making. He makes the point that, yeah, NBC has a venerable history of scripted tv; but he questions the [...]

It must have something to do with the Pavlovian chimes and the friendly people they hire.

I'm not sure that there's "populist hate" against NBC, but it sure isn't getting a whole lot of love from the public, as it is consistently drawing fewer viewers than ABC, CBS and Fox.

BUt as for why television viewers have a strong attachment to NBC? Perhaps part of it is because the network has a stronger sense of place and identity than the others-- NBC is tied to 30 Rockefeller Center, and not the less notable places in New York or the LA area.

When I was a kid, NBC was the one channel that my rabbit ears couldn't get. I hated NBC and its shows for this. Then my local affiliates switched and suddenly CBS was on the channel I couldn't get. This development softened my position toward NBC. I appreciated the last seasons of Cheers, Seinfeld, the Office and even shows like Scrubs. But still, I resented NBC for screwing Letterman. I resented NBC for failing to give shows that I enjoyed time to catch their stride.

I am to the point with NBC where I don't care how well received one of their shows is, I won't watch it until it's got a good two seasons under its belt. So last season I caught up on all three seasons of 30 rock. I have yet to see an episode of Chuck but can now commit to watching it knowing that there will be a third season.

So now that NBC is struggling, I rejoice inside a little knowing that they are getting theirs for all the poor reception I put up with and all the shows they canceled on me. Oh, and I'm super glad that I got off the Heroes train half way through season two.

First of all, I don't really care what else NBC programs as long as it brings me The Office, 30 Rock, and Friday Night Lights. But I think that part of the problem is that NBC is having is that they've been bad at programming stupid content. Procedurals like House and CSI and their imitators might be derivative and unrealistic, but they're packaged in a way that seems smart and scientific (I haven't seen much of those specific shows, so I might be off-base, but hopefully you get the idea). Stuff like Knight Rider and My Own Worst Enemy, on the other hand, just seem stupid.