Andre Braugher RIP

Over the years I have, on occasion,, been asked what is the scheduling move that I am most proud of and people are often surprised at my answer.

Sometime in the winter of 1994 we premiered “Homicide: Life on the Streets” and gave it a short run on Thursday night. Today this would have been called a “prestige” show. Back then it was a very dark, arty cop drama that was not pulling in the audience that we were accustomed to in the 10PM Thursday time slot. Whenever it came up in our current meeting some of our marketing execs would put a finger in their mouth and cock their thumbs. For them is was a show impossible to promote. They were just doing their job and being honest.

For me, I loved it. I brought home all the episodes over the Christmas holiday and Bunny and I stayed up late and “binged” them all on New Yers Eve. I was especially drawn to Frank Pembleton played by Andre Braugher. To this day, for me, he is the most memorable character I ever experienced in a TV show.

Well when we were setting the 1994-95 Fall schedule there was a little show called ER which rightfully earned the 10PM Thursday slot. I believed we had renewed Homicide but given the lack of support and no obvious time period I was concerned that this show would quickly be gone from our schedule.

As I was thinking about the sked I suddenly had an epiphany. If there’s one time period noone especially marketing gives a shit about it’s Friday at 10PM. So I built o night of Unsolved Mysteries at 8PM, a Dateline at 9PM and ended the night with Homicide. I figured the only promos HLOTS would get would be in the two shows leading into it and that might be an audience that would hang around.

THAT SCHEDULE STAYED TOGETHER FOR ALMOST 5 YEARS!!!!

It was the most consistant night on our lineup and Homicide had a glorious 5 year run in that timeslot. By the way, that's the same timeslot that BlueBloods owned for over a decade at CBS.

Selfishly it allowed me to enjoy one of the finest television actors for over half a decade. When he was nominated for an Emmy I worked up the nerve to go over to him and introduce myself. I’m sure I made a fool of myself but he was a total gentleman.

I was jolted at the news tonight and I wish him peace as he begins his journey beyond and my sympathies to his loved ones.

RIP Mr. Braugher