It’s time to start hoping Netflix, or cable, or some other outlet with good taste and cash to burn will save HAPPY ENDINGS. ABC, in a vote of no confidence, announced today that it’s yanking the sitcom from its Tuesday 9PM slot and after about 6 weeks off the air, will stick back-to-back episodes in the netherworld of Friday 8PM starting March 29 (after current occupants Last Man Standing and Malibu Country have aired their season finales, which arrive early because of the shows’ short orders). The new Tuesday schedule will move THE TASTE (recipient of a lousy 1.5 rating this week) to the 9PM slot, and put CELEBRITY WIFE SWAP (no kidding, that’s a real network television title) at 8PM.
Although ABC professed its love for Happy Endings at the start of the season, the series was thrown to the wolves in direct competition with FOX’s hit New Girl and Go On, which until recently had the giant The Voice as its lead-in. Endings, which was never a blockbuster even with Modern Family preceding it last season, needed a much more protected slot in order to find and grow an audience.
Happy Endings isn’t quite dead yet. (It is, at least, better off than Don’t Trust the B___ in Apt 23, which has for all intents and purposes been canceled.) Although Friday 8PM is an awful timeslot for an intelligent, young-skewing comedy, miracles can happen, like last week’s shockingly strong season premiere for Community. But smart money would say this season’s Endings ending will be its last.
Related Posts
-
-
-
-
-
THE SKED: ABC
>THOUGHTS ON ABC’S SCHEDULE (AND OUR PREDICTIONS)FALL COMEDIES FALL DRAMASMIDSEASON COMEDIESMIDSEASON DRAMASABC ANALYSIS CBS ANALYSIS NBC ANALYSIS FOX ANALYSIS CW ANALYSIS
About the Author
Mitch Salem
MITCH SALEM has worked on the business side of the entertainment industry for 20 years, as a senior business affairs executive and attorney for such companies as NBC, ABC, USA, Syfy, Bravo, and BermanBraun Productions, and before that, at the NY law firm of Weil, Gotshal & Manges. During all that, he has more or less constantly been going to the movies and watching TV, and writing about both since the 1980s. His film reviews also currently appear on screened.com and the-burg.com. In addition, he is co-writer of an episode of the television series "Felicity."
More articles by
Mitch Salem »
