New Bedford Falls Project: "1/4life"

"quarterlife" is a new innovative "web-only" series produced by The Bedford Falls Company. 36 episodes with 8 minutes runtime each will be available online on MySpace.com and quarterlife.com beginning November 11, 2007.
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Post by EWU MSCL fan » Feb 25th 2006, 4:45 pm

To Brian Krakow,

Welcome to the MSCL forum. I agree with you that ABC should have given 1/4 life a chance given some of the other shows on TV. Who knows if the show would have gotten the ratings it would have needed to stay on TV but it probably would have been worth the hour each week to invest in the different characters.

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Post by Brian Krakow » Feb 26th 2006, 8:20 pm

Thanks, EWU MSCL fan, for the welcome and reply.

It might not get or have gotten stellar ratings that the networks like but it might have (would attract) attracted a very loyal and devoted following, like MSCL, Roswell, Relativity, etc. did and that should count for something and was responsible for Roswell getting 3 seasons and moving to the WB.

So, anybody, is there anything that can still be done for 1/4 Life? Is it over or is there still a chance in light of the recently posted rumour?

And does anyone know about Relativity? I still haven't made it all around the forums here so maybe Relativity is discussed somewhere else.

Thanks for any help, answers, etc. anyone has.
I became yearbook photographer because I liked the idea that I could sort of watch life without having to be part of it. But when you're yearbook photographer, you're, like, never in the picture.

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Post by Daviddln » Feb 27th 2006, 4:15 am

To Sascha (sab)

Thank you for the reply.
I remember there's been a long wait to get MSCL on the air after ABC ordered the pilot. So, is it really impossible to have a similar case with 1/4 Life ? It's just too hard to think we're never going to watch this show. :cry:

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Post by Sascha » Feb 27th 2006, 5:59 am

Daviddln wrote:So, is it really impossible to have a similar case with 1/4 Life ? It's just too hard to think we're never going to watch this show. :cry:
I wouldn't say it's impossible, but it's getting more and more unlikely that it will happen. As blakjay22 wrote, Rachel Blanchard stars in a new comedy pilot for ABC. Zwick & Herskovitz are busy doing movies. And there was absolutely no buzz about the show since May 2005 except for that unconfirmed rumor at TV.com (which is a community-driven website, so anybody can add informations to the site without being fact-checked). "1/4 life" wasn't even up for midseason consideration. Anyway, we'll know for sure around May 15th.
Brian Krakow wrote:And does anyone know about Relativity? I still haven't made it all around the forums here so maybe Relativity is discussed somewhere else.
We have a Relativity thread here. Maybe we get a DVD someday or it will be published on iTunes Video. But so far, no signs of it.

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Post by EricMontreal22 » Mar 1st 2006, 7:14 am

I'd expect to see thirtysomething on DVD (or season 3 of Once and Again) before the sadly forgotten relativity. though it's my least fave of the four Bedford Falls shows I'd love the chance to revisit it and was very sad when it ended

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Post by Brian Krakow » Mar 1st 2006, 12:07 pm

Sascha (sab) wrote: I wouldn't say it's impossible, but it's getting more and more unlikely that it will happen. As blakjay22 wrote, Rachel Blanchard stars in a new comedy pilot for ABC. Zwick & Herskovitz are busy doing movies. And there was absolutely no buzz about the show since May 2005 except for that unconfirmed rumor at TV.com (which is a community-driven website, so anybody can add informations to the site without being fact-checked). "1/4 life" wasn't even up for midseason consideration. Anyway, we'll know for sure around May 15th.
Is there any campaign and/or petition still active that will bombard TPTB at ABC or another network with requests to pick this up and get their attention so they know just how much interest there is in this show since they seem to be so blind to it otherwise? It's worked for other shows. If left to their own devices, I would surely think that they would kill it.
Sascha (sab) wrote:We have a Relativity thread here. Maybe we get a DVD someday or it will be published on iTunes Video. But so far, no signs of it.
Thanks. I'll check it out. What's most frustrating about Relativity is TV Shows on DVD.com shows that the owner of the rights is unknown. When I contacted the creators and admin of that site, they said no additional info has been uncovered about who has the rights to release it. Kinda hard to believe it's completely unknown but that's the buzz. Since I missed most of it, I would definitely like to see it. I remember that it looked good, though.
I became yearbook photographer because I liked the idea that I could sort of watch life without having to be part of it. But when you're yearbook photographer, you're, like, never in the picture.

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Post by Sascha » Mar 1st 2006, 1:54 pm

Brian Krakow wrote:Is there any campaign and/or petition still active that will bombard TPTB at ABC or another network with requests to pick this up and get their attention so they know just how much interest there is in this show since they seem to be so blind to it otherwise?
I don't remember any petition or similar campaigns.
It's worked for other shows.


It did? Do you have an example? I'm not trying to prove you wrong, I'm just curious.

The problem is that noone knows about "1/4life" except for some hard-core fans here on MSCL.com and maybe some other Bedford Falls related fangroups. I doubt a petition would stir up more than a hundred or so signatures. That's not much in times where everyone seems to start petitions about everything.

A SciFi show called "Global Frequency" was in a similar position last year: WB ordered a pilot, it got some good reviews, but the WB didn't order the show to production. Then the pilot episode leaked to the internet and hell broke loose. Suddenly, "Global Frequency" was all over the news (well, at least in industry-related newspapers) and it became a hot topic among bloggers worldwide. I'm sure there were also more than a few petitions and campaigns. But what happened? Nothing. TheWB just confirmed that it had really no intentions of picking up the show.

"1/4life" was an even more interesting case because the project had a penalty attached to it. That means ABC probably had to pay Bedford Falls quite a few bucks after it didn't pick up the show last fall. So I'm sure TPTB at ABC put some serious thought in it before cancelling this project.


Oh, and I have two more nails for our coffin:
Jacob Pitts will play “Ryan” in CBS’s untitled Carol Mendelsohn pilot.
Shiri Appleby has signed on to a new movie titled THE KILLING FLOOR.

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Post by EricMontreal22 » Mar 1st 2006, 7:12 pm

I guess I can still hold out that somehow someone got a hold of the pilot and may leak it sometime (ya not too ethical of me I admit, though with dead pilots no one seems to really care).

Brian K--re relativity. It's owned by ABC and Bedford Falls isn't it? Like MSCL was? (I know thirtysomething is owned by MGM though, and there seems ot be some problem there too with DVDs--since it's really one of the most famous 80s shows, and DVD buzz was rumoured then disappeared). It is odd that not even a network like Lifetime or whatever the US women's network is called picked it up though at any time for reruns, seeing as it seems like it would do very well in that market (as I believe thirtysomethign and more recnetly O&A both have).

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Post by Brian Krakow » Mar 3rd 2006, 11:22 am

Sascha (sab) wrote:I don't remember any petition or similar campaigns.
Bummer, but I guess there wouldn't have been for a show that didn't, technically, exist.
It did? Do you have an example? I'm not trying to prove you wrong, I'm just curious.
Oh, well, I guess I was thinking of shows already on the air and being threatened with cancellation, as opposed to ones not yet on the air, so I don't have an example.
The problem is that noone knows about "1/4life" except for some hard-core fans here on MSCL.com and maybe some other Bedford Falls related fangroups. I doubt a petition would stir up more than a hundred or so signatures. That's not much in times where everyone seems to start petitions about everything.
And Shiri/Roswell fans--which is actually from whom/how I heard about it. Good point. Sad, but probably true. I think this show would have been awesome what with Bedford Falls and Shiri Appleby. It sucks that shows like this don't even get a chance now but ______ (fill in the blank with the latest indescribably bad "reality" dreck) is the next big thing. Interesting about Global Frequency.
"1/4life" was an even more interesting case because the project had a penalty attached to it. That means ABC probably had to pay Bedford Falls quite a few bucks after it didn't pick up the show last fall. So I'm sure TPTB at ABC put some serious thought in it before cancelling this project.
Interesting, and all the more disappointing that ABC just didn't see enough/anything in the show. I wonder why Bedford Falls keeps trying with ABC since they have had only moderate success over the years, IMO. And I wonder why ABC doesn't just take that chance, especially since they have some real ratings, critical and viewer success with LOST, Grey's Anatomy and others--not that it will probably happen at this point. It might have been a real gem with a devoted following and critical acclaim even if not a ratings winner.
Oh, and I have two more nails for our coffin:
Jacob Pitts will play “Ryan” in CBS’s untitled Carol Mendelsohn pilot.
Shiri Appleby has signed on to a new movie titled THE KILLING FLOOR.
Good for them but :( .

Thanks for the info. And sorry about the duplicate post above. I don't know how that happened. You may delete one of them.
I became yearbook photographer because I liked the idea that I could sort of watch life without having to be part of it. But when you're yearbook photographer, you're, like, never in the picture.

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Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Mar 3rd 2006, 4:41 pm

Interesting, and all the more disappointing that ABC just didn't see enough/anything in the show. I wonder why Bedford Falls keeps trying with ABC since they have had only moderate success over the years, IMO.

In the Bedford Falls interview on the MSCL bonus disc, they were asked why they stick with ABC when the network keeps cancelling their shows. They said that ABC gives them creative freedom and doesn't tell them what to do with their characters, storylines, etc or interfere with their creativity.
And I wonder why ABC doesn't just take that chance, especially since they have some real ratings, critical and viewer success with LOST, Grey's Anatomy and others--not that it will probably happen at this point. It might have been a real gem with a devoted following and critical acclaim even if not a ratings winner.
I think ABC's success with Lost, Desperate Housewives, and Grey's Anatomy is WHY they won't take chances on riskier shows. They were in a huge slump for a long time and now that they have these huge hits, their expectations are much higher. They know that they CAN have huge ratings and critical acclaim. If Eyes had aired the previous season, it probably would have been renewed but because it premiered the same season as the aforementioned shows, the ratings looked awful in comparison so ABC dumped it.
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Post by EricMontreal22 » Mar 3rd 2006, 9:04 pm

So true about ABC. Unfortunately they seem to forget that Lost and DH, and to a much lesser degree Grey's were all shows that were seen as big risks. (DH was offered to nearly every network before ABC accepted, including Lifetime). But all of a suddent they seem to have given up on any risks again. While I'm not commenting on the quality of the following shows--it's insane that they brought back Jake in Progress, after it utterlya nd completelybombed last year and then gave the new retooled show all of *one* episode to prove itself. They had a show with a star, Heather Graham, in Emily';s Reasons Why Not and again gave it exactly *one* week to prove itself. They didn't treat the fairly well rated Crumbs much better--I could go on. I wasn't a fan really of any of these shows but it's still an insanely lame way to see if a show will catch on or not.

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Post by Brian Krakow » Mar 9th 2006, 3:03 pm

candygirl wrote:
Interesting, and all the more disappointing that ABC just didn't see enough/anything in the show. I wonder why Bedford Falls keeps trying with ABC since they have had only moderate success over the years, IMO.

In the Bedford Falls interview on the MSCL bonus disc, they were asked why they stick with ABC when the network keeps cancelling their shows. They said that ABC gives them creative freedom and doesn't tell them what to do with their characters, storylines, etc or interfere with their creativity.
I haven't watched that in a while and forgot they said that. BUT, if ABC doesn't give them a chance at all then a fat lot of good being given that kind of creative freedom does them if they never even put the show on the air. Cancelling a show after so many episodes, be it 19 or 3 seasons worth, is one thing but never even signing on to it is a whole other thing entirely.
candygirl wrote:
And I wonder why ABC doesn't just take that chance, especially since they have some real ratings, critical and viewer success with LOST, Grey's Anatomy and others--not that it will probably happen at this point. It might have been a real gem with a devoted following and critical acclaim even if not a ratings winner.
I think ABC's success with Lost, Desperate Housewives, and Grey's Anatomy is WHY they won't take chances on riskier shows. They were in a huge slump for a long time and now that they have these huge hits, their expectations are much higher. They know that they CAN have huge ratings and critical acclaim. If Eyes had aired the previous season, it probably would have been renewed but because it premiered the same season as the aforementioned shows, the ratings looked awful in comparison so ABC dumped it.
But they still sign on to these stupid "reality" shows and some pretty forgettable sit-coms, some of which don't last long so they clearly are taking chances on some really dreadful stuff. There are some new ones starting soon or in recent weeks that really look dumb. Why not give something that's all but destined to be good, and certainly better than a lot of the crap they air, a chance and just see how it goes, especially if it cost them money to pass on it? That just seems incredibly stupid and short-sighted to me, something I think ABC has always been guilty of, especially when it comes to Bedford Falls.
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Post by Brian Krakow » Mar 9th 2006, 3:09 pm

EricMontreal22 wrote:So true about ABC. Unfortunately they seem to forget that Lost and DH, and to a much lesser degree Grey's were all shows that were seen as big risks. (DH was offered to nearly every network before ABC accepted, including Lifetime). But all of a suddent they seem to have given up on any risks again. While I'm not commenting on the quality of the following shows--it's insane that they brought back Jake in Progress, after it utterlya nd completelybombed last year and then gave the new retooled show all of *one* episode to prove itself. They had a show with a star, Heather Graham, in Emily';s Reasons Why Not and again gave it exactly *one* week to prove itself. They didn't treat the fairly well rated Crumbs much better--I could go on. I wasn't a fan really of any of these shows but it's still an insanely lame way to see if a show will catch on or not.

E
Exactly my point, thanks. They could have given 1/4 Life at least that much of a chance--not that that's the best or smartest way to do things, IMO--but to bring back a show which is already dead instead of trying something completely new is just moronic. I thought they would've learned their lesson by now but I guess they've got some pretty thick skulls in the penthouse offices at ABC. Kinda sad, really.
Last edited by Brian Krakow on Mar 10th 2006, 2:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by EricMontreal22 » Mar 9th 2006, 8:28 pm

I agree from a logical point of view completely. But little about pilots and how they're ordered is logical--I think people making pilots take it for granted that there's a 70% chance the show won't even make it to air, sadly. At this point my biggest hope is just that somehow we get to see the pilot (it's true it's frustrating--even reading the script provided here I badly want to knwo waht happens next so knowing--*nothing* happens next is lame, but I'd still love to see it)

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Post by Brian Krakow » Apr 6th 2006, 5:12 pm

Well, I sent email to ABC suggesting they consider picking it up again for next season. Hell, they could even give it a try as a summer offering, but I didn't think to suggest that. They probably won't do either anyway. I wonder, though, if they got enough people to do the same if they would reconsider it. It's surely a long shot at this point anyway with the Bedford Falls folks and actors doing other things. :(
I became yearbook photographer because I liked the idea that I could sort of watch life without having to be part of it. But when you're yearbook photographer, you're, like, never in the picture.

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