'Outsourced' producer upbeat on renewal prospects despite 'challenging' time slot
Robert Borden, the executive producer behind NBC's workplace comedy "Outsourced," has kept a low profile since last summer, when his show was criticized by some who felt it indulged stereotypes about people from India. The series stars Ben Rappaport as an American who moves to India to manage a call center staffed with zany characters.
But Borden is optimistic that "Outsourced" -- which airs Thursday at 10:30 p.m. -- can get a renewal for another year in May, and recently chatted with Show Tracker about that and other topics. Some excerpts:
Show Tracker: Is it possible to do a comedy set in another culture that doesn't indulge in some sort of stereotypes?
Borden: Yeah, absolutely. I don't think we do.
Show Tracker: At the TV press tour last summer, some critics were hard on the show because they suggested it contained Indian stereotypes.
Borden: It was hard in that press session. How often can I say, "Just watch the show and you'll see the characters are gonna grow and develop"? Now, where we're headed toward the end of the season, I feel like that's really not an issue anymore. We have so much support in the Indian community, that's really a positive sign.
Show Tracker: What has the reception been like in the Indian community? One news outlet actually showed the series to call-center workers in India.
Borden: We got a positive reception there. Some of them criticized us for having outdated phone technology. I'll be happily guilty of that, if people like the characters.
Show Tracker: How do you feel about the show's prospects for a return next season?
Borden: I feel really good about where we are creatively with the show. It doesn't have any of that first-year, "get out the kinks, have a bad half-season" kind of situation. We're finishing strong. As far as what the network thinks, I know they're happy. But they've got to look at all their pilots. So I think it's something we'll be talking about in May.
Show Tracker: What about the time slot? Thursdays at 10:30 p.m. is not known as a hospitable time for network comedies.
Borden: It's definitely a challenging time slot to grow. If you add in our DVR numbers, we've actually done quite well.
Show Tracker: Thursdays are all-comedy nights on NBC. Does the network have too many comedies?
Borden: I don't care how many they have as long as we're one of them.
-- Scott Collins (Twitter: @scottcollinsLAT)
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Photo: Ben Rappaport, Sacha Dhawan and Diedrich Bader in "Outsourced." Credit: Beth Dubber / NBC.
Hopefully by some miracle they do survive for a 2nd season. The show has grown tremendously into a charming series with plenty of heart.
Posted by: DryedMangoez | March 24, 2011 at 06:14 PM
Really hope the renew for a second a season. This show is hilarious! I love all the characters.
Posted by: chopsuey | March 25, 2011 at 10:59 AM
I'll vote for the show's 2nd Season anytime. My family's Thursday night will never be the same without Outsourced!
Posted by: Mommyh | March 25, 2011 at 03:49 PM
please bring this show back its freaking hilarious.. I'm indian and I love it
Posted by: nik | March 28, 2011 at 09:12 AM
NBC would be stupid not to renew outsourced there numbers would still be fantastic if they were on during the normal line up. That show perfect couples is awful, cancel that crap and give outsourced a decent time. PS community has fallen apart in season 2, i see major flop heading into season 3... sad cause most of season 1 was great.
Posted by: Mike | March 30, 2011 at 08:33 AM
I love this show - I haven't laughed so hard since Seinfeld. PLEASE renew it! The characters are brilliant (and so are the actors - love their backstage videos!) It's the only show I watch on Thursday nights on NBC... Keep it at any time slot, but please just renew it!
Posted by: Ellen | April 01, 2011 at 06:19 AM
The show is great-the variety of characters and the various personal quirks each actor brings out in their characters make the show a great night cap for the Thursday night shows! I actually enjoy it more than most of the the other shows and Office is one that has always been too goofy for my taste AND Steve is not funny at all with his over done idiotic rude behavior. Go Out Sourced we love ya!
Posted by: Tom Horton | April 12, 2011 at 04:46 AM
I hope this show gets renewed. It's really funny, and I hate that NBC moved its time slot. Even though it's on at a later time, I DVR it and watch my favorite episodes over and over. "Outsourced" has very funny story lines and characters. It would be a shame if it got canceled and NBC would be a fool to do so. SUPPORT OUTSOURCED!
Posted by: Lor | April 12, 2011 at 04:48 PM
I love Outsourced. It's easily my favorite new show this season and NBC would be foolish to not renew for a second season!
Posted by: Lacy | April 15, 2011 at 11:30 AM
I love this show, and I hope NBC picks it up. Indian people are not offended by this show. Everyone I talk to in my community, loves the show, characters, and all the Indian holidays and culture that they portray on the show.
Posted by: Savita Bhakti | April 19, 2011 at 05:41 PM
Oh my God, NBC please don't cancel Outsourced!!! I believe it's the funniest sitcom on. I wanted them to extend it to an hour. The show is very funny. The characters are developing well. The actors are very funny. Canceling Outsourced would be a terrible terrible mistake.
Posted by: Rose | April 24, 2011 at 05:46 PM
i hope NBC gives outsourced a new season, this sitcom is a breathe of fresh air for the network... granted it may not appeal to some critics but that's just the way in the industry, you can't please everybody... The show's producers, directors, actors, scriptwriters, etc deserve a pat in the back for a job well done even though the season is not yet over, the show is that good as far as me and my friends are concerned... go for a second season! :)
Posted by: dens leary | April 25, 2011 at 09:32 PM
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE renew Outsourced! It just makes me feel good when I watch it. I can't say that about any other show, right now.
Posted by: SuzyMezzo | April 29, 2011 at 09:23 AM
P.L.E.A.S.E. DON'T CANCEL THIS SHOW!!! THIS AND THE DAILY SHOW ARE THE ONLY 2 SHOWS THAT OUR FAMILY WATCHES.
Posted by: Pamela | April 29, 2011 at 12:42 PM
Wow, I've never seen such a collection of planted comments -- Outsourced: the show that manages to offend EVERYBODY. Would NBC have the temerity to renew a "comedy" that isn't even funny? If so the only joke with be on NBC.
Posted by: mark Semler | April 30, 2011 at 08:59 PM
SAVE OUTSOURCED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT'S A GREAT SHOW!!! LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT! Funny and it has heart!. Keep it in the lineup! I love wathcing it and look forward to it each week!
Posted by: Kir | May 02, 2011 at 11:24 PM
Outsourced is greatest comedy since Earl- why does this show not get the recognition it deserves? Community has been horrible this year Outsourced is hilarious. It boomered my rang. It hughed my jackman. It digered my doo. Folks, it dingoed my baby!
Posted by: Kyle | May 05, 2011 at 02:15 PM