NBC pulls 'Chopping Block'

NBC is pulling cooking competition series "Chopping Block" from primetime after three weeks, sources say.

The network informed affiliates tonight the reality series starring renowned chef Marco Pierre White will be removed from Wednesday's lineup.

NBC is fortunate to have Jay Leno's 10 p.m. talk show in the fall considering how many slots are getting cleared out this season. Including "Chopping Block," six series are not returning -- "Knight Rider," "My Own Worst Enemy," "Crusoe," "Lipstick Jungle" and "ER." A couple midseason reality shows, "Superstars of Dance" and "Momma's Boys," are likely gone. Three others are looking pale and shaky -- "Kath & Kim," "Life" and "Kings" (update: as for the struggling "Friday Night Lights," I'm hearing that a report claiming that DirecTV is going to help rescue the drama for another two years is accurate, though nothing has yet been announced).

"Block" will be replaced with repeats of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (not to be confused with the upcoming "CI" episodes that first aired on USA Network which will make their broadcast debut starting April 29. Until then, these are repeats of the "CI" episodes that aired on NBC last year -- repeats of repeats, in other words).

The cooking competition debuted modestly on March 12, then fell in the ratings with each episode. Sources say NBC plans to run air the remaining episodes at some point. "Block" is survived on Wednesday nights by crime dramas "Life" and "Law & Order."

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Comments

[Paul]

James I notice you didn't mention Chuck as looking pale & shaky. At this point do you think it will get renewed? Given all of NBC's woes and how brutal the time period is?

[sharon]

I can't beleive yu would take this show off. The chopping block is so much better than the other shows. I hate law and order and will not watch it.

[kitty]

put knight rider back on"" what was the reason for that to get pulled? what gets me was there as no warning or finale on K Rider. why??

[Patty]

Watch KINGS!!!!! Next episode: "First Night", 3/29, Sunday, 8 p.m., NBC. Tell all the people you know.

[twitter.com/mccaw]

Axe 'Heroes'. It's just another 'The O.C.' a shooting star that dazzles in year 1, fizzles in year 2 and by year 3, you want the show to be over. Put that talentless bimbo Hayden Panttiere back on the unemployment job where she DESERVES!

[Roamer]

I enjoyed Marco's presentation of the show, but the chefs did not seem to be that good, which seems to diminish the point of having a cooking reality show of any kind.
If you tuned into learn something, you were just faced with their mistakes, like cold and raw dishes leaving the kitchen.

[elyse]

this is a shame.
We really enjoy the show.

[Heradite]

No duh. And modest begining? It was a FLOP from the very beginning. I'm surprised it lasted three weeks.

[John W Peterson]

I guess they could always put Jim Cramer on primetime. Give him an hour and then NBC executives would only have to program for one hour next year. I figure they can't screw up programing an hour but you never know with these guys.

[Vic]

I found this show almost unwatchable.

[Elle]

I love Marco! Give him better content and better cooks to work with!

[Phoenix Justice]

Chopping Block, which was the American adaptation of BBC America's Last Restaurant Standing never had a chance on NBC. It should have been put on Bravo, where it would have fit better. They also should have had a bigger name American chef as the main person.

[Ignacio Carrion]

Reality shows became popular for the networks to produce because they are so cheap to make. This show in particular was just awful - and clearly some aspects were scripted. I'm glad it was cancelled. Perhaps now the networks will balance cheap with quality. Take a look at BBC's Last Restaurant Standing - it's a great show, without the antics of Mr. Marc Peter white and his ridiculous affectations.

[Robbin Moore]

I am moderately surprised at the decision to stop airing this show. The biggest disappointment is that it is billed as a cooking competition, but the first show was ALL ABOUT Marco. The introduction was laden with shots of Marco, and when it got underway in the first opening, Marco occupied 2/3rds of the screen, while the contestants were somewhere up in the left hand corner.

Note to NBC: If you want to do a show about Marco, do a show about Marco!

[Hans]

It really is a shame, not the show but the network. It used to be cutting edge and fun, and now it's just a mess. I can't wait to see the NBC true hollywood story. In all seriousness, Deal or no Deal was a solid performer and a fun to watch show. I know it's a bit mindless, but this is America we're talking about folks.

I say bring back Deal or no Deal as fast as you can NBC.

[Ravi Kanwal]

The Chopping Block was a poor contestant against Hells Kitchen. I am surprised, the show was even shown in the first place. Whoever was in charge of picking primetime shows needs to be shown the door if it hasn't already happened.

[Juliet]

I liked this show. I did think it was a take with a less extensive premise on "The Last Restaurant Standing" with Raymond Blanc on BBCA which is excellent. I agree with Robbin above - if you are looking for a Marco show, make it a Marco show! Hell's Kitchen and Ramsay's Nightmares surely can handle a show with Marco more out front.

[Henry]

That's too bad. I was enjoying the show. NBC doesn't really have much that interests me anymore and this was one of the few shows I watched.

[Vic]

What a surprise. Nobody wants to watch a show driven by an unkempt, arrogant, condescending jerk.

At least Simon Cowell irons his black t-shirts.

[Ron - Florida]

REJOICE! "Friday Night Lights" To Be Renewed For TWO Seasons...check your facts first

[jeffe]

Kill your TV...
I watched a few episodes and it was awful.
Chef Marco Pierre White was obnoxious and when you compared him to Gordon Gordon Ramsay he is not as entertaining.

I do have to say Gordon Ramsay's show is also going down hill.

Network TV is dead. The only thing worth watching are The Office and 30 Rock.

[Eggbert]

Ron, at those rating FNL is "pale and shaky" no matter how many seasons NBC rneews it for!!

[Derrick]

I'm so glad I have cable. I find much better and far more entertaining shows there then on any network TV programming.

Cancel them all and let the big 3 suffer a slow death.

[buddhistMonkey]

Come on, headline writers! The name of the show is Chopping Block, yet you couldn't come up with a pun when the series gets canceled? How about:

NBC Puts Chopping Block on the Chopping Block
Chopping Block Chopped
NBC Chopping Chopping Block
Chopping Block Meets Self-Referential Demise

[Lex10]

A: Where is Jeff Zucker to tell us it's staying on just because HE likes it?

B: Take the guy who taught Gordon Ramsay how to cook, is pals with Tony Bourdain and make.......Earth's Kitchen? Y'know, Hell's Kitchen minus the (fake) yelling. The problem was it was directed JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER REALITY SHOW (yes I was yelling) He says something's awful, and... cut to some half wit that should never be allowed to commercially prepare food responding with "He came in and said it was awful, what a bad feeling I got from that." Repeat 25 times in an episode, chop the person who is more talented yet less nutty and boom! see you next week. (Hear me Top Chef charlatans?)

[kai shannon zacharias]

We really enjoy watching this program, and Marco Pierre White.

[Libby]

Chopping Block wasn't great, but better than watching those fat asses on Tuesday on Biggest Loser. If I was a network exec I'd be ashamed of that piece of trash. Yet America watches. Go figure.

[matt]

LIFE is pale and shakey.

THAT is the real shame in all of the nonsense that is NBC these days.

I really quite enjoy it and i will miss it a great deal if it goes belly up---i think the fact that anyone is watching it despire airing on the lowest rated network in the almost impossibly steep competition on against it (oh its on against Idol, Crim Minds, AND Lost.)proves that it has some following---at least its beating the CW's offering at that hour (regularly shown reruns of 90210--i mean jeez!)

anyways---why doesn't NBC just show the new eps of Criminal Intent??? I mean i get that USA has dibs on it---but i never understood why NBC threw it to them in the first place---did it not still get better ratings then most of the new programming it has on now anyways??? (shrugs shoulders) not that its been particularly good in a couple of seasons---but at least it was something. '

PLEASE DON"T GET RID OF LIFE

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

[Kapusta]

Chopping Block canceled? I can't believe it. There are so many terrible shows on NBC that are still on. What moron made this decision? Who ever made this decision should be on the chopping block. Stupid! I had hope for NBC but they continue to prove me wrong. They've killed so many other really good shows in the past. It's just time to delete NBC from my TV's programming for good. There's nothing worth watching there.

[Lynn]

I wanted to like this show. I love all the cooking competition shows out there - starting with Iron Chef Japan. I really enjoy Last Restaurant Standing. But this show honestly made me yawn for the most part. For one, the cooking was boring. We didn't get to see that much of it. And the food was boring as well - I didn't see a single dish that made me say, "I want to taste that." And yes, Marco's approach was a bit too self-righteous. And the contestants all have the mentality of the horrible reality show cliche. It's so different when you see Last Restaurant Standing - those people are actually nice to each other. I do want to see who ultimately wins CB, but I probably wouldn't have watched for another season. RETHINK THE CONCEPT! MAKE IT MORE LIKE LRS AND YOU MIGHT HAVE A WINNER! NOT 2 TEAMS - SEVERAL TEAMS, ALL WITH DIFFERENT FLAVORS, ATMOSPHERES, STYLES! But I did like the restaurant critic as a judge concept - that was good.

[Beauvoir]

As a chef in training Marco is a big inspiration to me. I only watched the show because he was the host. Honestly i did find myself asking why the contestants actually got a shot to compete over myself. I think the concept should be rethunk, and reshot. Hopefully Marco's debut didnt just die with CB, but then again this is america, and anything america doesnt understand is automaticaly killed.