Search Observer-Reporter

Search Archive

1/6/2009 3:32 AM

Email this article • Print this article  

This article has been read 1716 times.

Now it gets interesting.

After two "blockbuster" weeks in which the masses migrated to theaters and video stores in record numbers while television was in rerun cycle - the second TV season is about to begin. If football season were just getting under way rather than winding down, you'd more easily recognize it for what it is - the four-month delayed fall kickoff.

By my count, there are 51 shows with new programming this week alone. That's an astonishing number considering that the lights are still out for most Fox shows and CBS sitcoms. (I'm also fairly certain I've overlooked a few cable premieres in my limited research.)

While it's certainly enticing to have so many choices this week, it's equally amusing to watch networks trip over each other to unveil their new product in such a short span of time. It's a proven formula for failure, but no network, it seems, wants to be behind door No. 3. If you're a fan of reality shows, this week will be especially unnerving, as that's pretty much all that's out there as far as new series are concerned.

Rate This Story:
1 the lowest - 5 the highest

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Current rating:

And let's not engage in a collective sigh of disappointment over the reality-laden schedule. In fairness to the networks, they gave viewers the opportunity to endorse some decent scripted fare over the past four months, but, for the most part, we turned our backs on "Eli Stone," "Life on Mars, " "Pushing Daisies"... you know where I'm going with this.

For better or for worse, the conclusion drawn by the networks was that viewers won't commit to new scripted fare at the moment. With collective viewership down 7 percent, something had to change. That's reflected in the new schedule.

Meanwhile, cable stations continue their quest to become the 21st-century version of 20th-century networks. FX is producing some of the best dramas onTV, and at least two are returning this week - "Damages" and "Nip/tuck." For its part, USA Network checks in Friday with the final season of "Monk" and a new round of "Psych." Coming soon are A&E's drama, "The Beast" with Patrick Swayze and TNT's peek into the advertising world, "Trust Me" with Tom Cavanagh.

The network reality binge this winter would be more disturbing were it not for a few emerging trends. The sitcom is making a slow but steady recovery, and viewers strongly endorsed two September premieres - oddly enough, the two that aired opposite each other - "The Mentalist" and "Fringe." And, amid what at first blush appears to be so much trash, the triumvirate of series that currently rivet viewers to the networks will soon join the schedule - "24" (Sunday), "American Idol" (Jan. 13) and "Lost" (Jan. 21). None of the three will be interrupted by repeats. Also, in what is most likely its final season, NBC has one of television's best shows, "Friday Night Lights" returning Jan. 16.

Yes, there still will be much to enjoy on television over the next few months. Odds are, though, we increasingly will have to switch away from the networks to be satisfyingly entertained.

On Monday, NBC continued pushing "Superstars of Dance," and "Momma's Boys" while ABC offered its own reality slant with a new season of "The Bachelor" and the much-hyped "True Beauty." ABC Family unveiled a new season of "The Secret Life of the American Teenager, while cable offered another round of "Rita Rocks" and the new "Diettribe." New episodes of "Gossip Girl" and "One Tree Hill" also were on the tube.

Here's what's happening the rest of this week.

Today - With 13 new episodes and counting, it's the most jam-packed night of premieres this week. CBS has new installments of all of its shows, while ABC picks up the final season of "Scrubs" and offers the self-explanatory "Homeland Security USA." Among other new and returning series is another round of "10 Items or Less" on TBS.

Wednesday - The first of dozens of self-congratulatory awards presentations comes along with "The People's Choice Awards" and the CW premieres "Fear is Real," in which contestants try to survive in a "haunted" mansion. On cable, MTV offers "Real World: Brooklyn" and Sci-Fi has "Ghost Hunters."

Thursday - ABC tries to salvage "Private Practice" by tucking it behind "Grey's Anatomy" on an all-new night of episodes, while NBC also trots out new episodes of its five Thursday staples. CBS stays in reruns, and Bravo unveils "Millionaire Matchmaker."

Friday - ABC has new episodes of its lineup, CBS brings back "Flashpoint," which was a middlin' summer hit, as well as new episodes of "Ghost Whisperer" and "Numbers," and NBC has a final new episode of "Lipstick Jungle" and a new Howie Mandel entry, "Howie Do It."

Home

0 comments

All comments will be reviewed by administrators and posted to their respective articles within 24 hours. Comments deemed inappropriate will not be posted.

Subject:
Body:
Poster:

Enter text seen above: