City of Angels

This hospital drama was not given a chance to grow. That is the problem with TV programming today: years ago, shows were given time to be seen and perhaps, improve. It's amazing that any TV series stay on longer than a month these days, because advertising dollars have come to account for more than quality programming. This was not a bad show. However, it did have some strikes against it. Some of the plots appeared to be the same old standard ones that always crop up in hospital dramas (but then the show wasn't on long enough to see if it would branch out). Also, the majority of the principal characters were African-American, and it is a sad fact of American TV that audiences and TV executives are more comfortable when African-Americans are being funny than being serious. You would think that by this time there would be as many African-American TV dramas as there have been comedies, but it hasn't happened yet.

I was very disappointed when I heard City of Angels is being cancelled again. I feel this is the best drama on television. My whole family watches the show and after the show is over we can't wait to see the previews for the next week. Everybody that I talk to loves the show. It's the first minority dominated drama that shows dynamic acting abilities. I read that the ratings were low. It seems to me that most of the black shows are shown at the same time most number 1 shows are shown. City of Angels was up against "Who wants to be a Millionaire" that is the highest ranked show on television. I feel that it is unfair and done just so the show would be cancelled. I really hope that the cancellation is reconsidered. It's a great show and it should remain on the air.

I had this cultural diversity class last semester and when I read some of the previous comments, I thought of the minstrel shows that I studied. CBS executives really only want to see blacks in comedic roles-jumping around acting silly. I believe that when young blacks see this narrow minded portrayal of blacks on BET and other shows, they think that that is the way that they should act. City of Angels was a step in the right direction. CBS executives can now say that they tried...they can say that they gave the show a chance...yeah, they know that they were not really giving the show a chance...I saw an episode in TVone and I was outraged at how good the show was and that it was not on air still. I then realized that it is a black show and America has not come that far quite yet. I am seeing the show years after it was canceled and I could not keep my eyes off of the TV. Has there been a boycott organized????

I'm on the soapbox: City of Angels, Blair Underwood, Vivica Fox and Hill Harper never should have been cancelled.

The first problem is that it aired on CBS which is known as an anti-African-American network. WHY it started on CBS, I don't know! I worked as a consultant with the Legal Dept of CBS and I agree, they are NOT friendly to Blacks.

The second problem is that it did not run long enough to establish good ratings.

March 13, 2005, TVOne (Directv and Comcast) starting the series. It ran for about 7 weeks. It's June 1st and near the end of May, City of Angels was replaced with another program.

What can be done? Go to tvoneonline.com and look for the tab 'contacts'. Write the Chairman of the Board and the VP of Programming and Production. They are at their corporate headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland. Let them know how you feel about cancellation of a superior program.

I agree with all the good comments on this board by those who watched and liked the program. Hooray!!! for your good words.

Anytime a program portrays Black America in a position of leadership, good role models, influence, wealth -- the program gets cancelled.

Let's face it, the TV media is a powerful tool designed for White America. So as long as the networks can perpetuate Blacks singing, dancing, popping one's fingers, shaking one's tail-feather and playing cards, then they'll continue to do that to make us look bad.

We have enough 'Showtime at the Apollo' and too much 'Tom Joyner'. And the religious programming is a side show: nothing Christian about it.

Yet, we gladly accept the racist, ignorant programming because "at least they made it on to the TV". Oftentimes, THAT can be used against us. And just putting ANYTHING on the TV and accepting it because they are Black is not good enough. Poison is poison and all of this jive, and finger popping and card playing is poison to young (and OLD) minds.

Blacks can do more than sing and dance. And City of Angels presented a positive choice. It was thought-provoking.

I worked in a similar hospital in Los Angeles (Watts) and could relate to City of Angels. I understood exactly what the problems were and could relate.

My comment is that I liked the show and I'd like to buy it on DVD, CD, video: whatever media is available.

But guess what! YOU CAN'T GET IT ON ANY MEDIA!!!!!! Now how's that for swatching a terrific program. Pretty terrible that it can'be be purchased, rented, nothing! If they were white (Chicago Hope), I'll be we could buy it.

I guess trash sells. Look at BET.

Janet Thropp

We watched the first two episodes and enjoyed it very much. The series creator Steven Bochco (Hill Street Blues) has created many good series and City of Angels is very promising. Blair Underwood "Dr. Ben Turner" has a "love - hate" relationship with Vivica A. Fox (Why Do Fools Fall in Love) "Dr. Lillian Price." The plot and script so far are good! I like the series also because it is giving a change to ethnic minority group actors a change to shine. I hope that the series will bloom and glow!!!!