USA: TELEVISION PROGRAMME "NYPD BLUE" RETURNS TO IT'S LONG STANDING TIME SLOT IN THE U.S.

Record ID: 388651

  • Title: USA: TELEVISION PROGRAMME "NYPD BLUE" RETURNS TO IT'S LONG STANDING TIME SLOT IN THE U.S.
  • Date: 31st October 1999
  • Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (OCTOBER 23, 1999) (RTV) (SOUNDBITE) (English) DENNIS FRANZ SAYING "No it's not true, and unfortunately, I'm sorry that word got out. Indeed, what's happened is they, ABC, has re-scheduled our start date which we just found out today that we have a new start date and a new time slot but we've been working straight on through."
  • Embargoed: 15th November 1999 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA4VKO6RZ8NZ5B4C93KFI2S2ZA7
  • Story Text: A battle over the future of one of TV's biggest hits was settled Friday (October 22) when the network airing "NYPD Blue" in the US decided to return it to its long standing time slot, staving off rumoured cancellation and ensuring a steady stream of new episodes for its many viewers in other countries.
    Internecine battles between the show's creator, Stephen Bochco, and its first run network, ABC, have cooled, paving the way for its seventh season on American television and subsequent airings overseas.
    What began as a scheduling conflict between the veteran policier and a freshman family drama fighting for the same time slot, turned into a rumour of "Blue's" imminent demise.
    "No, it's not true, and unfortunately, I'm sorry that word got out, said the show's star, Dennis Franz, responding to the many reports of its cancellation."Indeed, what's happened is they, ABC, has re-scheduled our start date which we just found out today that we have a new start date and a new time slot but we've been working straight on through."
    The new January 11th season premiere in the states also will enable the Emmy-award winning "NYPD Blue" to run original episodes through the end of the 1999 season in late May without re-runs."So it's far from being cancelled.In fact, we have life left in us after this year," said Franz.
    "NYPD Blue" had been scheduled to begin its seventh season November 9th in the 10 p.m.Tuesday time slot it has occupied since its 1993 premiere.
    Bochco has claimed that ABC was favouring a new show, "Once and Again," to run in its spot, thereby pushing aside the perennial favourite of the critics."Once and Again," is produced by a subsidiary of ABC.
    "NYPD Blue" suffered a ratings decline last season after the departure of co-star Jimmy Smits, but it ended the season 13th in household ratings among prime-time shows and third among dramas for the key demographic of adult viewers aged 18-49."Once and Again" has become the season's highest-rated new drama among adults 18 to 49, ABC said.
    "NYPD Blue," which elevated the gritty realism of police dramas and extended the boundaries of nudity and profanity on prime-time TV, grew out of a 10-series development deal Bochco previously had with ABC.That deal also generated "Doogie Howser, M.D.," "Murder One" and "Civil Wars.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register