It hasn’t been a good week for NBC. They had to cancel Do No Harm after two disastrously low rated episodes. And now, they’ve lost one of the stars of Up All Night, Christina Applegate.
Back in May, despite low ratings, NBC decided to renew Up All Night for a second season. Unfortunately, the ratings have gotten even worse in season two. In October, in a last ditch effort to save the sitcom, the peacock network announced plans to rework the series — transforming it from a single-camera comedy to a traditional multi-camera sitcom.
With five episodes remaining in its 16 episode season, Up All Night went on a three month hiatus while sets and other elements were reworked.
Change is certainly not new for the sitcom. Original showrunner Jon Pollack left the series last May and was replaced by Tucker Cawley. Cawley was replaced by Linda Wallem when the multi-camera change was announced. Recently, series creator and executive producer Emily Spivey exited the show.
Now, just weeks before filming of the new format is set to begin, series star Applegate has departed.
In a statement, the actress said, “It’s been a great experience working on Up All Night, but the show has taken a different creative direction and I decided it was best for me to move on to other endeavors… Working with Lorne Michaels has been a dream come true and I am grateful he brought me into his TV family. I will miss the cast, producers and crew, and wish them the best always.”
Word is that NBC is considering replacing Applegate and Lisa Kudrow’s name has been mentioned.
Replacing a star is tricky business but it’s worked out for shows like NYPD Blue, Cheers, Spin City, Two and a Half Men, and Valerie (later The Hogan Family) — but then, those shows were all successes. The networks had a reason to try to save them. Up All Night is already at the bottom of the ratings chart.
Should Applegate be replaced or should NBC cut to the chase and cancel the series now?
What do you think? If you were NBC, what would you do? Replace Applegate in the role, send her character on a trip, kill her off, or forget the whole thing? If they decide to keep the show going, would you tune in?
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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow. I’m surprised that no one liked this show. I thought it was laugh out loud funny. I don’t want to see it without Christina though.
It’s a shame when a solid show like this one can’t find its footing. Sadly, it looks like Up All Night is heading that way.
They should have canceled this monstrosity after the first episode. I think they should give move on. Trying to change the plot of the show, and now new characters, I do not think it has a fighting chance.
We never really enjoyed the series. It has become less and less entertaining, almost to the point you just do not find the show interesting enough to tape every week.
I think they should give up and move on. Trying to change the plot of the show, and now new characters, I do not think it has a fighting chance.
Yep, axe it. Kudrow’s a smart girl. I don’t think she wants to jump on a sinking ship wearing the captain’s uniform.
As for the show, it had too many F words in front of the kids, and people that just didn’t want to take responsibility and GROW UP. I watched it anyway as a filler, but it was an irresponsible “hippie” style show that should have fallen on it’s sword long ago.
They should have canceled this monstrosity after the first episode.
I didn’t even make it through the first episode of the first season before changing the channel. so they should just get rid of it. TV comedies are hard to come by. The reason being that the chemistry has to be there and also the acting has to be of a high quality. The main characteristic that the modern TV comedy is missing is the natural flow of comedic material. It seems that to many of them reach to hard for a laugh when all that is needed is the simple realistic element that one can relate to to make the audience laugh. The other thing that i see becoming a negative element to comedies is the inability of the actors to say their lines without sounding like they are just saying them to get a laugh or like they are reading them off of cue cards. any dialog in a comedy isn’t written just to make you laugh at a character because they say something funny. The entire point behind a comedy is to engage you in the entire experience of the 30-60 minute story of the characters and make you laugh. You laugh because every moment of that time frame
relates to you ,an experience you have had ,a feeling you have experienced , or a person who reminds you of one of the characters in the story. That being said Up All Night does not fit that mold.
The way the show is shot will not have any effect. They need new writing. I can’t believe they made Will and Maya so unfunny. I have gotten used to Christina being unfunny from her last couple of sitcoms.
I guess ax it, I don’t think it’ll work with Lisa just showing up and Christina just leaving. And I think Christina is a much better actress, so all they can do dump it. Besides, it’s not as good this season.