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May 25, 2013

Madchen mad about My Own Worst Enemy cancellation

by Bob Sassone, posted Nov 24th 2008 5:35PM

Madchen AmickUsually when a show is canceled, you don't hear about it from the stars. Once in a while you do (like Kelsey Grammer when Back To You was canned), but it's usually the producers and/or critics who make the most fuss about a show being canceled. My Own Worst Enemy star Madchen Amick is speaking out about the cancellation of the NBC show (one of several she is currently on).

She says that the show actually was a hit, especially if you include DVR/Tivo/online viewers. She thinks that the show's high budget is what made NBC cancel it. If it didn't have a big budget and still got fair ratings, it could have survived a little longer. She's frustrated by the experience.

So am I. This wasn't the best new show of the season, but I was really into it, and future episodes could have gone in some interesting directions. The show is still running new episodes and there's no word on when the last episode will air (and what will be done with other unaired eps). The funny thing is that you can go to the MOWE web site and not only watch webisodes and apply to work at AJ Sun (the company depicted on the show), you can vote for MOWE as the People's Choice Award's Favorite New Drama!

Interestingly, Amick was the costar of another short-lived spy show featuring a man with more than one identity, the excellent The Fifth Corner.

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K Hardy

All the advertising in the world isn't going to work if it is poorly concieved. The preview ads for MOWE seemed like they were for a different show and captured nothing of what makes MOWE unique. They attracted people who wanted constant explosions and necks cracking and turned away people like me who thought they looked stupid. Then, I happened upon some one else watching the premier and I loved it. Because of quality acting, complex plot (actually requiring a functioning frontal lobe to follow), subtle humor, great writing and production. But, I am sure that people who may have liked the preview ads, looking for the usual uninspired predictable, dumbed down shoot em up crap, didn't like it.
The problem is, it will take a while for intelligent people who like a show that requires an IQ over 80 to watch, to find this show. And NBC should give them a chance to do so, since they turned them off with those ridiculous ads in the first place.

November 29 2008 at 11:32 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Prish

I liked the show. The acting showed depth and the show got stronger every week. I absolutely loved Alfre Woodward and Christian Slater was a good compliment to her acting style. They were a great team, especially with the Raymond character. I am hoping the show will eventually move to USA Network. Is there any way we can help that goal along?

November 27 2008 at 12:22 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Craig

I didn't even watch the show because I knew NBC would cancel it. They got me once with Journeyman. They won't get me again. Until NBC has a track record of showing fans some loyalty, they won't get me to watch their channel. I can't be alone on this one. NBC has to either change management, or get sold off. Until such time, this viewer is watching other networks.

November 25 2008 at 10:24 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
tony

"I don't understand why they would cancel this show" I'll tell you why, the ratings were HORRIBLE!! This is not rocket science folks. Low premiere ratings after a huge marketing campaign and tons of advertising during the olympics. Then slowly declining ratings week after week to a point where it was getting less than half of Heroes lead in audience. That's half of a show that is already bleeding numbers. Not to mention if you are losing numbers week to week on a non procedural show then chances are those viewers are not coming back.

I know we don't like when the shows we like are cancelled but you can't always blame the networks.

November 25 2008 at 9:11 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to tony's comment
LC

Well said. Television is a business. If adverting dollars aren't there, due to low viewership, to cover the shows expenses, then the network has to let the axe fall.

I like this show and will continue to watch it until they pull it. Those who say "I refuse to watch any new serialized shows because they only wind up canceling it" share some of the blame. These shows can't continue if people who would normally watch them refuse to out of fear of cancellation.

November 25 2008 at 4:52 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Wayne Dunham

You have to seriously question the sanity of anyone at NBC. How can you cancel any show while giving a green light to putting Rosie back on the air. WTF!

My guess is they are seeing all the free money the government is giving away to any and all who mismanage their business/industry to the brink of extinction and want in on the free ride!

Sure MOWE wasn't the best show on their schedule, but there was improvement. Rosie? Seriously?

November 25 2008 at 7:54 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
John H

To Scott Schrantz: Mädchen's first gig was Twin Peaks, arguably the best television show ever. Don't dismiss her opinion just because she made one crappy show. Actors have to pay their rent, you know ...

November 25 2008 at 2:01 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
tsunku

NBC failed this time. I cannot understand why they would cancel MOWE, it's a good show, much better than heroes IMO. I wonder why networks always seem to cancel the good shows while keeping the crappy ones? Is it because sponsors pay more for crappy ones?

November 24 2008 at 11:58 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
MCW

Plain and simple, I avoided it because of Christian Slater. If it had been anyone else in the world starring (Excluding Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, Regis Philbin, Kelly Ripa, Oprah Windfrey, Martha Stewart, Emeril Lagasse, The Jonas Brothers, Tom Cruise, Mel Gibson, Suri Cruise, Katie Holmes and John Travolta), I might have given it a chance. So, you can thank me for getting the show canceled folks.

I'm watching Fringe instead. Good to see an interesting Science Fact/Barely Fiction show on television. There aren't enough of those among the endless sea of mindreading fake psychic top modeling dancing star singing bee suitcase opening television shows. Sorry Madchen... your name is perfect for cute headline puns though.

November 24 2008 at 10:39 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to MCW's comment
Argus

Uhhh no... You're welcome to like Fringe, but the show is as much Sci-Fi as Star Trek. Literally none of what they have done on that show is based on actual science. None.

November 24 2008 at 11:56 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
j0phus

Barely fiction?

I agree with you on the "reality" tv. I want intelligently scripted drama with actors and a budget. Preferably ensemble casts. I think I speak for the majority of television viewers out there.

However, if you are referring to the science as being barely fiction you are dead wrong. I am pursuing a degree in evolutionary microbiology and I can tell you that Fringe is barely based on reality. Now maybe the evil corporation aspect mirrors reality. Certainly governments role in scientific development is probably downplayed (but much more of a negative influence vs. the positive portrayed).

I really liked MOWE, and concede that it too is not based on reality. The concept also doesn't make much sense, but it something to work with that good writers could have made work. Who knows maybe they did in remaining episodes. I find it hard to believe that the show was doing poor enough to just cancel. What happened to working on a problem versus just throwing it out? These networks are destroying the trust of their audiences by canceling quality shows willy nilly.

BTW I do enjoy Fringe as well. I just don't condone people believing an aerosol can could fill an entire bus with gel, or that we could build a fully functional prosthetic with skin as well that is so advanced it could be confused for a natural limb. Not with the oppression we've been facing these last 8 years. Maybe a lot closer if we had stem cell research the last decade.

November 25 2008 at 12:42 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Bravo

Um...she's wrong. It sucked.

I really wanted to like it, and I did record it and watch it. But it just never grabbed me, and I assure you, I am easily grabbed by shows like this with action and a little bit of sci-fi/tech thrown in.

November 24 2008 at 7:54 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to Bravo's comment
Scott Schrantz

You have to remember, she came from Viva Laughlin. So her opinion is probably a bit skewed. MOWE must feel like doing Shakespeare.

November 24 2008 at 9:53 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
dan

Excuse me Scott, I'm not trying to be rude, but ol' Madchen Amick-she hails from a little town called TWIN PEAKS. Anything she's done from that point on is to be inferior, especially (but not excluding) Viva Laughlin.

November 25 2008 at 2:16 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Joey Geraci

People's Choice is such a joke, it doesn't even give you My Own Worst Enemy as an option!

It is not the best new drama, but it is up there. Certainly on par with Fringe, but not as good as Life on Mars.

November 24 2008 at 6:45 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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