122 replies to this topic

[Its Amazing]

I heard a bad rumor today that the show's cancellation will be announced on Monday in the trades.

The cancellation of tonight's planned reruns of the first two episodes (in favor of a ginormous Dateline) can't be good. (It's definitely not good for me because the DVD I recorded them on went flooey and I was going to redo it.) Wonder if Law & Order has already called dibs on the Wednesday spot?

On the positive tip, the next two episodes are still on the schedule for this Wednesday and next, and USA is still scheduled to air a rebroadcast of "Special Delivery" Wednesday at 11:00 ET. So we'll see…but I'm worried.

[jayseyfield]

The fact that the show is really expensive to produce (3 million an episode I believe) doesen't help.

[catperson]

I really hope the rumour about the show being canceled tomorrow isn't true but according to the live blog that Jason Smilovic did the night of the premiere, he explained there was a "13 episode contingency plan waiting in the wings" to wrap things up just in case. The question is: will NBC let it survive that long? It would certainly bring it through November sweeps which could figure well.

I'd at least like NBC to consider moving the show to another night - how about switching with L&O on Friday where it can slog it out against Numb3rs?

Anything would be better than coming after The Biggest Loser, especially a 2-hour-long Biggest Loser. What were they thinking? TV's lowest intelligence required show leading up to something as cerebral as Kidnapped? Sounds like someone had to make some backroom deals to me.

Everyone should send a letter - a real letter - to NBC asking them to give it the same chance 24 and other such shows got to build an audience. They already filmed about 10 episodes, I think, wouldn't it make sense to at least air them?

[nightspore]

At least nine episodes in the can, and they were filming a few days ago.
Why would they spend that much money on something and then can it without giving it a chance to find an audience? It doesn't make much sense to me, but then, I don't work for the network.

Edited by nightspore, Oct 1, 2006 @ 10:30 PM.

[Asyndeton]

Oh, yay! There's nothing better than following a show with cancellation menacing it!

I'm pretty sure it's doomed. I just hope that they air the episodes they already have filmed or release them on DVD.

[addicted_aardvark]

I worry also about the doomed. But am hoping to be wrong.

Not only was it pulled from tonite's re-airing, but just yesterday it was on Comcast's On Demand (I had checked and On Demand showed both episodes). Tonight Kidnapped isn't anywhere on NBC's On Demand choices.

[AuntiePam]

I'm too lazy to write a real letter, so I went to the NBC website looking for an e-mail contact.

Found two -- "Contact Us" and "Feedback". Promising, right? Nope. You get a questionnaire, several pages asking about viewing habits. There was a link to leave comments about some NBC shows, but Kidnapped wasn't on the list. Although Joey, The Book of Daniel, and The West Wing were!

I had to look again to make sure I was at the right network. You'd think if they spent that much money on the show, they'd be pimping the heck out of it.

So now I guess I'll write a letter, or maybe e-mail the affiliate in Des Moines.

Edited by AuntiePam, Sep 30, 2006 @ 10:36 PM.

[catperson]

I've been watching all the late night shows, Entertainment Tonight type shows, everything, looking for anybody from this show to be promoting it. Nothing. At least have someone call in to morning radio shows. Geez!

Everybody, I found this site, with an actual person to contact, Mr Jon Joebgen.

Here's what I wrote, I made it logical not to release the show:

Dear Mr. Joebgen,

Those of us who've been eagerly awaiting Kidnapped are, of course, concerned about the ratings and worried that your programming executives will feel it necessary to pull the plug prematurely. May I please add a little ammunition for reasoning against that decision?

First, of course, is that nearly every single review of the show (and I've read many, many) has described its high level of quality and how such a smart show puts NBC in a good light. In other words, you look better in investers' eyes for standing behind such a quality show, in lieu of typical lowbrow programming.

Second, is that the show enjoys a very good reputation among those who have been able to find it. For instance, if you go on TWoP (televisionwithoutpity.com), one of the most esoteric forums on line (it maintains extremely strict standards for posting, ensuring that mainly educated, higher-end people bother with it - your key demographic target), has developed an extremely good opinion of the show. Quite a few people people who signed on to talk about it said they had no intention of watching it, but it was on when they were getting dressed, they forgot to change the channel, etc., and they were instantly hooked! That's what you need to give it time for - nearly everyone who comes across it is blown away by its story, its quality, and its people.

Third, every single person who I've gotten to try it - and I've convinced quite a lot of people, who apparently are not Nielsen families - has thoroughly enjoyed it and has started telling their friends to watch it. In short, you need to give this show some support and allow it to find its feet, just like shows like 24, Friends, and many others were not instant ratings hits.

Fourth, giving it a lead in like The Biggest Loser makes no sense at all - why would someone who sits around for shows like Biggest Loser, the Simpsons, et al., want to invest in something as high level as Kidnapped? Why can you not switch the programming so that it belongs with something akin to it. CW did it with Gilmore Girls to support Veronica Mars, because the type of people watching one, would likely enjoy the other. It only makes sense.

Fifth, the Biggest Loser is a two-hour show, which automatically lessens the number of people who would potentially stick around for yet another hour of tv. Please consider mixing it with more appropriate programming.

Sixth, someone on TWoP suggested holding it back until mid-season. Please, please consider doing this before shutting it down forever. The show is too high a quality show to just throw away because of a couple of weeks' ratings.

Seventh, the long-term potential of this show is enormous, especially for franchising rights, because you've got different stories each year so people who don't like the group one year may still be intrigued enough by the concept to check it out next year for a different story. I know quite a lot of people who will skip one year of 24, but start up again the next year. So, for the bottom dollar analyst, keeping the show around only makes sense.

Finally, quite a few people were talking about how they would get so mad at a network for pulling a show in the middle of it, that they decide (and do) to boycott the network for several years, just from being ticked off. For instance, to this day, I still won't buy Exxon gas because of the Valdez oil spill. You don't need that kind of animosity and bad press. And I've seen many people who watch a show - or a network - just because they have respect for them. It's worth considering.

Anyway, if you're sticking behind the show and are willing to give it a chance, my apologies for wasting your time, and my appreciation for doing so. If you're considering taking it off the air, please give it a little more thought, and do a little research about ways to better promote it (for instance, I haven't seen a single actor on a talk show, radio show, or ET-type show. Think about advertising it in different ways than the very innovative and cool things you've been doing online and such. So many people today let advertising do their thinking for them.

Edited by catperson, Oct 1, 2006 @ 2:11 PM.

[petitchanteuse]

Excellent! I hope it gets through to the powers that be at NBC. Likewise, I was searching the late night schedules looking for cast to appear to promote the show leading up to the premiere, but NOTHING! Only The Today Show the morning the pilot aired. Big deal.

Myspace is the hottest online social network going today with over 111,000,000 subscribers and it's free! It was initially a place for musicians to network but now film makers have taken the opportunity to use it for advertising and feedback. Shows like Entourage, Miami Ink, etc. have profiles on there with thousands of hits. Leopold has one but why didn't NBC set up one for Kidnapped? The series and movie profiles are flash advertised on individual user profile pages. Another big misstep for NBC that would have cost only the time and effort for someone to maintain the profile.

I am enjoying Studio 60, but I WILL stop watching NBC if they pull this show without giving it every possible opportunity to find its audience.

Here's my letter

Dear Mr. Joebgen,

NBC hosts my two favourite shows this year - Kidnapped and Studio 60; however, I've been reading rumours that NBC may be pulling Kidnapped already. I have never written to a network about keeping a show on the air before, but this one deserves the attention. I was highly anticipating hunkering down for the next 22 weeks to follow this program and the thought that it will be cancelled is very disturbing.

It is a richly textured show full of great characters and a brilliant cast, especially Jeremy Sisto in a breakout performance. It's so densely written that I tape the episodes so I can rewind and pick up all the little nuances and bits of dialogue that give major clues to reveal the past or future of the characters. The writing is witty and intelligent whereas primetime is already chock full of dumb reality shows.

I was disappointed that there was very little promotion leading up to the show especially with Vanished getting a head start:

* none of the cast were booked on late night or daytime talk shows aside from the Today Show on September 20 Why not?
* not setting up a Myspace profile for the series was a major missed opportunity especially since it's free!
* The critical reviews should have been your queue to pump out the promotion on Entertainment Tonight, etc.
* The glossy ad in EW and the NBC preview on Netflix was nifty but it wasn't enough and it was only for subscribers
* The commercial ads in movie theatres were a cool idea but TV advertising is ultimately where it should have made the most impact to reach the broadest possible audience.

I have a history of seeing my favourite shows canceled too soon, (EZ Streets, American Dreams, Arrested Development, Action, Nothing Sacred) even though they had received critical acclaim. I'd hate to see Kidnapped fall victim to the same fate.

While I understand that the ratings for the first two eps were lousy* and the show is expensive to produce at 3 million an episode; please give this show a chance to reach an audience!

The premiere of The Nine this week may be the final death knell for Kidnapped if something drastic isn't done. Please consider moving it to another night or bringing it back as a mid-season replacement along with The Black Donnelly's before cancelling it outright. If you must, move Las Vegas or Law and Order to Wednesday and let Kidnapped go up against Men in Trees or Numb3rs on Friday.

There is an audience out there that wants to see intelligent drama and has no time for Deal or No Deal or The Biggest Loser. The problem is - we're a minority audience that keeps getting the rug pulled out from under us! NBC needs to continue supporting Kidnapped.

(*I blame this week's low rating on the ongoing morbid fascination with Steve Irwin's death and the interview with Terri by Barbara Walters that skewed the numbers)

Incidentally, 5 or 6 million viewers in Canada constitutes a major hit!

Edited by petitchanteuse, Oct 1, 2006 @ 4:36 PM.

[catperson]

chanteuse, that was great! Great logic, et al. Come on, guys, we know writing campaigns can make a difference, so take the minute to write an email. They may have no intention of cancelling it yet, but showing our support can only help.

[Yo Vincenzo]

USA is scheduled to repeat "Special Delivery" Oct 4 at 11:00 p.m., but no more repeats after that.

[AuntiePam]

Thanks for posting that. I sent an e-mail too. Nothing as articulate as what petitchanteuse and catperson wrote, but as Johnny Burns used to say -- it's something anyway.

[petitchanteuse]

Someone on the Imdb board for Kidnapped posted that her husband works on the show and they were told on Friday that it was being cancelled.

But Jason Smilovic said on the live blog from September 20 (in response to concerns about serialized shows being cancelled before they are resolved) that they had a 13 episode contingency plan in the event the show was cancelled. How many have they shot to date? 11?

Which reminds me, they've used the word contigency at least twice - once in each episode.

I also read that Dana Delany has already gone to work on another show. She was referred to as a "show killer" (not sure how reliable that one is because they also say she's Kim Delaney's sister)

I wish Smilovic and Dinner would post on the boards so we could get their reaction to all of this. I'm kind of hoping they're having closed door meetings with a white knight who will rescue the series and give it the support it deserves.

I'm depressed ...

[Special]

I'd only be tuning in at 10 to watch Kidnapped - I didn't realize it was preceded by a 2 hour The Biggest Loser each week. That's just dumb. I hope they can juggle it around and it put it in a better place. At least for 11 episodes.

[funkmachine]

The show will get killed after "The Nine" premieres this week. I've heard a lot of favorable talk about "The Nine" (even though I didn't think the pilot was all that good). This is a really bad timeslot for the series.

Dana Delaney is a show killer. She always spells bad news whenever I see her on a new show.

FWIW, I think the lack of discussion here on the individual episodes is also an indication that the show isn't exactly catching on...

Edited by funkmachine, Oct 2, 2006 @ 6:30 AM.

[catperson]

Go to EW to participate in the Steel Cage Survey to say which shows you would pick for each time slot; Kidnapped needs the support!

Also, someone on the imdb forum said her husband works on the set and they were told it was cancelled, but also that they would finish filming (and airing, I think she said) the episodes. That means we may have a few weeks to do some serious writing - and also to get everyone we know to start watching it!

Also, someone posted this email address to show support. Don't know its source, but it's worth a shot: nbc_support@rresults.com

[ProfCrash]

I voted for Kidnapped, it only has 22% of the votes. What amazed me were all the time slots they put up that I wanted a "none of the above" button and simply did not vote.

[catperson]

Found another site (tv.com) that polls you to pick shows to "axe" (cancel). The votes for Wednesday so far for those that people want to get the axe are:
Jericho 15%
30 Rock 13%
Twenty Good Years 23%
Justice 17%
Day Break 9%
Kidnapped 15%
The Nine 9%

Which really isn't bad! Out of 7 shows, it's right in the middle as far as people wanting it to stay.

[OLucy]

Good grief. 30 Rock hasn't even debuted yet. And we're supposed to take this seriously?

[catperson]

Well, it's basically just another popularity poll, which is why I suggested that Kidnapped supporters go ahead and vote.

[Pants Ninja]

Go to EW to participate in the Steel Cage Survey to say which shows you would pick for each time slot; Kidnapped needs the support!

Am I the only one who can't get the voting to work? I want to vote for it, on the off chance that it helps, but all I can do is look at the pictures. Am I missing something?

[ProfCrash]

I voted on the off chance that it might help the show. I voted to axe Justice, mainly because the one episode I saw was not all that good. I wanted to vote for The Nine but it has not aired yet so I could not vote for it on principle. (I want Kim Raver back on 24)

[Solea]

Well, I've sent my email. Have write-in campaigns worked? Ever? Once or twice?

I'm not optimistic, but I surely don't mind letting them know what I think.

-

catperson wrote:
Everybody, I found this site, with an actual person to contact, Mr Jon Joebgen.

Edited by Solea, Oct 2, 2006 @ 2:10 PM.

[catperson]

Hee! I voted to axe Brothers and Sisters so that President Reynolds (Patricia Wettig) could come back to Prison Break!

[ProfCrash]

Well, I've sent my email. Have write-in campaigns worked? Ever? Once or twice?

We like to pretend that they worked for Babylon 5. In fact, rumor has it each season the campaign had to step it up in order to have an effect. The first season was amassive email campiagn. The second season was a snail mail campaign (rumor had it that WB and PTEN decided that email was too easy so viewers were encouraged to use snail mail). The third season it was sending snail mail with reciepts from an advertiser to said advertiser so that the advertisers encouraged PTEN to keep B5 on. Season 4 didn't work so well until we found out (from JMS) that TNT was interested in picking up season 5 and we hit TNT with a snail mail, email campaign.

Mind you, the above info was based on the rumors posted at B5 websites and an occassional comment from JMS to encourage folks to participate. Whether it actually changed anything, who knows but we like to pretend we had influenced on the decision.

[catperson]

Mind, the best campaign is getting people to watch! Go out and evangelize! Make deals with people to get them to try it since you never know who's a Nielsen family (I'll watch your show if you watch Kidnapped, etc.), talk about it at work and get people excited about watching it, join other forums (probably the one at nbc.com would have the most impact) so TPTB know there's a buzz about the show.

[AuntiePam]

catperson, I'm trying! I told my daughter about it today, and she was all pooh-pooh, and then I played my trump card. I told her it was almost as good as Deadwood. :-)

[catperson]

Way to go, Pam! I loaned my next door neighbor my NetFlix DVD, and they love it now. I also told everyone at my block party about it.