Big Shots: ABC Pulls Struggling Drama Yet Again
After a brief return to ABC primetime, Big Shots has been dropped from the schedule once again.
In a typical season, this move wouldn’t come as much of a surprise as Big Shots has consistently lost a significant percentage of its Grey’s Anatomy lead-in audience. But this season, with the dwindling amount of original scripted programming, the networks have been leaving shows on the air that might otherwise have been cancelled.
Big Shots ran for seven consecutive weeks, was replaced for two and then returned for one. The November 29th return attracted a weak six million viewers; a 2.6 million drop from the previous episode.
For the remainder of December, ABC is replacing Big Shots with repeats of Private Practice. Considering that Practice is a spin-off of Grey’s, the network is likely expecting to see better numbers for the reruns than original episodes of Big Shots.
ABC’s January schedule hasn’t been announced as yet. Will the unaired episodes of Big Shots see the light of day in 2008? Stay tuned! 
19. acw said,
Big Shots is a great show…I too can’t believe it won’t be returning. Please bring it BACK. NO I didn’t like anything that was supposed to replace it. No I didn’t watch the reruns of Private Practice. It’s not all that. Look how well the house wives did…Big Shots was the Male version that I looked forward to every week. The writers strike messed up a lot of people on their TV viewing schedule. GIVE IT ANOTHER CHANCE. I’ll keep looking for the return…P L E A S E?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
18. Rachel said,
this is the best show ever!!!!! Please have it come back! my whole family absoloutly loves it and looks forward to it all the time!!!!!!
17. Nicole said,
I can’t believe that Big Shots was cancelled. The Thursday night line-up was awesome. Ugly Betty, Grey’s and Big Shots. I’d be set for the rest of the week. This show deserves another chance,
16. Hany and Alice said,
We couldn’t believe it when we heard that Big Shots was being cancelled. This show has such great story lines; especially following Grey’s Anatomy. That was a GREAT show lineup - Ugly Betty, Grey’s and Big Shots. Wouldn’t it be wise to see how the show fairs not that the writer’s strike is over? Alot of viewers were probably channel surfing knowing that pretty much all of the shows were in reruns. There aren’t many shows on that are worth watching. I thnk the execs should reconsider their decision and give Big Shots alittle more time. They might be surprised…..
15. Charles said,
Big Shots and guys night in has become a Thursday niht ritual for me and my buddies! Keep it GOING!!
14. Rani said,
I can’t believe Big Shots is cancelled. ABC’s biggest problem is that they keep moving their shows around and showing tons of re-runs. I believe that’s why the ratings went down in Season 2 of “Lost”. “Big Shots” is one of the better shows on TV. My husband and I love it and I know ALL the women I work with love it. And ABC wonders why they aren’t the number 1 rated network. Get a clue people. I’m so sick of these Reality shows. Give us some quality TV!!!!! Bring back “Big Shots”!!!!
13. Rita said,
The sporadic showing of Big Shots made it difficult to plan for it. With the great cast and outstanding story lines, this show had the potential to be HUGE. But lack of proper support from the studio has ruined yet another good thing.
I see all these crappy reality shows. I know absolutely NO ONE who actually watches them. WHAT GIVES?? How is it that these shows always end up winning out over shows that are worth watching?
With the writer’s strike now in full force, it’s going to be interesting to see how many people finally find another form of entertainment that will keep their attention even when the writers decide to get back to work.
And DEAR GOD, Please make sure NBC keeps bringing ER back……… GAG!!!!!!!
12. double dee said,
BIG SHOTS IS GREAT!!!
this is the first time a new show is actually written with a sense of humor, and I am greatful that it’s not a lawyer/hospital show! I think it just needs to be on a different night, and for people to be AWARE of the night! This show is a keeper!!
11. Danielle said,
I really enjoyed the show and was looking forward to further viewing. Everytime I would attemp to look at the show it was not on. I say get it together and put the show back on. I loved it.
10. Anonymous said,
BIG SHOTS is a great show! I don’t really pay any attention to dramas on TV, but this one was brought to my attention by my girlfriend, with “trust me you’d like it.” We have become BIG FANS of BIG SHOTS, and now it seems my Thursday nights of televsion will have to shift to recorded previous episodes. Bring back what my girlfriend and I like to call, the male version of Desperate Housewives.
9. Rhonda Young said,
I love this show. It is one of the few that I watch. I do not like Greys Anatomy or Private Practice. I enjoy Titus and hope to be able to keep watching this incredibly funny show.
8. Paula said,
Big Shots deserves a second chance! It was not advertised enough. I kept telling people about it, and they said they had never heard of it. Put it on a Tuesday night before Boston Legal. That would be a perfect time slot for it. Who cares about the worthless sitcoms that come on during that hour. Big Shots has ten times the comedy! It is the male version of Desperate Housewives, only better. Cater to your audience and leave this show on the air.
7. Lisa W said,
Big Shots should not have been cancelled. The show showed a side to male drama, rather the the regular female drama.
The story lines were great and it kept you wanting more.
ABC should give this show another chance.
6. Wilson Bant said,
Perhaps its just me, but what was ABC thinking having Big Shots follow Grey’s Anatomy?
I keep hearing the word “coveted” associated with that time slot and if anything it seemed like a sure fire death sentence for a show like Big Shots.
Grey’s is a qwirky shallow comedy that targets a female market, Big Shots was a dry and witty comedy that targeted men.
I fail to see how ABC felt they would be able to hold any of those viewers?
Thursday nights was the like a “TV handoff” in my home, where me and my wife would trade big tv for small tv once Grey’s was over and Big Shots began.
I had zero interest in Grey’s while she had zero interest in Big Shots.
5. Mark said,
A saw ads for this show leading up to the first episode then from that point onward it seemed like ABC was hoping that word of mouth would be the way this show would continue to grow its audience.
The sixth episode “Car Trouble” actually had the second highest ratings of the series, it was clear that at the rating bleed was not just stopping but they seemed to be attracting or at least holding a firm audience.
A three week gap between episode seven and episode eight was what killed the series because most folks (me included) had no idea it was even on if not for my PVR having the good sense to record Big Shots automatically.
Did ABC really expect anything other then a ratings drop? Not advertising the return and just dropping in after weeks?
The show would have worked had it been given the time as well as some sort of advertising, especially considering the lack of original programs on TV right now, but this is typical ABC.
4. Karin said,
Once again, you’re disposing of an awesome show and it’s YOUR fault if the viewers cannot find it or keep up with your crazy scheduling schemes. I agree with someone else that said you guys are sabotaging any of the good shows on purpose. For what reason nobody knows. DUH! Air the shows on one night and LEAVE IT. We’re all going to be doomed to watching stupid reality shows because they’re cheaper to create..and they just keep getting more and more stupid. Big shots had the best cast any one could dream of and a great story line as well. It could be the next Desperate Housewife’s in male version if you would simply leave it on, put it in a time slot and leave it there.
3. mimie vernet said,
Stop confusing me, I’ve been waiting patiently in front of the TV on November 29th waiting to see my favorite show BIG SHOT and ended up with a BIG SLAP on the face. ABC had decided not to air the show. I had lots of people waiting to watch the show, because I convinced them to do so, they decided to support me, and felt dissapointed at the end. I need to see BIG SHOTS air on January 2008. This is my year resolution, and it needs to come true.
2. Anonymous said,
This is the same thing that they did to “Once and Again” years back, a great show that kept getting pulled and rescheduled with no advertising ABC execs need to wise up and really think about their shows. Big Shots is a great show!
1. Jamie said,
The loss of 2.6 million viewers is probably the result of those viewers not knowing that a new episode was scheduled to air on November 29. After 7 weeks of regular episodes, ABC decided to screw around with the schedule almost as if the goal was to confuse viewers into not watching further episodes. It appears that strategy has been working. It’s too bad because it’s not a bad show and had some real potential during this time of reruns and bottom-of-the-barrel reality television.