Now that we’re a few weeks into the new TV season, I thought I would provide some updates on shows that I have been watching:
- 7th Heaven. I wrote recently about how 7th Heaven had “jumped the shark” and become the Lucy show. Last week was no exception. The problems here are the least of the CW’s problems: their entire Sunday night “urban comedy” block is tanking, and Monday night’s new show, Runaway, isn’t faring well. So what’s a network to do? Schedule shift, so course. As of tonight, the CW’s Sunday and Monday night schedules are swapping, moving 7th to a certain death (or is that a short afterlife in purgatory) on Sunday night.
- Heroes. Monday night is good, however, when you have the right material. I’ve watched the first two episodes of Heroes, and I must say it is quite good. Others must agree with me, for NBC has picked up Heroes for the rest of the season, bringing the order to 22 episodes. The show ties with ABC’s “Brothers and Sisters” as the No. 1 new series among adults 18-49, the demographic coveted by advertisers.
- Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Another new Monday night offering isn’t doing as well. The quality is there: I’ve enjoyed every episode I’ve seen. But the ratings aren’t as strong as expected. According to E!, last Monday night, ratings fell to a series-low 8.9 million viewers. My prediction on this show: expect a change of night, perhaps to something less competitive, to allow the show to grow. I should note here I’m watching CSI: Miami, and TIVOing Studio 60. That’s because CSI: Miami does a wonderful job of putting me to sleep, and I want to watch all of Studio 60. This is a fact that the rating services never capture (nor does my TIVO back-reporting)… it’s also why I tend to watch L&O.
- Survivor: Cook Islands. Another new season. Another bunch of twists. This is one of my “junk TV” shows, and I do believe it has fallen into a rut. As more and more people go through the series, it acquires a sameness. The producers try to shake things up, but in reality, there’s not much that they can do. I’m not saying it is bad (it is still fun watching the scheming, and the editing is skillful), but the excitement is gone. Still, I watch.
- Ugly Betty. This is another new show I’ve been pleasently surprised with. It has the melodrama of Dallas, probably due to its origins in telenovelas, but the key characters are much more appealing. Luckily, this seems to be another winner this season. The show is remaining competitive against Survivor. Me? I’m watching Survivor, because taping it is pointless because I’ll just check the website the next day. I’m TIVOing Ugly Betty, so I can enjoy it when I watch it. In the long run, I think Ugly Betty will do better, because it will have better syndication value.
- Life on Mars. OK, it isn’t this season. But the Brits do things different. BBC News is reporting that there will only be two seasons for this fascinating show (which reminds me of The Prisoner). The producers said two endings to the second series had been filmed “to keep everyone guessing until the very end”. Series two is due to be broadcast early in 2007, when viewers will learn how Detective Inspector Sam Tyler became stuck in the ’70s. Why are they ending it early? Writer and co-creator Matthew Graham said: “We decided that Sam’s journey should have a finite life span and a clear-cut ending and we feel that we have now reached that point after two series.” I look forward to the second season of this… but in ominously related news, it is reported that Ally McBeal creator David E Kelley is making a pilot based on the show for US audiences. Sigh.
- Lastly…. Has anyone heard how MyNetwork TV is faring. This is that network based off of the UPN/WB castoff stations, airing telenovelas. The lack of news makes me think it is tanking bigtime.
