August 29th, 2007
Entertainment innovation seems to operate in a pendulum pattern. For every clever creator moving forward with a new idea or style, there are a host of copycats pulling backward, either by churning out imitations of the hot new thing until it becomes old and familiar, or by plugging those new ideas back into familiar, "safe" products. That helps explain this year's slate of new TV shows, which seem like retreads of everything from American Idol to Heroes to CSI to, um, Forever Knight. Here are The A.V. Club's thoughts on how this gaggle of been-there-done-that imitators got on the air, and which of them might be worth giving the benefit of the doubt anyway:
SUNDAY
CW Now (7 p.m., CW; premières Sept. 23)
The concept: A half-hour look at the latest trends—or, as the official write-up noxiously puts it, "like going to cool school… without the bullies."
Likely pitch: "Hip, brand-positioning, demographic-targeting, [insert risible marketing buzzword here] fun!"
Why is this on the air? The lovechild of UPN and the WB has tried to present itself as the young person's network of choice. It's only in its second year as the CW, but things are clearly getting desperate already.
Will it be any good? If old reliables like Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood are no longer doing it for the kids of today, surely the proliferation of celebrity gossip and trend sites on the Internet are taking care of their junk-culture needs. Only on a bean-counter's chart could this look like good TV.
Online Nation (7:30 p.m., CW; premières Sept. 23)
The concept: Seizing on the CW Now lead-in, this show plumbs the Internet for the hottest viral video and brings it to the slightly bigger screen.
Likely pitch: "You know what this generation is into? Watching uploaded videos of people embarrassing themselves on the Internet."
Why is this on the air? Completing an hourlong block of buzz-driven CW product, Online Nation is again trying to hit the 18-to-25 sweet spot; in a world where Google bought YouTube for $1.65 billion for the same privilege, it's probably worth a shot.
Will it be any good? A spotlight on user-generated videos made specifically for the show sounds scary, but so long as it features plenty of cute animals, wince-inducing personal confessionals, and the "Boom Goes The Dynamite" clip, it has potential.
Viva Laughlin (8 p.m., CBS; "Special preview" Oct. 18, premières Oct. 21)
The concept: Lloyd Owen wants to open a casino in Laughlin, Nevada, but he's in trouble with his family, the law, and an all-singing, all-dancing Hugh Jackman.
Likely pitch: "Before we begin, I want to emphasize once again that we have learned the hard lessons of Cop Rock."
Why is this on the air? An insomniac CBS producer, desperate for new show concepts, came across Viva Blackpool! on BBC America too soon after watching Hugh Jackman host the Tony Awards.
Will it be any good? Episodes where Jackman belts out a number will make it one of the best television shows ever made. Episodes where he is seen only in the "previously on Viva Laughlin" recaps will slowly slide down your TiVo queue, accumulating guilt-inducing exclamation points.
Life Is Wild (8 p.m., CW; premières Oct. 7)
The concept: Hunky veterinarian D.W. Moffett and wife Stephanie Niznik move their sprawling family from New York to a rundown South African lodge, where he tends to sick animals and diplomatically deals with people confusing him with D.B. Sweeney. Culture-clash shenanigans ensue as his beloved biological children and barely tolerated step-kids learn life lessons and interact with telegenic beasties.
Likely pitch: It's a contemporary Dr. Quinn, Medicine Guy in South Africa with D.B. Sweeney meets Wild Kingdom! On acid! Really weak acid. Acid so weak it's not even acid at all, but rather a mild tranquilizer.
Why is this on the air? It's an adaptation of a successful British drama. And as Coupling and Men Behaving Badly proved, anything that succeeds on British television is destined to make it big on this side of the pond.
Will it be any good? It follows Online Nation on the CW, so even if it's an abomination, it can't help but look good by comparison. Also, giraffes are involved. Giraffes are kinda cool.
- Comments