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NBC Shifts ‘Kings’ From Sunday to Saturday

Apr 7, 2009  •  Post A Comment

“Kings” is dead … on Sunday nights. Long live the “Kings” … on Saturdays.
NBC has decided to pull its much-hyped new drama from its current 8 p.m. Sunday slot, effective immediately, a network insider said. “Dateline” will expand to two hours and fill the 7-9 timeslot for now.
The network will allow the small cadre of “Kings” fans a chance to watch the show’s remaining episodes, however. Starting April 18, NBC will shift “Kings” to network TV’s super death slot, 8 p.m. Saturday.
“Kings” had been slated to air Thursdays at 10 p.m., but new NBC Entertainment President Angela Bromstad nixed that plan within days of taking power. She banished “Kings” to the much more difficult 8 p.m. Sunday slot, where, following a weak premiere, it has continued to perform poorly.
The show’s most recent episode averaged a 1.1 rating in adults 18-49.
Ms. Bromstad moved “Kings” in order to give another new NBC show—the John Wells drama “Southland”—a better shot. It premieres in the 10 p.m. Thursday slot this week.

106 Comments

  1. That’s a shame!!!
    Kings is one of the most innovative smart drama to air on US networks since decades.
    But NBC, with all their smart all-knowing executives (see what they did to Heroes, Life, Lipstick Jungle), managed to screw this show big time.
    I wonder what’s next??? Move Saturday Night Live to Friday??????

  2. We would not have had the long running M.A.S.H. or the X-Files — to name a few — if the first season ratings had been used to determine whether they would continue or not. Some series take time to establish their foothold in the habits of TV viewers. Not every great series is an instant hit. Why do the execs expect that?

  3. We’re talking about television executives here. Not the brightest lot on the planet. 🙁

  4. Andrew is correct. They would rather we watch idiotic “reality” shows that show only the reality of stupid, selfish people. They never gave Kings a fair shot. How “HBO-Deadwood death” of them… Save money. Merge HBO and NBC then cancel both companies!

  5. Terrible, terrible shame. I finally found a show that is worth my time to watch and decide I am going to follow it, and they begin the process of axing it after a few episodes. I hate TV, kill your tv.

  6. I thought this show was beginning to weave a fabric that just might have some magic in it. Yes, it still needed some work, but it was coming together. Poor form!

  7. Typical of the network “old boy” system. John Wells wants a primo time slot and the NBC exec’s obliged, Result, hello Southland Thursday night, Good-bye Kings Sunday (no Saturday’s) hinterlands!

  8. I preparing to download what has become the only television show we care to watch in my household and was confronted with this news. Way to go NBC….please continue to give me reasons to discontinue all live broadcasts and move to a pre-recorded digital format only.
    What is really frightening is the fact that the change is reflective of the average American consumers needs and wants!!!
    jh

  9. Weak, weak, weak. Thank God for TIVO! Bad ratings? Ask FOX what happened when they pulled Family Guy…..back on after the DVD sales went through the roof.

  10. I think that we should show the big executives who
    is realy in charg and boycot NBC prime time all together and demand Kings be put back on.

  11. A few sports and Kings was the only thing I ever watched on NBC. If you decide you don’t like the show, try selling it to Fox. Now there is a network I can watch. BTW, you should be willing to sell it cheap, because you don’t seem to think it has much of a future.

  12. When I first watched Kings I thought, “finally something different.” Not another cop show, there are almost 25 cop shows on air.
    I like the fact that it’s based somewhat on the story of King David from the bible. The modern take is brilliant. I see Kings as something I could watch for many years and I don’t watch that much TV.
    Bad form NBC! Who the hell is giving you your information?

  13. Is this a joke?? This was a really good show.

  14. You know in a time where cop show amd doctor show sequels and prequels and copy cat reality shows are the main stay of today’s TV (mostly due to a major lack of creativity) – an original show like Kings comes along and the tv execs say “Duh…this not like doctor, or cop show… me no like…..let us put on cop show instead..duh…” dribble dribble..

  15. I recently watched all the episodes on hulu and have enjoyed the show quite a bit and I agree that networks should give shows more than a few weeks to prove themselves.
    Then again, according to the ratings, less and less people are watching this show week after week.
    Kind of hard to blame NBC for this decision.

  16. Finally we are given an intelligent, engaging and well-performed program instead of more mindless pabulum and … ah well, stuff happens. Has the average IQ in this country fallen that far? Or is that the fate of the network leadership? Sad. Very sad.

  17. Crazy! Kings replaced my Sorpanos crave! The hell with Southland, and it’s continuious bleeps…Annoying! That show should be on HBO…BRING BACK KINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  18. I was wondering what happened to my new favorite show! So I guess I have some catching up to do. Bring back Kings to Sunday nights!!!

  19. Typical of the left wing super elegant liberal power called NBC to pull yet another show that just doesn’t improve their ill sighted ratings. If it wasn’t for Heroes, ratings would be see a minimum 13% drop. Well maybe they will release a dvd set like was promised with Surface. However, the powerhouse donkey doesn’t even have enough consideration of there viewers to let go of the series. NBC will simply lock it away in a vault so that no eyes may view. Shame on you NBC. The worm shall at very last turn……in due time. Enjoy the economic train wreck and the fall of a once strong determined society to all.

  20. I am so bummed!! That show is amazing. It is a little different then the typical “drama” cop stories, and medical shows. I hope it makes a comeback and maybe a better nework can pick it up and give it a good time slot.
    NBC… paaaa leazzzzzze.

  21. How disappointing that once again TV execs don’t understand that not everyone likes stupid, mindless reality shows. In fact, they are damaging to our society.
    Television is such a wonderful medium for teaching, why are’nt we taking advantage of that fact with something that could be intertaing and educational?
    Iris

  22. I just got around to watching my TIVOed KINGS and LOVED IT only to hear it’s banished. This was the best show on TV – Southland doesn’t compare to this intense, well acted drama. I’m a HERO fans and this is much better than HEROS. Bring it back on the air!

  23. I don’t really watch tv that much but my wife and I found the show Kings very very entertaining.What a joke for this executive to make such changes now in the begining stages.

  24. NBC Execs don’t deserve a show as smart as “Kings.” It is the smartest show on network & deserves a chance. Southland is hardly a worthy replacement for the timeslot, & though not bad, looks like scripted “Cops” with the ridiculous “bleeping” of the “F-word” every few minutes. It’s too bad the FCC can’t be put in its place instead of being allowed to dumb-down audiences. Shows after a certain hour shouldn’t be censored. Let parents control the remote, not the FCC. When the Mark Twain award is given to George Carlin & “The 7 words” is censored on PBS (in the actual audience) its time to tell the Gov’t to stop treating us like children (who use those words anyway). Perhaps move “Kings” to HBO where it might stand a chance!!!

  25. We have had lots of good shows that has been
    removed because of ratings. When I saw the first episode of Kings I was so excited!! But then I thought to myself how long will this last? It was not too long before they removed it.Remember Cain the same thing. I wish there was another way. I am begining to believe they do not want to pay the great actors what they deserve. It seems like great TV shows are begining to be extinct.
    Please bring it back. When they moved from Sunday to Saturday you know they are getting rid of it.
    Shame on you):

  26. Finally, something interesting and David is so cute and they take it off! It was great and we looked forward to watching it. It was refreshing and at least not another reality show. Bad decision ABC.
    Listen to the people, not your new leader.

  27. WE ALSO LIKED CAIN AND THEY TOOK THAT OFF TOO. WE CAN’T JUST WATCH REALITY TV.

  28. even TIME magazine gave good ratings for this show. ARE U KIDDING NBC??? first chopping block now kings! the last thing we need is another generic cop show like southland!
    NBC u suck..thank god you have heroes otherwise 24 would kick ur butt

  29. I really liked KINGS. It is hard to beat Ian McShane when he gets into character as any fan of deadwood will tell you. I feel it was not promoted properly. Maybe a little behind the story info would of help get a feeling of where it might be headed

  30. Are these television excutives fresh out of college? I can picture them now, deciding what “we” want to watch, as they are handing out their dollar bills to some girl that will be on their next reality show. Aren’t I excited.

  31. Finally a show worth watching. Every time a series airs that you have to think in it goes down the tubes. If I like a show it seems to be the kiss of death.

  32. I am very hesitant about adding any NBC shows to my DVR… they rarely stick with a good show long enough for it to catch on… they’ve been pissing off viewers so long that it will be a long time before enough people come back in order to make a good show higher rated. Just look how they “blew it” lately with shows like Las Vegas, Moonlight, My Own Worst Enemy… I should have known better than to get into Kings, but I am a big fan of Ian McShane. The best thing that could happen to NBC’s good shows is for them to go to another network!!!

  33. In Chicago, when I check the cable guide Kings is not even on Saturdays, instead it shows Law&Order. OH MY GOSH could we BE anymore saturated with cop shows! Then I found Kings on cable (Comcast) showing previous episodes and their charging $1 to watch.

  34. We love Kings! We have been looking for it on Sundays the last few weeks and didn’t even know it was switched to Saturdays! I just looked it up online to find out what happened. One would think there would be some hype of the switch. And we do watch NBC all of the time!

  35. There are few TV shows I like anymore…Kings was one. Kings was not only entertaining it made you think. Guess it is good the TV Networks are choosing rotten shows and not keeping the good ones. Pushing me to start buying books and reading again!

  36. It’s even worse than the move to Sat. as the above commentators wrote.
    NBC NEVER ONCE showed KINGS on Saturday night, although TVGuide faithfully listed it.
    And here I thought Jay Leno was unfair sometimes to NBC.
    I’d love to find it elsewhere. That HBO did not renew Deadwood after two (?) seasons, also featuring Ian McShane, shows they are not too smart either. Or we’re not.
    I will continue to hope that LIFE’s last episode was just the season’s finish. The writers’ strike interfered with that, I think, even more than NBC. On verra.
    That speechifying cop show is a disgrace to anyone who appreciates good writing.
    Kathleen
    Gloucester, MASS

  37. I haven’t even remembered the name of the show they’re pushing now. What was that woman thinking? (at NBC)
    And, I hope I’m wrong, but SVU is not as good as it used to be either, and it isn’t the actors’ fault. When a writer is so ignorant as to designate French as a Haitian kid’s “native tongue,” (even USA’s Criminal Intent knew enough not only to have Kreyol spoken, but provided dialogue in that language for the female cop to speak. Mezanmi!!!

  38. When will these network executives learn that when you start a show, you need to leave it on for a while, so it can marinate so to speak, so viewership and the store can build? If they would just leave it alone, people can find it and it can become a habit to watch that show at the same time and day of the week. Jumping a show around without telling [potential] viewers is just asking for it to fail. Just because the exec doesn’t like it, doesn’t mean we don’t too.
    I want to watch “Kings” but NBC is making it difficult. It’s nice to have the change to watch a show that is a murder/detective show or a reality show.
    Bring “Kings” back and stop jumping it around.
    Thank you.

  39. BRING KINGS BACK – WE LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!
    NO WONDER NBC IS FALTERING. THEY TAKE OFF ALL THE GOOD SHOWS. BRING BACK KINGS!!!!!
    LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE FOR ONCE!!

  40. THIS SHOW NEEDS MOR ADVERTISEMENT,THEN MAYBE IT WILL IMPROVE ON ITS RATINGS. I JUST DON’T THINK YOU ALL HAVE GIVEN IT A CHANCE. WE’RE ALREADY IN THE END TIMES AND THIS WOULD BE GREAT FOR THOSE WHO DON’T READ THE BIBLE TO DEVELOP AN INTEREST IN THE BIBLE BY WATCHING THIS SHOW! PLEASE DON’T TAKE IT OFF THE AIR!

  41. NBC’s executives have mutated from some form of inbred alien spices. Like politicians they live in gated communities and tolerate the ignorant sub-spices,(aka rank-and-file Americans) and consider the average working class as no more than a revenue source. With their tainted so called “rating poles” from their “ivory tower” colleagues they have convinced themselves that they are in touch with the pulse of average working class Americas. What planet do these idiots come from – Washington DC?

  42. this is exactly why I watch cable, stupid stupid networks

  43. Alright NBC corporate money hounds, You pulled our reason to watch an artfully written series and although we know our opinion will fall on deaf ears, permit me to impart a thought; just tell me how to purchase the series on Video. It’s that good.
    Yankin the show the way you did was a total disrespect that we won’t forget. Not everyone is hanging on whose gonna be the next American Idol. Some of us can appreciate a fine work.

  44. i will never witch a show on nbc or the new again.

  45. Network big-wigs don’t know what they have until it’s gone! I can’t believe you idiots canceled such a good show. Imaginative, delightful, artful, strong cast, different plot…obviously too smart a show for the reality-goons. NBC SUCKS…yet another loss likened only to “Jericho.”

  46. Can’t believe that NBC would throw away “Kings”, with its extraordinary cast, writing and values. Please,: a DVD of the whole series, shown or not yet shown. It was the most grown-up program on TV.

  47. How the hell do they expect high ratings when they keep changing not only the time slot but the day of week of airing!! THAT’S SMART!!
    This was a really good show and I tried to keep up with them changing its schedule (recording it obviously wasn’t on my side since by the time I had time to watch it it had been moved like a gazillion times!!…AAGHHH!!

  48. Kings is awesome! NBC should give it another chance….maybe another night and time?
    BJ

  49. Kings is so intellectually original compared to most of what’s on nowadays(hospital dramas, cop dramas, dying rare originals etc). There are scenes where u just want to take a snapshot n frame it. But NBC of course wit lil promos (i wish i had a tee with the butterfly symbol on the shoulder) it tanked. then they gave it lil time b4 switching to sat’s. NBC needs to give it a true shot.

  50. Shame, never watched much NBC besides life and heroes, then I find kings online and watched all episodes in three days to catch up on tv and now read that it’s being canceled?? No wonder I watch more fox.

  51. Please bring kings back for another season. I record every episode on dvr and sometimes watch it twice. I love, love love the show!!!

  52. Who is network television geared for these days? Everytime we find a show that has ANY intellectual appeal or requires you to be sober and/or somewhat educated to follow it, it is cancelled before we know it. The acting was suberb and the storyline was exciting and unexpected. We couldn’t actually believe we found a drama on network TV that offerred so much. As soon as we loved it, we turned to eachother and said “kiss of death” it will be cancelled. It is a real shame that people like us have no say…Hoping that the new network exec might reconsider and perhaps run some additional episodes of KINGS in the Fall/Winter when most people are inside instead of in the middle of summer. Doesn’t that effect the polls??

  53. BRING KINGS BACK!!!!!! MY FAMILY LOVES IT!!

  54. I was a big fan of Kings, That was the best show on that dam network, leave it to cold blooded excutives to come in, and make sweeping changes, without any real thought!!!!! I have to say, I hate NBC!!!!!!!! for taking their best program off the air, after they sent to series to its doom, the time slot was chosen to kill the series, they wanted the show to fail, I think the show was well cast and really well written. the networks need to hire real people to help make these decisions.

  55. My wife and I dont set down much and lock into TV but when we seen the pilot of Kings we were instantly hooked. It was a show different than the typical reality show crap that quite honestly is done. It has ran its course NBC! Great actors and great plot. The story needs to be allowed to finish. BRING BACK KINGS! WE LOVE IT!

  56. My wife and I dont set down much and lock into TV but when we seen the pilot of Kings we were instantly hooked. It was a show different than the typical reality show crap that quite honestly is done. It has ran its course NBC! Great actors and great plot. The story needs to be allowed to finish. BRING BACK KINGS! WE LOVE IT!

  57. OMG…Kings is a real refresher to TV Land!! Even though I’m an avid fan of “Southland”, I still feel Kings should’ve been given more of a chance than it was!! Yet, the networks are constantly smothering us with these stupid, senseless, “Reality Shows”!!! And you wonder why more people are turning to cable??? No one in their right mind wants to watch that “CRAP”!!
    BRING BACK “KINGS”!!!

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  59. Star hi-jinks generally are not news. I would not worry about how mindless rich and famous women could possibly be.

  60. Is the booing of Sarah Palin on last evening of ‘Dancing With the Stars’ inappropriate? If you don’t like Sarah Palin, don’t pick up her publication. Seriously do not end up her Facebook chum. Definitely don’t vote for her but you should have some manners, booing is actually so impolite.

  61. Between me and my husband we’ve owned more MP3 players over the years than I can count, including Sansas, iRivers,

  62. I hate being so judgmental, but Sister spouses is actually freaking weird

  63. Lindsay Lohan seriously isn’t going anywhere that could prevent her from filming in November, so once again, I call BS about this truly serious intensive inpatient rehab rubbish. There is not any way the girl or her mommy will overlook this chance to make $. And as expected she does not detest that scram bracelet a sufficient amount of to quit the jack and coke and sacrifice stuffing sh*t up her foul nose.

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