After many bumps in the road, NBC finally got around to airing Love Bites, an anthology-style comedy that’s a bit reminiscent of Love, American Style. Unlike the latter, this one didn’t even last a full season. Love Bites has already been cancelled.
When NBC ordered the Love Bites in January 2010, it was supposed to revolve around two single women named Annie (Becki Newton) and Frannie (Jordana Spiro). Their friends had all gotten married so they were left to explore the ups and downs of the single life. Unfortunately, Spano was still committed to another series (TBS’ My Boys) and she had to bow out of the project after NBC gave a greenlight. As expected, TBS subsequently cancelled My Boys.
The show underwent further changes when Newton became pregnant since her character had been a virgin. Episodes of the comedy ended up revolving around a common theme or character and somehow related to Annie (Newton), Judd (Greg Grunberg) and Colleen (Constance Zimmer).
Showrunner Cindy Chupack departed, was replaced by Tracy Poust and Jon Kinnally, and the series was pushed to mid-season. Love Bites was delayed again and in December it was revealed that the episode order had been reduced from 13 to nine installments. Some of the cast signed on to other projects.
Love Bites finally ended up premiering on June 2nd to a truly disappointing 1.0 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 2.64 million total viewers. The next week’s installment did about the same which would have been positive except the debut did so poorly. As the weeks have progressed, the ratings have dipped even lower. The worst performance so far has been June 30th’s with a 0.7 demo rating and 1.86 million viewers — truly terrible.
The show was already doomed well before it began airing but the ratings sealed the deal for sure. NBC has cancelled Love Bites and will end the show’s run this Thursday. One episode (the pilot) will be left unaired, replaced by a repeat of Law & Order: SVU. Unfortunately for the few who watched the troubled series, there are no current plans to release the unaired pilot of Love Bites online or anywhere else.
What do you think? Are you sorry that Love Bites has been cancelled? Would liked to have seen a second season?
Image courtesy NBC.
talk about trainwrecks
This is a joke
Never watched it but I have my solution to the network operating BS. If we might be interested in a new series, all eps go to the recorder. If it’s not renewed for season 2, delete. Granted there are some exceptions but generally that’s what we do. Tired of watching 3-5 eps and gone. Just think of all the past long running shows that would have gotten killed early on if they were treated with today’s “methodology”.
i didn’t expect to enjoy it and am now upset about learning that it is cancelled — just found out that men of a certain age has been cancelled as well 🙁
Anyone could have predicted the show would be cancelled. I watched a bit, but just didn’t bother because I knew it would get the axe back in May when they announced its June premiere. I honestly thought it was already dead before that announcement. I also predicted it would not only be cancelled, but would not get every episode aired, which is exactly the case. NBC will probably shove the last episode online like they and ABC do with all their axed shows that they can’t be bothered to air the rest of. At least FOX, CBS & CW have… Read more »
Why does NBC do this? Start a new show, let people watch it and get attached and then cancel it??? How disappointing! I may not be able to watch anything on NBC anymore.
Damnit. I like this show. They could at least show the last episode online or something.
I’m going to miss this show. It actually made me smile because it did what few tv programs do today – entertained me and allowed me to escape in a wonderful way. It reminded me of a nice play that I could look forward to every week. Alas…
I am going against the posting tide, but I am so glad that this show is gone. I wouldn’t even expect a show this bad to air on a small time cable network.
I will really miss this show
I love this show! I thought it was so fresh. I’m so disappointed to see it go.
I am sorry to see it go! I didn’t know any background about it, I just happened to see a commercial and found out that Greg Grunberg was in it! Then I had to watch, and I liked it – it was a good outlet for him! The original story-line, described above, sounds as trite and over-done as you can get! I think this version is different from other things, in a good way! I’ll miss it! NBC and the other networks really need to get their heads out of their ego-inflated, talentless, unimaginative, impatient behinds!
Too bad; my wife and I actually quite enjoyed it.
The current incarnation sounds better than the original concept — I’m glad that Becki Newton got pregnant!
It was horse feathers. Shoulda never aired, at least until it coulda been given some stability for its cast, etc. No wonder NBC has so many problems, airing thrown-together junk like that.
I’m sorry and not sorry to anyone that watched. I’ve been screwed over by the networks too. They just put on one season and get you loving just to cancel it. It sucks. But on the other hand, people knew the episode order was cut. It was delayed many times. So why did anyone bother? It beats the S**t out of me.
Too bad, I love the show!