ABC has announced that a new sitcom will debut next month. Notes from the Underbelly, a sitcom from director/producer Barry Sonnenfeld, will start on Wednesday, April 11th. In Case of Emergency will drop out to make room for Underbelly. Not a big surprise unfortunately.
In Case of Emergency centers around a group of old friends from high school. They’re at that stage of their lives when they realize their lives haven’t turned out as they expected. Through the events of one crazy evening, the group is reunited at a Los Angeles Hospital. The sitcom stars David Arquette, Jonathan Silverman, Greg Germann, Kelly Hu, Lori Loughlin and Jackson Bond.
Emergency debuted on Wednesday, January 3, 2007 on ABC. The series was paired with The Knights of Prosperity (recently pulled) and both were ratings challenged that night. Emergency actually lost viewers from Knights and attracted only a 3.9 rating (about 6.3 million people). Viewership hasn’t gotten any better, averaging only a 3.1 rating for the season.
As a result, In Case of Emergency is being pulled from the schedule after the April 4th episode. The network isn’t calling this a cancellation as yet and maintains that the series will return in the future. That’s not a big shock. What is surprising is that the network is pulling Emergency with just two original episodes left to air in its 13 episode run. Why not just air the 12th and 13th episodes?
Is ABC just giving up on the early Wednesday night timeslots? Sacrificing shows and biding time until ratings powerhouse American Idol is done? Interestingly enough, Underbelly is scheduled to run until May 30th when Idol is finished. Only seven of 13 episodes of Underbelly will have aired. Reality talent show The Next Best Thing: Who is the Greatest Impersonator? will take over after that. Will Notes from the Underbelly last that long? We’ll have to wait and see. Stay tuned! 
3/20/07 UPDATE: ABC is now calling the April 4th episode the “season finale,” making it unlikely that the remaining episodes will air this season.
well since noboyd eles is watchin american idol anymore i think that they should pu this show back on the air i really loved this show i love watching jonathan silverman being his funny self i just love it
This show had it’s great episodes especially where the storyline revolved around Kelly Lee’s job and family life. The other characters were kinda slow and dragged on like David Arquette’s character. Sherman’s story was stupid and he stuttered too much. Yet Silverman’s character was quirky, funny, and not really sure what he wanted in life. ABC needs to air the last episode. So at least the fans will have closure. Also, any show that goes up against American idol is not going to fare that well. duh…
I wasn’t a fan at all.
I’m sure since I don’t like this show they will bring it back and take away the good ones.
October Road, Men in Trees, Notes from the Underbelly..
I enjoyed this show for the most part. It was quirky and funny without being nasty to other people. I especially enjoyed Jane Seymour on the show.
Too bad.
I think this is terrible. What is everyone else supposed to watch when you hate American Idol and similar shows.
They come out with a few good comedies here and there and put them up against powerhouses like American Idol and Survivor and expect them to pull huge numbers. It just won’t happen.
When will these execs ever learn. Give the shows a chance. There have been a good dozen shows that I enjoyed that were pulled for stupid reasons.
Arghhhhhhh… Help us non-Idol lovers.
It is another case of bad programming killing a good show. Knights and I.C.E. (when I think of Emergency visions of Firehouse Paramedics comes to mind) are comedies of a similar style, but completely different target audiences. I have found people fall into three camps; Like Knights, Like I.C.E., or hate both. If I.C.E. were to get syndicated and put on in a night/time slot that isn’t dominated, I believe it would get good ratings and people would have a chance to find it. Like more and more content out their I think it will be found by its audience… Read more »