Wall Street Journal article on The Rookie
Dec 30, 2018 15:21:38 GMT -5
ProudTVJunkie and sylvia4949 like this
Post by tycho657 on Dec 30, 2018 15:21:38 GMT -5
It sure looks promising for the Rookie to get a nod for season two after this kind of article.
(I just copied the article as the link wasn’t working sorry...)
Why did ABC make such a confident bet on Nathan Fillion and “The Rookie”? The answer lies in the second episode of the sixth season of “Castle.”
If you didn’t watch ABC, you could be excused for knowing nothing about “Castle,” starring Mr. Fillion as a novelist who helped the police solve crimes.
But the unhyped Sept. 30, 2013, episode of “Castle” drew a larger audience (15 million live and within seven days on devices such as DVRs, according to Nielsen) than the much-ballyhooed end of Bryan Cranston’s Emmy-winning run on AMC’s “Breaking Bad,” (12.6 million) which had aired the night before.
In an era saturated with celebrated shows on Netflix and cable that gobble up awards and critical praise, Mr. Fillion is an old-school TV star whose recent headlining gigs are on shows that cord-cutters might pay no mind to. But his base isn’t critics or award-show voters. It’s millions of mainstream viewers.
Which brings Mr. Fillion to “The Rookie,” another (mostly) lighthearted ABC cop show. This time, he’s the cop. John Nolan, a former construction worker, moves to Los Angeles to restart his life and join the police department at age 40.
ABC ordered “The Rookie” based on a pitch before a script had even been developed. The series premiered in October and has averaged more than 8 million viewers (watching live and within seven days). The network has ordered another seven episodes, for a total of 20 in its first season. ABC says the show has nearly doubled viewership for its long-struggling 10 p.m. Tuesday slot.
The key to the show’s success is Mr. Fillion. “There are very few true TV stars and he is absolutely one of ’em,” says Brian Morewitz, ABC’s senior vice president of drama development.
Mr. Fillion’s resume includes at least one TV cult classic (Fox’s “Firefly”) and time on Netflix (“A Series of Unfortunate Events” and “Big Mouth”). But more than a TV star, he’s an ABC star, with previous roles not just on “Castle,” but network shows like “One Life to Live,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Two Guys and a Girl,” and guest spots on “Modern Family,” between the end of “Castle” and the beginning of “The Rookie.”
Mr. Fillion, facing forward with Melissa O'Neil and Titus Makin Jr., says being a part of a larger ensemble was a factor in his wanting to star in ‘The Rookie.’
Mr. Fillion, facing forward with Melissa O'Neil and Titus Makin Jr., says being a part of a larger ensemble was a factor in his wanting to star in ‘The Rookie.’ PHOTO: ABC
Showrunner Alexi Hawley, who worked as both writer and co-showrunner at different times on “Castle,” says that when he and producer Mark Gordon started working on the new idea, Mr. Fillion was the first person they thought of for the central role. To get him, they crafted the show around him and how he wants to work.
Though they didn’t want it to feel like a spinoff or sequel to “Castle,” dialogue in “The Rookie” gives Mr. Fillion room for a similar kind of charm and self-deprecation. It’s also far more of an ensemble show than “Castle.” That means Mr. Fillion doesn’t have to be on set as much as he was last time.
Mr. Fillion says he never used to think of acting as being particularly taxing. But he found being in almost every scene of “Castle” for eight seasons exhausting. “At the very best, [what] I could hope for was a 12-hour day,” he says. “The Rookie” takes some of the pressure off because it’s not just about him. “There are three rookies,” Mr. Fillion says. “There are three training officers. There’s a sergeant and a captain. There are other story lines and other characters to follow.”
–– ADVERTISEMENT ––
The show has wowed few critics, though many have recognized Mr. Fillion’s appeal. Writing for Newsday, Verne Gay’s assessment was typical: “Fillion’s back in a decent cop drama that fits him like a bespoke suit.”
Mr. Gordon says some shows have to win awards and glowing reviews from critics to hit the niche audience they’re aiming for. But he says for “The Rookie,” that’s not the case. “What we’re interested in, and were interested in from the beginning, is finding the largest audience that we could,” he says, “which is why this show’s on ABC starring Nathan Fillion.”
Why It’s Working
The Series: ‘The Rookie’ (ABC, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET)
The Plot: A 40-year-old construction worker and recent divorcee starts over by moving to Los Angeles and joining the LAPD.
The Reaction: More than 8 million viewers per episode (live and within seven days), a much-needed Tuesday night bump for ABC and an extension to 20 episodes in its first season.
The Formula: Nathan Fillion, also the star of ABC’s former long-running hit show ‘Castle,’ is not just a serious television star, but a known, familiar commodity to the network’s audience.
Appeared in the December 31, 2018, print edition as 'An Under-the-Radar Success for ABC’s Go-To Guy Why It’s Working.'
(I just copied the article as the link wasn’t working sorry...)
Why did ABC make such a confident bet on Nathan Fillion and “The Rookie”? The answer lies in the second episode of the sixth season of “Castle.”
If you didn’t watch ABC, you could be excused for knowing nothing about “Castle,” starring Mr. Fillion as a novelist who helped the police solve crimes.
But the unhyped Sept. 30, 2013, episode of “Castle” drew a larger audience (15 million live and within seven days on devices such as DVRs, according to Nielsen) than the much-ballyhooed end of Bryan Cranston’s Emmy-winning run on AMC’s “Breaking Bad,” (12.6 million) which had aired the night before.
In an era saturated with celebrated shows on Netflix and cable that gobble up awards and critical praise, Mr. Fillion is an old-school TV star whose recent headlining gigs are on shows that cord-cutters might pay no mind to. But his base isn’t critics or award-show voters. It’s millions of mainstream viewers.
Which brings Mr. Fillion to “The Rookie,” another (mostly) lighthearted ABC cop show. This time, he’s the cop. John Nolan, a former construction worker, moves to Los Angeles to restart his life and join the police department at age 40.
ABC ordered “The Rookie” based on a pitch before a script had even been developed. The series premiered in October and has averaged more than 8 million viewers (watching live and within seven days). The network has ordered another seven episodes, for a total of 20 in its first season. ABC says the show has nearly doubled viewership for its long-struggling 10 p.m. Tuesday slot.
The key to the show’s success is Mr. Fillion. “There are very few true TV stars and he is absolutely one of ’em,” says Brian Morewitz, ABC’s senior vice president of drama development.
Mr. Fillion’s resume includes at least one TV cult classic (Fox’s “Firefly”) and time on Netflix (“A Series of Unfortunate Events” and “Big Mouth”). But more than a TV star, he’s an ABC star, with previous roles not just on “Castle,” but network shows like “One Life to Live,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Two Guys and a Girl,” and guest spots on “Modern Family,” between the end of “Castle” and the beginning of “The Rookie.”
Mr. Fillion, facing forward with Melissa O'Neil and Titus Makin Jr., says being a part of a larger ensemble was a factor in his wanting to star in ‘The Rookie.’
Mr. Fillion, facing forward with Melissa O'Neil and Titus Makin Jr., says being a part of a larger ensemble was a factor in his wanting to star in ‘The Rookie.’ PHOTO: ABC
Showrunner Alexi Hawley, who worked as both writer and co-showrunner at different times on “Castle,” says that when he and producer Mark Gordon started working on the new idea, Mr. Fillion was the first person they thought of for the central role. To get him, they crafted the show around him and how he wants to work.
Though they didn’t want it to feel like a spinoff or sequel to “Castle,” dialogue in “The Rookie” gives Mr. Fillion room for a similar kind of charm and self-deprecation. It’s also far more of an ensemble show than “Castle.” That means Mr. Fillion doesn’t have to be on set as much as he was last time.
Mr. Fillion says he never used to think of acting as being particularly taxing. But he found being in almost every scene of “Castle” for eight seasons exhausting. “At the very best, [what] I could hope for was a 12-hour day,” he says. “The Rookie” takes some of the pressure off because it’s not just about him. “There are three rookies,” Mr. Fillion says. “There are three training officers. There’s a sergeant and a captain. There are other story lines and other characters to follow.”
–– ADVERTISEMENT ––
The show has wowed few critics, though many have recognized Mr. Fillion’s appeal. Writing for Newsday, Verne Gay’s assessment was typical: “Fillion’s back in a decent cop drama that fits him like a bespoke suit.”
Mr. Gordon says some shows have to win awards and glowing reviews from critics to hit the niche audience they’re aiming for. But he says for “The Rookie,” that’s not the case. “What we’re interested in, and were interested in from the beginning, is finding the largest audience that we could,” he says, “which is why this show’s on ABC starring Nathan Fillion.”
Why It’s Working
The Series: ‘The Rookie’ (ABC, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET)
The Plot: A 40-year-old construction worker and recent divorcee starts over by moving to Los Angeles and joining the LAPD.
The Reaction: More than 8 million viewers per episode (live and within seven days), a much-needed Tuesday night bump for ABC and an extension to 20 episodes in its first season.
The Formula: Nathan Fillion, also the star of ABC’s former long-running hit show ‘Castle,’ is not just a serious television star, but a known, familiar commodity to the network’s audience.
Appeared in the December 31, 2018, print edition as 'An Under-the-Radar Success for ABC’s Go-To Guy Why It’s Working.'
