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Fall television schedule looks to have more misses than hits
In addition to fans still whining about the demise of "Jericho," blogs are currently bloated with viewers complaining about the lack of any good sitcoms, the proliferation of reality shows and the tendency of networks to cancel shows after just a few airings. Many have now sworn not to watch new shows until their sophomore season, the better to avoid the disappointment of cancellation. You might think it a national trend, but how then to explain the first-year triumph of "Heroes," "Ugly Betty," "Shark" and "Brothers and Sisters." (Evidently, the millions of people watching those shows aren't bloggers.)
Still, the networks should take note. Too many new shows disappeared too soon - often leaving viewers in the lurch. Most new comedies weren't funny, including two of the three that survived for a sophomore season - "'Til Death" and "Rules of Engagement." And with the possible exception of "Heroes," there wasn't much buzz about the 2006-2007 season.
Wait 'til next season - on paper, at least, it should get worse.
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n Yet the networks may be on to something.
n Last week, I hinted that "Cavemen" may be the first cancellation. On second thought, I'm not so sure. Sure, it''s a ridiculous premise - three cavemen living in modern America - but it just may be far-fetched enough to draw several million curious eyeballs. Ditto for "Bionic Woman," which by most accounts would be one of the last vintage series worthy of an updating. "Kid Nation," a potentially detestable cross between "Survivor" and "Lord of the Flies," is most likely going to be sampled by a whole lot of folks if only to validate their suspicion that it's exploiting children.
n It all may be perfectly logical in the eyes of network brass. Networks desperately need new viewers, and those three shows might provide them, at least temporarily. If there's a trend for the fall season, it's trying to shake thing up with new ideas, high concepts and eyebrow-raising plotlines. If it sound like a final plea for attention, it may be just that.
n Consider that:
n In addition to abandoning Saturday, networks are close to giving up the first hour of prime time as well. No network has more than three nights of scripted programs at 8 p.m. and NBC has just one - Thursday - as it struggles to reestablish that night's comedy block. Reality shows are considerably cheaper to produce than scripted dramas, and as long as "Deal or No Deal," "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" and "1 Vs. 100" do well in the ratings, why spend the extra cash?
n Most new series feature new faces. Why bring in movie stars when the biggest dramas in recent years - "Grey's Anatomy," "Desperate Housewives" and "Lost" - didn't need household names to succeed? Neither did this season's two biggest hits - "Dancing With The Stars" and "American Idol." This fall, only one series - "Back to You," can be said to be star-studded, and that' s only if you consider familiar TV faces (Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Richardson) as starpower. One can interpret this as a new strategy or a cost-cutting measure. It's probably a little of both.
n Many new series are ensemble casts, which also assists in cutting costs."Heroes," "Housewives" and "Lost" are plot-driven, the better to kill off characters on a regular basis. In Hollywood these days, it's becoming dangerous to ask for a raise.
n Although it's still the No. 1 overall network, CBS still has a tough time attracting viewers under 50. The hit procedural dramas remain, but this fall they'll be joined by supernatural, sci-fi and scatterbrain dramas ("Chuck"), if only to bring over America's work force for something other than "Two and a Half Men" and "Rules of Engagement."
n The days when viewers looked to the network for news are all but over. Evening news shows on all three networks are way off their halcyon days, and that lack of interest has spread to the news magazines. Both "Dateline" and "Prime Time" are cutting back, and NBC let loose of its star magazine newsman Stone Phillips, last week.
n You might think the networks conspired on this one. Almost one-third of the new series will air on Wednesday. For its part, ABC has an entirely new lineup, a rarity in any year. The thought process is evidently that viewers will sample new shows when old favorites are nowhere in sight, and Wednesday is virtually free of mega-hits.
n CBS is trying a musical/drama with "Viva Laughlin" on Sunday nights. Sure, "Cop Rock" bombed two decades ago, but, again, the show should at least be sampled.
It's way too early to be predicting the hits of the new season. There's seems to be a groundswell of support for "Pushing Daisies" - about a man who can bring people back to life with a single touch - and the aforementioned "Back to You" seems to be a comedy in a classic sitcom mold, but no show has the unanimous support of last year's "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" going into the season.
Hmmm. Perhaps that accounts for this year's muted applause.
