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Network execs are grasping at straws to find ways at gaining audiences. Its damn near impossible to jump out of the gate with a huge premier anymore because there are so many damn chanels to watch nowdays. You can't just throw a show on Thurday night NBC and expect 12 million people to watch. And without those guaranteed audiences, advertising dollars get thin. Especially since TiVo lets people blow right past the commercials if they don't watch it on first air.

The Sopranos are a different animal though. Those shows are already paid for through subscription dollars. There are no ad dollars to be had. HBO just knows it has a gold mine on its hands. Even though ratings slipped last season due to an impatient audience coupled with subpar plot lines. But they know there's enough people waiting with remote in hand (like myself) for the next season to start despite the abuse of a 15 month hiatus. Evil bastidz