Samantha Who?

Samantha Who?
Created by Cecelia Ahern
Donald Todd
Starring Christina Applegate
Jennifer Esposito
Kevin Dunn
Melissa McCarthy
Tim Russ
Barry Watson
Jean Smart
Narrated by Christina Applegate
Country of origin United States
No. of seasons 2
No. of episodes 35 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) Christina Applegate
Donald Todd
Peter Traugott
Bob Kushell
Alex Reid
Marco Pennette
Location(s) Los Angeles, California
Camera setup Single-camera setup
Running time 22 minutes
Production company(s) Donald Todd Productions
Brillstein Entertainment Partners
ABC Studios
Distributor Disney–ABC Domestic Television
Broadcast
Original channel ABC
Original run October 15, 2007 – July 23, 2009

Samantha Who? is an American television sitcom that originally aired on ABC from October 15, 2007 to July 23, 2009. The series was created by Cecelia Ahern and Don Todd, who also served as producers. Although highly rated during its first season, the sitcom lost momentum and viewers throughout its second season, and ABC canceled the show in May 2009.

The series was produced by Brillstein Entertainment Partners and Touchstone Television partnered with ABC Studios and executive produced by Christina Applegate, Donald Todd, Peter Traugott, Bob Kushell, Alex Reid, and Marco Pennette.

Plot

The show centered around Samantha Newly (Christina Applegate), a 30-year-old vice president of a real estate firm who develops retrograde amnesia after a hit and run accident. After awakening, she progressively realizes to her dismay that she had been selfish and unlikable before her accident, and therefore sets out to make amends and become a better daughter to her somewhat dysfunctional parents, Howard (Kevin Dunn) and Regina (Jean Smart), a better friend to self-centered Andrea (Jennifer Esposito), and needy but well-meaning Dena (Melissa McCarthy), and a better on-again, off-again girlfriend to her roommate and ex-boyfriend, Todd (Barry Watson). Wryly observing her transformation from "Old Sam" to "New Sam" is Samantha's bemused doorman, Frank (Tim Russ).[1]

Production history

Produced by ABC Studios, Donald Todd Productions, and Brillstein-Grey Television, the series was officially greenlit and given a thirteen-episode order on May 11, 2007.[2]

The show was originally named Sam I Am until ABC renamed it Samantha Be Good due to conflicts with the estate of Dr. Seuss.[3][4] TV Guide later reported that ABC had changed the title of the series once more to Samantha Who?.[5] Early television promotions for the series, playing off of the concept of its lead character's amnesia, appeared without stating any specific title. The lack of stated title (with a question mark shown instead) was attributed in promotions to Applegate's character not remembering the name of the series.

The series premiered on October 15, 2007 at 9:30PM Eastern/8:30PM Central and moved to 9:00PM Eastern/8:00PM Central on Mondays on November 26, 2007.

On October 25, 2007, ABC ordered 6 additional scripts for Samantha Who?.[6]

On October 30, 2007, ABC ordered a full season of 22 episodes for Samantha Who?.[7] However, due to the 2007-2008 Writers Guild of America strike, only 15 episodes were produced for season one.

On February 11, 2008, ABC picked up Samantha Who? for the 2008-09 television season.[8]

On October 31, 2008, ABC ordered 7 more episodes of Samantha Who? bringing the total number of episodes for the show's second season to 20.[9] The announcement came in advance of mandated budget cuts at ABC Studios, which produces the series.[10]

The series, which was filmed in the single-camera format, went on hiatus during the 2008-2009 television season and returned in a new timeslot on Thursday, March 26, 2009, following In the Motherhood before being pulled.

On May 18, 2009, ABC announced that they would not be renewing Samantha Who? for a third season.[11] ABC burned off the final episodes on Thursday nights at 8:00PM Eastern/7:00PM Central from June 25, 2009 until the finale on July 23, 2009[12] (with additional episodes airing Thursday, July 2 and Thursday, July 9 at 8:30PM Eastern/7:30PM Central[13][14]).

The TV Guide Network has rebroadcast the series since September 2011.

Cast and characters

Episodes

U.S. television ratings

Standard ratings

In the following summary, "rating" is the percentage of all households with televisions that tuned to the show, and "share" is the percentage of all televisions in use at that time that are tuned in. "18-49" is the percentage of all adults aged 18–49 tuned into the show. "Viewers" are the amount of viewers, in millions, watching at the time. "Rank" how well the show did compared to other TV shows aired that week.

Unless otherwise cited, the overnight rating, share, 18-49 and viewing information come from Your Entertainment Now.[15] The weekly ranks come from ABC Medianet.[16]

† This episode started at 9:45PM,[17] so the ratings are estimated and are the average of the 9:30 half hour and the 10:00 half hour.

  • For the first six episodes of Samantha Who?, the show held the title of highest rated sitcom,[18] a title which was held consistently by Two and a Half Men for the previous two television seasons.[19][20]
  • Samantha Who? was, for its first seven episodes, the highest rated sitcom which debuted during the 2007-2008 television season.[18]

Without a strong lead-in (provided by Dancing with the Stars in its first season) and paired with another failing ABC comedy In the Motherhood, Samantha Who?'s ratings dropped to lows of around 4 million in its second season.

Seasonal ratings

Seasonal rankings (based on average total viewers per episode) of Samantha Who? on ABC:

Note: Each U.S. network television season starts in late September (sometimes in early October) and ends in late May, or occasionally early June, which coincides with the completion of May sweeps.

Season Episodes Timeslot (EST) Premiere Finale TV season Rank Viewers
(in millions)		 18-49 Rating/Share
(rank)
1 15 Monday 9:30 P.M. (October 15, 2007 - November 19, 2007)
Monday 9:00 P.M. (November 26, 2007 - December 10, 2007)
Monday 9:30 P.M. (April 7, 2008 - May 12, 2008)		 October 15, 2007 May 12, 2008 2007–2008 #26[21] 11.82[21] TBA
2 20 Monday 9:30 P.M. (October 13, 2008 - December 1, 2008)
Thursday 8:30 P.M.(March 26, 2009 - July 23, 2009)
Thursday 8:00 P.M. (June 25, 2009 – July 23, 2009)		 October 13, 2008
July 23, 2009
 2008–2009 #54[22] 8.9[22] TBA

Ratings competition

Samantha Who? first aired against fellow freshmen show K-Ville on FOX. It also aired against Rules of Engagement on CBS, Heroes on NBC and The Game on The CW—each in their second season. This was for the first six episodes Samantha Who? aired at 9:30pm.

On November 26, 2007, Samantha Who? shifted to the 9pm timeslot. Its competition shifted from The Game to Girlfriends on The CW and from Rules of Engagement to Two and a Half Men on CBS. Sophomore sitcom Notes from the Underbelly assumed the 9:30pm position.

DVD releases

Season 1 box set, was released on September 23, 2008 in Region 1 format

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment released the entire series on DVD in Region 1. They also released season 1 on DVD in Region 2 & Region 4 (Australia). Both seasons contain several special features including bloopers and deleted scenes. The Region 1 releases have been discontinued and are out of print.

On February 9, 2012, it was announced that Lionsgate Home Entertainment had acquired the rights to the series and plan on re-releasing it. Seasons 1 and 2 will be re-released on May 1, 2012.[23][24][25]

DVD name Ep # Region 1 Region 2 Region 4 Special Features
The Complete First Season 15 September 23, 2008 May 3, 2010[26] February 12, 2009[27] Deleted Scenes
Gag Reel
Comments in Audio
The Complete Second and Final Season 20 August 25, 2009 N/A N/A Kit for Beginners
Deleted Scenes
Gag Reel
Conversation of Girls
Set Tour with Christina Applegate
Moment "Dance" Christina

Awards and nominations

Broadcast

In the United Kingdom the series was broadcast on E4 and Comedy Central. The series aired in Ireland on TG4. In New Zealand the series ran on TV 2, and in Australia the series A on 7Two and Seven Network. The series later reran on Pop (TV channel) and currently reruns in Logo TV.

References

  1. ↑ Samantha Who? at The Futon Critic. Retrieved June 13, 2007.
  2. ↑ Sullivan, Brian Ford (2007-05-11). "ABC ADDS 10 NEWCOMERS, RENEWS 'NOTES,' 'ROAD'". The Futon Critic. Retrieved 2007-06-13.
  3. ↑ Adalian, Josef (2007-06-18). "Seuss gives ABC sitcom new name". Variety. Retrieved 2007-12-02.
  4. ↑ The Futon Critic Staff (2007-06-19). "ABC RENAMES 'SAM I AM,' EYES FRIDAY CHANGES". The Futon Critic. Retrieved 2007-12-02.
  5. ↑ Webb Mitovich, Matt (2006-06-26). "Christina Applegate Series Now Hears a Who?". Archived from the original on 2008-04-15. Retrieved 2007-06-27.
  6. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (2007-10-25). "'Samantha' among who's who of fall TV". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2007-10-24.
  7. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (2007-10-31). "'Samantha' gets full-season pickup". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2007-10-30.
  8. ↑ ABC Announces Scripted Show Renewals
  9. ↑ Schneider, Michael (October 31, 2008). "ABC orders full season of 'Samantha'". Variety.
  10. ↑ ABC mandates production cuts
  11. ↑ ABC Cancels "Samantha Who?", Variety.com, May 18, 2009
  12. ↑ Breaking News - ABC to Revisit "Motherhood" in June | TheFutonCritic.com
  13. ↑ ABC Drops "Motherhood", Shuffles Sundays, The Futon Critic, June 30, 2009
  14. ↑ "In the Motherhood": ABC Yanks Cancelled Sitcom Again, TV Series Finale, July 1, 2009
  15. ↑ "Your One Stop Shop For All Things Entertainment". Archived from the original on 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2007-10-16.
  16. ↑ ABC Medianet
  17. ↑ "The Virgin" Press Release at The Futon Critic
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Andreeva, Nellie (2007-10-25). "New schedule for freshman 'Samantha'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2007-12-01.
  19. ↑ "2005-06 primetime wrap; Series Programming Results". The Hollywood Reporter. 2006-05-26. Archived from the original on 2007-10-29. Retrieved 2007-12-02.
  20. ↑ "2006-07 primetime wrap; Series Programming Results". The Hollywood Reporter. 2007-05-25. Archived from the original on 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2007-12-02.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "Season Program Rankings from 09/24/07 through 05/25/08". ABC Medianet. May 28, 2008. Retrieved February 12, 2010.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "Season Program Rankings from 09/22/08 through 05/17/09". ABC Medianet. May 19, 2009. Retrieved February 12, 2010.
  23. ↑ http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Felicity-DVDs-Rereleased/16505
  24. ↑ http://www.lionsgateshop.com/product.asp?Id=26771&TitleParentId=7731
  25. ↑ http://www.lionsgateshop.com/product.asp?Id=26772&TitleParentId=7732
  26. ↑ http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samantha-Who-Season-1-DVD/dp/B002YGSYL0/
  27. ↑ http://www.dvdorchard.com.au/ProductS1TV.asp?PND=168250&CS=1&Qno=TBCTIC0TPC0&NoCache=0.6572992

External links