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October 29, 2012
 

THE SKED PICK-UP PARADE: ABC’s “The Neighbors” and “Scandal” Owe Thanks to NBC

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Written by: Mitch Salem
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ABC should send a nice thank-you note to NBC, because the marginal but sufficient success of THE NEIGHBORS and SCANDAL, both of which received full-season 22 episode orders today, is directly due to the weakness of the Peacock competition.  (Note:  Scandal needed a back-order to reach 22 episodes because although it started last season, it had a midseason debut and a short initial order.)  Guys With Kids and Rock Center, respectively, have been so weak that they’ve helped out the other networks, and that’s aided ABC’s shows to survive.

Still on the bubble:  666 Park Avenue, Last Resort and Nashville–the latter two also recipient of NBC grants  in the competing (but not very much) 30 Rock/Up Al Night  tandem and Chicago Fire.



About the Author

Mitch Salem
MITCH SALEM has worked on the business side of the entertainment industry for 20 years, as a senior business affairs executive and attorney for such companies as NBC, ABC, USA, Syfy, Bravo, and BermanBraun Productions, and before that, at the NY law firm of Weil, Gotshal & Manges. During all that, he has more or less constantly been going to the movies and watching TV, and writing about both since the 1980s. His film reviews also currently appear on screened.com and the-burg.com. In addition, he is co-writer of an episode of the television series "Felicity."