Lost among all the news about Jay Leno’s cancellation at 10 p.m. and his return to 11:30 p.m. was this (disappointing) update from NBC: the suits have decided to air Day One – an apocalyptic drama from Heroes scribe Jesse Alexander – as a two-hour backdoor pilot (that’s industry code for: it’ll run as a TV movie and if viewers like it, it may be turned into a series).
NBC had originally planned to air the high-concept show as a 13-episode series after the Winter Olympics, but ended up downgrading the project to a four-hour miniseries back in October. Now Alexander’s handiwork has been cut back to a TV movie that has yet to get an airdate — a decision that was no doubt fueled by the disappointing ratings for the similarly themed ABC’s sci-fi series FlashForward and V. Despite lots of early fanfare, FlashForward‘s audience dropped from 12.5 million to 7.07 million in just three months, while V lost 35% of its audience (14.3 million to 9.3 million) over just four airings.
But other concerns about making it into a series may have been in play, like the show’s potentially high cost given the amount of computer-generated images it was expected to demand (in a rough trailer leaked last year, the drama features smoke columns that rise from the city). Alexander described his high-concept show this way on his website: “It is the story of ordinary people working together to save the world from an extraordinary threat. Though Day One’s prime time adventures are simple and compelling, its mythology is vast and designed to be experienced across multiple media platforms.”
Entertainment President Angela Bromstad tried to temper expectations at NBC’s press conference for the nation’s TV critics Jan. 10 by saying what she didn’t expect from Alexander’s show — that is, before it was turned into a two-hour movie. “We’ve always looked at Day One as a big event for us and not necessarily a show that would be an ongoing…you know, a returning show for a second season. It would depend on its success. I think just by the nature of the genre, [these genre shows] tend to get a little narrow.”
I can’t understnd NBC. At a time when their prime time schedule is almost rock bottom you’d think they’d try anything. Plus, this show looks really good, more interesting than V anyway.
*yawn* the only things I like on NBC are Mercy and TBL…and btw, I’m team Conan!
That trailer looks awful. Probably for the best that they down-graded it.
Totally agree!!
I was bored 30 seconds in.
Dont really know what to say to that clip? is it a alien type show, terriosts attacking, what is it?? also the buildings look too much CGI so I am going to pass on this one!!!!!
OK, I have no idea what that was about, yet I am intrigued.
um, it says right in the article that this is a rough trailer, leaked from a year ago. of course it’s not gonna look polished, but the concept is interesting and nbc really needs to rethink where it wants to go with it’s programming.
holy cow, this looks like another crap show from the early ’90′s. Cheesy acting, even cheesier dialogue, it’s no wonder NBC is downgrading this to a miniseries… it’s horrible! This is (in light of recent NBC events) the best decision they may have made in a long time
Gotta consider the source, a scribe from Heroes? Heroes is a failure with dismal ratings, horrible storylines since season 1.
Those tower things look pretty cool… but oh, that is some awful, cheesy dialogue the characters are spouting. Again: the reason that Lost is so popular is that its characters are so good, not just that weird things happen.
The weird things that happen helps though.
For some people perhaps.
Most people I know care more about the mysteries of the island an the show than the actual characters.
Ha! I love that web site statement about the “vast mythology” being “experienced across multiple media platforms.” Why don’t you just be honest and say “It’s a LOST ripoff only from the jags who brought you HEROES!” Do those guys ever have an original idea?
Another reason why Bromstad needs to eb shown the door herself. What the hell is this woman approving for and as TV shows at this crazy network?
That had the stink of FAIL on it from the start. (1) It’s another apocalyptic show, and those haven’t done very well over the last 10 years. (2) It’s brought to you be people involved with Heroes, so you know no matter how good the concept may be, that it ultimately won’t live up to its potential. (3) And it’s on NBC which stands for Nothing But Chuck since Chuck is their only good show.
Agree on the Heroes crew. Man they bungled that.
Poor Carly Pope. Can’t catch a break. Bad enough she died so graphically on “24″. Now her return to TV has been whittled down to a TV movie…
c’mon. lets get back to laugh track, seen one you’ve seen them all shows. I aggre, with NBC crapping the bed so bad, show some stones and take a chance. i find it reallly weird that a classic like ‘Community’ is on NeverBeenCrappier
It’s easy, NBC sucks! That is all.
It it wasn’t for Chuck, there’d be nuthin’.
Yup. The “intelligentsia” at NBC have struck again.
All they’ve got is “Chuck,” so why do this to a series that got a lot of response to an incomplete, leaked trailer?
Answer: Not Bright Corporation!
Maybe if ABC had done a better job with V, everyone would have still watched it. I watched the first episode and my mother watched the first two before we decided not to anymore.
As for NBC, I guess they don’t think they’re that deseperate anymore. I guess CBS must be doing pretty well these days.
I’m surprised to read so much negativity about V. I love it! I really got sucked in by the “anyone could be a V” paranoia.
That was the same thing “Invasion” did and that got cancelled?