There’s only so much a TV show can do when one of its main cast members leaves the show. When Topher Grace left “That ’70s Show” to focus on films, his character Eric Foreman fled to Africa to “help the kids.”
When Valerie Harper, best known for “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” was fired from her own show for high salary demands, her on-screen husband had to break it to their three sons that mommy had died in a plane crash. Ouch.
However, when Dr. Erica Hahn checked out of another long shift at Seattle Grace Hospital and got into a car at the end of Thursday night’s episode of “Grey’s Anatomy,” there was little creative warning that this was the last we would see of yet another doctor on the popular drama.
However abrupt the exit, even worse than Dr. Burke’s cold feet at the end of season three, the worst part of Dr. Hahn’s (played by Brooke Smith) departure is the real circumstances behind the scenes. Entertainment Weekly TV reporter Michael Ausiello was the first to report the breaking news earlier this week in anticipation of Smith’s last episode. Ausiello interviewed Smith on exactly what went down on set just as Dr. Hahn’s relationship with another major female character, Callie, had just started growing romantic after almost a season of sexual tension. In the interview, which broke Monday, he implied the possibility that her dismissal was an order from the higher-ups at the show’s home, the ABC network.
In response, Smith said, “You know, I have to tell you, I got that feeling. … That was just my gut.”
Let me just pause for a moment to ask: What year are we in? 2008, right? While there may be some other random secret reason for Smith’s firing, speculation from both diehard “Grey’s” fans and industry insiders has been that ABC got its own case of cold feet concerning the burgeoning Erica and Callie relationship and took action ““ fast. However, cold feet from one of the four major networks is not a good sign for the future of TV.
President-elect Obama may hope to narrow the partisan divide in Washington, but the divide in Hollywood between network and cable is widening constantly. Just this past summer, the drama “Mad Men,” which airs on cable’s AMC, broke records with its 16 Emmy nominations. In addition, cable TV seems to be what indie movies were to falling film stars 10 years ago, as heavy hitters such as Glenn Close, Holly Hunter and Kyra Sedgwick have all found homes on cable channels such as FX and TNT, which were once known only for their constant movie marathons.
Every year when the new fall lineups are announced, ratings fall and people complain about the lack of quality scripted shows present on ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox and the CW. But these are the only five channels that have the hard task of appealing to mass audiences in an increasingly niche-geared industry ““ an industry where commercials are “so two years ago” and TV Guide looks more at home in a museum than on a coffee table.
These networks have to worry about keeping things fresh and leaning to the left without alienating the right. Basically, this was the reason “Will & Grace” only seemed to break new ground for gays and lesbians when in actuality, it took several years before the gay male lead came close to a serious relationship.
In stark comparison to the conservative networks, cable station Bravo made its name on a little show titled “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.”
With the struggles behind the scenes at the not-yet-a-girl, most-definitely-not-a-woman network, the CW, and the diminishing traditional ratings of scripted fare on the other big four, one day networks may seriously be a thing of the past.
It’s times like this when I’m especially thankful for “The Office.”
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If you’re super stoked about Don Draper guest-starring on “30 Rock” this season, e-mail Stanhope at kstanhope@media.ucla.edu.