Sunday, July 08, 2007

National Bingo Night to return? WTF?

Latest B&C TV critics poll gives top honors to Sopranos, Heroes, and Office; National Bingo Night voted worst show.

Despite the fact that National Bingo Night bombed in the ratings, ABC is giving the moribund show another chance, this time stripping the show five nights a week, beginning December 17, for that week only. ABC officials claim that the shows' online success is the reason is bringing it back, but the real reason is that the bingo show drew more viewers than Chicago White Sox games (We knew there were some Cubs fans over there at NBN. Bastards.)

Ed Saunders is expected to return as host of the show (obviously, they lost Ozzie's audition tape.)

Meanwhile, TV critics gave NBN (at least according to Broadcasting & Cable) a designated honor: Worst TV show of the season (Of course, if the White Sox's 2007 season was broadcast nationwide, it would have easily topped the chart.)

“We got just as much positive feedback as a few grumpy critics. If they said the same thing about Fear Factor and Deal or No Deal, I’d be happy to be grouped in with those shows”, says National Bingo Night creator Andrew Glassman.

Um... they did say the same thing about Fear Factor and Deal or No Deal.

And what does this say about the television business if a program like National Bingo Night gets a 0.9 and gets renewed and a show like Veronica Mars get the same rating and gets canned?

Profitability and the bottom line, of course (just like in the radio business. Just ask "Crazy" Howard McGee, who was fired Friday.) NBN's online component was a smash. Nielsen ratings just won't do it anymore. I guess Veronica Mars paid the price for not having an online bingo game. Quality television is dead in this country, unless you count PBS.

On to some real TV shows, the TV critics in that same B&C poll gave top honors to The Sopranos (Best Show, Best Drama), The Office (Best Comedy), and Heroes (Best New Show.), and the critics also say you're not getting enough BBC America in your cable diet.

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