CW Preview on ET/Veronica Mars

[arabian]

My BFF watched it and told me a little bit about it and frankly I'm not interested in watching it.



The entire segment was about Piz as the love interest. KB and CL were interviewing TOGETHER (on the set whatever, it was still all about him!) and according to my friend KB and I quote "seems enamored of him." KB said "this is where the magic begins" and CL seemed kinda slow on the uptake and then said, "Oh, between me and Kristen."

And Jason was interviewed ALONE, and he basically said that Piz was a nice guy and the opposite of Logan. (Yes, JD finally does a little bit of promo and all he's talking about is ... Piz!) Honestly, I still have to question RT's definition of Piz, a guy who's sniffing after a girl in a relationship is not my definition of nice. But then Duncan was a "nice" guy too and I thought he was a complete lowlife, so clearly my definition differs from that of Rob Thomas.

Nothing on LoVe at all, just how great Piz and Veronica will be!! because apparently the promotional dept. still thinks that the way to hook viewers is to ignore the relationship all want to hear about and instead focus on a new character who's the opposite of arguably the most popular character and about how great HE'LL be with Veronica!

It's like they're TRYING to kill the show!! I could maybe, maybe understand the PizPimpathon06! if he were played by a popular, well-known actor and that was the news ... but he's NOT! So what the hell!??! GUH!!!

Comments

[deevee45.livejournal.com]

Gotta agree with you...the utter disgust at watching KB simper was exceeded only by the trainwreck that is Chris Lowell. And he was a trainwreck... total lack of any..anything, and his one scene was just laughably bad. As someone posed on another board, I wonder if CL is the strategy to draw in the Gilmore Girls audience and JD is the hook that keeps them. Or maybe I am giving TPTB too much credit.

[arabian.livejournal.com]

WOW!! You hated it!?!?! You're like one of the most optimistic about all of this! Wow. Now, I'm REALLY glad I didn't watch it. Ugh!

But hey, I can pull out my fave KB icon! :)

[deevee45.livejournal.com]

I'm not necessarily optimistic about Piz per se, I was optimistic that TPTB could see that he (and the actor) just don't have anywhere near what it takes for this character to compete with Logan. If that's not the case and they try and make Piz a love interest, it is a disaster-in-waiting. Let's all pray that doesn't happen, because it's bye-bye VM if it does.

[missmarch.livejournal.com]

Yeah, you definitely don't want to watch it. I think it'll just make your blood pressure rise.

JD does get a little moment, and yes, it is spent talking about PIZ! WTF?!?

[arabian.livejournal.com]

God, it's like they are TRYING to make old viewers not tune in. Geez! Where'a 'Fuck You Rob Thomas' button when you need one?

[missmarch.livejournal.com]

But is this really RT's doing? I know he has issues with *Logan* sometimes, but he's never said anything but glowing things about JD, as far as I know. I have wondered before if this stuff was coming from above him, back during one of KB's infamous interviews, and the more I see this Piz stuff, the more I wonder.

Perhaps they think they don't have to worry about promoting Logan and V/L, since they're already so popular and those fans are going to be watching no matter what? And we'll get some scenes to satisfy us, but we're not enough to keep the show on the air. They want to bring in the GG audience and a young audience and maybe they don't think JD can do that, so they bring in another guy for those girls. I could maybe understand it if Lowell was gorgeous but he's not. But you know, I'm (slightly) out of the target demo now, so I'm *not* who the CW wants. So maybe they're right. Piz may be a huge hit with the younger crowd. I've noticed that lots of Logan fans are older.

[beatlegirl59.livejournal.com]

Fuck Piz. I hope he turns out to be a psycho like Beaver, though that would probably make V want him even more.

[deevee45.livejournal.com]

After thinking for awhile, I am posting a shorter version of something that I posted in the Love Shack after putting on my PR hat, which I do for a living, albeit for a different industry. These previews are not about appeasing us, the old fans, who will tune in no matter what--all they need for us is teaser commercials with the characters they love to be reminded about how good the show makes them feel.

This show was all about bringing in new viewers. So a strategy is then created backed by extensive market research. It is NOT RT creating the strategy by saying, "hey, I hate Logan and I wanna give Veronica a love interest" --he's lucky if he even has a say in the strategy and if what I hear is correct, he's having less of a say in the show as well. This is how it is in my work too--the folks who develop the product have little or no say in how we market their product/brand. In fact, you may find this amusing...they often don't even care and hardly ever get involved! As long as it works and sells the product everyone is happy.

I believe the CW strategy (which was the old WB strategy) was to use heartthrobs to draw in the viewers (which we know their target is 18-35 women). This preview answered the bell for that, as miserable as it made us fans. They're hoping CL will bring in GG viewers and that target demo that loves heartthrobs. I can rationalize using CL because while I think Jason is a huge talent and has the potential talent to foster a career that could exceed anyone now on the CW, he can be an acquired taste. It doesn't take long, but he needs a show or two to worm his way into fans' hearts and once he's there, he's there forever.

Just remember--shows like this are not about us. They are about hooking everyone else who a) never tried VM or b) tried some of it and may like it if lured back.

That said, CL still came across as mediocre to awful.

[afrocurl.livejournal.com]

The preview is rather annoying, I agree. Piz is just all over the thing, and I sort of see some reason behind it, but it's still pissing me off.

If showing off Piz gets more viewers, then I'm fine with it, and I'll just be annoyed by him and the rest of the other older fans.

[harper47.livejournal.com]

I hated that! Hated it! It made me loathe KB even more. Gah!

But I also would have liked a little more from Jason. If he didn't want to go with the show's theme (overwhelming perkiness that made you gag) then more intensity. Sell the fire.

Grrrrr!!!! I'm sorry I watched it (well I only watched that bit and GG and both segments made me want to reach into the scream and do some bitch slapping).

I'm so evil today.