Yesterday I considered covering the news that CBS had announced its fall schedule, and that several shows were canceled. It’s the upfronts week, when the networks present schedules hoping to woo advertisers, and there’s plenty of news about what shows we can look forward to seeing more of and which we have to say goodbye to. (If you’d like to know more, here are the 2010-2011 schedules for ABC, CBS, NBC and The CW.)
Among the shows canceled by CBS are the cheesy but good Ghost Whisperer, with Jennifer Love Hewitt, and comedy The New Adventures of Old Christine, with Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Ghost Whisperer has been on for five seasons and I have to admit I’ve enjoyed it on the few (ok, many) occasions I’ve watched it. It’s like reading one of those Chicken Soup for The Soul books, you know it’s supposed to suck and won’t challenge your brain but you still enjoy it. My mom watches New Adventures of Old Christine, which also wasn’t renewed for a sixth season. I’ve only watched a couple of episodes. At first I found the jokes lame but it was kind of funny once I gave it a chance. There’s something annoying about Louis-Dreyfus’ self centered lead character, although I love her sarcastic best friend, played by Wanda Sykes.
EW’s Mark Ausiello reported that Old Christine and/or Ghost could potentially get picked up by ABC, so there’s hope that the shows will continue on. Old Christine’s creator isn’t holding her tongue in an effort to woo another network however. In an interview with TV Guide, creator Kari Lizer slammed CBS for not supporting the show and practically called the network sexist:
The creator of The New Adventures of Old Christine has criticised the show’s cancellation.
Speaking to TV Guide Magazine, Kari Lizer suggested that CBS’s decision to axe the series was sexist.
“As far as what happened at CBS, we’ve suffered from a serious lack of support from them since the beginning,” she said. “I hate to say it, but I’m afraid they don’t care much for the female-of-a-certain-age point of view over there. How else do you explain them squandering the talents of Julia [Louis-Dreyfus] and Wanda [Sykes]?”
Lizer played down speculation that the show will be picked up by ABC, but added that she wants the series to continue.
“I don’t think we’re going to know anything about ABC for a few days,” she said. “I’m hoping for life after CBS.”
[From Digital Spy]
It’s possible that Kari encountered a lot of resistance from the good ‘ol boys network at CBS, but is it wise to mention that? The show was on for five seasons and it’s not like it was canceled in its freshman year. Maybe she dealt with an unbelievable amount of crap, though, and is actually being reserved in the way she’s explaining it. We have no way of knowing unless more information comes out.
I personally wouldn’t care either way if the show was picked up by ABC, but I know it will make a difference to my mom. And, you know, I’m kind of hoping Ghost Whisperer comes back.
CBS slashed a heck of a lot of their shows. I’m surprised by these two, as they do OK in the ratings, and JLD always gets Emmy attention, but who knows. I don’t think it’s wise to instantly criticize CBS and imply sexism, especially when another network is considering the show. Once the dust settles, then maybe discuss the lack of support, but not right away.
I liked Old Christine. There were a few lame episodes but for the most part it was funny. I will miss it, it was one of my must view comedies along w/Modern Family.
It was not on 5 seasons was it??!!
How else was CBS going to be able to afford to pay the near $2 million salary of their substance abusing, wife-abusing ‘can do no wrong Golden Boy’ Charlie Sheen???
CBS had no choice but to get rid of some shows.
I liked Old Christine, the entire cast is funny and talented, but I don’t think they’ll get picked up by ABC.
JLD really defied the Seinfeld curse with the success of this show.
I will miss old christine, but I´m glad ghost whisperer is gone, it was so stupid, lame and cheesy.
I also liked the subject of old christine btw, I like older women getting air time. Makes me feel as I have a future after 40, which one usually doesn´t really get the impression.
I’ve only watched this show once, but I remember it being funny. Too bad they just can’t let go of that POS Two and a Half Men.
I hope ABC does pick up this show. I really liked it and thought it was funny.
This is easy…Old Christine was funny,but became stale after a while IMO. Medium is probably doing a lot better than Ghost Whisperer on CBS and they are similar so that is probably why it got canceled…just a thought. There is not thing sexist about it. There are quite a few shows on CBS with leading ladies…Two and a half men is a ridiculously funny show despite Sheen’s antics off set.
They CANCELLED Old Christine??? ABC needs a lame but funny series now that they cancelled the lame but funny Better Off Ted (Portia de Rossi was brilliant!) Hope they pick it up.
I LOVED Better off Ted. 🙁
Medium and GW get basically the same ratings, though without the GW lead in, Medium might dip a little next year. I think CBS actually owns Medium though, and ABC owns GW, so the cost of airing them is probably different.
Now that I think about it, CBS has had a lot of shows with older female leads. Unless there’s some behind the scenes stuff we don’t know about, I’m not sure where the sexist claim is coming from.
Lolabell, it makes me nauseous to think of how much they pay the disgusting Charlie Sheen.
“There’s something annoying about Louis-Dreyfus’ self centered lead character…”
Um, gee, ya THINK?! That’s ALL JLD knows how to play! Maybe that’s just her personality shining through, who knows? I watched the show a couple times and found it to be meh. I’m surprised it’s lasted this long. However, I don’t blame the creator for feeling the way she does about the cancellation and expressing it. Nothing wrong with that.
Aw. I liked Old Christine.
Uh… where’s “Two and a Half Men” on that list? CBS could have bought e’ery viewer of that assnine, beating-the-dead-horse show a year-long “National Enquirer” subscription, SAVED alot of dough and kept (at least) “NAOOC” and “GW” on the air — AND the viewers would get MORE entertainment from CS’s real-life shenanigans.
Just sayin’…
I still can’t believe they canceled GW!!! I love that show sooooo much! PLEASE ABC pick it up!
I never watched Old Christine.
Any sitcom with fewer than approx 96 episodes becomes difficult to sell in syndication. That is where the creative team will make their money. So CBS effectively cut Kari et al off at the knee. That is why it is important to get those 2 addtional seasons, at the very least one more. The episode count would be closer to 110.
To keep the star of the very profitable WB produced sitcom happy & rich, they shift money from another WB produced sitcom.
Do you think anything will change for the better for women in showbiz if women just ignore and shut up about misogyny? Gee, good luck with that.
I have hardly watched the current season. They have gotten to wierd with the close relationships. I no longer find it funny. I agree with the cancellation.
i guess she wasn’t sponge-worthy.
@original kate: I wonder if she is still Master of her domain? 😉 Sorry, I just couldn’t resist!
OMG – this sucks! I can’t believe they cancel Old Christine but leave on a piece of garbage (with a lead who is a piece of garbage himself) like Two and a Half Men!
Ghost Whisperer is my favorite show on tv. I am praying that ABC picks it up, or CW (I think it would do well on CW). I am shocked it was canceled. I think that Medium is horrible. I liked their Friday night line up better when Close to Home followed GW.
The New Adventures of Old Christine is so funny. They killed it by moving it to Wednesday night. They kept putting it on with different shows after, so there was no consistency. Maybe Oxygen or Lifetime could pick it up. They should put Rita Rocks back on, and have New Christine after. That would be a funny night:)
The new shows CBS picked up look horrible. Not sure who their new target audience is.
i hate 21/2 men
it’s the same crap every week, or day if you watch the re-runs
why pay an actor 2mill an episode to “act” like a watered down version of himself?
I liked Old Christine and thought JLD and Wanda Sikes were hilarious. The actor who plays her brother was funny too, but I don’t know his name.
Charlie Sheen isn’t worth a dime and 2 & 1/2 Men sucks.
I never got into Christine but it did have some funny moments. I thought it had good ratings so I was surprised it was cancelled.
Produce a show that people would watch and yer ass would not be on the chopping block,,it is about dollars bottom line. Why else would they give a POS like Sheen more money..though that show is funny. Old Christine sucked end of story(literally)
Kari Lizer comments about women of a certain age do not primarily refer to the actresses in those role. she is also speaking about the viewers. “Christine” appeal to Women25+ and had very little male appeal, while “THM” reaches a younger & younger male audience. In primetime, that is gold.
What a shame. That is a funny show. I have always enjoyed 2.5 Men but I don’t know if it’s so great that these other shows need to be canceled.
They recently aired an episode with Charlie and the housekeeper smoking pot and I have to say, even as someone who enjoys the cheeb once in a while, that’s not okay to tell tell teens it’s okay.
It’s one thing to kick back in your 30’s, toke one up, and read a book, but that’s not how teenagers roll. Maybe I’m old fashioned.
Christine was freaking hilarious! I never even thought about it being canceled. I make sure to watch it every week. It is one of the very few shows that can make me literally laugh out loud. Thanks a lot CBS! Dumbass move…
I love Old Christine..it is one of my favorite funny shows…
so sad that it’s canceled.
I admit that I also like Ghost Whisperer, it’s interesting to see what they delve into mystically and it pulls my heartstrings every once in a while when someone goes into the light..boo hoo.
Awww, I really liked this show. What gives CBS? They give Sheen more money and take away all other shows. Not fair.
I like JLD and tried to enjoy her show, but couldn’t. Wanda Sykes is gold.
I love GW!! =(
Unfortunately, Ghost Whisperer started to suck when they killed Sam and had him come back in someone else’s body. It was a stupid story line, and I know a few people who stopped watching that show because of it.
The show was good until she started burning coal.
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I am so glad that “The New Adventures of Old Christine ” is cancelled. It does not, as the creator of the show says, represent the point of view of this age women. It only is another cheap tv show designed to set examples of vulgarity and promiscuity on the public`s view , specially on women that seeing this tend to think it is normal behavior.
Most of today`s tv shows are not worth peanuts.
I’m really missing seeing Julia Louis Dreyfus’s big sexy ass on tv every week 🙁 Can’t wait for Veep to start!
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