It’s not often that a new show gets some people so angry before it even airs but NBC’s new TV show, Outsourced, certainly rubs some people the wrong way. Did that hurt the ratings? Will it be quickly cancelled or become a long-term staple of NBC’s Thursday night line-up?
Outsourced follows a US sales manager, Todd Dempsey (Ben Rappaport), who’s assigned to supervise his company’s call center in India. The new sitcom also stars Anisha Nagarajan, Diedrich Bader, Parvesh Cheena, Pippa Black, Rebecca Hazelwood, Rizwan Manji, and Sacha Dhawan.
Some people have expressed resentment over the show’s theme, especially considering this country’s struggling economy and unemployment problem. Others maintain that the show’s intent is to show how offices are the same, regardless of where they’re located.
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In its first week on the air, Outsourced attracted a 3.6 in the 18-49 demographic and 7.49 million total viewers. For the timeslot, it ranked in third place in total viewers but was second in the demo, where the numbers really count.
On the downside, Outsourced lost about 20% of its Office lead-in audience in the demo and 12% in total viewers. Also, about 15% of its audience tuned out midway through the episode. Those people gave it a try and probably won’t be back next week.
New shows typically lose about 15% in week two so we’ll have to wait and see how this one’s ratings hold up. For now, things look good for Outsourced.
What do you think? Did you give it a try? Were you offended by Outsourced? Was it different than you expected? Cancel or keep it?
Image courtesy NBC.
Cancel the show! We already know what it’s like at call centers in India. I also worked for a call center that out-sourced to India and the Phillipines. And how irritating is it when you call a call center about something important on your account and you can’t understand the agent or they can’t say anything else but “canned ” comments? There’s no discussion. So this show, that is a slap in the face to American workers, should never have been produced in the first place, except maybe for viewers in India!
I saw the movie and thought it was great. Did it need to become a TV series? Haven’t seen it (don’t have a TV) but not sure how far the joke can go. Rent the movie.
Before “Outsourced” debuted, advance reviews suggested it might be racist or at the least ignorant and insensitive to cultures outside of the US. I watched the debut several days after recording it on DVR and only after considering deleting it without viewing it. I was pleasantly surprised that it was balanced and not racist at all; it simply depicts the adjustments that an American “outsourced” to India has to make to be successful. Both American and Indian traits and quirks are equal fodder for comedy. Whether the show is truly funny is another topic and remains to be seen. However,… Read more »
In the worst economy in almost a century, NBC comes across a brilliant idea — mock the millions of American workers who lost their jobs to low-wage scabs from India!
Let NBC know that displacing American workers is not funny, and has contributed to the destruction of our economy. Millions of Americans are unemployed, many after being forced to train their foreign replacements in the Indian outsourcing industry.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/ProtestOutsourced/
I definitely say cancel the show. Not even because of the resentment that many Americans feel toward it because they have lost jobs from companies who would rather save a buck than keep their loyal employees. The show is based on the movie that was created in 2006, which I actually rather enjoyed. Yes the movie also made light of the situation, but it was still “real” and the characters had goals and hurdles to overcome, and just went they did, even their jobs were then outsourced to China. This show is just the opposite. It’s stupid – not even… Read more »
I agree with chris. I don’t think it’s so much that the show is offensive as it is just plain unfunny. nbc needs to get rid of it and bring parks and rec back, pronto.
My husband and I just saw the Pilot episode and had to pause it because we were laughing out loud and didn’t want to miss anything. I have been looking forward to this show since it’s first teaser ads came out and I think they really came through.
I understand that outsourcing is a touchy subject, but it is a reality. Comedy often deals with edgy, uncomfortable topics and sensitive issues. Good comedy makes us laugh at these topics and also helps us understand them.
Come on people, it is a comedy – and it REALLY works!
I found the head bob deal a bit racist. As for the outsourcing issue, that can really offend many people, especially in this economy.
PARKS & REC is coming back, Amy Poehler had a baby and that is why they delayed shooting new episodes. I think Outsourced is the filler until P&R returns. That show has some really good real life laughs.
I may or may not continue to watch Outsourced since I DVR other shows and can watch them instead of this show.
I wasn’t really offended by it…I just found it to be incredibly unfunny.
Big corporations like GE/NBC view the people who support them as cattle. People willing to do nothing more than watch NBC and the constant barrage of insulting dribble they put on tv weekly. They want to rape you and then make you beg them to *** on your face. Laugh at this show, and feel no sympathy for anyone who has their job taken away. We are all dumb consumers to them. NBC is shameless and I hope they crumble and blow away like the curry farts created by their shows. No I’m not racist or xenophobic, my wife is… Read more »
I just want it canceled, so Parks & Rec can come back. It was so funny. Heard they just went back into production, so they’ll be on the air soon…
I read that Parks & Recreation season 3 is slated as a mid-season replacement, which basically means that it’s a gap filler in case something is canceled or suddenly needs to stop airing for some other reason. That’s kind of unfortunate as Parks & Recreation grew to be my favorite of NBC’s Thursday night primetime lineup.
In that light, I kind of hope this is canceled now, too, if that’s the only way to get Parks & Rec back on the air.
I don’t get peoples’ anger toward this show. I don’t get the idea that this show is somehow racist. I’ve lost plenty of work to lower-cost providers in the East, but my panties aren’t in a bunch over this. Granted, I’m a contract worker as opposed to an hourly worker, but I’ve personally felt the effects of outsourcing to India, Malaysia, Pakistan, and other countries with lower standards of living. So what, though? It’s a TV show. It’s entertainment. If it doesn’t entertain you, then don’t watch it. As for the racist bit, though — I truly don’t get it… Read more »
I really enjoy the show!! after two weeks of watching I can’t seem to find any “negative aspects” . I hope it stays because if their goal was to show how office work is the same all over the world, they have achieved their goal.
I think this is a ploy by the corporations, to poke fun and get the American people to laugh at the terrible situation that they have put us in this country today. It makes the companies also look the liars they truly are…”Grits are just ground-up corn” the Indian worker says as he is obviously lying about his experience and knowledge of grits along with his terrible southern accent! I was NOT laughing knowing that these companies send work overseas so that the CEO’s can get rich and the real workers are being sent home with pink slips. This show… Read more »
Did I say I hate Indians? Don’t presume to know what I’m feeling or thinking. I voiced my opinion and I have every right too. Don’t call me a troll, don’t call me a racist because frankly you have no idea who I am. I lost my job due to my company outsourcing, and it’s angered me, and I have a right to resent this program for trying to make light of a tense situation in these times. My blame isn’t with India itself, my anger is at the corporations that sell out to make a buck. My anger comes… Read more »