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
