Beech Tree News Network

Know the Expiration Date- This is not a story about spoiled milk.  Although, I suppose it could be.  I like to buy milk with the most distant date on the carton.  When you get home, there’s more time to enjoy the milk, juice, etc. Finally, it reaches a point where it just tastes sour and you have to throw it out.
What in the world is my end game, you ask? Much like milk, juice or any other product, television shows should have an expiration date.  Even though one is not written on the side of anything you can see, you know when the show has reached said date.  The show gets stale and outdated. 
Exhibit A: American Idol.  The other day, I read an article on msn stating that ticket sales for this year’s American Idol summer tour have plummeted to an all-time low.  The tour reportedly hit its high in 2011 and saw a 10% decrease in 2011.  Reader-online states that sales this year are already down 347%! This follows the least-watched season in American Idol history.
A tour spokesman announced June 4 that 10 tour dates were cancelled due to production schedule changes.  The first concert will now be July 19.  The tour was supposed to start June 29.  Also, every single judge has announced they will not return next year.  Even staples Randy Jackson and producer Nigel Lythgoe are leaving. That’s a lot of replacing they have to do in a little bit of time.  And competitor-wise, these are not the Kelly Clarkson or Kellie Pickler days.  The expiration date has long since been reached.
Exhibit B is Two and a Hal Men.  I’ve written at length about this show’s troubles in the past.  In 2011, Charlie Sheen was fired for going loco.  They hired Ashton Kutcher to play a billionaire to buy the house, thus creating a new sponge for Alan.  What was the result? The premiere did well, simply based off of curiosity.  Since then, the show has gone downhill.   Now Angus T. Jones is out.  They’re supposedly bringing in a girl who is to be Charlie’s long lost daughter.  Just end it, CBS.
Exhibit C is the Office.  This show ended about a month ago.  It also ended two years after it should’ve.  When Steve Carell left, that should’ve been the end.  MASH ended years after the end of the actual war on which the show was based.  However, MASH was still popular. They were on point in determining when the show should end, as evident by the finale being the most watched episode of television for decades.
Exhibit D, Burn Notice is ending this season after 7 years.  That’s the perfect example of knowing your expiration date.  Michael started as a burned spy, got back in after years of struggle, was framed out, and got back in again.  The final season began with us seeing Michael in full spy form. 
One show on the lookout for an expiration date is Psych.  Don’t get me wrong, this show is one of my favorites.  The quotes are great! There really should be a book of Psych quotes.  Surely someone with ties to the show has that idea.  It’d be a hit among fans.  All that said, it’s about time for Psych to think about ending. 
Are there shows you think need an expiration date? Maybe any shows that have exceeded that date? Too bad there’s no milk carton to put the date on.

Hello.  My name is Andy Sullivan.  I received my bachelor’s degree in business from Mid-Continent University in June 2009.  I began writing for beechtree in July 2009.  I enjoy writing, photography, watching basketball and football, and playing guitar.  I also write a blog that encompasses sports and entertainment, called Sports and More, at http://andyuk79.tumblr.com If you have any comments, please leave them in the space below.  Thanks for reading!