By now, we all know that My Own Worst Enemy—that arguably ridiculous but still riveting spy drama—is cancelled.  We’ve seen the complaints, about networks not giving risky shows like it a chance, or methods to tabulate ratings not moving on with the times.  (Or maybe you’ve made those complaints yourselves.  I’ll admit I’ve always insisted the thing about DVR and online viewing.)  But, alas, there’s not much we can do about it.  Starting tonight, we’ll be watching the last five episodes of the series.

I’ve been looking at reaction online about the cancellation, and so far it’s been a blame game.  Some blame the competition, with other networks getting much more viewers on the Monday night time slot Enemy was in.  Some point at the show’s concept itself, although that’s a very arguable thing: while some think it’s pretty silly, others think it’s interesting and attention-grabbing.  Some even point at the “Heroes curse”—the fate that shows positioned after the now-struggling series didn’t last a season.  So, I wonder, what else is left to say?

One piece from the Associated Press points at another factor that possibly doomed Enemy from the start: its time slot.  Yes, we’ve pointed out some of its effects previously, but this is a pretty interesting take: the 10pm time slot itself is losing out to the DVR.  Shows aired from that time onwards—dramas aired later in the night, as well as late night programming—are struggling.  Many people may be sleeping earlier, sure.  But with the DVR, people are choosing to watch shows at later times.  Say, a mother may be cooking dinner or looking after the kids when her favorite show is on.  She can just record it on the DVR and then watch it when the kids go to bed.  10pm strikes, and instead of watching whatever’s being aired at the moment, she’ll just grab, say, Chuck off the DVR and watch it at that time.  Enemy loses out.

Sure, some viewers who aren’t able to watch Enemy when it is first aired may record it on the DVR and watch it on some other time.  DVR viewing is counted in Nielsen’s regular ratings charts, so the final count involves delayed viewing in one way or another.  But networks seem to not be taking those into consideration yet.  Same goes for online viewing, which (as far as I know) isn’t accounted for in the final ratings.  That might change when they finally find a way to earn from those outlets, but for now, shows like Enemy are doomed because of, I dare say, networks stuck in the past.

Ben Silverman, NBC’s head honcho, once claimed that what matters isn’t ratings, but rather profitability.  Carmaker GM had its products prominently featured on Enemy, but it was still cancelled after low ratings.  What does that say, then?  Soon, sure, the way television works will change, and hopefully shows like Enemy will survive under it.  We can only hope, though.

Enough of the speculation: My Own Worst Enemy will still air tonight from 10pm on NBC.  Edward (Christian Slater) will risk national security in order to determine the identity of his parents’ killer, while Tom (Mike O’Malley) tries to rekindle his relationship with his wife (Missy Yager), and Henry (Slater) gets a sense of Edward’s relationship with Norah Skinner (Saffron Burrows).  We still have five episodes, so let’s just leave it at that, and make the most of it while it’s still there.


-Henrik Batallones, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Sources: NBC, USA Today, Variety
(Image courtesy of NBC)