Once again, the ratings gods have taken an intelligent television show down for the count. TNT announced that, despite Emmy and Peabody awards, despite showing a sign of male bonding not often seen on network television, despite having a strong African-American character who is not portraying a cop, they were canceling Ray Romano's wonderful "Men of a Certain Age." What a shame to lose this show.
This show was one of the few to feature intelligent writing for men - middle aged men to be exact. A demographic that is, apparently, not big enough to warrant supporting the show (despite the flurry of ads for erectile dysfunction and men's hair color that seem to pour out of just about every corner of the TV universe these days). This was finally a show that men could look forward to on a weekly basis that had nothing to do with guns, cops, robbers, or any of the other more unseemly sides of everyday life in imaginary cities that just happen to look like New York.
So rather than quality television, we will probably have still another CSI spinoff to look forward to - what are we up to now, "CSI: Greenville, SC"? Or maybe another doctor show because God knows we haven't seen these same stories told over and over again.
Much like another show I've written about before - "October Road" - this was a show that stuck with you after the hour was over. It made you think, not cringe, like so much of today's television. In today's TV universe, if your show can't stand financially on its own, it's out the door. Unlike in years past when a show, especially a quality show, would be given time to actually survive. Surely TNT must be making enough money from other, less expensive, less intelligent shows to keep this one going.
I seem to remember George Clooney explaining, years ago, why he did "Oceans 11", "12" and "13". The reason, he explained, was that making those movies (and bringing in the untold millions of dollars that they did) allowed him to make movies that were a lot more intelligent (but less profitable), like "Good Night, and Good Luck" or "Up In the Air." Too bad TV executives don't buy into that logic.
Oh well, I guess this will free up more time for me to read. They are still publishing books, right?
