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August 24, 2021 5:16 pm  #1


Big Mistake By Global

It seems that Global TV has made a big mistake by cancelling their hit drama/comedy Private Eyes.  Last week the show was the 2nd most watched program in Canada according to Numeris. 

Now granted it is summer and schedules have a lot of repeats. However, Private Eyes has been the number one scripted show this summer, and has beat out other heavily promoted new programs like The New Fantasy Island, Big Brother, America's Got Talent, Lego Masters, The Bachelorette.   For two weeks Private Eyes was also up against prime time Olympic coverage, and always scored in the top ten or top five.  Worth noting that Private Eyes has no simsub, so this makes their numbers even more impressive.

Next Thursday at 9pm will be the series finale after five seasons.  It would be nice to see them leave at number one.  This is not the first time Global has done something like this with their homegrown series.  They also cancelled Bomb Girls and Combat Hospital, two shows that had great ratings but were later bounced around to different time slots, only to be cancelled.  

Global's other summer drama, Nurses came in at 22 last week in the top 30.  NBC has still not announced if they are cancelling this Global production or running the second season.  Very strange that they haven't made a decision, which normally would happen by the end of May or beginning of June.  Could indicate that they may keep the series as back up for a new program that doesn't work out, or a mid season replacement.  

 

August 24, 2021 5:25 pm  #2


Re: Big Mistake By Global

If it's a great idea to keep the show going, why isn't anyone else picking it up?
CBC? CTV?  City TV? 
 


RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person. 
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.

 
 

August 24, 2021 5:39 pm  #3


Re: Big Mistake By Global

I can't say for sure if this is the case, but it's certainly happened before. The longer a show runs, the more expensive it is to produce. The cast demands raises or they were only signed for X number of seasons, meaning they have to renegotiate a contract to get them to stay - and that usually involves a guarantee of more than one season. Or in some cases, a major cast member wants to leave and their role is so important, they can't really be replaced. 

The crew often wants more money, too. The space where they're shooting it also has their hands out. And on it goes. 

By the time an ensemble show reaches multiple seasons (Private Eyes is up to 5) the costs of producing it are often more than the network showing it can make and it disappears. I've seen it happen in the U.S., where a program just gets too expensive to continue, despite getting OK ratings. 

The other question is whether they've been able to sell it anywhere else, like U.S. cable or overseas. That's where the real money is, and if not enough networks buy it, it often spells the end. 

Again, not saying that's the case here, but there are reasons a show doesn't get renewed, despite being a hit in its country of origin. The ratings have to make sense. But so do the economics. 

 

August 24, 2021 5:39 pm  #4


Re: Big Mistake By Global

Radiowiz wrote:

If it's a great idea to keep the show going, why isn't anyone else picking it up?
CBC? CTV?  City TV? 
 

Could very well be that somebody will pick it up. Any announcement wouldn't happen before the series finishes, and likely not for a while after that.   CTV would be the least likely since Global is their main opponent, optics wouldn't look good.  City tv, maybe, CBC/Gem absolutely.  As Bill Brioux mentions in his column this week, CBC did wonders ratings wise for Murdoch Mysteries when it picked up the series after five years on City.  So they would be the best bet, any announcement would be later.   

     Thread Starter
 

August 24, 2021 6:03 pm  #5


Re: Big Mistake By Global

paterson1 wrote:

Radiowiz wrote:

If it's a great idea to keep the show going, why isn't anyone else picking it up?
CBC? CTV?  City TV? 
 

Could very well be that somebody will pick it up. Any announcement wouldn't happen before the series finishes, and likely not for a while after that.   CTV would be the least likely since Global is their main opponent, optics wouldn't look good.  City tv, maybe, CBC/Gem absolutely.  As Bill Brioux mentions in his column this week, CBC did wonders ratings wise for Murdoch Mysteries when it picked up the series after five years on City.  So they would be the best bet, any announcement would be later.   

Ah, but not so fast! There's a Federal election in the way. We also have to wait and see who will get voted in (or back in)
in order to be properly informed of what CBC Television's TRUE budget moving forward will be... 
 


RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person. 
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.

 
 

August 24, 2021 6:09 pm  #6


Re: Big Mistake By Global

Private Eyes has run on the ION network in the US since season one, not sure if they are a partner in the production.   ION hasn't scheduled the final season over the summer like Global.  Private Eyes is shown in 180 territories and streams on Netflix and Prime Video among others, so the show can't be that much of a money pit.  And if they had a few more seasons, syndication looms large with the series potentially making money for years. 

Global says they wanted to wrap up the show while it was on top.  Let's see next week if that happens. 

 

     Thread Starter
 

August 24, 2021 6:38 pm  #7


Re: Big Mistake By Global

Radiowiz wrote:

paterson1 wrote:

Radiowiz wrote:

If it's a great idea to keep the show going, why isn't anyone else picking it up?
CBC? CTV?  City TV? 
 

Could very well be that somebody will pick it up. Any announcement wouldn't happen before the series finishes, and likely not for a while after that.   CTV would be the least likely since Global is their main opponent, optics wouldn't look good.  City tv, maybe, CBC/Gem absolutely.  As Bill Brioux mentions in his column this week, CBC did wonders ratings wise for Murdoch Mysteries when it picked up the series after five years on City.  So they would be the best bet, any announcement would be later.   

Ah, but not so fast! There's a Federal election in the way. We also have to wait and see who will get voted in (or back in)
in order to be properly informed of what CBC Television's TRUE budget moving forward will be... 
 

In the Conservatives just released platform, they actually don't say anything about defunding CBC.  The tories now say that they would "review the mandate" of CBC English TV, CBC News Network and English on-line and "assess the viability" of re-focusing the service on a public interest model similar to PBS. This would be to ensure that they no longer compete with private Canadian broadcasters and digital providers.  That is a bit of a pull back from defunding the English network, and obviously any changes would be years away.  I think Mr. O'Toole got the message that most Canadians aren't really that interested in defunding CBC TV, and that includes many Conservatives. 

     Thread Starter
 

August 24, 2021 6:40 pm  #8


Re: Big Mistake By Global

Radiowiz wrote:

If it's a great idea to keep the show going, why isn't anyone else picking it up?
CBC? CTV?  City TV? 

RadioActive wrote:

I can't say for sure if this is the case, but it's certainly happened before ...  

yep .. happened w/ one of my fav shows "The Paper Chase

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Paper_Chase_(TV_series) 
The CBS television network aired the series in the 1978–1979 season. John Houseman reprised his movie role, and James Stephens played Hart. It was cancelled after one year; PBS subsequently rebroadcast all of the episodes. In 1983, cable network Showtime brought back the show with both Houseman and Stephens, as well as some other members of the original television cast. At the end of the fourth season, Hart finally graduates from law school.

John Houseman was born to be Professor Kingsfield. 

I bought the series DVDs on www.shoutfactory.com


 

 

August 24, 2021 6:48 pm  #9


Re: Big Mistake By Global

Definitely on my favourite shows list. I liked the TV show better than the movie. I'm glad U.S. cable was able to rescue it, and to be fair, there was no way it could run for too long. Hart had to graduate at some point. I recall reruns also ran on PBS at times if memory serves. 

 

August 24, 2021 6:57 pm  #10


Re: Big Mistake By Global

paterson1 wrote:

  This is not the first time Global has done something like this with their homegrown series.  They also cancelled Bomb Girls and Combat Hospital, two shows that had great ratings but were later bounced around to different time slots, only to be cancelled.   

Two great shows.  Combat Hospital especially,  was never given a chance.
 

 

August 24, 2021 7:02 pm  #11


Re: Big Mistake By Global

John Houseman was born to be Professor Kingsfield.  : )) .. 

 
 

 

August 25, 2021 12:30 am  #12


Re: Big Mistake By Global

paterson1 wrote:

Private Eyes has run on the ION network in the US since season one, not sure if they are a partner in the production.   ION hasn't scheduled the final season over the summer like Global.  Private Eyes is shown in 180 territories and streams on Netflix and Prime Video among others, so the show can't be that much of a money pit.  And if they had a few more seasons, syndication looms large with the series potentially making money for years. 

Global says they wanted to wrap up the show while it was on top.  Let's see next week if that happens. 

 

You'd be shocked by how little revenue a Canadian TV drama makes.  Ion is not a co-producer, they licensed the show's first-run rights in the US.  And as a series ages, it becomes way more expensive to produce - especially if you're bringing back the same cast and writers.  That's why so many of them end up with producer credits by season 4.  A standard contract for a series regular is 4 seasons with an option for a 5th, anything beyond that requires expensive renegotiations, and not just with the stars but also the unions.  As for syndication - the standard rule is 100 episodes in the can.  Private Eyes is 40 short of that.  Besides, it's all about streaming now and 60 episodes is enough for that.  Also, Global's broke.  
 

 

August 25, 2021 9:00 am  #13


Re: Big Mistake By Global

Mavridis wrote:

paterson1 wrote:

Private Eyes has run on the ION network in the US since season one, not sure if they are a partner in the production.   ION hasn't scheduled the final season over the summer like Global.  Private Eyes is shown in 180 territories and streams on Netflix and Prime Video among others, so the show can't be that much of a money pit.  And if they had a few more seasons, syndication looms large with the series potentially making money for years. 

Global says they wanted to wrap up the show while it was on top.  Let's see next week if that happens. 

 

You'd be shocked by how little revenue a Canadian TV drama makes.  Ion is not a co-producer, they licensed the show's first-run rights in the US.  And as a series ages, it becomes way more expensive to produce - especially if you're bringing back the same cast and writers.  That's why so many of them end up with producer credits by season 4.  A standard contract for a series regular is 4 seasons with an option for a 5th, anything beyond that requires expensive renegotiations, and not just with the stars but also the unions.  As for syndication - the standard rule is 100 episodes in the can.  Private Eyes is 40 short of that.  Besides, it's all about streaming now and 60 episodes is enough for that.  Also, Global's broke.  
 

All good reasons I guess.  Seems odd when a show is playing in 180 "territories" it isn't generating much revenue.  But they are streaming on Netflix and Prime Video.

     Thread Starter
 

August 25, 2021 9:16 pm  #14


Re: Big Mistake By Global

The series finale is tomorrow night.  I originally thought it was next week.  Didn't watch the show myself, but many did and I hope they have a great "last" show?

     Thread Starter