WB ORDERS FILMING OF NEW DS PILOT

Like, is the cast too young?? 

I did some number crunching on this very issue some time ago.  Here is what I came up with:

Using the IMDB and TV Tome as age sources, all the ages of the 2004 Pilot added up together and divided by the number of cast members (13 thus announced/cast) equals to 32.46 years.

The ages and parts are:  Brown (Liz) (58), Roberts (Sheriff Patterson) (57), Donovan (Roger) (47), Hu (Julia) (36), Shaw (Joe) (31), Newman (Barnabas) (30), Shelton (Victoria) (30), Czuchry (Willie) (27), Milicevic (Angelique) (26), Thorpe (Kelly) (24), Dewan (Sophia) (24), Chastain (Carolyn) (22) (Note: Her birthday is no where to be found and I asked Mark Verheiden - This also rings true if she is recently graduated from Juliiard.  That age is about right since my step-son is going to be 21 in June and has one more year of college - putting him at 22 when he graduates.), and Gould (David) (10).  The majority here are 25 years old or older.

Taking a part for part analysis I took the original cast and their ages in 1966 (the start date of the show), Bennett (Liz) (56), Eclar (Sheriff Patterson #1) (39), Blackburn (Mrs. Johnson) (45), Hall (Julia) (43), Edmonds (Roger) (43), Frid (Barnabas) (42), Karlen (Willie) (33), Crothers (Joe) (25), Parker (Angelique) (24), Barrett (Carolyn) (23), Jackson (Daphne) (17) (This was randomly chosen using the old 8 sided randomizer from a list of 8 ladies playing different parts at different times throughout the show. - Jackson would have been 21 in 1970.), Moltke (Victoria) (19), Henesy (David) (10).  Their average age (all ages added together and divided by 13) is equal to 32.23 years old.  In the case of this sampling, six of the thirteen are under the age of 25.

The 2004 cast is older then the sample of 1966 cast by .23 years.  Not an appreciable difference.

I also wanted to compare the ages to the 1991 Revival but there are not enough birthdays to run any kind of accurate numbers.  Many are missing years, some are entirely missing and in one case, it was a month and day.

I did some number crunching on this very issue some time ago.  Here is what I came up with:

LOL  Brava, Victoria!  Brava!   

Brief mention of DS in an article  "Winning At Network Schedule Survivor" at zap2it.com. It is stated that "Provided it gets picked up, John Wells' Dark Shadows had better prove it was worth the loss of Angel". Sure let them put a little more pressure on the WB executives. lol

The article also points out which shows on all of the networks who are are on the bubble.

For what it's worth, here's Variety's advice to the WB. Some interesting bits here which *might* point to there being more openings on the WB's schedule for DS than might otherwise be assumed, but there's no specific mention of DS. (Also, if Variety has tapped into the WB's thinking, there goes the idea of a WB DS following Smallville):

Posted: Sun., May 9, 2004, 6:00am PT

Frog, UPN face season of challenges

Advice for netlets: get more dramatic

By RICK KISSELL


LAST IN A THREE-PART ANALYSIS

HOLLYWOOD -- One year after riding high and setting network records right and left, the Frog leaped back to earth this season.

But armed with the knowledge of some sked mistakes and a smart strategy on how to cut down on long stretches of repeats, the WB is still a force to be reckoned with heading into 2004-05 television season.

Key to the unveiling of this fall's Frog sked could be the relocation of both its top drama ("Smallville") and comedy ("Reba") as well as novel ways of double-pumping shows.

In the third of a three-part series looking at the nets prior to the upfronts, here's a peek at the WB and UPN:

The WB

The loss of "Dawson's Creek" combined with declines by other hit shows made for some ugly year-to-year comparisons for the Frog. Net has acknowledged it came late to the reality dance, too, and improvement in this area could also help its perf next season.

It still has a foundation of hit shows, including late-blooming rookie drama "One Tree Hill," and will likely look to add a couple of new dramas and comedies to its sked.

Idea of double-pumping some series weekly (same episode twice) and having two series share a time period (a la "Felicity" and "Jack and Jill" a few years ago) is a great one.

Look for the Frog to use tough slots like Sunday at 7 and maybe Thursday at 8 to air encore episodes of dramas. For example, "Everwood" could play Monday at 9 and Thursday at 8 for 13 weeks in the fall, sit out while a new skein airs in the same pattern during winter and then return for the last nine weeks of the season.

This would nearly eliminate repeats in the Monday hour while allowing the net to recoup ad revs by playing "Everwood" a second time.

One of the WB's problems this past season was the move of its top shows ("Smallville" and "Reba") to the 8 o'clock hour, and putting less popular shows behind them to air in higher-viewed timeslots.

Look for "Reba," a strong performer on Friday, to get a chance on a midweek night, possibly Wednesday, while the net keeps its Friday comedy lineup, with "Grounded for Life" and "What I Like About You" both still in the mix.

"Steve Harvey's Big Time" performed well for the net on Thursday and deserves to be back in some form as well.

As for dramas, net might rejigger some of its pieces, with important skein "Smallville" likely headed back to a 9 o'clock slot after suffering sharp ratings declines when moved to Wednesdays at 8.

Among new shows, "The Mountain" (a family drama set at a mountain ski resort) sounds like a winner and could have more male appeal than most Frog hours. Net also seems to be high on "Jack and Bobby" (a drama about two brothers, one of whom is destined to become president), a possible contender to share a timeslot with "Everwood."

And promising half-hours include family laffers "Shacking Up" with Fran Drescher, "Commando Nanny" from Mark Burnett and "Blue Collar Comedy" with Jeff Foxworthy.

Also encouraging is the net's plan for original movies, which in success would help bring new viewers to the net while further reducing the number of repeats.

Bottom line: The WB needs to generate some heat with a new drama or reality show and give "Reba" a chance to showcase comedy for the Frog on a higher-profile night.[/b]

Date in print: Mon., May 10, 2004, Weekly

Since filming is finished, it shouldn't be a big secret...

The Old House was not filmed at a manor location.

The interiors were shot at a the LA Theater with some clever production design work and set dressings added.

The exteriors driveway, gate area and fountain were shot at Sable Ranch. The Old House exterior itself is a CGI construction.

The interiors were shot at a the LA Theater with some clever production design work and set dressings added.

The exteriors driveway, gate area and fountain were shot at Sable Ranch. The Old House exterior itself is a CGI construction.

Interesting - particularly the OH exterior being CGI generated. Now I really can't wait to (hopefully) see it. 

Thanks, Darren 

Thanks Darren on the Old House shooting information. Very interesting. Oh my, now I really want to see the DS pilot!
Just wondering if Van Helsing's 54 million dollar opening might get the WB's attention?

Just wondering if Van Helsing's 54 million dollar opening might get the WB's attention?

Oh, I don't think the WB needs to be convinced that Vampires have a huge fan following.......only that the new DS pilot can deliver that following. 

Just wondering if Van Helsing's 54 million dollar opening might get the WB's attention?

OMG, I had the misfortune of contributing to that 54 million opening.  It was so bad, words almost cannot describe.  I've seen better film on teeth.  I do not expect will have much repeat business, esp. once word starts to get around.

I, for one, am hoping that the WB does _not_ use Van Helsing as a guide to what modern horror is about.

Oh, I don't think the WB needs to be convinced that Vampires have a huge fan following.......only that the new DS pilot can deliver that following. 

I am totally with you Raineypark ! Just imagine what kind of ratings the new DS can bring in for the WB. If the WB does not take notice, perhaps another network would?

I am totally with you Raineypark ! Just imagine what kind of ratings the new DS can bring in for the WB. If the WB does not take notice, perhaps another network would?

Well, perhaps if the Sci Fi channel hadn't treated us so badly about taking the show off the air with only a few episodes left to do, we could hope for THEM to consider what the WB might not....but I doubt there's anything for us to hope for from them.

 And I seriously doubt that a fledgeling network like the new Horror Channel would be in a position to finance an entirely new series.

And finally, I can't quite picture one of the other networks picking up on something that the WB has already refused.....but of course, that's just my take on it.

OMG, I had the misfortune of contributing to that 54 million opening.  It was so bad, words almost cannot describe.  I've seen better film on teeth.  I do not expect will have much repeat business, esp. once word starts to get around.

I, for one, am hoping that the WB does _not_ use Van Helsing as a guide to what modern horror is about.

Well I am a contributor too. My only point was is that if the WB now believes that DS may not be a good fit in its family oriented programming, perhaps the WB will take notice of Helsing's box office intake and be reminded that the vampire genre is still alive and can translate into big ratings. I still say that DS would be a good fit with Charmed on Sunday night.

I, for one, am hoping that the WB does _not_ use Van Helsing as a guide to what modern horror is about.

We probably won't have to worry about that, particularly because the NBC pilot Transylvania is already sort of a TV spinoff of Van Helsing. (And considering that one of my least favorite Buffy/Angel writers, David Fury, is attached to it, it's not likely to be any better than the movie that spawned it.  )

Well I am a contributor too. My only point was is that if the WB now believes that DS may not be a good fit in its family oriented programming, perhaps the WB will take notice of Helsing's box office intake and be reminded that the vampire genre is still alive and can translate into big ratings. I still say that DS would be a good fit with Charmed on Sunday night.

You have a point.  I have to say though that  I have never watched an entire ep of Charmed.  From what I little I have seen, it seemed to be a supernatural/genre/comedy/drama in the vein (no pun intended) of Buffy and Angel.  If the goal of a new DS series is to be a drama like DSClassic and DSRevival, I am not so sure that it _would_ be a good fit with Charmed.  Again, I say this with the complete realization that I don't know what Charmed is all about, so I might just be talking out of my butt again. 

Nelson

Again, I say this with the complete realization that I don't know what Charmed is all about, so I might just be talking out of my butt again. 

Your take on Charmed is absolutely dead on. And, truthfully, nowadays the series is often more comedy than anything else. But even with that in mind, my main opposition to teaming a potential DS with Charmed is what a difficult timeslot Sundays at 9pm is on the WB. If Charmed were to be moved to a different night, that opinion might change. But considering how well Charmed does on Sundays, moving it would seem unlikely.