CBS Upfronts!
Number one, baby! Number one!! No body messes with the boss, you hear me? No one. Not even CBS development vice presidents, apparently. The network unveiled its fall lineup this morning (Wha-whaaa?!) and upon first glance, it looks awfully close to their current line-up. This is the case because whatever it is the network is doing right now (CSI-Survivor-Two-and-a-Half-Men), it’s working so well they don’t feel the need to alter it in the slightest. Though there will be a few add-ons. Perhaps you’d like to click below to hear about these titles…
Class — The producer of Friends (David Crane) brings us this new comedy about a group of HOT-THIRTYSOMETHINGS who all went to grade school together. They meet up years later and realize they aren’t so different afterall– wait, were they suppose to be different? Also, ABC is launching a show called In Case of Emergency that follows the EXACT same path (it should be noted that How I Met Your Mother will likely still be better than either of these).
Jericho — The mysterious happenings in a small Kansas town after a nearby nuclear explosion seals them off from the rest of society. Kind of a cool premise if you’re into radiation, but this series will have to walk a very fine line (Lost-like) to keep from becoming completely absurd.
Shark — Moderately creepy James Woods stars in this legal drama about a hot-shot celebrity defense attorney who has an epiphany and decides to become a prosecutor. Oh, and I hate James Woods. So, um, there you have it.
Smith — This show is a network version of Thief, but you lose the awesome Andre Braugher and instead get Ray Liotta and Virginia Madsen. Like I said, its Thief. I like Thief. I hope it comes back. I don’t need another version.
3 Lbs — Remember Stanley Tucci? He was great in The Terminal– Steven Spielberg’s finest cinematic achievement. Well, he’ll be the star of this show about a Brain Surgeon who– get this– might have some of his own issues.
Rules of Engagement — Aside from starring Patrick Warburton, this is probably the most generic sit-com pitch I’ve read yet. Basically, two couples and their single friend (is he wacky?!) deal with relationships. Sounds hillarious.
Waterfront — Follows the mayor of a town in Rhode Island and his not-by-the-books ways. Joey Pants stars, which might be a kiss of death is history proves correct.
Aside from Jericho and Class (one with the concept, the other with the production team) there isn’t much here will likely add any new flair to CBS this fall. That being said, CBS doesn’t need flair as it has had yet another year of success with its current formula. And while I don’t watch CSI or NCIS or any police procedurals, it should be noted that the network does have the only show on television with a laugh-track that I’d ever turn on in How I Met Your Mother as well as the surprisingly successful military ops series from Shawn Ryan and David Mamet, The Unit– a show that is on the top of my list for series I will catch up on over the summer (thanks DVR!). The real risks in CBS’s upfront meeting was the gamble that America’s tastes over the next year will not change. NBC felt that way once, but then they lost Seinfeld and blew all of their production budget on keeping Friends on the air and the next thing you know you’re courting fourth place.
Tags: CBS, The Industry, Upfronts
May 18th, 2006 at 1:23 am
You know what non-network network I’m hooked on?…the Discovery Channel. I mean Mythbusters is way cooler than any CSI show because A) it’s real and B) it’s just cooler than any CSI show. Deadliest Catch is your drama with flavorful comedy. And Unsolved Histories…I’ll be damned if the suspense didn’t keep me up until 2:30 in the morning learning something!
And the main reason I’m hooked on these shows is that they replay the new episode later that night (say midnight) when I’m actually home to watch it. No DVR = no network television for me.
May 18th, 2006 at 1:31 am
Taylor brings up an interesting point. If you don’t work regular 9-5 hours, watching network television just doesn’t work. For those of you who fit into the group, do you still try to seek out recorded versions of the popular shows (be it Lost, Desperate Housewives, or According to Jim), or do you just say the hell with it and spend most of your time on cable where they can cater the in insomniac in all of us (The Daily Show is on at least 4 times a day)?
July 24th, 2008 at 11:01 am
[...] Shark and Rules of Engagement made the cut. The network is by no means hurting for programming. Last year they picked up five dramas and two comedies. This year only three dramas, one comedy and one “alternative†series were [...]