Wednesday, May 23, 2007

An open letter to The CW Television Network

Dear Dawn Ostroff (and the rest of the CW):

At 10:01 last night, I began my boycott of your network.

Even though it's one of my favorite guilty pleasures, I will forego the remaining episodes of One Tree Hill. This summer, despite the dearth of palatable television (including Rock Star: Insert-Band-Name-here), I won't bother to catch up on repeats of two shows I enjoy -- Smallville and Supernatural. And I will not be watching Hidden Palms, even though the trailers hearken back to three of my favorites: Beverly Hills, 90210, Dawson's Creek, and The O.C.

Most importantly, this fall, I'll pass on Josh Schwartz's Gossip Girl, even though it seems like it would be right up my alley.

No, as of last night, you, and your network, are dead to me. You know why.

See, you're not the biggest network, and you can't be expected to compete with American Idol and Dancing With The Stars. Which is exactly why you shouldn't.

Instead of mindless drivel (searching for the next Pussycat Doll? Puh-leez.) you should have opted to continue to broadcast smart television for thinking people. Even if it might seem a little girly.

It pains me to admit this, but I could have forgiven you if it was just Gilmore Girls. After all, seven seasons is more than fair. But Veronica Mars has so much more story to tell. Three seasons just isn't enough.

I somehow managed to get over Buffy and Angel. But this is the last straw.

Consider my advertising revenue lost. Permanently.

Sincerely,
Dara




13 comments:

Paige Jennifer said...

Hey now, don't go dissin' the Doll (snap snap). That show is brilliant. You have the tranny Doll founder, the has been rapper with flotation devices as boobs and the repressed music exec all evaluating the "talents" of wanna be performers. Best moment of the season? When a girl got eliminated for being to trashy. Because the Dolls are all about class, right?

How PBS didn't think this one up first is beyond me.

dara said...

Ah, the old car-wreck-as-entertainment theory.

Still, I'd take a bad episode of VM over the Pussycat Dolls any day.

DSL said...

Wow, I can't believe they canceled Veronica Mars. I liked that show, although I never really made time to watch it...

Unfortunately, Dara, I guess we are in the minority. It's all about money so they must be making more off of those who watch the "reality" shows. At least your band show, whatever it's called, falls in that group.

Is it possible another network would pick up VM?

Danielle and John said...

Ditto. Ditto. and Ditto.

Justin S. said...

That's it... I boycott CW too! Oh wait, I don't think I've ever watched a show on that network since the merge(Except Everybody Hates Chris which I've never gone out of my way to see).

My bet's on a Veronica Mars movie... the show seems to have the same type of following as Firefly did, which led to Serenity.

Boycotts are lame though. You're gonna stop watching shows you like because you have a grudge? This will have a .000000000000001% effect on the CW and a much larger effect on Dara.

DSL said...

So the big question is how long do we give Dara to keep up this boycott? :-)

CBK said...

Hear, hear! I saw a preview clip of Gossip Girl and it looks lame, even as a guilty pleasure. No 18-35 male will watch that. Well, maybe pedophile ones.

C'mon Fox, you know you want to pick VM up! Do the right thing.

mad said...

I don't get it. They changed the name of the network from the WB to the CW and yet they didn't improve the programming -- they made it worse! And the corporate slugs wonder why they're losing money.

dara said...

DSL: You should have made time!

Danielle: Thanks. Maybe I should have others join the boycott.

Justin: I don't need the freakin' CW. I watch enough tv as it is, a little less might be good for my brain cells. Plus, maybe it'll give me more time to read.

DSL: Unless they give VM a last-minute save, this is permanent. Or until they have another show by either Rob Thomas or Joss Whedon. Then maybe I'll reconsider.

CBK: Too bad Fox has no rights to the show. It would be great there, and maybe they would have marketed it better.

Mad: Yeah, last year they said that the merger was supposed to improve the quality of the programming. Yet, they're keeping crap shows like The Pussycat Dolls and -- though it pains me to admit it -- One Tree Hill. It's a giant lie.

Evil Spock said...

So it really was that excellent, huh? I stopped watching UPN and WB with the cancellation of Buffy and Angel.

dara said...

Evil Spock: As best as I can explain, Veronica Mars is Buffy without the supernatural stuff.

DSL said...

I would have made time but there were other quality shows on at the same time (House; Law and Order CI) that I guess I enjoyed just a little bit more. It's all subjective. It could have done a lot better in a different time slot.

CBK said...

As I understand it, the contract between The CW and Rob Thomas expires on June 15. After that, any network is free to approach Rob and make an offer.