During last night’s fall finale of ABC’s Flash Forward, the network ran a teaser promo revealing that the thriller series—which was originally scheduled to take the holidays off and return in January—actually would not return to new episodes until March 4. According to Variety, network insiders said the move allows Flash Forward to run from March through May without any repeats, as well as avoid the NBC’s airing of the Olympics in February. Lengthy hiatuses are common this season. ABC aired four episodes of V in November, but won’t return until March 30, in a post-Lost slot. Fox’s Glee and Lie to Me are also going to employ the long-break strategy.
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ABC likes to employee the long-break “strategy” just before they cancel a show. Every show I’ve ever loved that went on an extended hiatus showed NO repeats, had no advertising, and when it was finally put back on tv it had lost it’s luster and was canceled shortly after. Extended hiatus/long-breaks/whatever NEVER WORK! UGH.
Except in the case of Lost…
but even lost’s ratings have declined over the years. although i think they’ll surge in this final season.
Eh, it did decline; but ratings wise it’s still a pretty big powerhouse. For fans of the show that has stuck by Lost since the beginning, the long hiatus really makes sense. Watching new episodes back to back really pays off, at least to me, and judging by the numbers, the core group seems to like it too.
The biggest drop Lost saw in viewers was during the season of “never-ending hiatus” where it would repeatedly go off the air for anywhere from 3-6 weeks at a time.
I agree that changing the format to keep those of us that still watch riveted was a smart move.
This show was on the road to cancellation anyway with its ratings dropping every week, and I’m sure the hiatus won’t help.
I love this show and was extremely surpised by the long hiatus. I can understand ABC not wanting to compete with the olympics but the lengthy wait could hurt. I will definately resume watching new episodes in march but hope that reruns will be played until then.
Yeah..it gets so old with 2-5 month breaks. Sopranos started it. But now we’ll be in reality tv hell for the next 3 months. I’m proud I’ve never watched survivor,American IDolatry, DWTS, SYTYCD, etc..! Give me real programming..not this cheap fill. No wonder cable is taking over
I agree with you. I am turning my TV on less & less. I am watching more tv online to avoid all the reality crap that really is not reality.
agree reality blows whales networks love it cause it is cheap, but viewers are leaving in droves for online…that bell tolling is the death of network tv
is this loosing ratings? really? cause i was on the edge of my seat last night, seriously, that was an awesome episode! i dont wanna wait till march! not good for my health =O i guess lost will make up for it
JM, Way to stick up for drama! I totally agree!
I just recently found out that CBS has cut the amount of Numb3rs episodes from 22 to 16 & are planning on canceling it after. Another excellent, thought provoking program off the networks. I signed the petition to try & save it. http://www.PetitionOnline.com/numb3rs/
Great way to kill a show, man is ABC making bad decisions lately or what? Mickey should stick to theme parks LOL
So exactly what is going to be on TV in January and February? FF is March. Glee is April Fringe is March or April. Gossip Girl – April? (I forget.) Lost is thankfully February. Some of us actually LIKE scripted shows rather than reality TV.
I am slowly coming to realize that what we want (the fans) doesn’t matter to network tv. Seasons are getting shorter and shorter. Hiatuses are longer and longer. Reality (braindead) tv is all they have the mental capacity to create anymore. Those of us with half a brain are left out to suffer.
You said exactly what I was thinking. Thank goodness for Lost in February.
what sucks most about this hiatus is now the finale won’t fall on April 29th!
I don’t think the finale was ever supposed to fall on April 29. If anything, I recall reading that “April 29″ on the show was going to continue for more than one episode, which I think means it wasn’t intended to be the finale date. Plus, sweeps are in May, so ABC would want to have a “popular” show (assuming the ratings don’t fall precipitously) continue past April.
well if you do your homework, you’ll find that the creators along with the author of the book had intended for the finale date to be the date of the flashforward. I heard this in an interview with Robert j Sawyer himself.
If you do YOUR homework you’ll see quotes like
April 29, 2010 – This is the date that everyone flashforwards to. No, this isn’t the season finale. Goyer explains” and “the 2st episode, not coincidentally will be April 29th” Doing YOUR homework you’ll see that the season was initially intended to be 25 episodes.
In a recent issue of EW it said that in tv time April 29th spans a few weeks of episodes and those episodes begin in our time on April 29th.
Can I just say Im biting my nails like a psycho waiting for LOST ARGGNNAAAA!!!!!! =)
I’m glad to see it go off for a while. They made the show a hot mess with having the black guy, of all people, committ suicide for no good reason. I say let them re-tool if they can. The show won’t be missed.
Yes it will.
Please don’t tell me you’re trying to make that into a racist act…..and one if you were it was a heroic suicide and not a self pity one
I am sorry, but i have tuned in for every episode and it has become almost unwatchable. I gave it a fair chance and after last nights sub par epsiode and the news of a hiatus….i think i will spend my time else where. FF is a lost ripoff. At least fringe is orinal and the character development is good. Even V is better then this show and i honestly dont mind waiting for it to return in the spring. Do we even care why the flashfoward happeneds, who did it (really) who D Gibbons is etc etc. Ok im done ranting. Long story short, i wish i could flashback and stop myself from ever watching the show. long live lost. Namaste woo woo woo
I hate ABC they do this every year to good shows. just let them run and end the story lines with some decency!!!!!
22-24 episode seasons span 36 weeks. Do the math. That’s 3 to 3 1/2 months off of new shows per year. Is it safe to assume that if the show had several short breaks you’d complain about that too?
“They made the show a hot mess with having the black guy, of all people, committ suicide for no good reason”
He killed himself to spare everyone involved the agony he would cause by accidentally killing that woman. Oh, and anyone who says “hot mess” can never have their opinions taken seriously.