Why is ABC trying to ruin REVENGE?

It’s amazing what gets picked up for television. Each year networks get hundreds of pitches for new shows; some even make it to pilot (first episode of a TV show) Most pilots don’t even air. Networks never know what will really be a hit. If the network is rolling out 10 new shows for the season; 3 or 4 will get the major promotional treatment like print, billboards, etc.; while others will get minimal support from the network.

When Revenge first aired on ABC on September 21, 2011 it got medium promotion. Some people will remember the ads, mostly of leading lady Emily Van Camp in a slinky black number; thorns at the bottom of her dress, daring you to touch. What shocked a bunch of people is when Revenge became a sleeper hit. With nighttime soaps being “dead in the water” for years, Revenge brought back a fun idea; beautiful rich people, love, deceit, sex, violence and jaw dropping story lines that had you hitting the rewind button. Within weeks Revenge was on the cover of TV Guide, Entertainment Weekly and madly discussed around the water cooler the next day at work. Other networks smelled the green and began developing their own soapy dramas (TNT will debut Dallas (based on the 1980’s hit) over the summer.

So what did ABC do to keep up with an addictive new show that started beating its Wednesday 10: pm competition Law & Order SVU and CSI in the ratings? They took it off the air for weeks; then put it on one week and then it was off for two weeks again. For February it aired only two times and it was announced it would be back for new episodes in April; Excuse me, what happened to the month of March? Are they replacing it with anything better? Are you kidding? Lame specials that should have been bumped to Friday or Saturday nights. Is this any way to treat a budding hit? Is this any way to treat a lady?

When Van Kamp appeared on Ellen DeGeneres this past week, Ellen admitted to being a huge fan of the show and to the audiences delight shared how the whole staff would discuss the show the next morning at work. Ellen did have a complaint and wondered why the show was off the air for such long gaps. Van Kamp kept her famous cool smile, but Stevie Wonder could tell she agreed and remarked, “It’s an ABC decision.”

The public is more fickle than a out of work bee and when they find a show they love; they want it to be available; with a million things on TV these days; people are not going to search for it like they’re underwear after an orgy. ABC is giving the public a boner with Revenge and offering no release; hopefully they work it out before we move on to another show.

Luckily Revege came back and was renewed for a second season; hopefully the second season of Revenge won't be bouced around like a unloved step child, so new and old fans alike can get their fix of Emily Throne and company for years to come.