There was a time not long ago when Wednesday night was ER night, instead of BOR night (boring-old-racing) on TVB Pearl. But sadly those days are gone. ATV have made a bit of an effort with putting Mr Bean (World, 9pm) on to compete, but I can't believe we are the only household who watch videos, or even sometimes talk to one another on Wednesdays these days.
I hope TVB have already signed a contract with NBC, the network that screens ER in the United States because if it hasn't chances are the prices will have gone up. NBC has been riding high on the backs of three of the most successful shows on American television (and on Pearl), Seinfeld, Mad About You and ER.
In the matter of a few short weeks each of the shows have come close to slipping out of NBC's grip. First, Helen Hunt, star of Mad About You started to hint she would like to pursue her film career, and might not sign up for another series. Then Jerry Seinfeld announced over Christmas that he wanted to quit while he was ahead. No amount of money would tempt him to sign up for another series.
And then Les Moonves, head of rival network CBS, started cracking jokes about poaching ER from NBC at an industry conference last week. 'It's ours for US$12 million [about HK$93 million] an episode,' he told the Television Critics Association. 'Just joking.' Moonves actually developed ER when he worked at Warner Bros, the studio that produces the show.
It was all too much for NBC bosses, who have decided to hang on to at least one out of three of the shows, no matter how much it costs. ER used to be worth US$2 million an episode. NBC have agreed to pay US$13 million an episode in a deal which commits both sides for three years. The hike has amazed everyone, especially Moonves who, after all, was only joking when he said CBS would pay US$1 million less than that.
Danny DeVito can do pathos, but he is usually better at rage. So tonight's film Jack The Bear (World, 9.30pm) is a an unusual film in that it gives him a chance to be not just the regular poisonous bad-tempered big mouth we are used to, but also a softer, suffering man.