Network Television Have Ruined Primetime TV

Each year television networks premiere new tv shows that seem very promising. These networks put out major commercials on tv, on buses, the internet and huge posters in some major cities but all that means nothing when the show is cancelled after two episodes. These cancellations were the reason I decided that I would stop watching new television shows.

I am a type of person who will absolutely fall in love with a tv show and it's characters and to get into a show only to have it cancelled before the first season is halfway through, gets me just downright mad. When you look at how new televisions shows are handled, you can't help but feel like the networks are playing a game of hot potato. They make you feel that if a new series does not reach number on the Nielsen ratings it will be cancelled the next week. New shows and series are not given a chance that older shows used to be given.

Here's a little known fact. Seinfeld and Friends, two of the best comedy series were not hits when they first premiered. In fact Seinfeld which began as a show called the Seinfeld Chronicles, was almost cancelled and it was not until season 4 that Seinfeld began to take off. A move to Thursday nights after Cheers also helped Seinfeld get higher ratings. Friends also started out as a mediocre show and a survey to some viewers showed that they felt the characters on Friends were not likeable and many did not feel that the show depicted how friends really treat each other.

If these two shows were to have premiered on television today instead of the early 90's, chances are they would have been cancelled and we would not have known how great they would have become.