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| Posted By | Discussion Topic: Buffy Moving to UPN | ||||
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| IkeaBoy P.L.F. Portugese Liberation Front- Liberating Status' everywhere from the Tyranny of Portugal I will die a traitor's death | posted on 04-21-2001 @ 3:54 PM |    | |||
| O&A Board Veteran Registered: Sep. 00  | Does anyone else have a bad feeling about this? I know there are a couple of BtVS watchers on this board and they might be interested to know that the next season of Buffy will be on UPN...nothing good can come of this http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/eo/20010421/en/vampire_smackdown_quot_buffy_quot_to_upn_1.html UPN has driven a stake through Buffy the Vampire Slayer's run on the WB. After months of negotiations--and an unusually bitter public battle over the fate of the teen-cult hit-- Joss Whedon's critically acclaimed series is jumping from the WB to UPN. UPN announced late Friday that it has sealed a two-year, $102 million deal with Buffy producer 20th Century Fox Television, ending months of speculation over whether Sarah Michelle Gellar's bloodsucker-battling heroine would leave the WB, her home since Buffy premiered in March 1997. The Smackdown Network has ordered 44 episodes of the series, which will begin airing this fall on its new home (time and date are yet to be announced). Sources say UPN will fork over $2.3 million per episode for the first season and $2.35 million for season two. The deal also is said to include a provision that would allow UPN to pick up the Buffy spinoff Angel for two seasons if the WB cancels the show. While it was widely known that UPN had plunked down an offer for the series, few thought the junior net would have enough cash to make any serious moves. But with Star Trek: Voyager (news - Y! TV) ending its UPN run May 23, the network definitely needed another proven hit (other than its WWF juggernaut) to hold onto viewers. Said UPN President Dean Valentine in a statement: "We are incredibly pleased to have Buffy the Vampire Slayer (news - Y! TV) on UPN, not just because it is one of the best shows on the air and represents a new era in UPN's life and direction, but more importantly because Joss Whedon is one of the finest writers and producers in television. Our main motivation for pursuing Buffy so aggressively was to be in business with Joss and with 20th...and we're very pleased to have that opportunity." The 100th and final WB episode of Buffy airs May 22. The announcement comes as a shock to many: Although Buffy is not the WB's highest-rated show (it's actually third-highest, behind 7th Heaven and Charmed), the series was one of the network's earliest signature hits, boasting a rabidly devoted following from teen and young-adult women. This season, the show has averaged 4.4 million viewers in its Tuesday 8 p.m. timeslot. According to sources at the WB, UPN's offer was a great deal higher than the Frog's final offer. Insiders say the WB initially offered 20th Century Fox $1.6 million per episode--up from the $1 million the network currently pays. They later upped their final offer to $1.8 million and also offered to pick up both Buffy and its spinoff, Angel, for two more seasons. But then, WB sources claim they weren't contacted for a month. "With no response from them, the feeling was we were being pawns," said one network source, who added that the WB finally withdrew its offer for Buffy a week ago. The WB also claims 20th Century Fox had other, non-monetary motives for jumping to UPN. In a statement released Friday, the WB said it was no coincidence that UPN's Buffy announcement came just a day after the FCC (news - web sites) loosened restrictions on network ownership, which would allow Fox (which has a pending merger with former UPN co-owner Chris-Craft) to merge with UPN. "Twentieth Television has made an inauspicious decision for the television industry by taking one of their own programs off of a non-affiliated network and placing it on a network in which they have a large vested interested, through their acquisition of Chris-Craft and public comments that Fox and UPN are discussing ways to merge," the WB's statement reads. "The WB will continue to develop successful, innovative programming that delivers a high concentration of young adults and teens. We wish Sarah, Joss and [co-executive producer] David Greenwalt well." Insiders at 20th Century Fox Television also indicated the negotiations had gotten personal. Both Whedon and former WB chief executive Jamie Kellner sparred in the media about Buffy's role at the network. During negotiations, Kellner downplayed the show's importance, telling reporters "it's not our number-one show," and Whedon later lashed back. "It makes me angry to see this show belittled," he said. "The studio did everything it could to keep the show at the WB," said a source at 20th Television. "But the more Jamie opens his mouth, the more he says things like 'this is a niche show,' 'maybe we should replenish our schedule every year.' We started to realize our vision for the show was not the same as [the WB]." As for the show's star, there was no immediate comment Friday from Sarah Michelle Gellar, who previously supported staying on the WB. In January, Gellar told E! Online, "I will stay on Buffy if, and only if, Buffy stays on the WB. And you know what? Print that. My bosses are going to kill me, but print that. I want them to know." As expected, the comments reportedly infuriated her producers. She quickly retracted the statements, saying she would stay with Buffy no matter where it ended up. Buffy, meet Moesha. Moesha, say hello to Buffy.  In the Nocturnal Brigade | ||||
| PatCooper | posted on 04-21-2001 @ 4:03 PM | | |||
| O&A Board Regular Registered: Jan. 01 | {Jedi mind trick: Who is this Buffy you speak of }jedi mind trick} | ||||
| geedagreek | posted on 04-21-2001 @ 4:12 PM | | |||
| Psychopath Registered: Sep. 00 | is it gonna be called MOESHA the vampire slayer now???? "DO you know what a love letter is?...It's a bullet from a FUCKING GUN...staight through your heart....." Jesse Jones, Yuppicide | ||||
| Arthur Dent | posted on 04-21-2001 @ 4:50 PM | | |||
| O&A Board Regular Registered: Nov. 00 | OK, nobody panic. I read an interview with Joss Whedon and he SWORE that he would not move the show IF IT MEANT CHANGING THE SHOW. Whedon said he already has the next two years of the show planned out and will NOT allow any changes to the show. Let's hope he can keep that promise. ::It's sucks being stuck at work on a Saturday::  'Anyone who is capable of being elected president should on no account be allowed to do the job' - The hitchhikers guide to the galaxy Arthur smiled at him wanly and shrugged again. He turned and smiled wanly at the rest of the pub just in case any of them had heard what was going on. None of them had, and none of them could understand what he was smiling at them for. | ||||
| IkeaBoy P.L.F. Portugese Liberation Front- Liberating Status' everywhere from the Tyranny of Portugal I will die a traitor's death | posted on 04-21-2001 @ 4:55 PM | | |||
| O&A Board Veteran Registered: Sep. 00 | Speaking of Buffy, Eliza Dushku has some pictures in Maxim In the Nocturnal Brigade | ||||
| Sarcastro | posted on 04-21-2001 @ 6:32 PM | | |||
| Psychopath Registered: Nov. 00 | The WB and UPN are different networks!?! Wow, you truly learn something new every day. It doesnt make sense for UPN to pick up an already established show and change it around. Relax. Besides, even with the pickup lately, the show's only got two years left, tops. | ||||
| Francine Banger | posted on 04-21-2001 @ 10:53 PM | | |||
| O&A Board Regular Registered: Dec. 00 | Eliza Dushka is so Hot and her O and A claim to fame is DANA!!! from True Lies.  | ||||
| IkeaBoy P.L.F. Portugese Liberation Front- Liberating Status' everywhere from the Tyranny of Portugal I will die a traitor's death | posted on 04-22-2001 @ 2:10 AM | | |||
| O&A Board Veteran Registered: Sep. 00 | I'll put myself out there. Eliza Dushku, hotter than Britney. In the Nocturnal Brigade | ||||
| Dryblood | posted on 04-22-2001 @ 2:42 AM | | |||
| O&A Board Regular Registered: Sep. 00 | quote: I got the issue today and she is smoking :)  It's a message in blood It's your cryptic warning Within the message in blood Marks the years of pain, And your godforsaken ending to life - Pantera | ||||
| Francine Banger | posted on 04-22-2001 @ 2:51 AM | | |||
| O&A Board Regular Registered: Dec. 00 | quote: I second that | ||||
Displaying 1-10 of 10 messages in this thread. |