School's out for Boston Public? (1 Viewer)

[Patrick Sun]

Boston Public is being put on hiatus for the month of February and only 15 episodes will be done for the season (with the 15th episode being wrapped up now). There's only 4 more episodes left for this season, and prospect are bleak it'll return next season. This leaves the show 19 episodes short of the magical 100-episode level for syndication.

 

[Jon B NY]

That show is like a drug with an addiction that's really, really hard to kick! So many ridiculous, yet engaging topics. Sex, drugs, priests, youth, fighting, guns, gangs, racism. All at 9 at night!

 

[Carl Miller]

I had a feeling this was going to happen when BP was given the Friday night slot. It's a shame too, I think it improved over last season.

 

[Daniel Kikin]

FOX should consider moving the rest of the episodes back to Monday at 8 before giving up on the show, especially since something different has been airing then every week. A large part of the audience that wathces this show is probably not even home most Fridays at 9.

 

[Robert Ringwald]

I don't see why people mention the 100 for syndication thing...

ANGEL is in syndication and it's yet to reach 100, and I know a lot of shows in syndication that didn't reach the full 100.

I'm sure the show could likely be put into syndication, even if it falls shy of 100

 

[Patrick Sun]

But Angel will reach 100 episodes in 2 weeks.

 

[Robert Ringwald]

Yeah, but wasn't it already going to air on TNT and FOX after the end of last season? Had the show been cancelled after last season's finale, that would have left it at just 88 episodes.

 

[Malcolm R]

It would be a shame. Of course, Fox has so many quality shows that it must be difficult to choose which live and which die. :rolleyes

 

[Patrick Sun]

For all we know, the syndication rights could be contingent on Angel getting to season 5. Anyhow, there are probably shows that have less than 100 episodes, but it just makes it harder to get them syndicated.

 

[Jason Seaver]

Eh, Star Trek did okay with only 79 (in 3 seasons - we're getting ripped off nowadays).

I'm not sure to what extent third-run sales were ever going to be a factor for Boston Public, though - it was always so topical that I can't see it aging well, is highly serialized, and underwent a really astounding amount of cast turnover. It was never a big enough hit for it to command much in terms of weekend syndication and in terms of cable sales, maybe Fox could have done a related-party sale to FX, but I can't see it having been a featured show like Buffy or Ally McBeal was.

 

[Brian_FSullivan]

Actually the old federal Fin-Syn rules said that a show couldn't be syndicated until four calendar years from its premiere date. At that time most shows reached 100 episodes by the end of their fourth season, hence why most people associated 100 episodes as being eligible for syndication.

In any case, as far as "Boston Public" goes, 20th Television was selling the show at NATPE this past weekend so you will see it on local stations this fall despite only having 81 episodes filmed.