CBS plans major changes for season finales

[Naj]

CBS plans major changes for season finales
By Ron Wynn, [e-mail]
May 11, 2006

Despite enjoying another season of consistent success, CBS (locally WTVF-Ch. 5) still occasionally finds itself overlooked in the wave of publicity given such critical darlings as ABC’s Lost or Fox’s House. But the network has some major plans for shaking things up on its top-rated shows during sweeps month, and fans may be stunned, delighted or angered when the smoke clears from events on various season finales.

One is certainly Tuesday’s NCIS season finale. Once again, a major player is leaving the team, and no one’s sure whether the sizable clue presented in the first chapter of the two-part show was legitimate or a deliberately planted false nugget to fake out the audience. Part one focused on the past exploits of team leader Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon). But the producers are promising things will certainly not be the same, while hoping they don’t get the same negative fallout that followed last year’s demise of Kate (Sasha Weatherly).

Each edition of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation also has plot twists and key characters in jeopardy. CSI begins its two-part finale tonight, and by its May 18 conclusion we’ll know whether the team saved the life of one of their own who was taken hostage. Likewise, on CSI: New York some old business will be finished (with the assistance of former regular Vanessa Ferlito) May 17. The identity of the mole is finally revealed on CSI: Miami May 22. By the time this happens, so much will already have occurred, the CSI: Miami crew might buckle under the pressure, particularly the embattled Horatio Caine (David Caruso).

Jason Priestly guest stars on Without A Trace’s season finale May 18. He opens fire in the FBI building using supervisor Jack Malone’s gun. How he gets the weapon, and what happens after the shooting starts, will certainly have some interesting results, both short- and long-term. There have been implications all season on Cold Case about possible emotional problems looming for Lily (Kathyrn Morris). These finally erupt on the May 21 finale when she discovers something quite troubling on a case. Her reaction and response may or may not make things better. All these plot turns and potential blockbuster events are designed to help CBS inch out Fox in the 18-49 demographic, and pave the way for cast changes and new directions producers want to take these shows in for the fall.





Does this mean what I think it means?

[boxman]

Holy cow!

[Naj]

Maybe KM only signed a three year contract.

[sonny]

Okay, so I've suddenly began to panic!
I just hope CBS are aware of what Kathryn Morris in particular means to the show and it's fans! I wouldn't watch it without her that's for sure. No Lilly, no show as far as I'm concerned!
I'm feel a e-mailing session coming on!!

[soccerulz]

Whoa...

Okay -

Um.

I guess I'm one to immediatly think of the worst possible scenario (obviously that being KM only signed a 3 year contract). But I REALLY don't think the show would go that way. I just...I don't.

Anyways - I just don't think it'd happen. I really don't. Not going into the fourth season.

Episode sounds more interesting each time I hear about it.

[TVFan]

I actually think that that last statement has nothing to do with CC. I think it has to do with shows like NCIS (which has someone leaving in the finale). There's also speculation about the CSI finale and then there was the Ghost Whisperer finale where one of the main characters died. Kathryn Morris isn't going anywhere. She said so herself in the TV Guide blurb and various other appearances. I wouldn't worry about that statement.


ETA - I believe the "new direction" part might pertain to CC in that Lilly is going to be a different character next season. We know that's the case because of the TV Guide blurb.

[boxman]

tvfan said:

I believe the "new direction" part might pertain to CC in that Lilly is going to be a different character next season.

Two words:
"Mullet Lilly"

;D

[Naj]

Maybe Lilly will join a punk rock band next season. ;D

[samanda]

Thanks for the info, Naj.

I agree with what TVFan said. The loss of Kate (Sasha Alexander, not Weatherly) from NCIS didn't exactly make the fans very happy, and getting used to a new cast member every year isn't exactly fun.

[Ju]

soccerulz said:

I guess I'm one to immediatly think of the worst possible scenario (obviously that being KM only signed a 3 year contract). But I REALLY don't think the show would go that way. I just...I don't.

Anyways - I just don't think it'd happen. I really don't. Not going into the fourth season.

I'll ditto you, Soccer. I don't think KM's leaving the show. Like TVFan said, a different Lilly is more acceptable.

Sonny, don't panic! Well... not yet.

[Naj]

I believe the "new direction" part might pertain to CC in that Lilly is going to be a different character next season. We know that's the case because of the TV Guide blurb.

So I don't understand the article inference of how they are going to turn the show to compete with FOX. Since I don't watch any other shows, what do you think this will mean?

[TVFan]

I think the article is just saying that CBS, in general, will be trying to get more of the 18-49 year old audience by gearing its marketing toward that age group. Recently, they ran a CSI promo that tied in with a picture that you could access on the internet. If you went to the CSI site and found the picture, you could use the little magnifying glass to mouse over it to find the clues to the season finale. From a network standpoint, younger people are more likely to use the internet tie in because it's "hip." It incorporates a medium that "younger" people are more used to using on a daily basis. It was slick and much hipper than what we're used to seeing CBS do to promo its shows and site. I would expect that we'll see more of this next season with all of its shows.

It's all about image, and CBS does not have a young image. The "young" people all watch Fox, UPN, WB and to some extent ABC and NBC, but not CBS (at least this is what the demographics say and advertisers believe), so CBS is just trying to come across a little hipper and cutting edge in order to attract a "younger" audience and thus, gather more advertising dollars. By having "shocking finales," they generate buzz going into next season and buzz always brings in younger viewers. I wouldn't expect any of this to affect the actual creative process of CC, just the way its marketed (if there are even any changes at all).

[sonny]

CC is marketed is it?? They can't change what already doesn't really exist!!

Anyway, thanks for the info TVFan, I see what it's all about now.

[TVFan]

Totally agree sonny! Maybe this means that they'll actually start marketing it now? That would be positive.

[Naj]

CC was marketed heavily it's first year and even some last year but this year was nothing. Marketed how? There are many commericals for CC during sports events and even during the day. But as you say if it goes to the internet I'd love to see where and how they do that. Guess I'm not up on what or how things are done these days. The Early Show heavily markets the CSI/Without A Trace shows but stopped with CC this year.

[TVFan]

I've noticed the drastic drop in coverage as well Naj. I've read and heard from different sources that CBS is notably stingy when it comes to its promotion budget. I would say that since CC does OK without heavy promotion, CBS tends to save the money and ignore it. BUT, CSI is the number 1 show for much of the season (American Idol beats it in the spring), and they promote the crap out of that show. I really can't figure it out. One thing that CBS could do to help its image is to jump on this iTunes bandwagon ASAP. iTunes has more than 90 shows now available for legal download for $1.99 an episode. Everything from Lost to 24 to The Office to Scrubs and everything in between is listed on iTunes. The one problem in CC's case is that it is distributed by Warner Bros and aired by CBS, so trying to figure out who gets what portion of the iTunes profits is a HUGE mess. Scrubs is currently the only show on iTunes that is produced by one company (Disney's Touchstone television) and aired on a different network (NBC). The problem for CBS is that most of its shows are set up this way, making it very difficult (but not impossible as we see with Scrubs) to jump on the iTunes train.

Another thing they should do is hype up the music angle to CC more. Again, I'm going to use iTunes because it's very popular with the younger demo right now. I am constantly downloading CC songs from iTunes after the eps air and I do the same with all of my favorite shows. There is a HUGE link between songs aired on TV shows and sales. For one thing, they should have played up that original song in "Beautiful Little Fool" and offered it exclusively on iTunes for the standard 99 cents. It would have been an awesome way for both companies to cross promote. Think of all of the "younger" people that CBS would have reached that way. Another thing they can do, and this is going to sound self-serving but I promise it's not, is to embrace the blogging revolution. Again, blog readers tend to skew younger than say TV Guide (The actual magazine, not the site) readers. I've tried in vain to get press releases from CBS and they completely ignore me. I suppose they don't need the publicity, but from the sounds of things, they could sure use the younger audience. Even "legit" TV sites like TVGuide.com have moved to a blogging format for their sections because they're trying to keep up with what's "hip." And at the very least, they could do something with their CC site. It needs some serious work.

[Naj]

Thanks for answering this TVFan. I'm not aware of ways to get the younger segment. I think the CBS website for the show is just a terrible neglect of providing information. Providing the songs there should have happened in season 1 with the immediate response. I guess CBS will scramble when they begin to lose. Too late then....but we'll see what they come up with. I'd sure like to have CBS Early Show provided interviews with KM as they did the first two seasons but that seems to have been neglected for season 3. It's a shame they've chosen to do nothing this season.

So ITUNES. I did download it but I've never run the application. So if I go there I get news and freebies? Guess I should go look at it although I'd not be interested in paying money to get anything.

[sonny]

I definately think you should e-mail your post to CBS TVFan. It's the wake up call they need! If I were you I'd semd it to them everyday until you get a response!!!

[soccerulz]

sonny said:

I definately think you should e-mail your post to CBS TVFan. It's the wake up call they need! If I were you I'd semd it to them everyday until you get a response!!!

Thanks TVFan for your thoughts, very insightful - and I really agree!

Sonny: Haha, persistant are we?

[TVFan]

That's not a bad idea sonny. Maybe I'll modify it a bit and send it to them as more of a suggestion. Thanks!





EDIT: Another thing they could do is take it to the cell phones. Verizon wireless has exclusive previews of Lost and Alias available to their customers. Who uses cell phones more than anyone else? Kids. Something like that could work as well.