MovieChat Forums > The Crazy Ones (2013) Discussion > Want to know why this show was cancelled...

Want to know why this show was cancelled?

posted 10 years ago by TardisOperator
45 replies | jump to latest

It started off funny, great lines, moved at a nice pace and SM Gellar/Robin Williams did a great job.

The biggest problem - The introduction of Brad Garrett absolutely KILLED the show. First, he's a horrific actor. Sorry, there just no other way to put it. Second, the writers did a terrible job with his character.

The second problem - No real story arc to cling to. Did I care about or get attached to any of the characters? Not really, not even by the end of the season.

With SMG and Robin Williams, this should have been a knock out comedy but it was ruined by poor writing and little to no character development.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] painterjane25 10 years ago

I do not understand. It had solid ratings. And it was good. Surprised they would not give a David E. Kelly show, another chance.

[–] Destinata 9 years ago

It had solid ratings.

This is what I wondered.

One of the episodes dealt with someone so pretentious that they said they didn't have a TV. Well, we don't have one hooked up to the outside world, and I know a lot of people who don't. I didn't know how it did or even if it was any good.

I'm streaming this now, so it's the first time I'm seeing it. I agree about Garrett -- he's awful and gratuitous. But I'm halfway through the season and I still can't stop. It's GOOD, even WITH that loser.

My guess is that Robin pulled the plug on it. Just a hunch. There are shows where he can barely conceal there's something wrong with his left arm and hand. Just my guess.

Of course, back when people were wondering, no one knew. He did do a good job of hiding it, but it was going to get to the point where he couldn't anymore -- apparently very soon.

You will probably disagree. That's the nature of discussions -- they have two sides.

[–] kristen1165 10 years ago

I actually thought the first few episodes with Brad's character were the only ones worth watching. The beginning and the end were junk.

[–] qrz94 10 years ago

I thought Brad and Robin were funny together. The show was cancelled because of high production costs, modest ratings below expectation. They should have cut out the number of big name guest stars which would have saved money, and focused more attention on the main characters.

[–] IMDB_Vits 10 years ago

Workplace sitcoms seldom have season-long storylines.

[–] jacqueline25 10 years ago

i thought the who was great, it took a few episodes to get into it though - I thought it had quite a slow start. Pity it's been cancelled, it's one of the better ones and has potential

[–] jacqueline25 10 years ago

i thought the who was great, it took a few episodes to get into it though - I thought it had quite a slow start. Pity it's been cancelled, it's one of the better ones and has potential

[–] nutzerwutzer 10 years ago

The Who? Wow, I must have missed that one.

Cats are underdogs.

[–] igniz21 10 years ago

Come on, it's fairly clear that it was a typo and he was referring to the show.

[–] nutzerwutzer 10 years ago

Sorry, but I am a teacher, and I am fine with typos, as long as they are corrected before posting.

Cats are underdogs.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] doggie_rodriguez 9 years ago

Come on, it's fairly clear that it was a typo and he was referring to the show.

It's a stretch to think people on IMDB would understand that "who" was referring to "show". I figured that's what she meant, but I wouldn't get on a soapbox and chastise anyone who didn't piece that terrible puzzle together.

[–] lferrigon-1 10 years ago

I loved the show. It reminded me of a similar series on NBC which was just as fun to watch. I loved this show and hated that it was cancelled.

[–] CharWoman 10 years ago

I never saw any specific things to blame. I do know we didn't warm up to watching it at first despite a cast that specifically appealed to us, and then about halfway through the season we found ourselves quite enjoying it. My guess is that a lot of the viewers who would also have liked it just didn't give it much of a chance. Maybe some of that was a marketing error? And Robin Williams doesn't really get credit for being capable of subtle, masterful turns in either comedy or drama. The running joke in some quarters about him is that he's just annoying, like a coked-up attention-seeking child. It's not true or fair, but it does put people off of seeing things he's in. I've had to set that 'conventional wisdom' aside myself. I'm glad I did for TCO because he was quite good in it.

More character development would have been nice, but they seemed to be nibbling at that later in the season. Cancelling was premature imo. The process by which network execs pick and choose which shows get killed off is making less sense each season.

Sorry to see SMG, Hamish Linklater (really love him), and even James Wolk without a regular gig I can enjoy them on. Wolk has been back on Mad Men but it probably won't be regular work and there is little of that project remaining. Really hope Linklater ends up in something else watchable.

[–] wickedobvious 10 years ago

I wasn't sure about this show at first, but it grew on me. My biggest problem was how much they pushed James Wolk's character as being Mr. Popular Guy. He seemed more like Mr. Trying Too Hard Guy. Not a dealbreaker for me; it just felt forced. Robin, SMG and Hamish were all likeable. I'm disappointed we won't get any more of it.

Even with all the big name stars, how much could the show possibly cost to make? Practically every episode was a walking commercial. If they weren't getting promotional fees from companies like McDonald's and Charmin, then somebody doesn't know what they're doing.

[–] Jenocalypse 10 years ago

The title is terrible. “The Crazy Ones”. What is that even supposed to mean?

[–] CranberriAppl 10 years ago

Yeah the name didn't fit, and for a show about advertising, they really should have tried a little harder with it. I would agree that it was probably production costs that did the show in. I was hoping for a second season that would tighten up the dialogue and the situations. I enjoyed the show and think it improved maybe after the 2nd or 3rd episode. I wasn't all that impressed w/Garrett, but I figured he wouldn't be on all the time, so I could bear him. A few of the things I enjoyed were:

-Robin and Sarah as father and daughter

-Robin and James W playing off of each other. Something about Simon treating Zach as his favorite child and Zach eating it up was hilarious to me.

-Andrew/Zach, Sydney/Zach

-Many of the episodes were good, but the humor wasn't consistent so from week to week, I could either repeat an episode or just let it sit on the DVR

The weakest link for me was Lauren. Her character was so stereotypical cuckoolander that they could have replaced her w/Ashley Tisdale's character and it probably wouldn't have made a huge difference.

"I have more than faith. I'm a mental patient with a gun."

[–] film_flam_man 10 years ago

Maybe this will ring a bell:

"Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. […]"

Apple "Think Different" ad (1997) @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmwXdGm89Tk

[–] hohohorea 10 years ago

Weird, I thought the title was spot on.
But then again, I worked in advertising.

Piece of sushi, birthday cake, stop sign, snow man, umbrella.

[–] Jenocalypse 10 years ago

Then what does it mean? I honestly don't get it. Who or what does it refer to?

[–] hohohorea 10 years ago

It's a reference to the 1997 "Think Different" Apple campaign that marked Steve Jobs' return and pretty much turned the company around.
It was basically a defining moment that showed the world just how powerful a brilliant advertising campaign can be.

Piece of sushi, birthday cake, stop sign, snow man, umbrella.

[–] Jenocalypse 10 years ago

That makes sense. Thank you for explaining.

[–] hohohorea 10 years ago

you're welcome.

Piece of sushi, birthday cake, stop sign, snow man, umbrella.

[–] Destinata 10 years ago

I don't even have TV hooked up to the outside world, so maybe I shouldn't say anything. But two things: I gave up on Steven E. Kelley shows when he walked out on one of the best shows EVER -- Chicago Hope -- to write some chick-flick drivel about a space cadet and her friends. He'd start shows and drop them. That's all I needed to know about him. It's not as if I needed to invest the time if he wasn't going to.

Second, "The Crazy Ones." Could they have put any more pressure on Robin? We see a name like that, and we assume they're going to let Robin loose and he'll do those insane flights of fancy like he did on Mork and Mindy (which they kept comparing it to -- "Robin and Pam, together again!" Robin was older, slower, visibly tired, and unlike the old days, he couldn't carry a poorly written show all by himself. There had to be some "there" there to support him. Apparently there wasn't.

You don't call something "The Crazy Ones unless you can deliver. Kelley strikes again.

You will probably disagree. Thats the nature of discussions -- they have two sides.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] zachbernheisel 10 years ago

The reason it was cancelled was because of budget reasons. When you have Williams, Gellar and Kelley working together, it will be a pain to front the bill. The ratings were actually quite good. Second highest rated new comedy of the year. Higher than Mom, About a Boy, The Goldbergs and Brooklyn Nine-Nine which all got renewed.