Big Rock Mesa + Angel's Knoll 5/23 + 5/25
My on-screen tv guide says tonight's 'Big Rock Mesa' is a repeat, but IMDB says its original air date is today. And 'Angel's Knoll,' airing Wednesday May 25, is new, says my tv screen.
shareWhat gives with Angel's Knoll?
None of the LOLA cast are present save the exception of the coroner?
What is NBC doing?
The problem with LOLA was the insistence to make it like Law and Order, the mothership rather than letting it stand alone in the same manner as SVU.
Hopefully the series might resurface on TNT in the same way Criminal Intent has.
It makes me laugh when I see promos for CI on NBC when the shows have already aired on cable!
Law & Order: Criminal Intent has not resurfaced on TNT. NBC moved Criminal Intent to USA Network, which is owned by Universal Studios, the same studio that owns and produces all Law & Order shows. Criminal Intent has done much better on USA than on NBC, because USA actually promoted the show, unlike NBC.
But since that happened, NBC has always aired those episodes on their network after they aired on USA to fill holes in their programming. Not everyone gets cable, or even the USA network if they do have cable.
The problems with LOLA were several:
• The show wasn't well planned; it was rushed into production after NBC cancelled Law & Order.
• The characters and their reason for being there was not explained (the revolving DA situation).
• The stories were thin and predictable, at least initially.
• Skeet Ulrich was a bad choice to play a detective. He just didn't convince anyone with his odd portrayal and mannerisms.
• There was no memorable introduction to the show each week, unlike all the other Law & Order shows.
• NBC never made any real attempt at promoting the show, and they scheduled it in a horrible time slot, and moved it around.
When they pulled it for 'retooling' they kept it off the air for several months, which didn't help the situation at all. And when they did finally put it back on, they didn't promote it, and they didn't explain how Connie Rubirosa came to be in the DA's office in Los Angeles. I know they had a brief, throwaway mention of her caring for her ailing mother or grandmother, but that's it, and it doesn't explain how she got the job over someone already in the DA's office. Even so, the show is now pretty good, despite what other people may think.
So, it seems that once again, NBC never really wanted to give it a good chance at success; instead of putting a show on in a good timeslot, actively promoting it, and leaving it there so it can build an audience, they're still looking for the blockbuster numbers that aren't ever going to come with all the channels we have to choose from these days. They didn't do this with Seinfeld, and it was a huge success, making them billions of dollars.
I think Dick Wolf needs to negotiate better contracts with NBC: ones that include at least a full-season commitment to a show in a guaranteed time slot, with no pre-emptions or substitutions, and a guaranteed level of promotion. And after a full 22-25 episodes, if there's really no audience for it, they can move it to USA Network or shop it to another broadcast or cable network to pick it up and produce it.
That's probably the only way anyone will ever be able to get a good drama on NBC again. Management is obviously lacking in brainpower.
I agree with you on the following points:
• The characters and their reason for being there was not explained (the revolving DA situation).
• NBC never made any real attempt at promoting the show, and they scheduled it in a horrible time slot, and moved it around.
When they pulled it for 'retooling' they kept it off the air for several months, which didn't help the situation at all. And when they did finally put it back on, they didn't promote it, and they didn't explain how Connie Rubirosa came to be in the DA's office in Los Angeles. I know they had a brief, throwaway mention of her caring for her ailing mother or grandmother, but that's it, and it doesn't explain how she got the job over someone already in the DA's office. Even so, the show is now pretty good, despite what other people may think.
So, it seems that once again, NBC never really wanted to give it a good chance at success; instead of putting a show on in a good timeslot, actively promoting it, and leaving it there so it can build an audience, they're still looking for the blockbuster numbers that aren't ever going to come with all the channels we have to choose from these days. They didn't do this with Seinfeld, and it was a huge success, making them billions of dollars.
I think Dick Wolf needs to negotiate better contracts with NBC: ones that include at least a full-season commitment to a show in a guaranteed time slot, with no pre-emptions or substitutions, and a guaranteed level of promotion. And after a full 22-25 episodes, if there's really no audience for it, they can move it to USA Network or shop it to another broadcast or cable network to pick it up and produce it.
That's probably the only way anyone will ever be able to get a good drama on NBC again. Management is obviously lacking in brainpower.
The time slot really hurt it but taking it off the air for so long is what killed it. And you're right, they barely promoted it. I really enjoyed this show & liked the ensemble & was disappointed when they killed Skeet Ulrich's character (I'm not one of the rabid fans who were screaming bloody murder at that time but I was indeed disappointed in his firing) & I'm still pissed that we never got to see TJ get his revenge on Winters' killers. NBC didn't give this show the proper chance & we all suffered for it :( share