David Kelly Whines Some More
David Kelly Whines Some More
Then goes home to be comforted by his wife, Michelle Phifer
Source: CNN.com
Kelley: ABC has ‘killed’ ‘Practice’
Producer furious over schedule move
LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) — Acclaimed TV producer David E. Kelley is furious at ABC for moving his hit legal drama “The Practice” to Monday nights, only to see it crushed in the ratings by Fox reality sensation “Joe Millionaire.”
“The Practice,” which consistently ranked No. 1 in its Sunday night time slot this fall, finished a lowly fourth place in its first airing Monday opposite “Millionaire” on Fox, NBC drama “Third Watch” and the CBS comedies “Everybody Loves Raymond” and “Still Standing.”
“They’ve killed it in one fell swoop,” Kelley told entertainment trade paper Daily Variety Wednesday, adding that he was mystified from the start by ABC’s decision to move the series. “I would hope (ABC) would act in their own self-interest and put it back where it was doing well.”
The pummeling of “The Practice” marks the latest disappointment for Kelley, who sprang to prominence as the executive producer behind such landmark shows as “L.A. Law” and “Picket Fences.” His most recent series, “girls club,” was canceled after two episodes on Fox this fall.
A spokeswoman for Kelley said he was working on a script and was unavailable for comment. But a source close to the show said producers had “heard whispers” that moving “The Practice” to a tougher time period was a ploy to give ABC more leverage in upcoming talks with 20th Century Fox Television on how much ABC would pay to renew the show for another season.
The Walt Disney Co.-owned network dismissed such a notion as “ludicrous.” ABC said in a statement, “It is totally illogical that we would intentionally injure one of our hit shows in order to bring it back at a cheaper price.”
Although a Fox source said there were discussions with ABC about “what they can do,” ABC gave no indication that it was considering returning “The Practice” to Sunday night.
Network officials said they had no idea last month when they announced plans to reschedule “The Practice” that “Joe Millionaire,” featuring a bevy of bachelorettes vying for the affections of a faux riche construction worker, would become such a big hit. That show ends its run in three weeks.
“Unfortunately, ‘The Practice’ had to premiere against a reality buzz-saw,” ABC said. “Let’s see where we are in a few weeks when the time period gets back to normal.”
ABC said last month it was moving its Emmy-winning courtroom hour to Mondays as an anchor for two new dramas premiering that evening — the father-and-son archeological adventure “Veritas: The Quest” and the supernatural thriller “Miracles.” Moving “The Practice” also made room for ABC’s highly anticipated remake of the classic cop show “Dragnet,” which debuts Sunday at 10 p.m.
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