Dollhouse

Kurt Sutter speaking his mind won’t keep Sons of Anarchy from being renewed

FX has not yet announced a renewal for Sons of Anarchy, and at least according to his Twitter feed, show creator and executive producer Kurt Sutter is growing disillusioned by it all.

In his latest blog posts he ponders if speaking his mind is getting him into trouble and whether he should just keep his mouth shut. I’m as certain as I can be that Sons of Anarchy will be renewed. I’m also pretty sure that Sutter will continue to speak his mind. But as much as Sons is my new favorite show, sutterink.blogspot.com is my new favorite blog. Though I don’t think FX would be crazy enough to tell him “stop blogging or we won’t renew your show”, if they do, I hope he gives them the finger.

I can’t see Sons not being picked up for a season three. But hey, I could be wrong. Dollhouse was boldly renewed for a second season, and I definitely got that wrong.

Speaking of Dollhouse, could it be that Sutter is a fan? In Sutter’s latest blog post he recounts an impromptu encounter with a development executive outside of a Starbucks in Burbank who wished him dead. She wasn’t too happy with the post about why most broadcast network scripted dramas suck. I’m sure there was a bit (or more) of writer’s license being employed, but he describes a heated exchange where the executive defends her work:

KS: I’m serious. I want to believe you. You’re probably right. Name something on your schedule that you’re proud of. That’s original. Smart. Great stories.

(She names two shows)

KS: First of all, I agree with you, (show 1) is original and interesting. So why are you pulling it off the air?

DG: It’s not canceled.

KS: Of course it is. It’s been yanked from the schedule and replaced with reruns.

-as always, the full post is a good read

That last line is definitely straight from the TVbytheNumbers playbook. But I got to thinking, what show has been yanked off the schedule and replaced with reruns but not yet officially canceled? Dollhouse, which was yanked from the schedule for November sweeps with its remaining episodes being burned off in December and beyond is the only show coming to mind. The Beautiful Life: TBL was yanked off the schedule and replaced with reruns, but it has been officially canceled, plus I can’t envision a world where Sutter would’ve found it original and interesting.

Dollhouse fits the bill, and I’d agree at least in premise it’s original and interesting. In execution, it hasn’t always been interesting, though at least a few episodes have been. But if it’s Dollhouse, I can answer the question of why they are pulling it off the air: a 0.8 Live+SD adults 18-49 rating.