607245 Fri Mar 27 07:05:56 -0700 2009 26 33 Food Media and News 0 4543266 Stick a fork in Marco Pierre White, he's done. Story here: http://www.popeater.com/television/article/nbcs-chopping-block-is-toast/401152?icid=main|main|dl2|link4|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.popeater.com%2Ftelevision%2Farticle%2Fnbcs-chopping-block-is-toast%2F401152 May I just add, that this show was done on the cheap, and looked it. Bad, bad, bad. I think it may have had potential done by the right people. Fri Mar 27 07:05:57 -0700 2009 10726 TrishUntrapped 1 4543320 Not surprising. MPW was the only saving grace on that show. The execution of the concept was just terrible and the people that cast the show, should never work again. Fri Mar 27 07:22:21 -0700 2009 4543266 10195 KTinNYC 2 4543425 I saw the first episode and changed the channel half way through... Fri Mar 27 08:03:33 -0700 2009 4543320 24648 Sean 1 4543381 I would have thought NBC with their deep pockets and decades of experience would have pushed out a better product. So much potential being on a major network, with a renowned chef and NBC puts on a copy cat. A terrible copy of at that where all the bad parts of other shows where thrown into this show. Fri Mar 27 07:40:04 -0700 2009 4543266 56054 dave_c 1 4543447 Does anyone know if they had shot all of the episodes so there was a winning couple? I wonder if anyone got the prize. I'm not surprised it was cancelled, but am a bit surprised they didn't go ahead and show the episodes which were already produced. Fri Mar 27 08:10:37 -0700 2009 4543266 11990 Janet from Richmond 2 4543482 The article I linked to above said the network will air the remaining episodes at a future date. I would assume they were all shot. I doubt they budgeted in a live finale. Fri Mar 27 08:21:49 -0700 2009 4543447 10726 TrishUntrapped 2 4543839 Yes, all episodes were shot and we did edit them all (total of 8). No live finale was ever intended. I've worked on hugely successful shows, and then shows like this. What many people don't realize is that $$$ drive everything -- if a network can make more in ad revenue by airing reruns (in this case one of the Law & Order series), then that is what they will do. And usually reruns garner more ad $$$ if they are pulling in better Nielsen #s, and CB was doing TERRIBLY. As someone who works in the industry and is also very much into food, I cannot tell you how frustrating this was -- were I in charge, a large number of things would have been done differently. What sucks for the contestants is that, usually, a series has to air in its entireity for the winners to receive their prize, which was valued around $250k for this show. I'm not saying that's exactly the case here, as I'm not privy to the contractual specifics, but that's how it is oftentimes done. Heck, even when everything airs, there is still usually a 180 day delay between final airing and the awarding of the prize. Fri Mar 27 10:22:21 -0700 2009 4543447 198245 a213b 3 4543891 So unless the full "series" airs, whoever ended up winning might not get their prize money? Now THAT would suck. Fri Mar 27 11:01:20 -0700 2009 4543839 10532 LindaWhit 3 4544200 I remember when this happened to Kitchen Confidential after about 2-3 episodes. I ended up buying the whole season dvd, even tho the episodes never showed here (I think they did play in Europe). Was a great show IMO, just bad timing and time slot. Fri Mar 27 12:17:23 -0700 2009 4543839 165021 Firegoat 3 4544245 a213b, the whole thing is a shame. Unlike a lot of crappy pilots, this show actually had potential. I remember a few years ago there was a live cooking competition type show (CBS or FOX maybe?) and it was terrible too, and was canceled before it played out. Doesn't anyone watch these things ahead of time? ...I knew with the limited exposure I had to just one episode that Chopping Block was a cheap stinker. I volunteer to be on the next screening panel. Fri Mar 27 12:31:27 -0700 2009 4543839 10726 TrishUntrapped 4 4544625 I think the live show you were referring to was some sort of celebrity cook off. It was terrible on NBC, and happened to have been produced by Al Rocker. Fri Mar 27 14:17:00 -0700 2009 4544245 23758 Withnail42 5 4544651 You're right, it was another NBC fiasco, Celebrity Cooking Showdown, with Alan Thicke.... Two strikes, NBC.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celebrity_Cooking_Showdown Fri Mar 27 14:25:02 -0700 2009 4544625 10726 TrishUntrapped 1 4543693 Well, I guess I won't bother trying to "catch up" by watching the most recent ep on Hulu this weekend. I'm really not surprised either. Fri Mar 27 09:17:01 -0700 2009 4543266 10532 LindaWhit 2 4543753 :( Fri Mar 27 09:33:31 -0700 2009 4543693 165021 Firegoat 3 4543814 I know, Firegoat. You were waiting for my commentary. ;-) We'll just have to stick with HK for now. Fri Mar 27 10:16:57 -0700 2009 4543753 10532 LindaWhit 2 4545134 Gee I watched the episode on Hulu last night. I thought the main drawback on the show was the competitors, I wanted the show to have a run, I was really starting to like Marco. Fri Mar 27 17:26:25 -0700 2009 4543693 61669 Quine 1 4544637 They give Katie-Lee (anything for money and attention) Gifford an hour a day and yet they cancel this show…? Fri Mar 27 14:19:11 -0700 2009 4543266 23758 Withnail42 2 4545229 Kathie Lee Gifford on the Today Show, and Katie Joel (formerly on Top Chef) - either way, money misspent. Fri Mar 27 18:02:03 -0700 2009 4544637 10532 LindaWhit 3 4547579 Don't forget this is television, these shows exist solely to generate ad dollars, and they play to the lowest common denominator, especially on broadcast (as opposed to cable) television. And lest we all forget, NBC brought us that classic train wreck/clash of egos "The Restaurant" Sat Mar 28 20:00:28 -0700 2009 4545229 10059 ChinoWayne 4 4547634 That's just it - how that loudmouth Kathie Lee Gifford generates any ad revenue is beyond me. But she absolutely fits the "lowest common denominator" mold. Sat Mar 28 20:31:10 -0700 2009 4547579 10532 LindaWhit 1 4546072 RIP. We'll hardly know you were gone. Sat Mar 28 07:33:37 -0700 2009 4543266 24468 chicgail 2 4569046 too bad for MPW - I will miss his hottness. BUT seriously, why do great chefs like he and Ramsey need this approval by the US middle-of-the-road tv audience??? I wish they would follow Bourdain's (and to a lesser extent Collichio's) lead and make some truly interesting television. Sun Apr 05 09:13:54 -0700 2009 4546072 210997 Sui_Mai 3 4626271 I continue to watch Chopping Block on Hulu, it has consistently improved since the beginning episodes, they are down to the final 2 couples (not necessarily the ones I would have expected, I thought Dean & Shari, eliminated last episode would go all the way), & it promises to be an interesting finale... Fri Apr 24 16:12:54 -0700 2009 4569046 127134 thistle5 4 4626690 They have the unaired episodes? Fri Apr 24 18:54:14 -0700 2009 4626271 23758 Withnail42 5 4626742 Withnail, I don't watch "TV" but do watch hulu.com. Since this thread started, hulu has been posting an episode each week. It's now down to Lisa: Anapol/kelsey : vanessa. Lisa is super annoying Fri Apr 24 19:18:08 -0700 2009 4626690 61669 Quine 6 4626810 Haven't been on Hulu for a couple of months. Will have to take a look. Good to know I'll now be able to see the rest of the series. Thanks! Fri Apr 24 19:48:53 -0700 2009 4626742 23758 Withnail42 4 4628120 Thanks for letting us know. It had sounded like NBC had killed the show before they had the entire season "in the can", but apparently not. What I had seen of "Chopping Block" on NBC was a lot more engaging than this season's "Hell's Kitchen" which has become waaay too formulaic. Sat Apr 25 12:52:17 -0700 2009 4626271 10059 ChinoWayne