CBS chief doesn't question 'Moonlight' choice
While CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler insists she still has great adoration for all things occult, she has yet to feel regret about the decision to leave Moonlight off of the network's fall schedule.
"Everybody knows I love vampires -- vampires, witches, warlocks, I love them all," Tassler tells reporters at Friday (July 18) morning's Television Critics Association press tour.
That love does precious little good for fans of Moonlight, which averaged just under 7.5 million viewers in a single season of Friday night airings. On a purely empirical level, the ratings for Moonlight were insufficient to justify renewal, but nobody has questioned the dedication of the show's fanbase.
What Tassler questions is the nature of that dedication.
"The response to Moonlight was actually more actor-centric, so I think it certainly measures our decision on the show," Tassler says. "Right now, like I said, I don't question the choice we made. I'm not getting as much mail and most of those comments were actor-centric."
What she's implying is that in their teeth-gnashing and garment-rending, protesters came across as fans of Alex O'Loughlin, rather than fans of the show.
She contrasts the tone of the Moonlight discussion with the campaign that resurrected another low-rated CBS drama, a little show called Jericho.
"You know what's interesting? Most of the e-mails and viewer mail on Jericho were very show-centric," Tassler insists. "There was a marked contrast. Look. I went online and I read all those things. Trust me, when you're a Queen Ranger, you have to. But like I said, most of the comments on Jericho were really about the show and every detail about the show, where mostly with Moonlight, it was about Alex."
On the subject of Jericho, Tassler continues, "Let's remember that when those e-mails and that campaign started, we hadn't seen anything like that before. Not to mention the peanuts. But I'm saying that you, you had an internet campaign the likes of which we had never seen before, so we didn't know what the outcome was going to be, but it was certainly worth giving it a try."
Tassler adds that just because one fan campaign brought Jericho back from the dead, but a different campaign failed to do the same for Moonlight doesn't mean that the grass roots avenue is now closed for good.
"No. I think you're gonna have to look at each as a case-by-case scenario," she says. "And let's not forget that all of that, the e-mails, the barrage of the peanuts and the letters and everything, you've got people that are passionate and at no point are you going to say 'We don't want that.'"
If it makes Moonlight fans any better -- and I have zero urge to make them feel worse -- CBS has paid heed to that actor-centric love for O'Loughlin. Asked if the network would welcome the Aussie actor back on a new or established show, Tassler doesn't hesitate.
"Sure, we'd love to."
Follow all of our press tour missives at Zap2it's Fall Preview.
She's right you know. I don't necessarily miss the show, but I definately miss seeing Alex O'Loughlin on a regular basis. I also miss seeing Jason Dohring. I hope they both move on to bigger and better things.
No, I don't agree with T***ler at all. Yes, we love Alex, he's gorgeous, he's talented and by all accounts, seems to be a first rate guy, BUT WE LOVE THIS STORY. Its romance, its humor, its noir undertones. There is really very little o TV right now that comes close to capturing my imagination the way this story has.
Nina T***ler probably sees it this way, but Moonlight worked not only because of Alex and we fans know that. Of course, Alex is the lead and we sing his praises, but if it was only him why did they recast everything and change the tone of the story? The chemistry with the other actors, the sets, the dialogue, the action and the romance is what made Moonlight a hit. T***ler tries to sell cancelling Moonlight and employing Alex into something else, but I aint buying it. I love Moonlight and want that characters and that story back.
I LOVED THE SHOW!!!! I thought the storylines were great and the way they established the history of the characters and everything just flowed. I was really looking forward to see the challenges they would face. I will miss Moonlight!
I disagree with Nina T***ler. I watched Moonlight for the entire package - not just Alex O'Loughlin. The entire cast had such great chemistry together. That is very hard to find in a show and Moonlight was the first show in a very long time that had that. I am no longer watching CBS because of the disdainful attitude of Nina T***ler towards the p***ionate fans of Moonlight. I will follow the cast's careers and watch them on dvd in the future, rather than television. I have no desire to be treated like garbage by CBS ever again.
I can't even believe she had the nerve to call herself a Queen Ranger. It's amazing how much that woman can annoy me. If she's not careful, she's going to fall to the level of how I feel about Dawn at the CW.
The show worked not just because of Alex but the chemistry all the actors had together. The writers were great the story line captured brought you in and the actors kept you coming back for more. I think CBS made poor decision making when they canceled Moonlight yeah what does 8 million fans know anyway..
She's completely wrong. I think through all of this, she's had a rather disdainful attitude towards the fans of Moonlight. I love that show, plain and simple. It was a solid story line. And believe me, a vampire P.I? It could've been really trite.
She sucks and CBS sucks and I'd really really LOVE to see their network falter. They usually pick the suckiest shows any how.
This woman has changed her reasons for cancelling Moonlight so many times, I think she should run for President.
People didn't fly halfway across the world to celebrate Alex O'Loughlin at the Moonlight Convention in May. We went to celebrate MOONLIGHT...THE SHOW. The entire show, the writers, actors, producers, lighting technicians, set directors, etc. EVERYONE involved in Moonlight is important to us.
Thanks for lying, Nina. I'll never watch CBS again and I've been holding to that since May 16th and I miss Craig Ferguson BAD.
Nina, Nina, Nina, I just spoke to 4000 of my fellow Moonlight fans and they all said they wrote you about how much they loved the show. They found the entire cast chemistry great as well as the writing, storyline, sets, and lighting. You must have missed those letters.