Detroit 187 canceled

**HKYTWN** · May-13-11, 04:29 PM

http://www.freep.com/article/2011051...|img|FRONTPAGE

we all knew the writting was on the wall ..still a sad day

lilpup · May-13-11, 04:36 PM

Detroit's horrid PR strikes again. If the show didn't have "Detroit" in its name it probably would have had more viewers.

DetroitPole · May-13-11, 04:49 PM

I doubt it was Detroit. The ratings steadily declined. I watched several episodes, but the show was pretty unwatchable, even from someone who lives in Detroit. The characters were flat and the writing was weak.

**downtown_racine** · May-13-11, 04:51 PM

Tough market lots of better shows on pay tv cable stations. I liked Mike Imperioli on The Sopranos but he didnt seem that great in 187 tho I only watched about 2 episodes.

Chicago Code sucked as well and also got canceled, I liked Law and Order but havent watched since Lenny Briscoe left the show...

**Django** · May-13-11, 05:47 PM

I thought 187 got much better as the season went on. At the end I was glued.

Im enjoying Justified, a guilty gunslinging pleasure, a kind of Dukes of Hazzard on meth. Southland isnt bad and I believe Breaking Bad is up for another season. None of them have that believability like The Wire did though.

**Gistok** · May-13-11, 06:08 PM

Too bad about 187...

Anybody else here a CASTLE fan?

I've never been a big police show fan... but Castle is pretty good...

**Maof** · May-13-11, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by Django

I thought 187 got much better as the season went on. At the end I was glued..

i agree D. kinda pissed they left us in the lurch.

**Homer** · May-13-11, 06:37 PM

Two thumbs up for JUSTIFIED. Hillbilly Mafia at it's best..............

**Meddle** · May-13-11, 06:45 PM

Wasn't this reported months ago?

**iheartthed** · May-13-11, 07:01 PM

I had made my peace with the probability that the show wouldn't be renewed after the season [[now series) finale. But it still sucks. It probably never had much of a chance considering the network. ABC has quite a few freshman dramas that were either in limbo or outright canceled this season.

**stasu1213** · May-13-11, 07:09 PM

As much as I had loved the show I would have to look at it from the perspective of viewers who don't live in Detroit or Michigan to be exact. The show was sappy at the beginning. It had started picking up it's pace during mid season but from the outside the show was dry and missing something. I am wondering if viewers from Detroit thought the show was good because we were hoping or suffering from cognitive dissedence, if that was spelled correctly

**jcole** · May-13-11, 07:18 PM

Because you asked; dissonance.

**Motor City Sam** · May-13-11, 08:03 PM

Sorry to see it go. I am a huge fan of the show. I had a feeling it was going to be cancelled when ABC kept pre-empting it for stuff like a Charlie Sheen interview. And they did very little promoting for the show after the winter break. ABC showed several commercials for the new show in that spot during an NBA telecast this past Sunday. I would have loved to see D-187 get that kind of promotion. Heck, they hardly promoted the season finale and covertly switched it to a different night.

It wasn't just Detroiters who liked the show. I have friends in Boston, New Jersey, and Seatter who were fans.

**rjk** · May-13-11, 08:32 PM

I really wanted to like this show, but couldn't make it past the 6th week.
I thought there were too many uninteresting/boring characters. Outside of Imperioli and the older black cop I had a hard time finding the rest of the cast believable in their roles.

After the initial ratings that were described as being so-so started to sink even further you could have probably stuck a fork in 187 by the 4th week. That's probably why they didn't promote it that much. Why promote a show that didn't have ratings anywhere near the number it needed to come back for a second season?

**Jason** · May-13-11, 10:57 PM

I guess I appreciate that the show existed [[being set in Detroit and all that), but I didn't like having such a poorly done show associated so much with Detroit.

I only watched a few episodes and I only managed that because it was set in Detroit. It was neat to see what they would do at first and it was fun picking out the filming locations, but the show itself was sub par. People said it got better as it went along but I don't think it could have improved as much as it needed to.

**BrushStart** · May-13-11, 11:23 PM

I don't know if the show's cancellation was purely the result of its ratings and performance, as the cancellation announcement occurred on the same day that Michigan's film tax credits were eliminated by the passage of Snyder's tax plan. I'm not for or against the film tax credits, but I am suggesting that their elimination might have pushed Detroit 1-8-7's chance for renewal over the edge.

**professorscott** · May-14-11, 12:09 AM

Originally Posted by BrushStart

I don't know if the show's cancellation was purely the result of its ratings and performance, as the cancellation announcement occurred on the same day that Michigan's film tax credits were eliminated by the passage of Snyder's tax plan. I'm not for or against the film tax credits, but I am suggesting that their elimination might have pushed Detroit 1-8-7's chance for renewal over the edge.

Absolutely true. By the way I wish people would stop using the false term "tax credit"; even though that's what the state called it, that's not what it was. Calling a pig a horse does not make the pig a horse.

The fact is, the taxpayers of Michigan were paying out - in cash, paying out, like you do at the grocery store - anywhere from 25% to 35% of any production cost of a film or a show like D187. Now, given that fact, and that the show was on the bad side of the bubble to start with, cancelling the bribe was absolutely what pushed it the rest of the way off the cliff.

You can object to the word "bribe" but only on the basis of illegality; the word "bribe" connotes an illegal act. The Michigan "tax credit" is a legal bribe, but a bribe nonetheless.

Try this if you don't believe me: we don't have very many Vietnamese restaurants in Michigan. In fact I can't think of any. Now, go to the Vietnamese community and say, anyone who wants to open a Vietnamese restaurant, I won't charge you any tax at all and I'll pay you 25% of your ongoing costs, because it will just be super cool to have Vietnamese restaurants in Michigan, plus of course it will create jobs etc. Within a very short time Michigan would be flooded with Vietnamese restaurants. Or, change the subject of this paragraph, shoe factories or retro-themed nightclubs or any other business where you think that it's a good idea to have the taxpayers pay the businesses to operate in our state. Very few businesspeople are over the ethical line to the point of refusing a statutorily authorized kickback. Now, does that make it good public policy? Hmm.

**Wingnatic** · May-14-11, 05:30 AM

It was obviously ratings related and probably would have been cancelled anyways regardless of a tax incentive .
ABC cancels 'Brothers & Sisters,' 'Mr. Sunshine'
May 13, 2011, 5:58 PM EST

ABC has decided to cancel "V," "Brothers & Sisters" and rookie series "No Ordinary Family," "Off the Map," "Detroit 1-8-7" and "Mr. Sunshine."
The announcement came just after Deadline reported that the network was attempting to bring back "Brothers & Sisters" for a sixth and final season.

ABC also announced it is picking up drama pilots "Good Christian Belles," "Pan Am," "Charlie's Angels," "Once Upon a Time," "Revenge," "Scandal" and "The River" to series. Comedies "Apt. 23" and Tim Allen's "Last Man Standing" were also picked up.
Update: ABC just announced freshman comedy "Better With You" has also been canceled. "Happy Endings" was renewed for a second season.
source:
http://tv.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=647174

**downtown_racine** · May-14-11, 05:58 AM

Originally Posted by professorscott

Absolutely true. By the way I wish people would stop using the false term "tax credit"; even though that's what the state called it, that's not what it was. Calling a pig a horse does not make the pig a horse.

The fact is, the taxpayers of Michigan were paying out - in cash, paying out, like you do at the grocery store - anywhere from 25% to 35% of any production cost of a film or a show like D187. Now, given that fact, and that the show was on the bad side of the bubble to start with, cancelling the bribe was absolutely what pushed it the rest of the way off the cliff.

You can object to the word "bribe" but only on the basis of illegality; the word "bribe" connotes an illegal act. The Michigan "tax credit" is a legal bribe, but a bribe nonetheless.

Try this if you don't believe me: we don't have very many Vietnamese restaurants in Michigan. In fact I can't think of any. Now, go to the Vietnamese community and say, anyone who wants to open a Vietnamese restaurant, I won't charge you any tax at all and I'll pay you 25% of your ongoing costs, because it will just be super cool to have Vietnamese restaurants in Michigan, plus of course it will create jobs etc. Within a very short time Michigan would be flooded with Vietnamese restaurants. Or, change the subject of this paragraph, shoe factories or retro-themed nightclubs or any other business where you think that it's a good idea to have the taxpayers pay the businesses to operate in our state. Very few businesspeople are over the ethical line to the point of refusing a statutorily authorized kickback. Now, does that make it good public policy? Hmm.

What a disturbing waste of tax monies.

**middetres** · May-14-11, 07:35 AM

Vietnamese restaurants in Metro Detroit:

Da Nang- Clawson
Thuy Trang- Madison Heights
Que Huong- Madison Heights
Pho Hang-Madison Heights
Thang Long- Madison Heights
Little Saigon- Madison Heights

As you can see, Madison Heights enacted those tax credits already...and it seems to be working

**R8RBOB** · May-14-11, 08:17 AM

I like D187 but I knew it was a goner when ABC stuck it to Tuesday night at 10PM. First off, ABC was at a huge disadvantage with the CBS lineup. [[NCIS, NCIS:LA and the Good Wife) It's no surprise that they cancelled all three shows on that night [[NOF, V, D187) but they didn't give their shows a chance to survive. They could have tried to move the shows to another night but that was not in the cards. Well, at least I can watch more of the Good Wife next season.

**DJ Tom T** · May-14-11, 10:22 AM

The writing really stunk at the beginning. That probably did more to kill the show than anything else. It DEFINITELY got better as it went along, the last few episodes were pretty good.

The tax credit might have kept this show going for another year, maybe then it would've found its legs.

But...you never get a second chance to make a first impression. On to the next...

**Danny** · May-14-11, 01:06 PM

YAY! Good riddance to that Detroit bashing show! Anyone who makes movies or a TV show about Detroit, make it positive.

WORD FROM THE STREET PROPHET!

As the show 2 and a Half Men goes on without Charlie Sheen.

Neda, I miss you so.

**iheartthed** · May-14-11, 01:13 PM

Originally Posted by professorscott

Absolutely true. By the way I wish people would stop using the false term "tax credit"; even though that's what the state called it, that's not what it was. Calling a pig a horse does not make the pig a horse.

The fact is, the taxpayers of Michigan were paying out - in cash, paying out, like you do at the grocery store - anywhere from 25% to 35% of any production cost of a film or a show like D187. Now, given that fact, and that the show was on the bad side of the bubble to start with, cancelling the bribe was absolutely what pushed it the rest of the way off the cliff.

You can object to the word "bribe" but only on the basis of illegality; the word "bribe" connotes an illegal act. The Michigan "tax credit" is a legal bribe, but a bribe nonetheless.

Try this if you don't believe me: we don't have very many Vietnamese restaurants in Michigan. In fact I can't think of any. Now, go to the Vietnamese community and say, anyone who wants to open a Vietnamese restaurant, I won't charge you any tax at all and I'll pay you 25% of your ongoing costs, because it will just be super cool to have Vietnamese restaurants in Michigan, plus of course it will create jobs etc. Within a very short time Michigan would be flooded with Vietnamese restaurants. Or, change the subject of this paragraph, shoe factories or retro-themed nightclubs or any other business where you think that it's a good idea to have the taxpayers pay the businesses to operate in our state. Very few businesspeople are over the ethical line to the point of refusing a statutorily authorized kickback. Now, does that make it good public policy? Hmm.

If what you say is true then it was a subsidy, not a bribe. A bribe is a coercion to get someone or some entity to perform an act that is otherwise not in their interest.

That said, as far as effectiveness goes, I think the film incentives program was worth its weight in gold. We can debate about whether the government should be in the business of offering subsidies to private business, but subsidies isn't something new or unique to government at any level. [[Check out the debate that the Democrats just started in Washington about pulling back some of the oil company subsidies.) But the amount of exposure that this program brought Detroit and Michigan is priceless. Far more effective and far reaching than the Pure Michigan campaign, IMO.

I was just reading about how Oprah's show has preempted the NBA playoffs schedule because she has the United Center reserved for two days this week. What would Chicago be today without Oprah? To say nothing of the other talk shows based there throughout the 90s that brought tons of tourists and media exposure to the city. Michigan needs to think about that while they consider the future of what's left of this incentives program.

**illwill** · May-14-11, 01:50 PM

I didn't like the show but i don't think because Detroit was in the title mattered. If the show was interesting and different it would have succeeded.

It seems as though every TV sitcom these days is based in Chicago or New York. I think it's only a matter of time before Detroit gets another opportunity. But it must be quality television. Like Home improvement.