Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Deadwood Cancelled

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Posted by Greg Mueller (Member # 17) on 09-28-2006, 06:02 PM:

It looks like there will be no fourth season of Deadwood. HBO considered a 6 episode (instead of 12) wind down to the series but it's producer declined. All actors have been released to pursue other roles elsewhere
It was HBO's most popular series.

First Carnivale now Deadwood. Those guys are really stupid

Posted by Chris Hipp (Member # 1788) on 09-28-2006, 07:37 PM:

That does suck, I just started watching it a few months ago. I think the word COCKSUCKERS is an appropriate term here.

Posted by Ron Yost (Member # 1850) on 09-28-2006, 08:59 PM:

Oh NO! [Mad]

HBO really seems to be bottom-feeding these days (Lucky Louie). [puke]

What a pity.

On the positive side, it means I probably won't ever pay for the HBO\Showtime\Max 'block' again. [beer]

Ron Yost .. another Carnivale and Deadwood fan.

Posted by Chris Hipp (Member # 1788) on 09-28-2006, 09:49 PM:

I actually like Lucky Louie. It feels like an R rated version of Married with Children.

Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 09-28-2006, 10:03 PM:

Isn't this old news? I heard about 2-4 months back that that cocksucker Milch accepted a 2 2 hour (4 hours total) program deal for a "4th" season to wrap up the show, after HBO refused to sign on for the whole year, and then offered a 6 episode 4th season. Unless that has gone down the drain thanks to those cheap cocksuckers at HBO, this latest news sucks.

Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 09-29-2006, 12:19 AM:

My favorite show in years. The layers of nuance, the acting, the vision and then Milch gets bored.

We worked out an acceptable substitute to CSer. We say Pot Sticker with feeling every time. Works almost as well. The first time Wu said it was an unforgetable moment.

Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 09-29-2006, 12:56 AM:

The Wu episode from the first season (white cocksucker!) had me almost in tears... been a very long time since that has happened. It's a shame it's coming to an end so soon.

Posted by Rick Raskin (Member # 1561) on 09-29-2006, 05:13 AM:

I really expected another season to wrap the story. Its a darn shame that when they get a show that requires a little more than base level intelligence to appreciate, they kill it off. The dialogue on "Deadwood" approached Shakespearean quality.

After "The Sopranos" has its final run I'll cut my cable expenses even more.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 09-29-2006, 08:24 AM:

quote: Ron Yost
HBO really seems to be bottom-feeding these days (Lucky Louie).

I thought Lucky Louie was a pretty good show. But it has also been cancelled.

I agree with others, HBO is indeed going downhill. I may drop it from my satellite bill once The Sopranos is finished.

Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 09-29-2006, 12:19 PM:

HBO and Showtime, being pay cable services, will renew shows based upon the number of new subscriptions they bring, instead of how many people actually watch them.

A show like Lucky Louie isn't going to bring new people, but Sopranos always does.

The way to ensure that your favorite show stays on, is to cancel your subscription after the run of a season, then hook it back up just before the new season begins. If enough people do this, then their numbers show that people are signing up for the service for that show. It is how some really odd shows stay on pay cable, while great shows seem to get killed.

Ciao

Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 09-29-2006, 06:13 PM:

That must be why there's so much time in between seasons of Sopranos... they probably count on the fact that not all people will cancel it after the season is done... will be interesting to see how the numbers drop when that's finally done. They're sure dragging out the last season.

Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 09-30-2006, 07:38 AM:

I tried to watch DEADWOOD & CARNIVALE, but they just didn't click with me. Soprano's has one or two great moments, then it just dies off.

Best show, IMHO, on HBO is THE WIRE. A very deep and complicated show. You really need to have seen it from the beginning to appreciate the depth of character...characters from previous seasons appear in odd ways, sometimes. I think its the best thing on television this year. Already renewed for Season 5!

Posted by Chad Souder (Member # 343) on 09-30-2006, 08:09 PM:

Sopranos was great until Nancy Marchand died. The whole show was kinda based on Tony's relationship with his mother and after there was no more mother, things just didn't have the same grab.

Carnivale never did a thing for me, but Deadwood was kind of intriguing. Now, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Ali G were fantastic shows and HBO needs something like that to regain some oomph.

Posted by Adam Wilbert (Member # 1184) on 09-30-2006, 08:34 PM:

the best show you've never seen was Dead Like Me on Showtime. It was cancelled after its second season. I think its showing on SciFi now.

I bought the second season of Deadwood when it came out, but haven't watched any of the episodes yet. Its just sitting on my shelf gathering dust... [Frown]

Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 09-30-2006, 09:37 PM:

I was slightly disappointed in Deadwood season 2, with Als health problems, it was more about the town than him and seems like about 60% less "cocksuckers" were said. It picked up a little steam at the end but that stuff with Bullock and his brothers wife was a little boring.

Posted by Chad Souder (Member # 343) on 10-01-2006, 11:05 AM:

quote: Dave Williams
HBO and Showtime, being pay cable services, will renew shows based upon the number of new subscriptions they bring, instead of how many people actually watch them.

I'm not doubting you, but I'm just curious as to what your source is for this statement? It seems like an odd business strategy to me, seeing as how most pay cable services offer a nice start-up package, then when you get into the regular monthly payments, that's where they would get their real money. I would have guessed they would simply monitor the number of viewers they have per show and cancel the ones that few are watching. Sopranos had a huge following, but I find it difficult to believe they were still attracting new viewers after the third season or so, considering there was a 16 month break between seasons one and two and another 15 months between 3 and 4. I thought when they had a new show, they usually signed on for a one or two year initial contract and then they negotiate for an extension for as many as 4 or 5 seasons at a time. Is this incorrect?

Posted by Chris Hipp (Member # 1788) on 10-01-2006, 11:10 AM:

I subscribed to HBO after the 4th season of the Sopranos. I saw a few episodes in a hotel or somewhere and I started watching it regularly afterwards.

Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 10-02-2006, 04:03 AM:

quote: Chad Souder
I'm not doubting you, but I'm just curious as to what your source is for this statement?

When you have done as many jobs and done as many things as I have, you tend to come across lots of useless information. However in many instances you cannot reveal how you came across that same information, for reasons of confidentiality. Some times, you can't even reveal that you know the information at all. I have some of that too. Or should I have said that last part. [Eek!]

Take it as information that I just gave, and nothing more. It's either right or it isn't.

However, Pay services such as HBO and Showtime, do not sell commercial time, running their programs without interruption. As a pay service, they depend on repeat business.

As more and more people watch good programming on broadcast or commerical based cable networks, they have to rely on recruiting new viewers with new shows and continuing shows.

A great show that has plenty of sign up in the first year but not the second year can easily get the ax, unless a large number of their subscriber base is on board or not. Dead Like Me was killed primarily because it was really on the wrong network. Showtime is not the place for them.

Sopranos has a majority of its viewer base as on board for the series, and will stay in between regardless of the wait. So they can actually have a drop in viewership, but still be profitable on the show as a cancelling of the show would lead many to cancel the provider over it.

HBO is in trouble after Sopranos is done. They will be in the same boat as Showtime, and competing with networks such as FX, USA, Spike, and so on.

The Wire is a very good show, and it is hoped that it can take the place of the Sopranos, I am however doubtful. Who knows what the future will bring.

Basically it comes down to if a show will cause viewership to fall if cancelled, and the cost of those lost viewers vs. cost of production. If it can hold its own and increase the number of new viewers, and garner a large amount of current subscribers who will go holy war if they get cancelled, then there is a chance of it staying regardless of quality.

A very good case in point is Stargate SG-1 getting the boot while Battlestar Gallactica on Sci-Fi is renewed. SG-1 has higher ratings, and costs less to produce. However SG-1 is produced by MGM, and BSG is produced in house, so all the money stays in house. Their sister networks are all moving towards in house programming in order to keep all of the money in house.

Ciao