The Joy of Six

One Series Ends, Another Begins

2009-07-16T14:38:31Z

Tonight is the sixth and final episode of Raising Sextuplets' first season, so don't forget to turn to WE tv at 10 PM EDT (or much sooner, since other episodes are on as well). And I have mentioned in other posts another series I EPed, Most Popular, which debuts after Bridezillas this Sunday and then settles in to the Raising Sextuplets time slot on Thursday starting a week from today. Here is a sneak peek:

]]> Thank you to everyone who was watched the show and to all who voted in the poll asking if we should do a second season. A day ago, after about 600 vote, it was 3-1 in favor... somehow, overnight, it is up to 900 and 50/50. Smells like someone stuffing the ballot box to me, since almost all the 300 votes yesterday would have to been "no" in order to change things so radically, which seems unlikely.

And it's very nice to read all the comments from those of you who love the Masches! In the poll post I was especially interested to see that the 40 women on the 11th floor of PSU dorm are big fans. I will have news about a second season soon!

Should there be a second season of Raising Sextuplets?

2009-07-10T19:02:19Z

Please vote in the poll below. We only have one more new episode left this season; it will premiere next Thursday at 10 PM. Of course, I would love to continue the series, but let me know what you think. And your comments are always welcome.

Michael Jackson and Sextuplets

2009-07-07T13:59:02Z

Ok, ok, I will admit the headline for this post is a bit sensational. But there is a small connection; Nicole Atkins, who composed and performed the Raising Sextuplets title song, has just uploaded her version of "Ben," which I think is very good - here it is:

Nicole Atkins covers MJ's "Ben" at Some Velvet Blog

Another Raising Sextuplets Quiz

2009-07-02T13:53:02Z

If you like the quiz I linked to in the previous post, then try this one, also thanks to our industrious Digital Media intern:

www.wetv.com/polls/chart/data/1800-question-1.html

A Quiz, Platinum Weddings, and Girl Meets Gown

2009-06-30T13:20:50Z

Since it's been a little while since I posted, this will be a bit of a catch-all. What did you think of the episode last Thursday? It was my favorite episode, since I found the process of getting a tummy tuck fascinating. It rated well but not as strong as the week before, but tons of people were tuning in to CNN and FOX News, etc. because of Michael Jackson's death. Those who missed it can catch the repeat this Thursday night as well as a new episode. ]]> Thanks to all who have posted, I do read them all. And VaBookBabe, you are killing me! :) You want the show to move to TLC? Come on, can't you root for the underdog network, the up-and-comer with a lot of great programming you would probably like? Give us a chance. And please use the strongest promotional tool of all - word of mouth. It's how you heard about the show and it's the best recommendation. Thanks for watching and commenting!

I just took a fun quiz created by a WE tv intern - it tells you which Masche baby you are most like. I came out as Grant, the Gentle Giant. Please give it a try:

www.wetv.com/polls/chart/data/1807-question-1.html

I have been at focus groups the past few work days, two in Austin and two in Hackensack; two more in NJ tonight. We are having women watch Platinum Weddings and asking for any suggestions on how to make this popular series even better. And we are showing our special Girl Meets Gown, which premiered in March, because we may a series based on it and are looking for viewer input. So if you have seen either PW or GMG and want to weigh in, please do so in the comments section. We do listen...

Sneak Peek at Raising Sextuplets Episode 6

2009-06-19T16:22:14Z

Here is an unpolished, early clip from the final episode, which will air in about a month. Seven of the eight Masches enjoy meeting a huge snake... one does not:

]]> Last night the second episode aired, lots of positive feedback via Twitter and on wetv.com... and a few from people who don't like it. We await the ratings to see how it compares to last week's debut.

AFrostyMocho commented on the previous post that s/he has a question but tried emailing me at an incorrect address. AFM, not sure where you got a contact for me on the site - maybe you are trying the wrong person? In any event, if you post your question in the comments I am happy to answer it.

This and That

2009-06-17T17:58:57Z

It turns out that the Sextuplets got bumped again on Larry King Live last night, due to breaking news. Doesn't every day have breaking news? Regardless, they instead taped a nice long bit with guest host Dr. Drew, who has triplets of his own. This is supposed to air Friday nights.

And let me ask you to check out our wetv.com site for a program I mentioned once or twice earlier.

]]> I am executive producting this one as well, it's titled Most Popular. It's a different kind of series for WE and I think it feels like nothing else on TV. So that could be good... or bad. The premise is provocative and at first glance seems like a guilty pleasure, but it has surprising layers and poignancy. Here is the link:

www.wetv.com/most-popular/index.html

Thanks for all who have commented since the series premiered, I appreciate the feedback as long as it's constructive - which 99% of it has been. I especially enjoy the mothers who say they can relate to this family.

Finally, I have given notes on the final cut of the last episode of the season, #106. We will post a few clips in the next week so you can get a sneak peek.

How'd We Do?

2009-06-12T20:58:06Z

I got back to NYC last night and had an email from Dawn the Producer. She said the day had gone well, shooting the Masches in Manhattan. And she attached a photo of Blake - check it out after the jump!

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And a few minutes ago, the ratings came in. It shows how hard it is to judge numbers: we did about double what the time slot has been doing and we about 50% above WE tv's prime time average for our target, women 25-54 and 18-49. On the other hand, it didn't do as well as OMG! Sextuplets!, the special from last year that led to this series, did when it premiered. Given the volume of press the series received, I was hoping to do even better.

But, as with most series, the real answer lies in episodes 3-4. By then, the initial burst of attention has faded and the viewers who were just checking something out have either gone elsewhere... or stuck around and pulled in people via word of mouth. So it will be interesting to see how RS does the next few weeks out...

Raising Sextuplets Finally Premieres Tonight!

2009-06-10T22:26:42Z

By the time you read this, the Masches will already have appeared on the CBS Early Show. The Larry King appearance that had been planned for tonight has been pushed until Tuesday. And Entertainment Tonight is also doing a piece.

Producers Dawn and Leslie are in NYC, capturing the sextuplets' trip to Manhattan. I am on a plane from Banff, Canada back to NY so will miss the excitement but will find out how everything went and post an update on Friday. If you have questions after seeing the program, please leave them in the comments section and I will answer those as well.

Two Days and Counting Until Raising Sextuplets Premieres

2009-06-09T19:07:50Z

Please tune in at 10 PM EDT on Thursday for the first episode. Let me know what you like or don't like.

I recently blogged about Nicole Atkins's theme song for the series. I want to also alert you to another talented woman, Samantha Gongol, who wrote and performs the song that plays at the end of each episode. It's titled "Six is Much More Fun." Please check out Samantha at www.myspace.com/samanthagongol

Another Episode of Raising Sextuplets?

2009-06-05T13:14:39Z

First, let me give kudos to the crack PR team here at WE tv - the Masche's are seemingly everywhere lately. They were scheduled to be on the Today Show this morning (just got in to work and I forgot to turn it on), have been and will be on shows like Extra, Inside Edition, The Insider, etc. Next week will hopefully bring CBS's Early Show and Larry King on Thursday. And Variety, TV Guide, and other print outlets... Jenny and Bryan have been troupers, handling all of this with grace and patience.

]]> This also affects production. We have a dilemma with RS that we don't normally have with WE tv series. We can shoot a season of Bridezillas, stop down for half a year, and then shoot another season's worth of episodes. Well, time doesn't stop for little children. If we wait until our six episodes air, see how they rate, then decide to do a second season, and ramp back up, we will have missed many months of "our" babies growing up.

On the other hand, we have to be fiscally responsible. In television, you can never take anything for granted. So if we assume the series will do well and start a second season before the first one airs, we risk committing our precious resources to a flop (no matter how confident we are in the potential of a new series).

So in this case, we are hedging our bets. We have freed up a little money to shoot (but not edit or post produce) enough footage for seventh episode. This way we can check back in with the family before too much time has passed and hope this can buy us a little time.

So we planned to shoot the Masche's celebrating the sextuplets' second birthday at home in Lake Havasu. Well, now the family is coming to New York to appear on television. So that should make for a fun storyline - not so much all the media interviews, but the excitement and challenges of flying with six babies and taking them to NYC landmarks and making sure everyone gets enough rest when there are so many cool things to do on a little vacation like this.

I will be at a television conference in Canada next week, but get back to NYC on the 11th, when all of this is happening. I plan to keep you posted...

Raising Sextuplets Theme Song

2009-06-02T13:56:05Z

I was overjoyed that we were able to get Nicole Atkins to compose and perform the theme song for the series. Her 2007 album "Neptune City" is wonderful, both for its songwriting and her strong, emotive voice. Take a listen:

SextupletsTheme(FINAL).mp3

]]> Of course, you are hearing it in isolation, without the visuals that accompany it, so it is a bit out of context.

By the time we had a deal in place and Nicole's schedule was open, our opening sequence's graphics were mostly complete, so she had a challenge in that she couldn't just create something from scratch. Nicole had to match the length and tempo of the animation as well as write lyrics that meshed with what was happening on screen. I think she did a suberb job. The song is joyful, has hints of the Beatles, nursery rhymes, Mama Cass, and 1920s popular music, and sticks in one's head (in a good way). As always, feel free to share your opinions in the comments section.

Jeers, Jenny's Blog and Episode 6

2009-05-29T21:20:52Z

I was in Los Angeles for about a week to shoot our new series, Most Popular, so have not posted for a while. But now that we are less than two weeks away from the series premiere on June 11 at 10 pm, I will pick up the pace.

1 - While in LA, I stopped by to visit the Raising Sextuplets' production HQ. The crack team of Eric, Dawn, Leslie, and Amy were busy working on the series and shared the initial cut of the season's final episode with me. My notes were relatively few, as it was in fine form. It really shows the six babies as they get a head start on the Terrible Twos! Will have clips to share soon.

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3 - We are starting to get press as the premiere approaches. Not surprisingly, a lot of it refers to Jon & Kate, which is inevitable. I try not to get too defensive, because we have been working with the Masches for more than two years, so we are not just jumping on the bandwagon at the last minute.

Also, are there too many hospital dramas on network television? Or crime procedurals? I think there is room for a number of reality shows about interesting families. It all comes down to casting, and we couldn't be happier with our Masches if we tried. The babies are as cute as can be, developing distinct personalities, and their parents are so relatable, fun, and nice...

And as they say, there's no such thing as bad publicity. So check out TV Guide's Summer Preview Issue's Cheers and Jeers: Raising Sextuplets gets that latter. But I get the sense the writer never actually watched the program, based on what he writes...

Babies on the Beach

2009-05-13T17:50:59Z

This excerpt from the rough cut of episode five takes place in California, where the Masches traveled for a marathon. They had an outing at the beach with Jenny's family and she call's it one of the best days of her life.

First Look: Raising Sextuplets, Episode 5

2009-05-12T12:41:06Z

We have three clips to share with you over the next few days from the early, unfinished edit of our fifth episode. I like the one below, as it's a little different from what we've posted from the first four episodes. In this short piece, a therapist works with the babies to assess and assist their development. Since they were born prematurely, this is not unusual.