Dear Network Executives,
Alright, people, I understand that it’s hard to take risks. TV (especially on the big networks) is all a numbers game. The ratings need to be high and the costs need to be low. It’s a business. For every Lost there is a The Nine. For every Glee there is a Viva Laughlin.
With that being said, I have a message for you: for the love of everything good in this world, please, please, please stop creating “franchises” with spin-off clones.
Just this week, Michael Ausiello had posts about a Criminal Minds spin-off and a House spin-off. This, of course, added to three CSIs, two NCISs, three Law and Orders, and two shows in the Grey’s Anatomy universe. Seriously, enough is enough. We don’t need anymore clones on the air. There are plenty of talented and eager writers who have great (and most importantly, unique) ideas. Please, take some risks. Yes, some of these shows are going to fail. Heck, most of them probably will fail, but you will find hit shows this way. It may not be as easy as pumping out spin-off after spin-off, but you’re going to open yourself up to a whole new audience.
You’re a big fan of numbers, I’m sure. All those procedurals and their spin-offs do get good ratings, but there is a whole other demographic of viewer who doesn’t like procedurals. There are people who have no interest in watching good looking people investigating crime scenes. These people want to watch television, and if you always play it safe, they are never going to watch your channel. Cable viewership is growing as more and more high quality, unique shows pop up on channels like FX, AMC, TNT, USA, and others networks.
Just think about, that’s all I’m asking for. I won’t even mention reality programming or remakes (or as you like say “re-imaginings”), we can deal with those at a later date. Strive for excellence and innovation instead of adequacy and complacence. There are so many interesting and unique stories to be told, we don’t need spin-off clones.
Thanks for listening!
Clacked by Bob Degon
on Jan 29, 2010 @ 12:00 EST5EDT
I agree, NCIS didn’t need a spinoff, Criminal Minds? Really?
Did I read somewhere about a Law & Order LA in development?
House is the only “procedural” I watch. I have no stomach for autopsies and no interest in crime investigations. Between those and reality TV and competition shows, I feel like the space for scripted TV is getting narrower and narrower, especially on broadcast networks. As far as “Grey’s Anatomy” goes, I don’t watch it or the spinoff, but there’s always a place for soap operas in prime time.
You forgot to mention all the Vampire Shows.
On the other hand I really do like “Human Target” and “Men of a certain age”. I think there’s still enough going on out there. It’s not all spinoffs. And the biggest problem: the ratings for NCIS:LA are really really strong, same goes to CSI:Miami. And PP is also getting good numbers.
And what about “Caprica”?
Oh and “Viva Laughlin” came before “Glee” so if you think of those as a series of related shows then “Glee” would be the successful spin-off, wouldn’t it?
Wait, you like *Human Target* and think Chuck and Burn Notice take themselves too seriously? Human Target is a pastiche of every action show cliche in the book. (It’s still entertaining, but not really rewatchable.) And it never makes a joke out of it. Burn Notice is a bit serious, but at least it’s not as absurdly cliched and something of an overarching plot to go along with the “case of the week”. In that sense, Human Target is something of a procedural too. They just do everything on the fly.
I guess you are right. When you don’t accept the lead actor as being a good actor or a good spy or doing a good job in the role, everything he says can be made fun of.
It really works for me I can’t really explain. I didn’t like Mark Valley on Boston Legal that much, his lines didn’t make too much sense for me, and the role as bad guy on “Fringe” didn’t seem to fit that good either, but I don’t know I can’t explain it, on HT it really works for me. Maybe with an “at the moment”. I think the actors fit in their roles so good for me that even those silly storylines like the upside down passenger jet in Episode 2 didn’t bother me that much. Maybe because the assassin was the female killer on last season’s “Dexter”, who knows.
I really like it at the moment. Maybe I won’t like it in a couple of weeks if the stories become to crazy but I’ll have to wait and see.
One Man: Byan Fuller.
Man, if he had his own network I’d never get off my butt.
I only watch criminal minds and ncis. tv is becoming a bore.