Axe Looms, Ryan “Defeated” and NBC Shift Blame

19 Feb, 2008

Still no official news on the future of BW, but some sources continue to report that the show has been axed. That’s axed, as in no more episodes of season 1, period. We shall see.

Whilst the show is coming to an end in America, BW still has episodes to air in New Zealand, and one source there argues that teenaged girls are too smart to buy into this modern day remake. I think that this is more down to the scripting rather than the actual premise of bionics in today’s world.

Tv Squad report on the Daily Mail’s suggestion that Michelle Ryan is “defeated and depressed” over the shows failure. Well it’s hardly surprising – this was Michelle’s big break, it could have been oh so different, and it should have been. I feel that some quarters have let her and the rest of us down – this show should not have failed as it had so much going for it. The same report is also suggesting that NBC are pointing the finger of blame at Ryan – this is ridiculous, did they even watch the show? Do they even know the scripts that theysanctioned? Sorry, but Ryan held her own and importantly she was improving all the time. If they’re going to blame Ryan then they might as well blame Miguel Ferrer or Will Yun Lee. Again, ridiculous. I know they had high hopes for Ryan and she is the lead character, but I can’t see how anyone else could have saved the show on their performance alone..not with those scripts! Any good show needs good foundations and an actual long-term plan.

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Col.Austin said in 2-20-2008 @ 17:47:07

I wouldn’t read too much into an article from the Daily Mail. As an infamous tabloid rag, they’d never be satisfied with a mere “show cancelled” story; they’ve got to play up the emotional angle, even if it means inventing it. It’s just “juicier” to imagine a glamorous actress crying herself to sleep at night, and there’s probably a bit of “she had it coming to her, thinking she was too big for the UK” in there, too.

Roco said in 2-21-2008 @ 00:35:10

Yeah, you’re probably right there Col.Austin. The UK ‘redtops’ love to sensationalise a story! MR will no doubt be devasted that she show hasn’t done well, but she must have braced herself during the strike. She’s probably had offers coming in during these past few months (perhaps mostly UK based, since the writers strike had crippled US productions) and as an actor life goes on. It’s just a shame that she’s received the most slack – it started when she was cast and one way or another the negative attention still seems to be focused on her.

Page 48 said in 2-21-2008 @ 06:19:24

Brits are known for eating their young in the tabloids. MR may wish to compare notes with Joss Stone, another young Brit given a very bad time in the local press. I wouldn’t accept their journalistic account as being 100% on the up and up.

Bad shows happen to good actors. Victor Garber was brilliant as Jack Bristow for 4.77 seasons and was rewarded with the ridiculous role of Ron Trott in the dreadful and brutally formulaic “Justice”. Hugh Jackman was great as Wolverine, but “Viva Laughlin” didn’t make it past the 2nd eppie. It’s the old story, if you throw enough shit at the wall, some of it’s bound to stick.

MR had a career before BW and she’ll have a career after BW, although it may be a while before she gets another crack at a US network lead. If she makes it back to the US, she may be better off in a supporting role rather than having to play the lead. Less pressure, more breathing room, that sort of thing.

No matter how you slice it, BW was a disaster, but hardly alone in that department. It was as poorly written as any 1-hour network show I’ve seen, but I don’t recall MR receiving writing credits for any of the 8 episodes which made it to air, so as far as I’m concerned, she and the other cast members are blameless in this fiasco.

ryansxpress said in 2-21-2008 @ 18:05:13

Confirmation its over today from ‘chelle herself surely…..

Michelle Ryan has revealed she missed UK department store Marks and Spencer while living in Canada.

Ryan lived in Vancouver while filming the remake of ’70s show Bionic Woman and told What’s On TV that she missed shopping in the UK.

“The thing I missed most was definitely Marks and Spencer! In fact shopping in London generally – and my family and friends, of course,” the actress said.

Ryan admitted to enjoying the way of life in Canada, saying: “I loved it, it was so beautiful. There were beautiful mountains and scenery and I was staying in a really nice area which was kind of like Camden. I had lovely little shops and funky clubs and bars on my doorstep. Plus it was really cool having my own place; I felt very independent.”

Bionic Woman was axed after eight episodes in the US, with producers blaming the WGA strike and a sharp drop in ratings.

The show will air on ITV2 in March.

Kel said in 2-22-2008 @ 01:19:58

She should start looking for roles in films and television, good supporting roles would be fine for now. She can cut her teeth more and then move into the lead in several years’ time, once again she’s young so there’s no problem with this plan. She should probably play the second girl in a romantic comedy and help support the lead actress. Good exposure but there’s no pressure to be better than the lead and if she does steal attention away from the main girl then that’s all the better for her. It’s also a good chance to separate herself from the action hero typecasting.

Theatre would be worthwhile personally as an actor. I’m taking a drama class in university and it’s difficult work but it’s rewarding and you learn quite a bit. It wouldn’t be bad for her acting but professionally in terms of commerical projects, she shouldn’t do theatre too much. One play would be enough and she’s done theatre already so it’s not compulsory. Anybody agree or disagree with my thoughts? I would love to hear from people.

Jim said in 2-23-2008 @ 00:25:35

I am frustrated, like all of you. Frustrated with nbc, frustrated that such a promising premise which could appeal to so many people failed to, frustrated at the writing, but like many of you, not frusrated with Michelle Ryan. I have had time to think over it a little, and while I did make some comments earlier that maybe MR was not the one to do the role, the more I think about it, the more the writing was more to blame. Do I think MR was the best choice? No, but with better writing, the show could have still done well (and still may; who knows?). She did the best she could with what she had inside and what scripts she was provided. I agree with the last blogger that action roles may not be her thing, and that she should pursue other types of shows and/or plays. Isn’t it frustrating, though, that we’re talking about mr and not about bionic woman? I want to be talking about a kick ass heroine on the screen, not about the trials of a real life actor. This is supposed to be an escape from reality. It is sad that instead, we are commenting on reality. It is really too bad.

ryansxpress said in 2-23-2008 @ 00:28:09

MARSHA LEDERMAN

From Friday’s Globe and Mail

February 22, 2008 at 4:13 AM EST

Vancouver — The future of the Vancouver-shot television series Bionic Woman is looking more bleak.

Officials with NBC confirm that no new episodes of the series will be shot this season. They stopped short, however, of saying the series has officially been cancelled.

Pete Mitchell with Vancouver Film Studios, where the series was being shot before writers in the United States went on strike in November, says the show’s production office is still being staffed and the sets have not been destroyed, although they have been removed.

“It’s kind of in this suspended animation,” Mitchell said yesterday. “They haven’t cancelled it and they aren’t going ahead at this point.”

At its peak, Mitchell estimates that 200 to 250 people were working on the series. About 10 people are currently staffing the office.

ryansxpress said in 2-23-2008 @ 15:02:47

ITV2 here in the UK will be showing Bionic Woman from March 11
Its getting several longer trailers now on the main ITV network
In an interview in todays Telegraph Magazine ‘chelle believes NBC are “still behind the show”-but we have no idea when this interview took place

Neena said in 2-23-2008 @ 18:16:38

Sadly the Daily Mail loves to slag of celebs.

RyansExpress – i too have read that Daily Telegraph interview. MR sounded so optimistic. But like you IDK when the interview took place. But i suspect sometime after Xmas as they mentioned she came back to Britain just b4 Xmas.

I don’t believe MR is to blame for BW’s failure. She did not write the show and all the behind problems were not her fault.

My guess is (based on the Telegraph interview) is that she’ll go back to the States. Why? It mentioned that she never bought a place in Britain because she wasn’t sure if her future was here. She also mentioned that she wouldn’t mind living in the states.

My personally view now is that the show has been cancelled. Sad really as it had alot of potential.

Sorry for the long post.

Neena said in 2-23-2008 @ 18:24:49

I mean’t behind the scenes problems…

Fred said in 4-9-2008 @ 07:03:39

Michelle Ryan was very good in the role and its not her fault that the show had badly written scripts. She did the best she could with what she had to work with. The fault belongs on the show runner and the writers, not Ryan.

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