"666 Park Avenue" has not been on the air for long, and it's already listed as "certain to be canceled" by TV by the Numbers. It had a very soft start and was listed as "likely to be canceled" after the "Pilot" episode. The series holds a lot of promise, but only if it can get a chance. Here are some tweaks that could clearly be helpful.
The pace is too slow
The show is more of a psychological thriller but seems to contain quite a bit of filler. Some moments that may be meaningful get lost because there are so many of them. If they don't go anywhere right away, they become filler in viewers' minds until we are reminded of them later.
There are also subplots galore going on at once. They're all interesting in various ways, but the show could moving more quickly if it focused on fewer subplots at one time. When it moves from one subplot to the next too quickly, some of the momentum in each of these stories is lost while the viewer gets his/her bearings.
The special effects are lacking compared to the trailers
The trailers for the show give away every bit of the action and special effects. The show is not about special effects, however. It relies more on creepiness, mysterious characters, and intrigue. But if you catch the trailer first, you're going to find yourself waiting until the next special effect scene. This makes all the scenes in between seem boring unless you really pay attention to what is going on. If the series is going to be about events that make you wonder on a deeper level, that's what the trailers should reflect.
The name could be better
It probably would have been a better idea to call the show "999 Park Avenue." Why? Because that is the actual address of the hotel. Pulling a trick like that may have attracted those viewers who won't tune in because they are afraid of a number they consider unsavory. There may not be many of them, but hey, the show needs all the viewers it can get at this point.
As with everything else in the show, the "666" would be subtly implied. People who enjoy the mystery of the show would get it. The display of the shadow off the address on the building (which makes the "999" appear as "666") would be clear enough for fans of the show. In fact, it would probably be more appealing even to people who don't mind the implication of the address numbers because of the "hidden" meaning of it. It would make fans feel as if they are "in the know."
More from this contributor:
'Fringe' fans want answers -- and they are going to get them!
'Sanctuary' Cancellation: Why Do So Many Sci-Fi Shows Get the Boot?
