TBS Goes For "Broke"

[DToTheJ]

"2 Broke Girls" has only been on the air for a single season, but that's not stopping TBS from shelling out $1.5 million per episode - more money, in fact, that they'd paid on average for reruns of "The Big Bang Theory."
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/486149-_2_Broke_Girls_Heads_to_TBS.php

 

[KML0224]

Isn't doing this awfully risky? What if their ratings tank and CBS yanks the show early?

Also, I hope they don't jack my basic cable rate for this. I don't watch that show, nor do I watch the advertised-to-death Men At Work. As for The Big Bang Theory, that's through 5 seasons or so, so at least that met the minimum for syndication. Between the current shows on CBS, a double run on local syndication and TBS, that show is now overexposed.

 

[justpassingthough]

Didn't TBS buy the rights to Big Bang Theory after the second season? It seems like the few comedy hits left on TV go into syndication earlier and earlier- and for more and more money. Although, a true gem of a comedy like Friends and Seinfeld that holds up well in syndication can pay for itself exponentially in syndication- especially for local broadcast channels.

 

[mnradiofan]

Didn't TBS buy the rights to Big Bang Theory after the second season? It seems like the few comedy hits left on TV go into syndication earlier and earlier- and for more and more money. Although, a true gem of a comedy like Friends and Seinfeld that holds up well in syndication can pay for itself exponentially in syndication- especially for local broadcast channels.

I don't think they are going to syndication any earlier than "normal". If you read the article, 2BG won't debut on TBS until fall of 2015. That gives them 2012-13 2013-14, and 2014-2015 (four seasons). Now, I agree with the earlier post, if the ratings tank in season 2, this would be risky, but I'm betting there is a clause in the contract for that.

 

[tsherck]

mmm i don't think CBS will cancel Mike and Molly or 2 Broke Girls by then considering both series got renewed in March my guess 6-8 seasons each

 

[Nate Wesley]

Didn't TBS buy the rights to Big Bang Theory after the second season? It seems like the few comedy hits left on TV go into syndication earlier and earlier- and for more and more money. Although, a true gem of a comedy like Friends and Seinfeld that holds up well in syndication can pay for itself exponentially in syndication- especially for local broadcast channels.

I don't think they are going to syndication any earlier than "normal". If you read the article, 2BG won't debut on TBS until fall of 2015. That gives them 2012-13 2013-14, and 2014-2015 (four seasons). Now, I agree with the earlier post, if the ratings tank in season 2, this would be risky, but I'm betting there is a clause in the contract for that.

And if 2 Broke Girls stays a hit (potentially growing in popularity), TBS has already secured a $1.5 million per episode price, which would be higher if TBS had waited, allowing another basic cable channel like Lifetime or E! start a bidding war.

 

[Markxxx]

There is probably an out clause depending on what happens to the series. Remember the hot water ABC got into when it renewed for like 4 years the "Drew Carey Show" and then it tanked.

 

[radiojomo]

What if their ratings tank and CBS yanks the show early?

The thing about syndication is that even shows that do poorly in first run can do relatively well in syndication. Just look at the Nick at Nite lineup, it consists of syndicated shows that did fair or even poorly in first run, but do very well in syndication.

All I know is that Whitney Cummings is going to be a very rich woman after all these syndication deals.

 

[nomadcowatbk]

What if their ratings tank and CBS yanks the show early?

The thing about syndication is that even shows that do poorly in first run can do relatively well in syndication. Just look at the Nick at Nite lineup, it consists of syndicated shows that did fair or even poorly in first run, but do very well in syndication.

All I know is that Whitney Cummings is going to be a very rich woman after all these syndication deals.

many shows that did poorly or OK in their original runs have had long lives in syndication (like The Brady Bunch) while many shows that did well during their original runs bombed in syndication

 

[sfradio]

and because of the big deal they got, even if the show started to tank, CBS would still try to keep the show

 

[notalkallstatic]

Well, if the show flops before the four seasons are up they could just produce episodes to fulfill their contract agreement.

CBS has done this before, especially for syndication... the 1985 version of the Twilight Zone.

 

[DToTheJ]

...many shows that did poorly or OK in their original runs have had long lives in syndication (like The Brady Bunch) while many shows that did well during their original runs bombed in syndication...

Then there are shows like "Family Guy" that were canceled, only to enjoy a resurrection thanks to huge DVD sales (I'm sure MacFarlane could find a joke in that sentence somewhere ).

 

[justpassingthough]

and because of the big deal they got, even if the show started to tank, CBS would still try to keep the show

If CBS owned the show, they would have a reason to keep it on their schedule until it reached the magic syndication number, but since its a Warner Bros show, CBS has no financial incentive to keep it going if it tanks in its second or third season.

 

[mnradiofan]

mmm i don't think CBS will cancel Mike and Molly or 2 Broke Girls by then considering both series got renewed in March my guess 6-8 seasons each

That's making a lot of assumptions about the show. Look at even successful shows of the past like Roseanne, Drew Carey Show, That 70's Show, etc. Early on, it was hard to see these shows ever going anywhere, but cast changes, storyline arcs, etc can do a good job killing a show VERY quickly. Roseanne is probably the best example of this. Very successful, did well, then they wrote the "Lottery" storyline and overnight the show lost it's appeal.

 

[ajc_trw]

and because of the big deal they got, even if the show started to tank, CBS would still try to keep the show

If CBS owned the show, they would have a reason to keep it on their schedule until it reached the magic syndication number, but since its a Warner Bros show, CBS has no financial incentive to keep it going if it tanks in its second or third season.

Wait, CBS runs the show but it's a Warner Bros show. If there was something common to both companies that could, perhaps, benefit from this. ;D

 

[justpassingthough]

and because of the big deal they got, even if the show started to tank, CBS would still try to keep the show

If CBS owned the show, they would have a reason to keep it on their schedule until it reached the magic syndication number, but since its a Warner Bros show, CBS has no financial incentive to keep it going if it tanks in its second or third season.

Wait, CBS runs the show but it's a Warner Bros show. If there was something common to both companies that could, perhaps, benefit from this. ;D

I think the writing is on the wall for the CW...its a dead man (or in this case, a dead 18 to 34 year old female) walking...

 

[radiojomo]

Chances are that if Two Broke Girls was removed from the CBS lineup, TBS could pick up all the new original episodes produced by WB, along with the past season library.

In fact, TBS would end up winning in that case because they'd be able to pick up an established comedy series with fair ratings on cable.

 

[ansky212]

Many local stations have already signed syndication deals with "Broke" too, including WLNY in NYC and KCAL in LA.

http://blog.sitcomsonline.com/2012/06/tbs-local-syndication-acquire-2-broke.html

 

[DToTheJ]

WLNY... Interesting... Syndicated reruns traditionally ended up on WNYW, WWOR or WPIX in New York... Apparently, CBS (which purchased WLNY) will be running it like KCAL in L.A. (which also happens to be an independent station among four major non-"big three" commercial stations like WLNY)...

 

[DToTheJ]

... I don't think CBS will cancel Mike and Molly or 2 Broke Girls by then considering both series got renewed in March my guess 6-8 seasons each

That's making a lot of assumptions about the show...

Meanwhile, FX has acquired reruns of "Mike & Molly" - for less than double than was TBS is paying per episode of "2 Broke Girls":
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/486759-FX_Picks_Up_Mike_Molly_.php