I got into stupid weird arguments with people who were saying that we don't know they won't pick up the back 9.

Are you new to TV? How do you know the term "back 9" and can't see the writing on the wall for this show, that every time it airs is another miracle that we grab onto and don't question?

If we see a season 5, it wouldn't make that guy right all along--it would just mean the very unlikely happened--they are not airing these 13 to raise the flag and see who salutes. We have already been counted.

Also, if yer lucky, airing Mockingbird Lane isn't burning off a $10 mil investment, and it's a backdoor pilot. If yer lucky.

Mockingbird Lane got some surprisingly good ratings.

Also, if yer lucky, airing Mockingbird Lane isn't burning off a $10 mil investment, and it's a backdoor pilot. If yer lucky.

It's on Hulu Plus right now and I'm loving it. Amazing sets as you'd imagine from Fuller. Eddie Izzard is fantastic. Loving the premise and the way they've reimagined everything.

Marilyn, in particular, is far more interesting. She come off sort of like Emma on Glee by way of Olive Snook. Jokes could be a little tighter, but I appreciate the focus on grounding the world and characters somewhat. Portia looks gorgeous in her gothery, and Jerry O'Connell really does an interesting take on Herman.

Since I want it, I expect it will not be picked up.

xpost: Oooh, good news from le nubian to raise my hopes for that extra velocity upon dashing.

That it did. And I'm sure if NBC thinks they can make more money out of it, they will. They have a couple more months to make a commitment. But it's the backdooriest of backdoor pilots. They've apparently said they don't intend to make that sort of urban fantasy TV, they disagreed with Fuller's vision, he's off working on Hannibal...the deck is stacked.

I don't think it was aired on a level playing ground, but easy money is easy money.

I do wonder about Community--when you consider every possibility other than changing a thing about the episodes, what would it take to succeed? Marketing? Different network? Different timeslot? What does it take to get that sort of quality that's making a small group of people deliriously happy to work out?

I was really disappointed in Mockingbird Lane. Everything about it felt wrong to me. But I never watched Pushing Daises beyond an episode or two at the start. I'm not sure what I expected, but it wasn't what they showed. Jerry O'Connell and the kid felt really off to me especially.

I only watched about 10 minutes of it, but in the scene I saw Lily was more Carmen Miranda than goth.

I do wonder about Community--when you consider every possibility other than changing a thing about the episodes, what would it take to succeed? Marketing? Different network? Different timeslot? What does it take to get that sort of quality that's making a small group of people deliriously happy to work out?

I gotta figure that the ratings they've been getting would be good enough for a cable channel (TBS, maybe, I think they're the ones who picked up Cougartown), but I assume that would also mean further budget constraints. So I don't know how that would work out.

I don't know if expanding the audience significantly can happen, I have the feeling that it's reaching its audience and its audience is just small but dedicated. But that's just me saying words, I have no idea. OTOH, a lot of its audience is probably watching timeshifted and on hulu or youtube or whatever and I don't know how or if that all gets figured into ratings.

More people watch Community then Mad Men, which I think goes to show how different expectations are cable v. network. 2.7 million people watched the Mad Men finale: [link] Community series low rating of 3.1 in April: [link]

The kid was way off. I don't know if I can be objective about Herman (someone on IO9 said he couldn't play the role because he's too "Method, and suggested Lee Pace instead. Much as I love Lee, he does have a way to go before I think Patriarch-in-training (this Grampa seemed much more head of the family than I remember from the TV show, even though Herman sat at the other end of the table), but I didn't like the kid's arc, and the acting didn't do anything for me either.

I liked the Eddie that looked different, damn it! I know, he's a werewolf, he's different, but I liked about the original was that she was the only one who could pass inside and out (well, not inside her brain), but with two normal-looking kids...weird to me.

eta: I do get the feeling that everyone who's going to watch Community (and see the ads) is already watching, but that's my pessimism talking loud and clear. If you don't change the show, and you can't change the audience, then we are left with changing channels.

Honestly, I would think that, given how much NBC is struggling, having a low-rated critically-acclaimed show here and there in their schedule might not be a bad thing. I mean, it's not like they've got a guaranteed blow-out success to slot into that space.

But that's me with my vast oceans of ignorance about how these decisions are made.