8 Shows That Would Have Been Better Off Without Peak TV
By Tim Surette Feb 22, 2016
There is so much TV out there currently that I haven't even finished Mob Doctor! But that's not the only show that has felt the burn of so-called "Peak TV," the argument that basically boils down to the idea that there's too much television out there to watch and that networks and streaming sites everywhere are pressing original programming so hard that it's only a matter of time until we're watching a period drama on Overstock.com.
But Peak TV is eating its own tail in that it's changed the conversations we have about television and is responsible for the oxymoron that we demand better quality television and then don't watch it when it comes out. Below I've compiled eight recent shows that would have done a lot better if it weren't for the Peak TV phenomenon (despite the fact that many of them wouldn't exist without it). Let's give these series a hug.
American Crime
The Drama That's Just Here for the Awards
If John Ridley's anthology series tackling race and socioeconomic issues and how they relate to crime was on in 2004, it would be all anyone talked about (well, that and the Jack-Kate-Sawyer love triangle). But in this day and age? American Crime is last in its time slot, losing to procedurals Code Black and Chicago P.D., and registering a sub-1.0 rating in overnights. Just over 3 million viewers tuned in to watch last week's spellbinding episode, one of the best hours of television in 2016. But ABC is keeping it around because the powerhouse acting is awards bait come Emmy time, especially since it qualifies as a miniseries. We'll take it.
How it got Peak TV'd: It's miring (albeit in excellence) in last place on Wednesday nights, when it should be getting a lot more attention.
Manhattan
The Sacrificial Network Launcher
With Peak TV, there is not only an abundance of TV shows out there, there's an abundance of places to watch them. New networks are diving headfirst into an empty pool to get original programming off the ground, and their first instinct is to go for a series that will get raves from critics and bring in some trophies. Though Salem was WGN America's first scripted series in its foray to becoming a proper network, Manhattan was its first real series to put the network on the proverbial map. It was an amazing show and a Top 10 candidate, but no one watched it (the explosive Season 2 finale was watched by 200,000 viewers in overnight ratings). Fledgling network growing pains can be tough on shows that are part of the launch, but they're instrumental in paving the way for others. Manhattan was that show.
How it got Peak TV'd: Canceled after two seasons, despite being beloved by critics. On the other hand, without Peak TV, Manhattan would likely never have been made.
The b*stard Executioner
The Shoo-in Showrunner Follow-up That Swung and Missed
A follow-up series from the person who helped build a network with a popular long-running hit on the same network should be a slam dunk home run goal, but Kurt Sutter was burned by Peak TV with The b*stard Executioner. Sutter's previous series, Sons of Anarchy, broke viewership records for FX, so it was a no-brainer that FX would hand him another show, but Sutter's Anarchy success was built before Peak TV. TBX thudded out of the gate with critics and viewers, as if Peak TV passed Sutter without anyone knowing it.
How it got Peak TV'd: Canceled quietly by Sutter himself after one very disappointing season that left the TV world's consciousness feeling out of date.
Halt and Catch Fire
The Promising Drama That Rebounded Too Late
Look, I'm gonna say it again. "With so many options out there," the window for shows to tap the vein of TV addicts is narrowing with every show that piles up on the DVR. AMC's computer-pioneering drama Halt and Catch Fire showed promise in its first season but left a lot to be desired, and it wasn't until late in the first season and a miraculous second season that the show came into its own and found its groove. But the renaissance came too late, ratings had already toppled over, and only the show's die-hard fans stuck around to try and convince everyone else that it became the great show we always thought it would be. Yes, it's coming back for a third season, but by all accounts it shouldn't be.
How it got Peak TV'd: It got good—really good—but hardly anyone noticed. I'd guess theupcoming third season will be its last, and AMC will question why it renewed it all year long.
Hannibal
The Wrong Place, Wrong Time Cult Favorite
Though Bryan Fuller's bold adaptationpushedbroke the boundaries for what's acceptable for network television, imagine if Hannibal was on a cable network. It would, I'd guess, at least get the same ratings on someplace like FX as it did on NBC (which sunk to below 1 million viewers in its third season), and be declared a success thanks to the less lofty goals of basic cable. But it ended up on NBC because the network was chasing edgier television to stay current with the hip kids (and it stuck around partly due to a sweet production cost sharing deal with international studio Gaumont).
How it got Peak TV'd: It was an experiment for a broadcast network to keep pace with basic cable, and it failed.
Masters of Sex
The Victim of "What Have You Done for Me Lately?"
In its first two seasons, Masters of Sex was bandied around as possibly being TV's best drama, but some missteps in Season 3 dismantled all the praise and soon the show everyone wanted to talk about became a show everyone wanted to distance themselves from. If it weren't for Peak TV, more people would have the patience to watch the series fix itself. But now it's like SMELL YOU LATER.
How it got Peak TV'd: There's no time for error these days, and Masters of Sex made some big ones.
Scream Queens
The Heavily DVR'd Show That Loses Out on the Conversation
Sure, Scream Queens is coming back for a second season thanks to its hearty Live+ whatever numbers as millennials have a glut of entertainment options out there. But Scream Queens' inability to attract an audience that watches it the day it airs is particularly hurtful for the series. Scream Queens relies heavily on the mystery identity of its killer and the weekly deaths of its main characters, and people can't "ooh" and "ahh" together when they're watching it all at different times. Instead, spoilerphobes opt to not talk about it at all, thus crushing any snowball momentum and word-of-mouth that the series should rely on. This show needs its FOMO.
How it got Peak TV'd: It's an event-style program that people aren't watching together, thus killing any momentum it could have. And boy does it need the momentum!
Billions
The Success That No One Wants to Talk About
Not all victims of Peak TV are struggling with poor ratings. Showtime's Billions saw its numbers increase over its first three episodes, with a particularly substantial jump from Episode 2 to Episode 3 (though numbers have dipped since it aired on Super Bowl Sunday). So why is it on the list? No one is talking about it. Despite having a pair of acting giants in Paul Giamatti and Damian Lewis at its center (plus a great turn from Maggie Siff) and subject matter that's very appropriate for today (out-of-control Wall Street monsters), critics already seem tired of it and it's quickly gaining a reputation as the show that nobody you know watches. Because... (say it with me) "too many options." TV successes are measured on two fronts: how many people watch it, and how many people talk about it. Billions hasn't struck it rich in the cultural department.
How it got Peak TV'd: Despite being touted as Showtime's next big thing, is anyone having that "OMG did you see what happened on Billions last night?" chat?
What TV shows do you think have become victims of Peak TV?
