You have questions. I have some answers.
I started watching “Ten Days in the Valley” on ABC for four episodes and suddenly it was gone. Has it been canceled? I also liked “Doubt” last season and after only two episodes, it was taken off, though I saw the rest of the episodes when they were shown later in the season. Why do the networks make decisions so early in the season?
First, let me explain about “Ten Days in the Valley,” since you’re not the only one surprised by its disappearance. ABC took it off the Sunday lineup after four episodes because, as one report put it, the show had “paltry” ratings and the numbers dropped over the four weeks it aired. ABC will run the remaining six episodes on Saturday nights beginning Dec. 16, with two episodes that night; one each on Dec. 23 and 30, and the last two on Jan. 6. I do not expect to see any more.
Now, as to your bigger question, networks expect shows to achieve a certain rating (which may vary because of the time period or the competition), or at least to demonstrate such a rating is possible. A low-rated start followed by either flat or declining numbers is usually fatal. In such a case, the show will be dropped quickly, because it can harm other parts of the schedule. If there are unaired episodes, they’ll usually be dumped in a time slot that’s not that important to a network, such as Saturday night.
On “NCIS: New Orleans,” why does the character Christopher refer to Scott Bakula’s character as “Keen” when his name is Dwayne Pride?
