Drive Bye...

There have been so many things happening this week in the world of TV -

Stephanie has been named the new Apprentice, Rosie's leaving The View, the Idol Gives Back telecast raised over $60 million, Heather Mills was cut from Dancing with the Stars (A great showing on her part), and now for the really big news...the show DRIVE was canceled this week by FOX.

As you know, my usual concern is the world of Reality TV, however after all of the emails that I have received, this one has some interest. Although a formal announcement has yet to be made to the general public (At this writing), reports and speculation of the shows cancellation are gaining momentum as the show House has been airing in it's time slot.

Disappointed?
Well, IT IS a disappointment and I personally feel a brief moment of melancholy each time a show is OBLITERATED - oops, I mean canceled. Drive was only on the air for less than 3 weeks and had such great story lines, interesting characters, and tons of drama - what happened?

On a side note, I recall prior to the airing of the show there was a bit of controversy about the show as the implication of an "illegal" race was cause for concern by some. According to a synopsis released to the media by Fox, "A select group of people from around the country are coerced or invited to compete in a highly-secretive, cross-county road race with a rumored prize...". Sounds like perfectly legal great drama.

Anyway back to the point, not to sound glib (Tom Cruise) - that's the business of Television. It's all about the ratings. If a show cannot garner or sustain ratings from solid viewership, there is not a financial reason to keep the show on the air. No matter how great the show concept, never ending drama, witty characters, or verbal repartee...The show just did not bring the ratings to support the continued scheduling of the program.

I will leave you with this final thought, YOU as the viewer have all of the power to make a break a show - you simply do not realize your mighty influence. If you see a show on the air that you really like, support it - tell your friends and family about the show, talk about it at work around the old water cooler, write a blog about it, generate some buzz, and most importantly, WATCH - that just may help in keeping your favorite show on the air!

Best wishes to series creator Tim Minear, who I am sure is already on to another big project. The final 2 episodes may air this summer on Fox.