subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite mapBuy a Classified
Sun, Sep 07 2008 

Published: May 14, 2008 09:21 am    print this story   email this story   comment on this story  

TELEVISION: FOX dropping 'Back to You'

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kelsey Grammer said Tuesday that Fox is dropping his sitcom “Back to You,” calling the decision a surprise and a shame.

“They have let it go,” Grammer told The Associated Press. “We were told all this time we were in good shape and we were coming back.”

On Friday, Grammer taped an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel’s talk show promoting the series. When the veteran sitcom star (“Cheers,” “Frasier”) arrived home later that evening he received a call telling him that the show was canceled.

“Back to You,” co-starring Patricia Heaton and set in a Pittsburgh TV station newsroom, debuted strongly last fall with nearly 9.5 million viewers. But its audience has slipped, with last week’s episode drawing just under 7 million viewers.

Television watching overall is down, a trend that’s been blamed in part on lingering effects of a 100-day writers strike that shut down TV production.

Fox’s fall schedule is set to be announced Thursday in New York. The network declined comment on the fate of “Back to You.”

Grammer said he spoke with Fox executives Peter Liguori and Kevin Reilly on Saturday and that they didn’t fully explain the decision. He speculated that their interest in the show had “waned” so they were unwilling to be patient with it.

“I’m not really sure what the real reasoning is. I think they ended up with a show that was going to be a great show. It was a great show,” he said.

An online petition campaign is afoot to save the show and Grammer and his wife, Camille, sent an e-mail note to friends inviting them to jump aboard. Grammer said he’s “nursing a tiny hope” that CBS might pick up the show after talking with CBS CEO Leslie Moonves.

“I spoke with Les the other day and he was not completely discouraging,” Grammer said, wryly.

Grammer and his wife e-mailed friends that if they wished to voice support for the show to CBS, “you won’t hear us complaining.”

In an interview, Grammer dismissed talk that the show, with two high-profile TV stars in him and Heaton (“Everybody Loves Raymond”), was too costly for Fox.

“That’s rarely a stumbling block if they really want a show,” he said. “There are ways around that. They just really didn’t want it.”

But, he said, this week’s episode (8 p.m. EDT Wednesday) is excellent and an example of why “Back to You” deserves to continue.

“It does exactly what you want a sitcom to do. Granted, there are new trends in viewing and it’s edgy to watch something with no laugh track,” Grammer said. “But when the old form is firing it’s the funniest form in the world.”

print this story   email this story   comment on this story  

Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.



Photos


"Back to You," starring Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton, won't be back on FOX. Carin Baer/Associated Press (Click for larger image)

monster
wheels
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Featured Jobs

BUS DRIVERS

BUS DRIVERS & BUS AIDES: Nia Falls, Lockport, Grand Isl. nonschool runs, immediate openings. Applications are bein
...>MORE

MWS ENTERPRISES
SALES Associates. Looking for customer service oriented individuals to work at A Plus store in Lewiston, NY.  Please con...>MORE

MENTAL HEALTH COORDINATOR

Mental Health/Disabilities Coordinator-FT, $35,500/yr. L.C.S.W. or qualifying L.M.S.W. Knowledge of treatment stra
...>MORE

ASSISTANT WOMEN'S HOCKEY COACH
Assistant Women’s Hockey Coach (full time) sought by Niagara University, a private Catholic institution sponsored by the...>MORE

DRIVERS
Solos & Teams
$44K-$55K 1st yr
Bonus every 30k miles
Pay increase every 60k
miles
4 to
...>MORE

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPS
Local company seeks experienced candidates with knowledge of MS Word & Excel. Must have good communication & typing skil...>MORE

MEDICAL TECHNICIAN
BONWORTH
(Ladies wear factory outlet)
SUMMIT PARK MALL
6929 Williams Rd.
is looking for
F/T MAN
...>MORE

DENTAL RECEPTIONIST
Experienced, Niagara Falls office, Part Time, 716-297-1711, great salary & commensurate to experience....>MORE

DRIVERS
For wheelchair van company. Part time split shift. Competitive rate. CDL Class C required, 716- 362-9701....>MORE

COOK
COOK. Day Care &
Teachers Assistant
Amherst, NY
716-688-2068
...>MORE

See all ads


 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2008. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index