TV fans, prepare to be disappointed. Or not.
Next week the broadcast networks will announce their new fall schedules, and some favorites will not make the cut.
For some series that remain “on the bubble,” it may be a matter of
low ratings (e.g. “Dollhouse,” “Terminator: The Sarah Connor
Chronicles”). For others (“Cold Case,” “Without a Trace”) it’s more a
matter of a network cutting shows loose in an effort to control costs;
a first-year show will almost always cost less to produce than a show
that’s entering its fourth or fifth season.
As far as the new shows go, we’ve already gotten a glimpse at NBC’s
new series, which were announced last week. On paper, NBC’s new batch
looks more promising than the sorry lot the network unveiled a year ago
at this time, none of which survived except the Thursday night
“Saturday Night Live” specials. NBC will announce time slots for its
fall series and the fate of more bubble shows, including “Chuck,” next
week.
Pittsburgh viewers will be keen to know whether CBS picks up “Three
Rivers,” a medical drama pilot set and filmed in southwestern
Pennsylvania. If it is picked up, the question becomes whether the
series might film here. Odds are actors’ contracts, which often specify
Los Angeles or New York as a regular filming location, will prevent
that.
If “Three Rivers” is picked up, it will be jockeying for attention
with at least two other medical dramas, NBC’s already announced
“Trauma” and “Mercy.”
I’ll be writing about the network schedules in print next week but I
also plan to post network press releases as soon as they become
available to the Turned In Journal blog.
NBC began rolling out a new batch of “Office” webisodes last week at NBC.COM. This time the focus is on Creed (Creed Bratton) as he attempts to blackmail his co-workers.
Fans of “The Office” might seek out these webisodes, but I’m
starting to wonder if Web-based series have much of a future. The
Post-Gazette published a story about the new-ish phenomenon in March
and since then in visits to several high school and college classes
I’ve asked students if they watch shows at TheWB.com or Crackle.com . After I ask the question, I’m always left staring into a sea of blank faces.
The kids all know about Hulu.com
and watch shows there or on network Web sites, but in five class visits
only one student had “maybe heard of” “Children’s Hospital,” a show on
WB.com.
If these media consumers, who are the target audience for these online shows, are not watching them, who is?
The problem seems to be that students are not even aware of these
original online series, which isn’t too surprising. The backers of
these sites spend little on marketing, relying instead on their shows
going viral, which doesn’t seem to be happening in any significant way.
Maybe there needs to be a one-stop portal for online shows,
something like Hulu.com. Or why not make the shows more visible at Hulu
because people already know to look for TV there? (Crackle and The
WB.com shows are there but not easy to find.)
The other irony is that independently produced Web videos seem to gain more traction in the media and with the public.
When NBC’s “Southland” premiered, there was a subtle hint that the
roughneck cop John Cooper (Michael Cudlitz) is gay. At the time,
executive producer John Wells said a more definitive scene had been cut
from the pilot and would air in episode three.
But we’re beyond that point in the series run now. What happened to
the scene? Did producers or the network decide to de-gay the character
(see: Zach on season one of NBC’s “Heroes”)?
According to a network spokeswoman, “the next scene that reveals
more about John’s character is episode six. Again, it is subtle.”
That episode is due to air next Thursday but no reason was given for the latest delay.
Former WPXI weekend anchor/reporter Stacia Erdos, who left the
station while trying to get into Ohio state politics, has crossed the
great divide once again, this time back to journalism.
She’s joined The Business Journal in Youngstown as a reporter.
Chris Fennimore’s newest cooking marathon, ” ‘C’ is for Cake,”
premieres at 10 a.m. tomorrow on WQED. … PCNC will air highlights
from the 2009 NAACP Human Rights Dinner featuring keynote speaker Rep.
John Lewis tomorrow at 8 p.m. … The final original episode of “Mad
TV” on Fox airs tomorrow at 11 p.m. … Reruns of HBO’s “Deadwood” and
“Oz” will air on DirecTV’s 101 Network on Sundays at 9 and 10 p.m.
respectively beginning May 31.
Jay Leno’s last guest on the “Tonight Show” will be the man who’s taking over for him — Conan O’Brien.
Leno wraps up his 17-year run as host of NBC’s late-night show on
May 29, with O’Brien as his final guest. Then O’Brien steps in as
“Tonight” host June 1, the Associated Press reports.
The big names making the cut for Leno’s final week of shows include
Mel Gibson, Prince and Billy Crystal — who was Leno’s first guest when
he took over “Tonight” from Johnny Carson in 1992.
This fall, Leno will begin a daily prime-time show for NBC.
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