Cool News
NBC To Flood
Primetime With Five Hours Of PRIME SUSPECT Next Week!!
TV Guide lies to you, America.
NBC, whose fortunes only seem to go from bad to worse, will next week air five hours of its abysmally rated Maria Bello cop show “Prime Suspect.”
In addition to a airing a new episode in the show’s regular 10 p.m. Thursday slot (originally earmarked for a “Prime” repeat), NBC will air “Suspect” repeats in the 10 p.m. slots Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, replacing what would have been repeats of “Parenthood,” “SVU” and the now-cancelled “Playboy Club.” NBC has been repeating “Suspect” on Saturdays for several weeks now, and will continue to do so.
I seem to remember CBS implemented a similar strategy way back in 1994 with David E. Kelley’s “Chicago Hope,” which had been getting hammered by “ER” in the 10 p.m. Thursday slot -- but found a lot of new viewers after CBS flooded a week of its primetime schedule with “Hope” repeats.
“Hope” soon after got a new timeslot and lasted a total of six seasons. Of course it never had to follow “Whitney.”
Press release:
10/18/2011 04:11 UPDATES-NBC PRIMETIME SCHEDULE - Monday October 24, 2011 - Saturday November 5, 2011"PRIME SUSPECT"
(X) "CARNIVOROUS SHEEP"
10/24/2011 (10:00PM - 11:00PM) (Monday) : DUFFY AND TIMONEY ARE ON THE CASE OF A MOTHER MURDERED AND A MISSING LITTLE GIRL – Jane (Maria Bello) is called into Duffy’s (Brían F. O’Byrne) homicide and kidnapping case after Sweeney (Aidan Quinn) calls for all hands on deck. Duffy gets irritated with Jane after she suggests talking with the deceased woman’s employees. Meanwhile, Jane meets Matt’s (Kenny Johnson) son for the first time. Kirk Acevedo, Tim Griffin and Damon Gupton also star."PRIME SUSPECT"
(X) "BITCH"
10/25/2011 (10:00PM - 11:00PM) (Tuesday) : ON THE HUNT FOR A WIFE KILLER—ELIZABETH RODRIGUEZ ("MIAMI VICE") JOINS THE SHOW AS CAROLINA RIVERA—While helping out at her father’s (Peter Gerety) bar, Jane (Maria Bello) finds herself without her gun when she confronted with a robber. Calderon (Kirk Acevedo) and Jane get assigned to solving the murder of a woman found in a dumpster. Meanwhile, Carolina Rivera (Elizabeth Rodriguez) tries to befriend Jane while working on her father’s robbery case but gets the cold shoulder. Aidan Quinn, Brían F. O’Byrne, Tim Griffin and Damon Gupton also star."PRIME SUSPECT"
(X) "GREAT GUY, YET: DEAD"
10/26/2011 (10:00PM - 11:00PM) (Wednesday) : JANE IS ON THE PROWL FOR A STOCKBROKER’S KILLER—When a good-looking stockbroker is killed mysteriously, Jane (Maria Bello) automatically suspects his wife. Meanwhile, Jane enlists the help of a hypnotist to fight her addiction to smoking. Elsewhere, Matt (Kenny Johnson) is furious when his ex-wife (guest star Lena Georgas) suggests Jane shouldn’t attend their son’s (guest star Max Page) birthday party. Aidan Quinn, Brían F. O’Byrne, Kirk Acevedo, Tim Griffin, Damon Gupton and Peter Gerety also star."PRIME SUSPECT"
(X) "REGRETS, I'VE HAD A FEW"
10/27/2011 (10:00PM - 11:00PM) (Thursday) : JANE SEARCHES FOR A KILLER AFTER A YOUNG WOMAN IS KILLED IN THE PARK—When a young woman shows up dead in the park, Jane (Maria Bello) immediately goes to Lt. Sweeney (Aidan Quinn) to ask for manpower. Duffy (Brían F. O’Byrne) and Evrard (Damon Gupton) feverishly search for the murdered woman’s stepfather after he suddenly disappears. Meanwhile, Jane and her father (Peter Gerety) celebrate an important anniversary together. Kirk Acevedo, Tim Griffin, Damon Gupton and Kenny Johnson also star."PRIME SUSPECT"
(X) "REGRETS, I'VE HAD A FEW"
10/29/2011 (09:00PM - 10:00PM) (Saturday) : JANE SEARCHES FOR A KILLER AFTER A YOUNG WOMAN IS KILLED IN THE PARK—When a young woman shows up dead in the park, Jane (Maria Bello) immediately goes to Lt. Sweeney (Aidan Quinn) to ask for manpower. Duffy (Brían F. O’Byrne) and Evrard (Damon Gupton) feverishly search for the murdered woman’s stepfather after he suddenly disappears. Meanwhile, Jane and her father (Peter Gerety) celebrate an important anniversary together. Kirk Acevedo, Tim Griffin, Damon Gupton and Kenny Johnson also star.
Readers Talkback
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Oct. 20, 2011, 3:01 a.m. CST
This show makes me want to check out the original UK version.
by Legolars
Oh and first!
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it reminds me of The French Connection and Popeye Doyle.
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watch both versions. Bello was fine in the only two eps I've seen. The Brit version was also great but different flavor. This show deserves an audience.
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If it can't make it, with all of the hype that it received beforehand, then there isn't an audience. I loved the original, but this series is full of unappealing characters. NBC is willing to cannibalize its own schedule to resuscitate this show, and that is idiotic. It was one of three new shows that I had looked forward to seeing, along with "Pan Am" and "Terra Nova." I now don't watch any of them. Unlike a film, episodic TV requires written characters who entice the viewer to return, for whatever reason. I like Bello, but the others around her, make the show unwatchable every week.
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really hope this gets picked up for a second season.
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And who wouldn't want to test Maria Bello's timeslot?
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That said, I haven't found the time to watch a single episode of this.
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I'm okay if it is, just let me know, so we can start arguing the implications of each of the timelines from last week's ep.
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I like this show a lot. If you've seen all of the episodes so far, you'll notice the "unpleasant" characters evolving somewhat and trying to figure out how to co-exist with their new co-worker. Also, it pays to listen closely to the little throwaway bits of dialogue from most of the actors...there are some gems there. It's far better than Unforgettable and Rizzoli and Ilses.
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Show should be cancelled due to that stupid prop.
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I like it and i want it to stay around.
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Oct. 20, 2011, 10:24 a.m. CST
Cancellation is the future of Prime Suspect...seriously
by Cheif Brody
Needed to be on TNT...where the other "tough chick cop shows" belong. OR...should have been called "Law & Order: Prime Suspect". <p> America has spoken with their TV remotes, NBC. It hasn't garnered the "critical acclaim" that warrants a prime time schedule marathon to save it. <p> Better get Cedric the Entertainer and Guy Fieri on speed dial for some more cheap, mindless game show content.
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It's worth it; very promising. Damian Lewis is, as ever, hypnotically good. Come on, lads - AMC, Showtime, HBO, FX, even Starz have shown up big network 48 minute "dramas" for the cookie-cutter crap they are. Prime Suspect was originally a wonderful, gritty show. This is a movie star vehicle for the advertisers.
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Watch it. This show deserves to survive!
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I don't watch too much new TV but this is "Must see TV".
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I like that it's not all about some whiz bang gadget, insane ways to kill people or full of pretty people. Good actors chewing up scenery.
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Oct. 20, 2011, 11:15 a.m. CST
That "addiction to smoking" ep will be ratings gold ha ha ha
by kabong
It will be exciting uh huh uh huh.
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They're burning off the eps before announcing the cancellation.
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There were plans for a Meryl streap film at one point. The first and last episodes are the only ones worth watching. The stories in 2 to 6 are quiet flabby. Tom bell is great in both
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I was saying...it could actually work, because I've been meaning to take a look at it and simply haven't had the opportunity. Odds are I'll finally hit one of the airings.
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...and wondered why it was shit?
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some of you people have terrible reading skills. They are only showing one new episode, and four repeats.
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...its typical, safe, man-hating bullshit where the male characters are portrayed as women-hating assholes, but, are still romanticized because they have "real-man" jobs like being cops, and the only men who are NOT portrayed as women-hating assholes who don't have "real-man" jobs are either fathers who baby their grown daughters, or, tall, dark, and handsome men who baby their girlfriends/wives like they're fathers babying their daughters. NBC is just fucking DESPERATE to have an ER again. That's why every year there are more and more hourlong "dramas" in ten o'clock slots. The irony is, if NBC would stop trying to copy their lineups from the nineties and be more open to other types of shows, they'd probably get better programming. But, its safer to make a show where the men convey every sterotype ever conceived in primetime television, and have a woman unrealistically get everything she does right. See, you Neanderthals think that women can't do anything, even in the year 2011. But, look! They CAN. Take that, you potential rapists. Call your mother.
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Also to whoever said "America has spoken with its remote"... Bulltshit... It's Neilson that has spoken. Corrupt fucks with their fake bull shit number. Just because one cunt in the middle of the country watches 2 1/2 Men doesn't mean she represents 10,000 people or whatever. Most people I know watch Prime Suspect... Why? It's good television. I'm glad NBC understand what its got. I say fuck it and just keep it going. Tired of good shows dying because people are too stupid to watch or because Neilson's fake bull shit doesn't match up.
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Quantum Leap was a mostly ignored but critically praised show when it started. Then it got a good deal of press for the episode where Sam leaped into a black man in the 1950's South. Right after that NBC ran a full week of Quantum Leap and really hyped the event. In that case, as I recall, that was what did get a lot of people to try the show and then stick with it. After that it really took off. Will that work here? I dunno.
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They use them to switch over to "2 and 1/2 Assholes". Sure, ya can blame Nielsen's flawed system and archaic sampling size all ya want. But that's the system that's in place. The slack jawed Nielsen families voted with THEIR remotes. <p> Sorry if you thought I was speaking about the rest of us well educated television viewers who don't need a laff track to help us know what's funny...and can see an interesting new take on the standard cop drama formula. <p> I only caught one episode of Prime Suspect...and I voted with MY remote. It brought nothing new to the genre, IMO...so I skipped it....as did the majority of Nielsen families. The only new hour long drama this fall that stuck for me was "Person of Interest". <p> But, the bigger problem is...NBC has fucked themselves by not having enough high quality dramas in the pipeline (that didn't have "Law & Order" in the title) when "ER" exited. They paniced and misfired by putting Leno on at 10p...and most folks got into the habit of picking up their TV REMOTES at 10p and seeing what ABC, CBS and FOX had on...some of those shows stuck for those viewers...So the habit of switching elsewhere was ingrained. <p> NBC further fucked up by not having strong enough dramas in the pipeline to REPLACE Leno when they stuck him back at 11:30. So by the time they get a really GOOD show, like "Prime Suspect" off the ground...it isn't so much that nobody likes the show...they just are conditioned to switch to another network because they found a new favorite. <p> ...with their TV remotes. <p> It could take YEARS to reverse the damage NBC has done to that time slot in their schedule. You can only hope they have the patience to let shows breathe a bit before yanking them...which appears to be the case here with this last push to save "Prime Suspect". <p> Perhaps this will give the Nielsen familes a chance to sample this show or give it another look see...but, I wouldn't hold my breath. <p> This strategy is NOT "burning off episodes"...but it IS "one desperate final act".
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Jane Tennyson was not a clotheshorse. If they wanted her US-ifed character to be that fashionable they should have bloody called her Kojak!
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She's a single mother medical examiner with a district attorney boyfriend. <p> Her teen son has a girlfriend hooking for the crime syndicate. <p> Don't you love it, NBC? Of course you do, dummies.
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What is idiotic, are the stereotypes on the show. I don't give a damn about any of these assholes. As I stated, it was one of the few new shows that I was really looking forward to seeing. No, I don't want everybody to be likable on a show. I just need to feel the desire to watch them every week. You don't start out a new series with a bunch of jerks, however.
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Objectively, I know she's attractive-looking but in every role she plays there's something smug and off-putting about her. TV wants its leads to be at least a little likeable.
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There's a talkback for this, while there's none for American Horror Story? That's just wrong. I can't keep from watching that hot mess.
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You guys are knocking a great show because of a friggin' hat?! Did you even bother to actually, y'know... WATCH the show???
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When I use to watch The Shield or The Wire...I was always left saying "Holy FUCK!" <p> Prime Suspect left me wondering if I had any Doritos in the cupboard.
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But that fucking hat...
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who was put off by the hat. Problem with women in hats like that in a TV show is the same as women in hats like that in a bar... It looks as though they are trying too hard. I liked Bello on ER back in the day. Have not liked her in anything since. The man-bashing I saw in the previews did nothing to make me try the show. Could also be that I am suffering from post-WIRE issues. Watched The Wire over the Summer, and it was awesome. Come to think of it, I'm not watching any cop shows now, except for the occasional Brit-piece on Masterpiece Mystery. Maybe I'll let NBC-PS run on Hulu while I work. Or maybe I won't bother. I'm sure worse ratings have happened to better series.
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Oct. 21, 2011, 7:30 a.m. CST
Yes The Wire makes all other cop shows look like cartoons.
by Monolith_Jones
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I'm not sure if it's just the hat, or that Maria Bello is so smug and unlikable that the dreaded hat becomes the focal point for derision.
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Oct. 21, 2011, 12:07 p.m. CST
"NBC is taking the 'cram it down their throats till they choke' approach, basically
by Cash907
Yeah, can't wait to see how this works out for them.
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Oct. 21, 2011, 1:07 p.m. CST
Going by that list Hercules posted regarding Fall premiere dates
by jim
I was under the impression Grimm and Chuck were on tonight. Can't find them listed. Turns out they start next week. Oh well. At least Supernatural is all new tonight (guest-starring a couple of Herc's faves).
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... is petty & ridiculous, I'm actually thinking about blocking all NBC content (other than "Community" & "SNL") just because of the guy who does the voice-overs for the promos. Don't get me wrong, I would like to have a voice like that, but I really dislike the voice-over work on the commercials for "Prime Suspect", "SVU", etc.
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Oct. 21, 2011, 5:40 p.m. CST
"She talks like someone who's never been punched in the face." - Good show; worth watching
by KinoEscalate
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This is a COMPLETELY different show. And that actually works in its favor. It feels authentic and street level, more like a police version of Rescue Me than Law and Order. Good to see a show play it straight with no gimmicks, more people need to watch this.
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So it had a huge advantage for plotting.
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Jesus, all these fucking people with Harvard Business School degrees and this is the best they can come up with?
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Unfortunately the show itself is fairly dull in relation to the best cop dramas.
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It's a great series. PAD
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Oct. 23, 2011, 8:52 p.m. CST
NBC exec says: Well, 'The Killing' had a chick in a wooly jumper, so maybe 'Prime Suspect' should have, oh I dunno... a chick in a HAT, maybe?
by Tom
Definitive.
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Hey Y chromosomes, settle down, this show succeeds where other disastrous shows like "The Closer" and "Saving Grace" failed miserably. It succeeds in making a strong female character who is female last, person first and job first. Maria Bello is a great actress. Sorry if she's not as "hot" as Mariska, but the writing is as good as Law and Order - the original. Yes, the original with Helen Mirren was fantastic! But don't trash this show or they'll bring Charlie's Angels back!! You may now go back to reading your comic books.
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