TV Q&A with Rob Owen
Share with others:
This week's TV Q&A responds to questions about "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," "Torchwood" and WPXI's sweeps ratings. As always, thanks for reading, and keep those questions coming.
-- Rob Owen, Post-Gazette TV editor
Q: I'm surprised after all the fuss after the Super Bowl "nipplegate" and the lengths networks went through to avoid anything like that again, that the "Victoria's Secret Fashion Show" still goes on. I'm sure that the ratings are huge -- but isn't CBS afraid of complaints or possible fines?
-- Helen, Peters
Actually, the ratings have not been good and the network says more women tune in than men.
As to the content, lingerie is not banned or in danger of being fined by the Federal Communications Commission. CBS would only be in trouble if the undergarments came off, and since the show is taped and not live, that won't happen.
Q:
I was just wondering what happened to "Andy Barker, P.I." on NBC? Did it get canceled? I thought it was a great show!
-- Joyce, Greenville
We reported (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07135/785987-237.stm) it was canceled in May.
Q:
I'm curious how "Law and Order: Criminal Intent" does in the ratings now that it is on USA. Will it be sticking around? Also, I thought I read that Alicia Witt is a temp until Julianne Nicholson returns from maternity leave. Is that still the case?
-- Bob, Cecil
My understanding is Witt is temporary but will return for at least one more episode after Nicholson is back from maternity leave.
As for the show's future, the episodes that already aired on USA will start running on NBC Wednesday nights in January. The ratings on USA, from what limited numbers I've seen, have been pretty good. But it's a strange new world in terms of financing a former network show (more expensive to produce) on a basic cable network (typically much lower budgets) that I'm cautious about calling it a slam-dunk for renewal.
Q:
On the opening segment of each "Law and Order: SVU," there is a series of photo clips. One of these is a child about 2-years-old who looks like Ice T. Is that his baby picture?
-- Carole, Butler
According to a show publicist, it is not a baby photo of Ice T.
Q:
A few quick questions.
1) Do you know if there will be any more "Bionic Woman" episodes with Katee Sackhoff? The hope of seeing her some more is the primary reason that I'm still watching.
2) Will the final season of "Battlestar Galactica" be affected by the writers' strike or are the scripts already done? I've been reading your coverage of the strike, but I don't remember you mentioning "BSG."
3) Is there a good source for renting TV shows on DVD to avoid buying them? I have been watching "Gilmore Girls" in syndication on ABC Family, and at then end of Season Six, they looped back to the pilot. I really want to see Season Seven, but I don't really want to buy it and the local Blockbuster stores I've tried don't have any "Gilmore Girls."
4) Do you know if there will be another season of "Torchwood"?
-- Amy, Highland Park
1) The better question is, will there be more "Bionic Woman" episodes at all. Every episode produced has aired. When the writers' strike ends, will production resume? NBC hasn't ordered more episodes and I don't think it will. If it does, I would expect Sackhoff might be back, rumors that she dissed the show at a fan convention notwithstanding. (Sackhoff subsequently denied she dissed the show or its star.)
2) 10 episodes of "BSG" are in the can, but that leaves 10 to go once the strike ends.
3) Try NetFlix of maybe Blockbuster's DVD-by-mail service.
4) Season two of "Torchwood" begins airing Jan. 26 on BBC America.
Q:
I would like a little more context on your ratings report (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07334/837902-237.stm). Years ago, when WPXI was winning 5 p.m. and the 11 p.m. shows, it was always because the "Judge Judy" lead-in was strong, and so was NBC prime time. Now that our 5 and 11 p.m. shows have slipped, there's no mention of what are now poor lead-ins.
NBC is now fourth, and our 11 p.m. news suffers for that. TAE and KD regularly have two-to-three times our lead-in, yet we somehow managed to beat Channel 4 in the late news, despite a huge disadvantage. That should have been highlighted in your report.
-- David Johnson, WPXI news anchor
There are about a million things one could choose to highlight out of any ratings report. We did note that the ratings were down at 4 p.m., when "Judge Judy" airs. We didn't mention specifics of the lead-in, but since you bring it up...
At 5 p.m., all three stations built on their lead-ins, but Channel 11 built the least (one-tenth of a ratings point in the first quarter hour) despite having the No. 2 lead-in. WTAE jumped more than a full ratings point from its third-place lead-in to claim the No. 2 spot at 5 p.m. So I don't think we can attribute Channel 11's third place at 5 p.m. only to lead-in.
As for 11 p.m., WPXI has routinely come in second place in the time period. This was true even in the days that NBC was No. 1 in prime time and CBS was less successful. I glanced back at November 2002, a sweeps month NBC won in demos and was a close second to CBS in household ratings. In that month, despite a less dominant CBS prime-time lead-in, KDKA was No. 1, building on its lead-in. WPXI, however, saw its ratings decline by more than two ratings points as prime-time ended and the late news began.
It's also true that WPXI generally under-performs the national network average ratings in prime-time while KDKA and WTAE routinely over-perform, something we've noted in the past.
Lead-in certainly plays a role, and sometimes it is worth mentioning, but it's not the only factor.
FEEDBACK
In response to the question last week (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07334/837855-238.stm) from Jeannine of Baldwin regarding the name of the Christmas tree Downtown: Several years ago, after the demise of Horne's department store, a contest was held for children to re-name the Christmas tree because it obviously could no longer be referred to the Horne's Christmas tree, as I believe it was previously called. The winning entry was to call the tree the Unity Tree. My daughters were co-winners of the contest so I know this to be true. Even though it is a Christmas tree, doesn't "Unity" seem appropriate in such turbulent times? It's just a name; it in no way takes away from the fact that it is a Christmas tree, a symbol of the Christmas season. Just breathe ??
-- Joan, Whitaker
Thanks for the history, Joan. I tend to agree with your sentiments. Everyone has a bugaboo about something and sometimes people enjoy getting worked up a little too much.
I was in Pittsburgh for a couple of weeks and found Channel 11 to be the most annoying news station that I have come across in the entire United States. What sensationalists!
-- Leo, Walnut Creek, Calif.
I can't let this one go unchecked. While Pittsburgh stations commit their share of atrocities in the name of broadcast journalism, they generally deliver a better, more substantive newscast than what you'll find in some larger markets. It's all subjective, of course, but from what I've seen, stations in Los Angeles are far more offensive than anything on local news in Pittsburgh.
Thanks for including the bizarre voice mails you receive in your TV Q&A column. They are a hoot. Funny how people think it's your fault that certain things happen on TV. You must just have to scratch your head sometimes!
-- Laureen, Bellevue
And shake my head, too. I wasn't quick enough taking dictation this week to take down the complaint of a caller who wanted a station devoted to telling her the current time, but I did get some other ones.
VOICE MAILS OF THE WEEK
Mr. Owen, I just wanted to tell you I read your article on the different TV channels (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07334/837902-237.stm). It was very interesting and I liked it, but one thing I thought you forgot about was WTAE and the chatty Kathies with Wendy Bell and Miss [Michelle] Wright, who used to be one of the better ones but now she's taken after Wendy Bell. They talk so fast. I called once and asked them to take her off the caffeine. And they always give their opinions and we don't always want to hear their opinions on the different articles. Thank you for listening.
-- Elderly female caller
Uh, yeah, Mr. Owen, the message is on a Saturday afternoon at 1:30, nine channels have football and seven channels have cooking. Is there something wrong with this picture? There are people other than football players and cooks in this God's world. Is there something wrong with this picture? There should be an editorial about that, and I think if you groped far enough there'd be more college basketball and everything else. But there should be an editorial about that on a Saturday for people who can't do anything but watch TV. Thank you.
-- Elderly female caller
I'm just complaining about a theft by Comcast. You're supposed to pay for this NFL Network (pauses to hack up a lung), station 180 here in the City of Pittsburgh, and there aren't any football games on. It sounds like a radio station. -- I think everybody in the City of Pittsburgh is getting robbed and it's a big theft that's going on right now. I've called them and they won't do anything about it. Bye.
-- Older male caller
When I returned this man's call he said he had literally called the police to complain, but they would not help him.
Is there anyone on television who is a proof reader? "America's Most Smartest Model"? Come on! Thank you for listening whether you wanted to or not.
-- Elderly female caller with little understanding of a satirical title
First Published December 7, 2007 12:00 am
