- the timeslot was a huge mistake - Friday nights at 9 pm? when the key demographic ex-list would appeal to (age 18-35 women) is out on the town prowling for men? disaster. (like moonlight, miss match, men in trees, etc)
- the show wasn't getting any help being bookended between two shows that decidedly skew towards older males - boob whisperer and numb3rs. it was obvious audience retention was going to be difficult if not impossible.
- CBS' baileywick= old white people. they are barely making that work with the numerous acronym shows. attempting to stretch and contort doesn't work for them. didn't they learn anything from the katie couric debacle?
- ex-list was too old for its content. the characters weren't yet established in life, none were married, or had kids, or had seen real career success. but they were in their mid-30s!! we've already learned from every other show on television that by the time you are in your 30s you are 'all set'.
- the premise of the show was growing tired after just the 4 aired episodes, i don't think that it could have sustained more than a season, even with creative writers.
- this show belonged on ABC, following grey's anatomy or private practice. and not just because elizabeth reaser used to be crazy rebecca/ava on the shonda rhimes franchise. a quirky skinny woman who runs a flower shop, has over 100 ex-boyfriends and nothing better to do than surf and go out with guys all the time that her psychic recommends, can only be thought of as a legitimate form of entertainment to the same audience who finds the premise that a group of glowingly beautiful people all decide to live, work and date each other while becoming doctors in seattle and listening to really super trendy never heard of indie rock bands, although not a single one of them seems intelligent enough to actually have passed the MCATs, entirely plausible and worthy of suspension of disbelief.
what is surprising however is how quickly and thoroughly they axed it, like someone over at the Eye was trying to get rid of any evidence that the show ever did exist within the confines of CBS. they even took the supporting pages and episodes off of their website. this is a network that still has jericho episodes available online for christ sake! i wonder if they realized it was a colossal misstep, or if the cancellation is just the fallout after diane ruggiero left the show (also produced veronica mars and dirty sexy money).
the only thing i am now left wondering is - who was the ex that she ends up marrying? was it the guy whose cat she had rescued or the ex-boyfriend who she shared custody of the dog with? actually, i am not sure i am really wondering that at all... but if you have any guesses, comment.
