After NBC announced its upcoming fall programming, all most of us could do was laugh at the promotional photos that introduced shows like Bad Judge and State of Affairs. NBC is becoming known for its awful promo art, which is often terribly photoshopped, decidedly unsubtle, hilariously unsexy, and just plain ridiculous. While you shouldn’t judge a show by its promotional art, it’s impossible not to laugh at these.
Free Agents was a short-lived workplace romantic comedy, and you can tell everyone at NBC patted themselves on the back for this faux-racy advertisement.
Do No Harm was about a plastic surgeon — “Dr. Face Hands,” as Paul F. Tompkins called him — who had an evil personality that came out every night. Unsurprisingly, it was canceled after two episodes.
There are so many reasons to pre-judge State of Affairs — it’s a political thriller starring Katherine Heigl — but this promo art is the biggest offender. I don’t even believe that’s actually Heigl.
I have no idea what’s happening in the art for the blindingly white Welcome to Sweden, but apparently in Sweden, taxi cabs are able to drive directly onto the water.
The only thing worse than Ryan Murphy’s misguided The New Normal was the promo art that accompanied it. The way NeNe is quickly photoshopped in as the Token Sassy Black Woman (side-eye, hand on hip) is just awful.
They’re not regular dads, they’re cool dads! They wear sunglasses and bring their babies to the bar! They are canceled after one season!
How can you tell she’s a bad judge? She wears cowboy boots and drinks a beer — while trying to seduce you. Whoever directed Kate Walsh stopped just short of instructing her to suck on the gavel.
I’ve already tried to make sense of that motorcycle-in-the-hospital photo (it’s so unsafe!), but this Night Shift photo might be my favorite. Look at Rebel Doc model with the IV! The night shift is busy (as evidenced by them all running in the same direction, but looking various places) but there’s always time to strike a pose.
It may seem like I’m picking on The Night Shift a lot, but this is a two-for-one deal: look at how similar The Night Shift art is to the promo image for NBC’s short-lived veterinary comedy Animal Practice.
The sad part is, Inside Schwartz wasn’t a terrible show, but this photo made it look like the worst thing on television.
Nothing gives me more secondhand embarrassment than photos of people awkwardly dancing.
I don’t know what’s worse: the religious imagery, the clutching of the martini glass, the photoshopping, or the ridiculous title in which Chelsea is no longer talking to vodka, but instead asking herself if she’s there. It’s no wonder this didn’t last.
Sean Saves The World was either a lighthearted family sitcom or a thriller about a crazed Sean Hayes kidnapping his daughter while his apathetic mom looks on.
Michael Chiklis played a stay-at-home dad in this 2000 sitcom, and I’m guessing he scared the hell out of his children.
And finally, who can forget 2011’s Whitney? It inspired possibly the worst promo campaign of any NBC sitcom — my sympathy to everyone in Los Angeles who had to drive past these billboards every day. I still can’t believe these actually existed.