Description
This article is from the My So-Called Life FAQ, by Richard Evans neppie@mindspring.com with numerous contributions by
others.
1. The So-called History (My So-Called Life)
On Thursday, August 25th, 1994, at 8 p.m. PST, "My so-called Life"
aired after more than a year of languishing in programming limbo
at ABC.
The first show of the new fall season to air, MSCL's debut had been a
long-anticipated event. The pilot for the show was shot in January of
1993, and shown to the Powers That Be in April. The buzz was good:
here, at last, was a thoughtful drama told from the perspective of a
15-year-old girl. Produced by Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick, the
creative team that helmed the successful "thirtysomething" series,
MSCL looked as if it would generate the same praise and adulation its
predecessor had. ABC's usually unflappable programmers reportedly
flipped for the pilot. Ted Harbert, president of ABC's Entertainment
division, said, "Not since 'Moonlighting' has there been a show that
when the rough cut comes in, the place stops."
In early May, the call from up above came down: ABC had reserved 6
slots for hourlong series in its fall lineup, and MSCL would not be
one of them.
Their show hadn't made the first cut, but there was a chance that it
could be brought in as a mid-season replacement. ABC's option on the
show would run out in December. Zwick and Herskovitz spent the summer
of 1993 waiting for further word. Finally, on October 7th, ABC green-
lighted 7 more episodes. But production couldn't resume until January
1994, so there was little chance of MSCL airing any time before March.
If the in-house buzz was good before, it was even better now. On
October 24th, "The New York Times" featured an article on the show and
ABC programmers' indecision over the MSCL time slot. By February, the
word around town was that MSCL would be The Drama To Watch.
"Newsweek" gave it a thumbs up, deeming Herskovitz and Zwick "the best
(and brightest) the medium has. [...] They try to make TV forget its
only teevee." When "Rolling Stone" came out with its Hot Issue, MSCL
merited a mention as Hot TV Show: "[W]e wait for the inevitable
moralizing conclusion -- or at least a public-service announcement.
But it never comes." All this before the pilot had even aired.
So, why didn't MSCL make it anywhere into the 1993-1994 season? The
problem, according to Harbert, was that programmers couldn't figure
out the right spot for the show. The traditionally family-oriented 8
p.m. time slot would draw younger viewers, but ABC felt the show might
be too sophisticated, provocative, and "agonizingly honest" for that
audience. On the other hand, at 10 p.m. the show might capture the
adult audience, who could relate to the ordeal of the Chase parents,
but that would mean sacrificing most of the potential younger viewing
audience. The logical compromise would be a 9 p.m. assignment, but
ABC was completely booked at 9:00 -- except for Thursdays.
Programmers nixed trying that slot, which would have pitted the newbie
MSCL against the NBC blockbuster "Seinfeld."
Instead, they gave MSCL the only spot they could come up with: sitting
on a shelf, waiting in the wings for its own spot in the '94-'95 fall
season. Rather than giving it a late spring tryout, Harbert decided
MSCL would fare better in its own 8 p.m. slot on Thursday nights.
("Missing Persons" was axed, as was its mid-season replacement, "The
Byrds of Paradise.") Hoping to catch the attention of young viewers
before school resumed, late August was set for the the long-awaited
premiere.
Throughout June and July, ABC ran a batch of promos for MSCL,
depicting the show as an honest, non-90210 portrayal of the teenage
experience. The commercial voice-overs informed listeners that
"Rolling Stone" had named MSCL the best new show of the season.
Anticipation was high. ABC hoped for another "thirtysomething"-sized
hit on their hands, and the MSCL team was eager to present their baby
to the world. All that was left was for the show to premiere.
It did just that, on August 25th. Critics gave the show generally
positive reviews, and even the detractors were praising star Claire
Danes for her dead-on portrayal of Everyteen. In an otherwise
unremarkable season, reviewers embraced the originality and
authenticity MSCL had to offer. Now if only the Nielsen families
could do the same... Showing their faith in MSCL, ABC ordered six
more episodes, the first of which aired Oct. 27th. The network later
ordered four additional episodes, bringing the total to 19 episodes,
just 4 under a complete season. Recognizing the series' unique spin,
the Viewers for Quality Television recently added MSCL to its
Qualified Support list. Operation Life Support, an organization of
fans dedicated to generating support for MSCL, was organized in
November by Steve Joyner and Robyn Landis.
"People Magazine" listed MSCL in their "Best of Tube" list in its
year-end issue. Claire was also included in it's section on "New
Faces." "Time" mentioned MSCL in their best of TV section, as have
many other noteworthy newspapers and magazines. On Dec. 22nd, Golden
Globe nominations were announced, and our own Claire Danes received
MSCL's only nod, as Best Actress (Drama). She faced stiff competition
from Kathy Baker ("Picket Fences") and Angela Lansbury ("Murder, She
Wrote"), and (no) competition from Jane Seymour ("Dr. Quinn, Medicine
Woman") and Heather Locklear ("Melrose Place"). Danes won the award.
On Dec. 5th, ABC delivered the first bit of crushing news: after
the last of the new episodes airs in January, MSCL would go on hiatus
-- a word often associated with, but not necessarily synonymous for
cancellation. Despite the rave reviews, MSCL was one of ABC's worst
rated programs. Harbert stressed that the show was a "strong
candidate" for renewal, but his reluctance to give MSCL the support it
deserved was not a good sign. It's the kind of thing that makes fans
cry, and many of us actually have. On May 15th, 1995, ABC handed
MSCL it's final blow.
MTV is currently airing the 19 episodes of MSCL on Saturday nights and
at 5pm ET in the afternoons.
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