I understand their reasoning for picking Flashpoint over Dollhouse, but that's true only if DH doesn't expand much beyond its core audience. I think DH has much greater potential to become a break-out hit. *crosses fingers*

cabri | January 05, 04:15 CET

"Flashpoint" doesn't look like it's bad, but it also doesn't look interesting. It sort of looks like I've seen it all before. Does have acting that looks convincing, unlike many crappy new TV series that get canned.

"Dollhouse" ... after all the negative reviews, which included saying that it doesn't look like Dushku becoming someone else, but Dushku being Dushku dressed up as somebody else.
And the Friday night Death Slot? Worked so well for "M.A.N.T.I.S"!

tharpdevenport | January 05, 04:24 CET

The match up I'm most worried about is "Dollhouse" versus "Friday Night Lights" at 9pm. Not because I'm worried FNL will take viewers away from Dollhouse, but because I'm interested in both shows. FNL is an excellent little character driven show and I would love to see it actually strive for once. With that said, I think FNL needs less viewers than Dollhouse because of their nifty little deal with Direct TV, so I'd like to see Dollhouse beat it out.

When did Fridays get so crowded?? Dollhouse, FNL, and BSG all on Friday (and after 9pm!). I would actually say that's my favorite television night of the week as of now....weird.

TOASTERslayer | January 05, 04:34 CET

So whatever Flashpoint is, it is a reality show right? So does anyone watch reality shows on the internet, DVR, itunes, DVD sales. Cause Dollhouse will have all that stuff in its corner!

Anonymous1 | January 05, 04:45 CET

No, Flashpoint is not a reality show.

The One True b!X | January 05, 04:48 CET

Rats.

Anonymous1 | January 05, 04:48 CET

It was on before. It stars Veronica Mars alum Enrico Colantoni as the captain of a team of sharp shooters for the LAPD. It's ok. Not great, but not horrible.

NYPinTA | January 05, 05:22 CET

I saw Flashpoint this past summer, and I was incredibly bored. I watched two episodes and fell asleep on a third. I really tried to like the show because I thought it would be like The Unit. It wasn't :-(...at least not the first few episodes. I don't give a show a chance if it doesn't hook me in the first three episodes.

ricetxpeaches | January 05, 05:27 CET

NYPinTA and ricetxpeaches,

Thanks for making me feel better.

Anonymous1 | January 05, 05:49 CET

Hi, according to Wikipedia Flashpoint is a Canadian developed and Toronto-set police drama concentrating on an Emergency Situation Unit, with an emphasis on dealing with the emotional impact of being a police officer.

Apparently it's quite successful, and was beating the ratings of CBS's Thursday shows last season so it got moved from Fridays to Thursdays in the latter part of its 13 Ep run. Now its been moved back to Fridays again.

Assuming Wikipedia is right about this (having never seen it or heard of it 'til now I can't comment), it sounds like its aimed at quite a different type of audience than Dollhouse is to me, but I do take the authors point regarding rating a TV show against others in its timeslot.

Bluey | January 05, 07:30 CET

I don't have much to add here, but was anyone else annoyed by this sentence?:

"Fox placed the softening sci-fi drama "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" and creatively overhauled freshman series "Dollhouse" onto the Friday wall in hopes they might stick."

Because, um, you don't *place* thungs onto the wall; you throw them. Ugh. Flawed analogies annoy me.

XanMan | January 05, 07:33 CET

Studios have a board on the wall with cards for shows that they can move around.

tharpdevenport | January 05, 07:59 CET

I tried throwing thungs once. They became very irritated and so I went back to placing them instead.

The One True b!X | January 05, 08:36 CET

I'm Canadian but I can't even force myself to watch any Canadian shows. I'm sorry but shows like Corner Gas and Little Mosque On The Prarie hold no interest for me whatsoever. I am completely prejudiced against any form of media from my own country. I won't watch Canadian movies or tv shows, listen to Canadian music or read Canadian books. I even insist on watching all my tv shows on the American affiliates instead of on CTV or Global.
I need to move to The States.
Anyways, I would never watch Flashpoint because a) Its a Canadian show set in a Toronto. (Wow! I can see Toronto from here on a clear day! Exciting!) and b) I don't think there is anything that really sets it appart from the herd of other prodecurals out there.
On the other hand, I wish Keith Mars well. Now if only they'd make a Veronica Mars movie.

twinkiefoo | January 05, 09:01 CET

Slings & Arrows was Canadian and one of the best TV shows ever.

The One True b!X | January 05, 09:08 CET

"Due South" too.

tharpdevenport | January 05, 09:28 CET

I love Flashpoint. Something will need to be be time-shifted.

I also love The Border and Little Mosque on the Prairie, twinkiefoo.

BTW, Tracey Forbes, who wrote Something Blue, writes for Flashpoint.

redeem147 | January 05, 13:28 CET

I'm not terribly worried about Flashpoint. It previously aired here during the summer when there was really nothing else on. I don't know that the rating are really representative of how it would do when up against other shows. If this writer is correct, and Dollhouse gets some initial boost from curious folk, I think there's the potential to grow/keep that audience.

JMaloney | January 05, 14:01 CET

As for Canadian television shows which deserve praise; Traders, who'd have thought that a show about investment bankers in TO could be interesting; Davinci's Inquest, makes most American procedurals look dull and flat by comparison; (La Femme) Nikita, I love a good secret agency/conspiracy show; First Wave, I love a good Alien Conspiracy show; Forever Night, was a decent Vampire detective show before Angel came around; Intelligence, a cool Canadian spook/criminal drama; Durham County, not your average cop show; Regenesis, a bloody cool show; Slings and Arrows, as previously mentioned; these are just a few of the past cool Canadian shows.

Tymen | January 05, 16:30 CET

It was on before. It stars Veronica Mars alum Enrico Colantoni as the captain of a team of sharp shooters for the LAPD.

Not even close. It's unabashedly set in Toronto and based on that city's Emergency Task Force. For a team of sharp shooters, they hardly ever shoot - their expertise is in talking through a situation.

Possibly why some find the show boring but the reason why it's brilliant TV and not like other cop shows.

I wasn't particularly taken with the clip of Dollhouse that I saw, but I like Eliza so I'll give it a shot.

Ruadh | January 05, 16:56 CET

Flashpoint did really well for CBS this last summer and is a very good match with CBS programming. It will probably do much better than the last three shows CBS had in that timeslot. It is very compatible with its leadout, Numbers.

I enjoy the show in a non-appointment TV kind of way. I will be recording it while watching Dollhouse.

Variety is right, I expect Flashpoint to beat Dollhouse in total viewers overall, but CBS won't win the 18-34 yr old demo that Fox is after.

TamaraC | January 05, 18:50 CET

I'd add "Made in Canada" (apparently syndicated as "The Industry") as another necessary Canadian show. Often very, very funny.

I've never watched Flashpoint, so I won't be missing anything when I tune into Dollhouse.

bigsofty | January 05, 19:42 CET

Ruadh, I think both you and NYPinTA are right. One of the actors is Enrico Colantoni and the show takes place in Canada (according to Wikipedia). That might explain why I couldn't relate to it. The farthest north I've traveled is Ohio. I certainly have never been to Canada, and I've only met one Canadian...ever! Believe it or not, I've met way more Brits than I've met Canadians. By the way, if you couldn't tell from my screen name, I'm a Texan. Mexico's my border country of choice. :-)

[ edited by ricetxpeaches on 2009-01-05 19:46 ]

ricetxpeaches | January 05, 19:45 CET