There appears to be a new shift on television as of late where time slots are not as big as they used to be and others are. Cable companies want to gobble up regular television companies with vast holdings of cable channels (Comcast trying to take over NBC Universal).
Now the 10 pm time slot seems to be more important even on the cable channels such as USA and TNT, which are sister, stations under NBC Universal but then again what channels aren’t anymore.
They are pitting new shows against one another killing their ratings as NBC struggles to put something in the time slot to keep adults watching into the 11pm news slot. And hopefully into the 11:30 slot watching whomever is on “The Tonight Show” after the recent fall out which looks like Leno as they paid off Conan to get it back for Leno.
Three of the hottest shows on TNT & USA “Leverage”, “Psych” and “Burn Notice” with “Leverage” and “Psych” being pitted against one another for ratings gold at the particular time slot with “Psych” winning the ratings game.
All three of these shows were actually on earlier last season but, were all put into the late slot in evening programming for what I can only imagine was with the intent of bringing new shows in before them.
Then TNT burns their audience with an ever-changing line up between “Law & Order”, “Numb3rs”, and “Bones” and NBA games. This constant shuffle of programming makes their audience lose interest in my opinion despite adding the drama “Southland” from their NBC station after being cut loose then brought back by fans to TNT.
It will be interesting to see how this whole thing plays out as they possibly sell out to Comcast and programming takes another movement under the new regime.