Will Hollywood ever get it?

[Abbey Normal]

NBC Closes Book on "Daniel"

By Josh Grossberg
1 hour, 22 minutes ago

And on the 18th day, NBC smited the The Book of Daniel.

Stung by low ratings and high-profile protests, the Peacock announced on Tuesday that it had deep-sixed the dramedy--which starred Aidan Quinn as pill-popping Episcopalian priest Daniel Webster who imagines himself conversing with Jesus while coping with his gay son and pot-dealing daughter--after just four episodes.

An NBC rep refused to elaborate Wednesday on the reasons for the move, but creator and executive producer Jack Kenny confirmed Daniel's sudden demise in a posting on the network's Website.


"Unfortunately, due to many reasons, The Book of Daniel will no longer be aired on NBC on Friday nights," wrote Kenny. "I just wanted to say 'thank you' to all of you who supported the show. There were many wonderful, talented people who contributed to its success--and I do mean success."


He continued: "Whatever the outcome, I feel that I accomplished what I set out to do: A solid family drama, with lots of humor, that honestly explored the lives of the Webster family. Good, flawed people, who loved each other no matter what...and there was always a lot of 'what'!"

Described as a cross between Six Feet Under and Joan of Arcadia, Daniel received generally favorable reviews from critics. TV Guide's Matt Roush hailed it as "darkly comedic and richly entertaining," while Robert Blanco of USA Today praised the show as "witty, earnest, intelligent, overdone, overly ambitious, wildly entertaining and superbly cast."

Nevertheless, the show came under fire from religious right activists before it even debuted. A handful of NBC affiliates dropped Daniel following complaints from viewers, while several sponsors bowed to boycott threats by pulling their ads.

The Reverend James Dobson's Focus on the Family asked supporters to bombard affiliates and sponsors to protest what the group's Bob Waliszewski called an "extremely repulsive show" for its "flippant attitudes toward behaviors almost universally agreed to as unhealthy to society" and its portrayal of Jesus (played by Garret Dillahunt) as a "wimpy, white-robed visitor who cares little about evil, addictions and perversity...a namby-pamby frat-boy guru."


The controversy didn't help the ratings. According to Nielsen Media Research, the series attracted 6.9 million viewers for its back-to-back episode debut Jan. 6, but those numbers dipped to 5.8 million viewers after its fourth and final airing last Friday.


The writing was on the wall last weekend, when, speaking to members of the Television Critics Association, NBC Entertainment President Kevin Reilly said the show was "not quite pulling the numbers we were hoping for. It's having a tough time finding an audience." He also lamented the dearth of advertisers.


The decision to close the book on Daniel was predictably cheered by the naysayers, including American Family Association.


Focus on the Family asked its supporters to lobby NBC affiliates to demand what the


"Had NBC not had to eat millions of dollars each time it aired, [the network] would have kept Daniel alive," a jubilant Donald E. Wildmon, founder of the Mississippi-based AFA, said in a press release. "But when the sponsors dropped the program, NBC decided it didn't want to continue the fight.


"This shows the average American that he doesn't have to simply sit back and take the trash being offered on TV, but he can get involved and fight back with his pocketbook."


So much for turning the other cheek...or the channel.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/eo/20060125/en_tv_eo/18228

 

[musicman]

I love the tone of this piece: ordinary Americans effectively expressing their opinions - those BASTARDS!

And Wildmon was right - were it not for the fact that NBC had to eat advertiser dollars every time the show aired, it would have backed the show, and public indignation be damned. What do you know - America works after all!

TV moguls and movie makers imagine themselves to be - above all - shapers of popular culture. They despise their audience - think it their duty to educate us in proper mores - and allow their business decisions to be informed by their hateful arrogance. Will Hollywood ever get it? In my opinion, no.

They'd have to change their essential selves in order to do that.

 

[KarlMarx]

Let's add to this that Hollywood is looking to produce fewer movies and that the NYT is also having cutbacks....

Gee.... wonder why?

 

[Abbey Normal]

I love the tone of this piece: ordinary Americans effectively expressing their opinions - those BASTARDS!

And Wildmon was right - were it not for the fact that NBC had to eat advertiser dollars every time the show aired, it would have backed the show, and public indignation be damned. What do you know - America works after all!

TV moguls and movie makers imagine themselves to be - above all - shapers of popular culture. They despise their audience - think it their duty to educate us in proper mores - and allow their business decisions to be informed by their hateful arrogance. Will Hollywood ever get it? In my opinion, no.

They'd have to change their essential selves in order to do that.

MM, in addition to the fact that you always make such strong logical arguments, your just write so eloquently. I just had to say that.

 

[Nienna]

MM, in addition to the fact that you always make such strong logical arguments, your just write so eloquently. I just had to say that.

MusicMan Rocks!

 

[Hobbit]

MusicMan Rocks!

And that avatar...

I got this news via e-mail (AFA) not long ago. I was happy.

 

[GotZoom]

Just another example of how everything is driven by the almighty benjamins.

I'm wondering if the new WB / UPN network would consider bringing it on. They had a lot of success with 7th Heaven.

 

[ScreamingEagle]

The show was pulled after only 3 episodes.

They probably blew it right from the beginning by calling it "The Book of Daniel". I would imagine that many would've passed right over the show just because of the religious connotations of the show's name and so the show never gained much of any exposure to anyone except those not put off by the religious theme. And of course those are the very people who were affronted! :

 

[GotZoom]

They should have called it Daniel and Jesus.

Most people probably would have thought it was a show about a hispanic guy.

 

[ScreamingEagle]

They should have called it Daniel and Jesus.

Most people probably would have thought it was a show about a hispanic guy.

Or how about Episcopalian Escapades or The Raunchy Rectory?
:dev1:

 

[Abbey Normal]

Or how about Episcopalian Escapades or The Raunchy Rectory?
:dev1:

Holy Hooligans

or

Hot Under the Collar

 

[liberalogic]

I have to say that I saw "The Book of Daniel" and I enjoyed it. I thought it was a unique show that was humorous and at the same time really showed the struggles that many individuals face. I'm sad to see it go.

I don't understand the intent of this thread, though, what doesn't Hollywood "get?"

 

[Hobbit]

I have to say that I saw "The Book of Daniel" and I enjoyed it. I thought it was a unique show that was humorous and at the same time really showed the struggles that many individuals face. I'm sad to see it go.

I don't understand the intent of this thread, though, what doesn't Hollywood "get?"

The advertisement and the base concept of the show, as it was presented, showed a skewed, if not downright hostile, view towards Christians and the Christian religion in general. What they don't 'get' is that there are a LOT of Christians in this country, and while insulting this majority may not get you sued, since they're not an oppressed minority, it won't make you very popular among anybody other than other pretentious, Hollywood idiots.

 

[liberalogic]

The advertisement and the base concept of the show, as it was presented, showed a skewed, if not downright hostile, view towards Christians and the Christian religion in general. What they don't 'get' is that there are a LOT of Christians in this country, and while insulting this majority may not get you sued, since they're not an oppressed minority, it won't make you very popular among anybody other than other pretentious, Hollywood idiots.

I really don't understand why Christians get all riled up by a show like this. While there may have been some aspects that didn't agree with Christian beliefs (the way Jesus was personified, the adultery,homosexuality, etc.), I didn't believe there was outright hatred or anything of that nature towards the Christian community. With stuff like that, you have to take it for what it is: entertainment.

On the flip side of the coin, though,why is it okay for Christian preachers to come on television and preach values of Christianity that may be hurtful towards people who do not practice it?

I think the entire idea of being offended by Hollywood and television (both on the liberal and conservative sides) is really just a bunch of garbage. If you don't like it, turn it off.

 

[William Joyce]

I love the tone of this piece: ordinary Americans effectively expressing their opinions - those BASTARDS!

And Wildmon was right - were it not for the fact that NBC had to eat advertiser dollars every time the show aired, it would have backed the show, and public indignation be damned. What do you know - America works after all!

TV moguls and movie makers imagine themselves to be - above all - shapers of popular culture. They despise their audience - think it their duty to educate us in proper mores - and allow their business decisions to be informed by their hateful arrogance. Will Hollywood ever get it? In my opinion, no.

They'd have to change their essential selves in order to do that.

Holy razor analysis, Batman! Musicman gets the award. Of course, I could start riffing in the (cough) common affiliation of most Hollywooders, and expalin why they want to crap all over Christians, but you guys hear that enough from me.

 

[Stephanie]

I really don't understand why Christians get all riled up by a show like this. While there may have been some aspects that didn't agree with Christian beliefs (the way Jesus was personified, the adultery,homosexuality, etc.), I didn't believe there was outright hatred or anything of that nature towards the Christian community. With stuff like that, you have to take it for what it is: entertainment.

On the flip side of the coin, though,why is it okay for Christian preachers to come on television and preach values of Christianity that may be hurtful towards people who do not practice it?

I think the entire idea of being offended by Hollywood and television (both on the liberal and conservative sides) is really just a bunch of garbage. If you don't like it, turn it off.

And the people did just that, turned it off. And nbc lost it's ass on this one. aaahhhh. :duh3:

 

[liberalogic]

And the people did just that, turned it off. And nbc lost it's ass on this one. aaahhhh. :duh3:

And that's fine, but PLEASE, spare me the bitching and the moaning that it defames Christianity...it's called entertainment.

And not just to blast the Christians on this one, but GLAAD is just as bad. I am totally for tolerance of gays and for gay marriage and equality, but they just like many absurdly conservative and narrow-minded christians just can't separate reality from television.

That's why I said "turn it off" and you're absolutely right...it worked perfectly for the christians in this situation.

 

[ScreamingEagle]

And that's fine, but PLEASE, spare me the bitching and the moaning that it defames Christianity...it's called entertainment.

And not just to blast the Christians on this one, but GLAAD is just as bad. I am totally for tolerance of gays and for gay marriage and equality, but they just like many absurdly conservative and narrow-minded christians just can't separate reality from television.

That's why I said "turn it off" and you're absolutely right...it worked perfectly for the christians in this situation.

"Entertainment" for whom? HOllyweird? And its liberal politicos and suck-up crowd?
That pretty much tells you how low the bar is for some. Sex and sin.

A show that depicts Christians as nothing but a bunch of sinners and weirdos with Christ thrown in for laughs is an obvious ATTACK upon people of Christian beliefs.

True, people who are Christians are not devoid of sin. But come on, this much?
Can we say overdoing it? That's called defamation in my book.

Hollywood has a track record of attacking Christianity. This is nothing new.
Please don't insult us Christians (btw that's with a capital "C") by calling such garbage "entertainment".

 

[Jimmyeatworld]

And that's fine, but PLEASE, spare me the bitching and the moaning that it defames Christianity...it's called entertainment.

There's a fine line between "bitching and moaning" and "Freedom of Speech".

I don't know if the show was done well or not, I never watched it. I just find it interesting that there seems to be this need for some in Hollywood over the last couple of years to do things that are "anti-Christian".

And by "getting it", I think the intention was to point out that, for the most part, shows like "Touched by an Angel" and movies like "Passion..." do very well as far as ratings or box office. Still, most of Hollywood will shy away from that kind of programing or films. They put out a show like "Book of Daniel" or a movie like "Saved", then act shocked when it tanks.

By the way, if you want to be spared, just "turn off" the thread.

 

[liberalogic]

"Entertainment" for whom? HOllyweird? And its liberal politicos and suck-up crowd?
That pretty much tells you how low the bar is for some. Sex and sin.

A show that depicts Christians as nothing but a bunch of sinners and weirdos with Christ thrown in for laughs is an obvious ATTACK upon people of Christian beliefs.

True, people who are Christians are not devoid of sin. But come on, this much?
Can we say overdoing it? That's called defamation in my book.

Hollywood has a track record of attacking Christianity. This is nothing new.
Please don't insult us Christians (btw that's with a capital "C") by calling such garbage "entertainment".

You want to talk about defamation? Who is there to stop Pat Robertson when he is speaking of the "evils" of homosexuality on the 700 Club? You don't think that defames a certain group of people?

Now I'll be honest with you: I think Pat Robertson is a class A asshole. That's my opinion. I think some of what comes out of his mouth (ie- The Dover School District, Ariel Sharon, and comments I've heard about gays) is despicable and I think that he defames his own religion by much of what he says. BUT, while I have these strong feelings, I'm not going to call for him to be taken off the television, I'm just not going to watch him.

So you see, what bothers me a lot about christians saying that they feel defamed by a show like "The Book of Daniel" is that they themselves preach many things that are shall we say unkind or for a better word "unaccepting." So it's okay for Christians to come out and say things that defame others, but when it's vice verca, then all of a sudden there is a bias towards christians everywhere.

That makes no sense to me and really disturbs me.