Warning: This content may contain excessive content.
But hell. Been away for weeks. And suddenly, there's a lot to talk about.
.
(Wait. What??? ..."Suddenly?" ...Right before production starts again? ....hm... :shifty: :lol: .....nahhhhhhhh...
)
No. Seriously. This is ridiculously long. You've been doubly warned.
And yet we're most likely stuck with Anna Belknap for another f***ing season?
That thought crossed my mind as well! :lol: There truly is no justice. :lol:
crossed my mind too :lol: Agree. Muchly.
Originally Posted By CSINYADDICT99:
I am incredibly sad she is leaving but that doesn't mean I wont watch the show
This bit I agree with.
For me too, the whole show is the draw, and not one specific character. But it is definitely hard when someone who's been an anchor from day 1 leaves. Because I like the show and continue to want the best for it, I hope that people will give it a shot, but understand that for some its no longer one they will want to watch.
P.S. Give Anna a break, she is a brilliant actress and it isn't her fault her character has been forced on us a bit too much.
I respect that all viewers have their favorite characters, and those they don't like for various reasons. I respect people posting their opinions about it. I acknowledge that some material gives actors overt opportunities to shine, and sometimes they are simply doing their jobs in kicking a plot forward.
I agree it is not AB's "fault" how her character has been used, even if how often has seen a reduction. But. With respect. I will not give Anna any break I would not give any of the others. Equally, I will hold her to the same standards as the others (who don't simply meet them as a default. They ebb and flow too. Some eps are better than others). AB is not, IMO, a brilliant actress, she's a mostly functional one within what's been asked of her but who hasn't elevated it. But for the pairing that "has been forced on us too much" she is onerous to me when noticed and anonymous otherwise.
To have lost a sharp character like Aiden, to have lost a solid one like Angell, to have an impact player like Stella depart and have Lindsay continue to be a substandard presence, even in a much reduced role, is a bitter pill at the moment. I will not give her a break.
That's just my two cents at this particular moment in time. Gad but I hope Ward's character is good, and meets those same standards.
Another thought that crossed my mind--the time slot move and the departure of a lead doesn't bode well for the show. Obviously, I hope next season isn't the last--and I hope there's a creative rebound from this season as well--but I wouldn't be shocked if it was. Not that there's any shame in ending after seven years--that's a totally respectable run.
I had been wondering about the future of the show for awhile, and on one level this certainly doesn't inspire confidence, but I guess we'll see. Seven years isn't bad atall. If the show carves out Fri nights, mebbe we'll get one more. Would just hate to see it go out a la Without a Trace, Cold Case etc., bounced around till lost in the shuffle. Perhaps it'll turn around. If ever there was a catalyst to taking a hard look at itself and an open opportunity to move forward with a certain freedom, this is it.
Agreed and agreed. I think it will be a shame if the character doesn't get any kind of send off at all. I hope they can make a deal for her to return for at least one episode.
And agreed. At some point during the season, mebbe MK will come back as a guest.
Sela Ward is awesome. I've been a fan of hers since Sisters. I think she'd be great. Personally, I wish they'd get Kristen Dalton to come back as Quinn--I liked her immediately and I think she'd be a great replacement because she's neither a clone of nor polar opposite of Stella. And she's already established in the series. But I bet they want a name actress.
Agree. Sela Ward is an impressive addition.
Quinn could have been good - ...but in a way, for me, she functions great as an outside character with a shared past (she's also someone they can still come back to, and someone I hope they do find a way to revisit). My point is I'd have mixed thoughts had they brought her in to join the team. Mind you, that kind of complexity coulda been a good thing.
I do hope the new character is a strong individual and neither a clone nor just filling a (stop)gap. I hope the writing gives her a good introduction and doesn't strand the character to fending for herself; this is gonna be a tough integration and I hope the show does well with the slight latitude in understanding they'll get for the difficult timing of it all. May be moot if a general viewer resentment over the loss of Stella simply trumps it.
Adding this into the mix, as it relates:
What makes the least sense: in what world it would cost less to bring Sela Ward on as a lead than it would to keep Melina's contract the same?
In a way, I'm guessing the network gambled and lost when MK declined; whatever combination of issues led to MK departing, Ward will not necessarily be a less expensive addition. She may not make as many appearances tho. I'm sure that's all being hammered out swiftly.
I agree in thinking the show would definitely want a name actress to help anchor the show, especially with the move to a new slot, I'd think they'll want all the draw they can get. There are plenty of talented lesser known actresses, but anonymity and time to let an audience discover a new actress/character combo is not something that the show can spare at the moment. They'd be doing well to have the challenge be the character alone.
Other general thoughts on casting. A) Looks like, one way or another Mac will have yet another brunette in his life :lol:. B) They didn't take the opportunity to branch out in terms of diversity. Something the Mentalist did in their own way with their supervisory Agent Hightower, for example. Doesn't look like the formula of the show will change in how characters are used within the team.
I think Sela Ward will be an immediate aid to the show. Tough way for her to jump in. I'm glad to hear she's willing to take it on.
Originally Posted By: Rahkira:
So now it's official that Sela Ward is joining the cast...
Yep. Apprently as teh Anti-Mac empathetic character. (Wait. Someone empathetic in Washington? Whoa... :lol:. Kidding).
...could be interesting, now that Mac himself has been opened up a little bit. Does he feel obligated to return to defending science and the mandate of the labs he heads in the face of a colleague who may place that as a parallel method and not a primary one? Is Ward's character gonna be so very different from Stella's bouts of hot-headedness?
Hmm. Hmm sez I. Provides a back-to-basics type challenge in empathy vs. proof, but not wholly disparate within the earlier NY incarnation's philosophy.
So. Wot does dis mean? S7: Everything Iz Connekted (Even Feeeelings).
I know yer all upset. I am too, if more surprised above all else. But I'm looking forward to seeing the show shake itself out of its status quo and poke at rekindling the embers. The past few seasons, with but a few exceptions in solid eps, have tested what used to be an avid interest in the show. I can't help but immediately look to possibilities. It's exciting. Will it still be "CSI:NY?" We'll see.
unfortunately for the rest of the casts of the shows, I hope their ratings suffers from their bad decisions and hopefully can bring back some characters.
ETA : I can only imagine the heart-breaking adieux they had on the set. The guys must be feeling very down from Melina's departure...
I know it's heartbreaking for fans too, and definitely for those she worked with, but they would also no doubt especially understand her choice and reasons behind it. Better than any of us can.
As for boycotting shows etc. I get the frustration. And I feel the loyalty. And the anger, where it feels like loyalty, from all quarters, gets a slap in the face by those who's job it is to monitor all the points that go into tallying the bottom line. But I would never wish ill on those who are trying to make a living on all the shows that viewers adopt as part of their lives. It's an incredibly fickle and hard way to make a living, and it will be difficult for all of them to do the best they can within all the changes taking place. The shows should hopefully be judged above all on what they manage to pull together. The network conglomerates will never care in quite the same way as those they hire and let go along the way. The current ratings systems will never tell the true story either. Battling the latter is perhaps the one way to get any shift from the former.
She is just being a smart business woman. She saw the handwriting on the wall when it was moved to Friday's and wanted to leave on a high note before the show got cancelled.
Dubious about that. You wanna work, or you wanna work somewhere else, wanna develop your own work, or not work (for a wee while). Late talks indicated she wanted to work on NY and couldn't come to terms of compensation on various levels. Usually some combo of Time and Money.
(Personally, I also wouldn't call the past few seasons as constituting a high note).
It's my understanding that the show was given a shot for a seven year run, and that most contracts were based upon that hope of a lifespan for the show. Whether or not it gets cancelled after seven depends on how it does, and how the network sees it usefully fitting into its schedule.
The comments made by her and CBS suggest that there's more to it because neither really said anything.
I think I smell dead fish.
I'm sure there is more to it. I'm sure we won't hear of it unless unearthed by third parties, nor have it confirmed regardless.
The timing is curious. The lack of a resolution with a show's lead is a little unexpected. I think there was likely an assumption in both parties at the end of one season that the next was a given but for the nuts and bolts of paperwork.
I think the show mighta been slightly caught out with MK's departure, and is pursuing their Plan B Contingency in putting a production season together. How recently the finality of all this really went down, well, I'm sure we won't hear of it unless unearthed... yada. Only MK can articulate what she felt was fair or not within the circumstances that led to her decision. And she seems too graceful and classy by far to go that route, even if bidnez schpiel and protocol prefers clinically amicable statements as a norm.
Those from both CBS and Melina feel a tiny tad warmer than that, and so when the dust settles, mebbe she'll make a brief appearance again. But I don't think a boomerang is in the offing.
AWWW ELWOOD! Talk about kicking us while we were down!:lol:
:lol:
Aw. Not atall personal, m'dear, I promise you; it's the hooha & hype I'm referring to, not the ship in and of itself
.
(I may be ebil, but I'm
sensitively ebil
).
~~
Back to those slightly off topic but related topics to this topic.
CBS. $$$. Neogtiations. Departures. Shows. Convention. Gender. Ethnicity. 2.5 white men and entrenched programming practices, and trying to steer huge, confounded, ravenous conglomerates into the 21rst Century in terms of content and media technology. And inevitably conversation turns to other examples of off-season transitions. I'll take a step back in perspective here.
CBS is a conventional network not looking to push the boundaries in terms of content, one that has carved a niche and profited from a certain breadth of material and has been far less successful on rare occasions it dabbled in anything Other.
It's always been a bottom line network, and a hardline network. No matter who you are. Anyone else recall the strike? They were the first network to threaten legal action against showrunners to try and push execs back to work on shows in whatever capacities it could muscle. CBS isn't above plying their typical practices in negotiating with
anyone. One of their absolute most watched shows, NCIS just went thru a very long, drawn out re-signing of those within the core group who were up. Word is the network seriously lowballed early offers. Big Bang Theory? Outright laughter greeted their initial demands for an up in pay. Onto the idiot misogynist everyone loves to hold up, Charlie Sheen. Unbelievably teflon, as they say.
Sorry for being off-topic but CONGRATULATIONS CHARLIE SHEEN! LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO THE CAREERS OF 4 SUPERB ACTRESSES BECAUSE OF YOUR 1.5 MILLION DOLLAR SALARY!:scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream::scream:
^ETA: I know off-topic, but agree so muchabout Charlie Sheen. Gah.
Yes, it's incredibly distasteful what his latest contract will see him paid. But. Believe it or not, early on in their negotiotiations, CBS lowballed him too (tho all things are relative of course). Early figures certainly weren't that high. What they currently value is the show. Sitcoms are cheap to make, and this one I'm guessing more than pays for itself in syndication and the like. What CBS wanted was a puzzle piece to solidify a line up that could stage a serious assault on a rival network. Sheen was gonna leave the show. The show was deemed to be that puzzle piece. It's not necessarily
his value that's reflected in his salary.
I wouldn't think that a show's budget generally affect other shows' budgets, other than possible precedents and references for costing and scheduling. One getting budget X may not directly correlate with another's cuts. Shows' ratings can effect other shows' ratings though.
Originally Posted By CRM:
It makes me wonder if scumbags like David Letterman truly measure up to CBS red-blooded standards
CBS has bloodied standards, I'll give ya that
. But all the networks do. And so does Cable, in its own way. Dolla dolla bill, y'all.
Late Nite shows? Also cheap to make. But. Still one helluva battleground, and another example of networks struggling with a generational turnover in both hosts and media technology. You brought it up and so I'm gonna jump in.
NBC's Prime Time Experiment, and Leno vs. Conan. Cos I just hafta. Can't leave it alone. That assault on prime time was one of
the absolute most terrifying events of the past year, for those who make a living in teevee. NBC was just the first to dare to pull something like that, while other networks got to spout integrity and care for true content. But make no mistake they were all watching closely. Some terrifying practices and precedents could have been set. I'm sure it was a relief that the network and the show tanked. Not a surprise, but a huge relief. Affiliates revolted, local networks suffered, viewers meandered elsewhere, disinterested and unthreatened by the change in viewing options. Loyalty is tricky for a network when content can be viewed in so many ways.
What was distasteful in addition to the prime-time hammer was how NBC handled Conan, and how the elder business statesmen of the network involved themselves in what became a very vitriolic and public media battle. The hosts were more fair game to comment on each other, being public figures themselves, that's what they do nightly, dissect and comment on public figures and daily events. Network bottom line there? Canning Leno would have cost NBC thrice what it cost to oust Conan. The public ill will they engendered was all of their own making and unnecessarily so. Good luck on TNT, buddy. Cable scores another one.
Lastly. The failed Experiment may have resulted in a renewal of scripted content across the board for the upcoming season, but I'm guessing that most of these shows will not be kitted out with deep pockets or staffing.
It will be an interesting tv landscape this fall. I also think the Emmy nominations got most things right, in what has been recognized. Mostly.
NY survived the S2 Make Over. It survived Aiden's departure, though was permanently scarred for it. It took awhile but found a dynamic with Sheldon moved into the investigative side, Sid as the ME, Flack as the sole precinct cop, and Adam as the tech, after a rollover of characters. But. It's never lost an outright lead before. I will miss Stella hugely. Time will tell swiftly how much this will really hurt them. In a way, it may not be CSINY anymore, but the next version of it, and in another way just another forensics cop show on teevee. But. It could also carve out a whole, revamped identity if they do it well.
And so ends another long, and rambling post.
(My apologies)
