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Showtime news bits

Lyta

Moderator
While not all of these are directly related to Jeremiah, it does give an indication of it's future on Showtime. If you follow Odyessy 5, it's future does not look very good.

Showtime Revs Series, Slims TV Movies

<font color="orange"> Sony Pictures TV, producer of the two existing series on the bubble the past few weeks, "Street Time" and "Odyssey 5," got a renewal for "Street Time," starring Rob Morrow and Scott Cohen. Sony and Showtime are negotiating over the exact number of new episodes.

Things are not looking as good for "Odyssey 5," which probably won't make it to a second season because Showtime is reconfiguring its Friday lineup to make room for only one sci-fi series, MGM TV's "Jeremiah," which the network has renewed, with Sean Astin (news) added to the cast. </font color>

The future of SciFi on TV right now looks pretty grim. /forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

Showtime beefs up series

<font color="orange"> In another first, Showtime has commissioned an animated series, "Free for All," based on Brett Merhar's popular strip of the same name, which is expected to launch in July. The network has given a seven-episode order to the show, written by Merhar and Merriwether Williams with Richard Hull producing.

With "Free for All" and its recently greenlighted series "Dead Like Me," Showtime for the first time is targeting a younger audience than its core 35-49 demographic. Showtime Networks programming president Jerry Offsay said the channel's other mantra this year is to try new formats and genres. Showtime's move away from original movies toward series started a few years ago but accelerated this year. </font color>

Hmm, younger audiences?

Finally, one from my anonmyous source:

<font color="orange">As for "Odyssey 5" the prospects are looking worse and worse. With the network's newly configured Friday lineup and its commitment to "Dead Like Me," it's looking less likely Showtime will carry a third sci-fi drama or have two nights devoted to the theme. While nothing is official, it seems unlikely the series will return beyond its six remaining episodes in the can. No start date has been named for those episodes.

Also as part of its 2003 plans is the continuation of its "10 Sharp" campaign with original series at 10:00 p.m. eastern. "Queer as Folk," "Soul Food" and "Jeremiah" will return with new seasons in March anchoring the network's Sunday, Wednesday and Friday nights respectively. In the summer, Showtime will launch three new series - the lesbian drama "Earthlings," the marriage dramedy "Out of Order" and the sci-fi teen drama "Dead Like Me" - as well as the third season of "The Chris Isaak Show."</font color>
 
That is odd /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif I was under the impression that Odyssey 5 was held in higher regard by Showtime than Jeremiah. Either someone there recognizes the cult-potential of a JMS oeuvre (I wish), or they didn't want to be the ones to tell Mr. Sean Austin to take a hike. Or, perhaps Jeremiah skews towards a younger demographic than Odyssey 5-- how appropriate /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Still, younger audiences ... is that wise for a premium channel? Especially with those new shows that smell suspeciously like network/cable fare.
 
I realized I posted this stuff in the Non-B5 forum but I figured I would post it again here in case anyone wants to have more of a Jeremiah related discussion instead of an O5 one.

Here is the direct quote from Alan Brennert (O5's consulting producer) whose email was posted in the rec.arts.sf.tv newsgroup:

<font color="orange">Alas, Showtime canceled ODYSSEY this week--despite our being their highest-rated original series! Apparently the powers-that-be want to get out of doing sf (they picked up JEREMIAH, as I understand it, because it's part a longstanding deal with MGM).

Sony/Columbia has approached the Sci-Fi Channel about picking it up but we won't know anything until January. For now it's just a lump of coal in our Christmas stockings.</font color>

Which JMS recently responded to the "long standing deal" comment and O5's cancelation:

Jan.12.2003
<font color="orange">In the reports about Odyssey 5's cancellation it said that Showtime wants to dump it's SF shows, but can't do that to Jeremiah because of some MGM deal...

A) any truth to this? How secure are you guys?


I'd heard the reverse, that Sony had attached a number of conditions to the show that made it fiscally unviable for Showtime to pick it up. At least that's the word on the street among show runner types.

B) Are you going to be able to tell the FULL story with Jeremiah? Go the distance? etc...?

Every series is season-by-season. </font color>
 

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