This Season’s TV: Reassessing Our 2014-2015 Predictions

THURSDAY

SHILO: Unfortunately, you were correct in wondering whether Biggest Loser would be of any help to A to Z and Bad Judge. I kind of figured that the show would come back down to Earth after a surprisingly strong cycle last season, but there was no way for NBC to establish any comedy presence on a tough night with Bigger Loser slumping as much as it did last fall. Granted, I know that A to Z and Bad Judge were just scheduling fodder, projects who were seemingly picked up just to help get NBC to February, but the network really could’ve done more for them, as well as the final season of Parenthood. Keeping Thursdays as toxic as they were might’ve contributed to The Blacklist falling apart after moving earlier this year and NBC could’ve found a nice scheduling piece in either Bad Judge or A to Z if any effort was given to their launch.

I was right that Gracepoint would only be indirectly impacted by its source material. A whole lot of people haven’t seen Broadchurch, but Gracepoint was plagued by comparisons to the original (and by not diverging from the original until late in its run); that kind of talk can keep people from sampling a remake even if they haven’t seen the original from which to compare. Hearing that something is almost a shot-for-shot remake can be a turn-off for savvier viewers and I have no doubt that Gracepoint suffered from such cynicism. It being a tonal mismatch with Bones, its dour demeanor and cable-esque subject matter not exactly what appealing to broadcast viewers in general, certainly didn’t help its case, either.

I don’t know if CBS picking up Thursday Night Football was worth it in the end. You were right, in that it’s a good promotional platform and helped three of their four fall dramas get a pick-up, but it really did a number on their Thursdays. The late start (and some panic-y scheduling) helped seal the fate of The McCarthys and The Millers, while The Big Bang Theory being yanked around and forced out of sync with the rest of the night damaged what was once the clear top dog on broadcast TV. Not only that, Two and a Half Men had a very blah final season in the ratings and Elementary continued to struggle after an underwhelming second season, so the only real winner on the night was Mom. And while CBS is to be commended for helping bolster their critically acclaimed Chuck Lorre comedy, the damage that Thursday Night Football did might outweigh whatever benefits that come from Mom’s rise.

CRAIG: Yeah, I’m not so sure about Thursday Night Football in the end, either. I guess CBS figures “better us than someone else!”

I’m still sad A to Z didn’t get more of a chance. Loved that show. Just watch: In 2 or 3 years people will finally catch it on Netflix or something, and it’ll be 2 or 3 years too late. (Kind of like me with Better Off Ted.)

Did FOX really keep Bones in the same time slot all season? First time for everything, I guess.