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ABC Gets Not-So-Instant "Dharma"
Okay, so that probably wasn't going to happen--but you never know these days.
ABC announced Tuesday that it has signed a deal with 20th Century Fox Television to keep the quirky hubby-wife comedy in its current home for at least one more season.
Of course, its current home, is still a matter of debate. After losing viewers this season by competing head-to-head against NBC's Frasier, the new Dharma deal will reward ABC if it moves its series into a less competitive timeslot, according to published trade reports.
ABC could shell out as much as $2.6 million per episode for the next two seasons if Dharma & Greg stays in its current Tuesdays at 9 p.m. time slot, sources tell the Hollywood Reporter. But if the Alphabet Net moves the series elsewhere, it could pay just $2 million per episode--up from the $900,000 ABC currently shells out.
Dharma, now finishing up its fourth season, stars Jenna Elfman as the free-spirited spouse to stuffed-shirt costar Thomas Gibson. Since its debut in 1997, the Odd Couple-esque sitcom has scored three consecutive Emmy nominations for the 29-year-old Elfman, not to mention a Golden Globe trophy for Best Actress in a Comedy.
So far this season, Dharma has averaged 12.4 million viewers and notched a 5.3 rating among adults 18-49--the demographic advertisers drool over. That's down nearly 20 percent from last year's 15.2 million average, and down 23 percent from its 6.9 rating among young adults.
But that's still not too shabby, especially considering ABC's series competes with NBC's own long-running hit, Frasier. Coincidentally, both shows were up for renewal this season and both faced the possibility of jumping to other networks. (Last month, NBC renewed Frasier for three more seasons.)
Meanwhile, Daily Variety reports both NBC and CBS made plays for Dharma after ABC's exclusive renegotiating period expired at the end of February. NBC reportedly made its final offer Friday and ABC matched that bid over the weekend.
As for the time slot issue, some industry types believe ABC will indeed go the cheapo route, moving Dharma to an 8 p.m. slot somewhere on its schedule. But Dharma's people say they're just happy they won't have to pack up their belongings and move elsewhere.
"It's great that we have continuity with ABC," series creator Chuck Lorre told Variety. "We're looking forward to starting our fifth season with a bang. A country breathes a sigh of relief."
Lorre also took a little time to hype the show's "blockbuster season-ender," saying Dharma will move into a new realm next season. But not--as some sitcoms are wont to do--by adding a baby into the mix. Lorre told the Reporter, "It will challenge these two characters like nothing else you can imagine...and no, she is not pregnant."
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