After reading the comments on my post mourning CBS’ cancellation of Moonlight (pictured), in which some viewers vow to boycott the network, and those on Abby West’s Bones season finale preview and postmortem, in which a handful of fans threaten to abandon the Fox drama after its rushed resolution to the Gormogon case, I’m wondering how often people actually follow through on such promises.
So, tell me: Have you ever boycotted an entire network? Or gone cold turkey on a show because you felt it did you wrong? And how long did you hold out? I’m fascinated.
P.S. While I’m the "obsessed colleague" who wouldn’t stopcomplaining to Abby about Booth’s beer helmet — (a) he had a tub caddythat could’ve held his cans and (b) I know he’s a "dude," but he stillshops at Spencer’s? — I’ll be back.
P.P.S. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Moonlight is still being shopped to cable networks, including TNT. Hmmm. While TNT has Angel repeats in the morning, I’m not sure I see vamps fitting into its primetime lineup. Angelalums on the other hand, yes: I went to the Turner upfronts last week,and saw that J. August Richards (Gunn) has a role in Steven Bochco’supcoming TNT legal drama, Raising the Bar, while Christian Kane (Lindsey) will be seen opposite Timothy Hutton in the net’s Leverage. Of course, TNT already has a double dose of Boreanaz, with Tuesday night Bones repeats.
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I have pretty much boycotted television in general because it has, in my opinion, all turned to mindless sh*t!
I boycotted Sci-Fi after the last episode of Farscape aired. I didn’t watch the channel again until they aired all of the episodes in anticipation of the mini-series. After the mini-series, I went back on boycott until they started airing Doctor Who, which is all that I watch on the channel. All of this boycotting made me miss out on BSG and made me most confused when I’d hear reference to Cylons. I’m actually just now catching up through the DVDs. I’m at the midway point of the second season. While I won’t declare it the best show ever or even the best sci-fi show ever, I do really like it. Not many shows have characters that I both want to push off of buildings and want to frak…or at least have smoochies with, but darned if BSG doesn’t have such a character in Gaius Baltar.
Sorry, Eric Friedmann, your argument is older than dirt. And tired to boot. If you hate TV so much, why are you commenting on this post then? Find something that is actually worth your while to post on–I imaging this sort of thing is a waste of time for you. As for the question posed in the post: no, I’ve never boycotted a network and probably never will. I have stopped watching a show because it turned to crap, though.
I started my boycott of the CW after those fools canceled Veronica Mars…and I am proud to say I have not been back to the CW since! FOOLS!
Okay, the beer helmet was hysterical! HYSTERICAL! As someone who loves baths, I’m with Booth, it is tough to keep drinks cold, and in easy reach. It was his super secret behavior! He normally wouldn’t probably be caught dead in a Spencer’s, but the man loves his baths! No boycott of Bones from this viewer.
As for the boycott question? My boycott of CW is holding strong. I haven’t watched it since they decided to honor the memories of Veronica and Lorelai by replacing it with crap.
When CBS cancelled Joan of Arcadia I didn’t watch the network for a year. It was pretty easy as there wasn’t another show I cared about watching.
The logical side of me knows it’s stupid because it’s not like the network knows or cares that I did it, but emotionally it felt good,
Also, I indeed won’t be watching Bones next season as I have only been a casual viewer since S2 and they screwed over my favorite character for “shock value.”
I used to love The Bachelor, but after every single couple broke up before their season even finished airing, I gave it up cold turkey. Best decision of my life.
I’ve done that a lot, not watching a network because there’s nothing on it. I haven’t watched NBC in years because I stopped watching ER after they killed off Anthony Edwards and nothing really interested me (except Scrubs…but I just forgot about it a lot and never watched it).
Oh, I’ve boycotted them all – most notably ABC after Sports Night – and they usually last a few years. FOX has finally merited its own category – permanently on notice, which means I won’t watch any of their new shows until they’ve been picked up for a second season.
I boycotted UPN after they canceled Star Trek: Enterprise, and I still won’t watch anything on The CW (although I plan on catching up on Smallville someday on DVD).
I also really, really wanted to boycott Fox a number of times for all their stupid cancellations (Futurama, Wonderfalls, Andy Richter Controls the Universe, Arrested Development, etc.), but there are a couple shows I just have to watch. So much for my principles! LOL
Like AngryQuinn I stopped watching CW after they cancelled VMars. I refuse to watch Gossip Girl or anything else they offer up, I don’t care how good people say it is.
After the WB’s cancellation of Angel, I swore I’d never watch the channel again…and I didn’t. My anger passed onto the CW, and I’ve yet to watch any programming there. (So that’s what – 4 years now?)
So when I say I’m not going to watch CBS, I really mean it. Unless the Giant Eye changes their mind on Moonlight, it’s sayanora CBS! And if CW picks Moonlight up, I will happily tune in.
Yes I have !! After what CW did to my all time favorite show ‘Gilmore Girls ‘ til this day I have not gone back to CW. And I will do that to CBS too if they don’t bring back MOONLIGHT!!
I cut “Melrose Place” out of my life after Kristin Davis’s character died and came back to “haunt” Billy complete with boiling and fog-laden swimming pool. I felt that it had become too stupid for me to waste an hour each week on. I only watched one episode after that and it was a viewing party for that season’s finale. All I remember is that someone got buried alive and the final shot was a hand rising out of the dirt. It confirmed that I’d been right to quit the show all along.
I boycott BET and MTV…mainly because they both suck
I stopped watching American Idol when Jennifer Hudson got the boot back in season three (or four?), and I haven’t ever regretted my decision.
Also, I was over Grey’s Anatomy the second Izzie and George got together.
I boycotted the final season of Alias (my favorite show at the time) because of the whole pregnancy and Vaughn being killed thing. That turned out to be its last season so I managed to last although I did watch the finale and it did a great job of wrapping up the series. I keep threatening to boycott NBC should they ever cancel Friday Night Lights and I plan to make good on that promise should they ever cancel it. It won’t be that hard as I don’t really watch anything else on the network anyway (except Heroes, a recent discovery) so I won’t be that saddened by the decision should I ever have to make it!!
I boycotted “Prison Break” last season after they unceremoniously killed off main love interest Dr. Sara Tancredi in a very brutal fashion – i.e. by chopping off her freaking head! However, thanks to fan outrage and decreased ratings, the showrunners finally saw the light and announced that Dr. Sara would return to the show alive and with head in tact. And so, I will now watch “Prison Break” again.
as soon as george and callie got hitched on “grey’s,” i haven’t watched the show since. and it’s the best tv decision i’ve ever made.
I’ve given up the following shows because (to me) they either just ran their course or got too stupid…
Melrose Place (stupid)
The X-Files (ran course)
Will & Grace (stupid)
CSI (ran course)
CSI Miami (David Caruso – ’nuff said)
Smallville (stupid)
I boycotted Grey’s Anatomy after Mer and Der’s most recent breakup; boycotted 90210 after Kelly and Brandon failed to get married.
I also boycotted Prison Break last season and I will watch it again now that Sara is alive. It may seem silly, but what was the point of the show when they took the heart and soul of it away? And I will boycott CBS primetime this season because of Moonlight. Not only did they fail to give it a chance and ignore the ratings/fans, but they are now insulting the fans by saying that we don’t matter at all. Moonlight was a good show with a great cast–it deserved a chance to find its way as other shows have had before it.
I boycotted UPN after they canceled Star Trek: Enterprise, and single-handedly brought down the whole network. I wish.
I don’t think networks know what to make of sci-fi/fantasy shows, or how to market them.
I’m with Laura M and Sam- I stopped watching Prison Break as soon as they killed Sara. I literally did not watch one more episode, and it was easily one of my favorite shows. It was tough but I felt I was proving a point, in my own small way. However, I will totally be there when they bring her back.
I never really watched “Grey’s Anatomy”, but absolutely refused to watch it after Isaiah Washington’s homophobic slurs. Refused to watch “Bionic Woman” at all for the same reason – in fact, have pretty much vowed off anything Isaiah Washington will be involved in, ever.
I am every tv show’s dream. Once I become a fan of a show, I just keep watching, no matter how lame it gets. However, I think I’ve given up on 24. I’ve watched every season, and I’m just over it. This is not a decision I’m set on. I may still watch season 7…after I catch up on season 6 (that I only watched half of). I guess the formula just got a little too familiar, and all of the characters, with the exception of Jack and Chloe, died.
Around the age of 19, I decided I’d had it with programming designed to sell products via commercials or product placement. I was rebelling against corporate greed. (I was young for my age.) For nearly six years I stopped watching TV, I was only vaguely aware of pop culture, unless it involved music or books. Then it was either the Simpsons or Gilmore Girls that got me back. Now, I watch a few times a week, DVR controller in hand, skipping over the ads. I like this technology a lot. Part of the experience was learning that unless you’re part of a massive group that watches or not, individual actions have very little impact on the standard networks. You have to address issues in different ways.
During the first season, I was a big Grey’s Anatomy fan–and then they killed off Denny. And I was out.
When Tyra kicked off a model because “she wasn’t skinny enough to wear runway and not fat enough for plus-sized”. You know, NORMAL SIZED. I swore off the CW and haven’t looked back since. Gossip Girl almost swayed me, but every time I see Miss Tyra’s face I go into seizures and rants. Not good for my karma, man.
I’ve done it before for shows that jumped the shark (Grey’s, Alias, etc.) and for entire networks (ie. FOX – haven’t watched one show on that network since they canceled Firefly).
I’ll have no problem doing it again for CBS. Canceling “Moonlight” was a really stupid decision.
Vampire Solidarity! Rah! Rah! Rah!