The Israeli network is not having a second season even though the show was a big hit. I feel the exposure was too much and they have to let it cool down a bit. I'm not too sure NBC is aiming for another season...Besides, this is more like a mini-series.
What Jim did at the auditions was head over heels beyond anyone else! You are right about that. Unless the others step up to the plate and get rid of their store bought shenanigans, they're in trouble
I'll stock up on the popcorn too!

I have found all too often, that those who impress fellow entertainers (Mentalists, Magicians, etc.) are not always the favorites of lay audiences. We tend to look at the performances differently.

I cant wait to see what Jim comes up with. Talk about pressure!

People like to be entertained, yes, but I get asked on a daily basis "how was that done?". It is the rare few I bump into who don't care to know and just like being entertained.

In the past, every time I tried showing the performance section of my favorite Magic/Mentalism DVDs to friends, I would always hear "Just skip to the explanations". Naturally I wouldn't, removing the DVD and moving the conversation towards politics or something else.

This is just one example, but I have a friend who will happen to be here on Halloween, so I said we'd watch the two-hour special of Phenomenon, and the first thing out of his mouth was, "Great, you can tell me how they're all doing their stuff."

The exact same thing happened when another friend was over during a Derren Brown episode. Immediately wanting to know how he did something.

It's going to be up to us to NOT SAY, to throw people off, and to uphold the respect of our art, for no one else will.

I think that Uri moved it to a different market with hopes of increased success and reclaiming world recognition.

Long overdue in my opinion. I have a drawer full of old watches that need fixing and nothing is more entertaining than watching a compass needle move.

Popcorn?

The show got pretty bad ratings by the end of the season, and at one time didn't even make it to the top 10. I guess that's the main reason why there might not be a second season here. Sorry to interfere with facts..

Just in context, each year NBC has debuted a "mini-series" event around this time. Two years ago it was Deal or No Deal and last year it was Identity. Both got picked up as a series, although obviously Deal or No Deal became.. for lack of a better word... a phenomenon.

DJM, the show never got less that 20% ratings.
The reason that "there never be a second season" is that the successor has been found and there is no point in looking for a second one!

Posted: Oct 9, 2007 2:14pm
The average ratings at the final show were 27%, btw...

I remember that the ratings got a bit lower as time went on..

http://www.nrg.co.il/online/4/ART1/533/394.html

Still pretty good, but sadly not like Rising Star or some of the other big reality shows we got here that are always on top.

That makes perfect sense.

WEll tp sustain a rating for a magic series like this is tough if you ask me.

Asking the audience to figure things out REALLY makes it tough.

If this line of thinking were true, we wouldn't be suffering through season after season of American Idol.

Decisions such as whether or not to pick up or order another season of a series are generally based on two factors. Number one would be financial reasons and number two would be branding.

Even if a show rates well, it still may not make financial sense to make more episodes. If the profit margin of the ad sales minus the shows budget for production and marketing is not as high as a lower rating, lower budgeted show a network is not going to pick it up. This is very common.

In addition to just the bottom line, it is not unrare for branding to take on substancial consideration for pick-up. Consider the series "PIMP MY RIDE" on MTV. That show has not rated well in many seasons, yet the network keeps ordering more episodes. Why? Because it resonates well within their brand and audience as an original, urban, young, funky, network. In their mind it helps people remember why they like MTV - which, to a president of an network can be invaluable.

Anyway, my 2p. I need to get out of this business.

There WILL be a second season of Phenomenon.

NBC certainly hopes so. Heroes has been awful this season, Deal or No Deal doesn't draw like it used to and Bionic Woman got beat last week after a huge debut. They need a hit.

Chuck is my favorite along with LIFE

I will audition for season two with System 44.

I dig Reaper on the CW

ALEXANDRE, There will NOT be a second season of Phenomenon IN ISRAEL.

Roei:

Even though Hebrew is my second language, I am fluent in it. Is it not true that the Israeli show was called "Ha'Yoresh" which means "The Successor" or more literally, "The Inheritor"?

We lawyers would call it "The Legatee."

And in fact, wasn't that the tone of the program in Israel - that Uri Geller was going to "have" someone to give his legacy to by means of the "search"?

And when Lior Suchard won, didn't Geller practically throw his arms around Suchard as if he had a new-found adopted son?

And didn't Geller also make the comment to Suchard on TV that Geller wanted him to come to his home and he would explain a few secrets to him?

So I would not call the Israeli show "The Phenomenon" if you want to be accurate.

Only the show which NBC will broadcast is called "The Phenomenon."*

The reasons for the name change are many, but certainly one reason is that the name "The Successor" no longer fits, now that Criss Angel is taking part in the American show as a co-host. That name would focus attention on Geller over Angel.

I think you, and also Ehud Segev, are trying to blur the distinction in the names of the shows, in order to cash in on the publicity for the NBC show, being that you both were contestants, albeit not winners, on the predecessor show.

Please forgive my blunt honesty, and correct me if I am wrong.

Arnon

*On Geller's site, he characterizes NBC's "Phenomenon" as in search of his successor - "NBC also looking for a successor to Uri Geller" - I wonder how Criss Angel feels about that?! Contrary to Geller's interpretation, NBC's promo characterizes the show as "the search for the impossible."

Also see, on NBC's Universal Media Village website, at http://www.nbcumv.com/entertainment/rele......alw.html

"NBC ANNOUNCES DEAL WITH WORLD-RENOWNED MYSTIFIER CRISS ANGEL AND FAMED MENTALIST URI GELLER FOR 'PHENOMENON,' CONTROVERSIAL NEW LIVE COMPETITION SERIES THAT WILL LEAD SEARCH FOR THE NEXT GREAT MENTALIST
Published: July 16, 2007"
"-- a mysterious live competition series in which both men will conduct an intensive search for the next great mentalist."
".…the contestants attempt to follow in Criss and Uri's footsteps...."

Even Geller himself states on his website (click on the Criss Angel, Boris Becker, Mel C article by Geller) that, "The involvement of Criss Angel will be immensely important. His Mindfreak series is the most popular mystifying show on American TV, making him the modern successor to his childhood hero, Harry Houdini.

Criss’s triumphs include levitating above the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas, walking on water and floating between two buildings. To say he has a taste for the spectacular is like saying Madonna has had a couple of hit records.

We’ll be presenting our ten contestants on live TV for ten successive weeks, building up to a climactic showdown between the most popular acts, just before Christmas. Criss and I will be the ringmasters, but the viewers at home will wield the real power, voting to keep their favourites on the show.

It’s going to be a whirlwind few years, because as soon as the US series ends, I’ll be flying to Germany to repeat the performance. The German series was also announced to the media this month, with a special presentation called the Big Show for TV’s top advertisers."

How can Criss be a succesor when he is a magician entertainer versus a psychic?

Besides, why does he need to be a succesor when he already is a success? No matter what is said about the fellow - he is succesful and has promoted magic and G*d bless him. He should stay as unique as he can and let Uri be Uri.... IMHO