It's Official - It's My TV

Okay – so now we have an official name for the new broadcast “programming service” previously referred to as “Fox 2.” This new service/network will be called My Network TV. Catchy, eh?

Anyway… more details have begun to emerge about this new prime-time network service from News Corp. (parent company of Fox Broadcasting): My Network TV will launch on September 5, with a programming schedule that will run Mondays through Saturdays from 8:00pm to 10:00pm. Programming for My Network TV will come from a variety of genres, including comedy, drama, game, reality, news, and movies.

The inaugural lineup will feature two “telenovelas,” Desire and Secrets. For those of you new to the telenovela concept… telenovelas are limited-run continuing dramas (a/k/a soap operas) that are very popular throughout the globe. Domestically, the telenovela format has been a staple of Spanish-language networks Univision and Telemundo for many years. Both Desire and Secrets will be limited to 65 episodes over 13 weeks (with episodes stripped five nights per week); Desire features the story of brothers on the run from the mafia, and Secrets is set in the world of fashion.

My Network TV has several other programs in development, including Catwalk (Fox’s version of America’s Next Top Model) and Celebrity Love Island (six celebrities and six non-celebrities get thrown together on an island to search for love; and no, I’m not making this up).

Needless to say, I'm in no rush to set my TiVo for any of these "fine" programs.

The Curse Strikes Again

NBC has announced the return of Joey… to Tuesday nights (it’s gratifying to know that NBC is reading this blog and taking my advice; anything for you, peacock network!). Anyway… Joey will land in the 8:00 slot on Tuesday, directly in the path of that programming steamroller known as American Idol. Needless to say, this is hardly a vote of confidence for former Friend Joey Tribbiani, as the network is obviously burning off its original episodes of the soon-to-be-officially-cancelled sitcom.

Behold the curse of the spin-off.

The spin-off that is also a good show is rare. Many times, spin-offs are proposed… and even make it to the pilot stage… but thankfully never receive a series order. Simply put, most supporting characters cannot carry a show of their own. Remember Mona from Who’s the Boss? If the producers had their way, Mona would have left Connecticut and moved to New York to run a hotel with her brother. The boyfriend of Family Ties’ Mallory was being readied for his own series, The Art of Being Nick. One Day at a Time briefly flirted with the idea of having super building-super Schneider set up shop in a new series built around his adoption of his niece and nephew. 227’s sassy Sandra was due to leave the apartment building for bigger and better things. Even Radar O’Reilly from MASH was set up for his own spin-off (on his family’s farm) entitled Walter (the character's real first name).

For the spin-offs that DO make it onto the air, very few actually survive past a season or two. The streets of TV Land are littered with the tattered televised remains of short-lived spin-offs: The Ropers, Flo, The Colbys, Fish, and Phyllis are just a few that immediately come to mind.

And so, Joey goes down in flames, yet another victim of the dreaded spin-off curse. Overall, the spin-off success-to-failure ratio is not very good; for every Frasier, there’s an AfterMASH; for every Rhoda, there’s a Checking In. And for every Knots Landing, there’s a The Tortellis. Please raise your hand if you remember anything about the aforementioned AfterMASH, Checking In, or The Tortellis. What about Gloria? Living Dolls? Beverly Hills Buntz?? Grady???

I didn't think so.

CW... Meet Fox 2

Two weeks ago, the television world was rocked with the unanticipated news of the merger of The WB and UPN into a new entity called The CW.

Today, the second shoe in the network shuffle dropped, with the announcement by Fox that it will be launching an "alternative national programming service" this Fall. This news of a "Fox 2" had been rumored since the announcement of The CW, but it is big news nonetheless.

This new "programming service" is still very much a work in progress, and therefore its final form could take many different shapes, including a schedule featuring stripped programming in prime time.

So, what does all this mean to the television landscape? Basically, it means that Fox will be creating a new broadcast television network, designed to rival that other new kid on the TV block, The CW. Goodbye UPN and WB, hello CW and Fox 2.

The genesis of this new "programming service" was the creation of The CW network, and the subsequent stripping of UPN affiliations from several Fox-owned stations, including WWOR in New York. These Fox station suddenly found themselves with the prospect of no more prime-time network programming come the Fall.

The first blow to The CW at "Fox 2's" expense could come in the form of Fox-owned stations that were supposed to become CW affiliates turning the tables on The CW by dropping their CW affiliation in favor of the new "Fox 2" service. In fact, today Fox Television Stations president Jack Abernathy went on record as saying that Fox-owned stations affiliating with The CW "makes no sense." He cites limited sales inventory, money losses, fewer growth opportunities, and station-brand confusion.

Sorry CW, but this story is just getting started. Stay tuned...

Tales of Two Trumans

The past seven days have afforded me with not one but two stories related to men named Truman. Yes, two. What are the odds? Anyway... onto the tales:


Truman Tale number one: I saw Capote over the weekend, and I recommend it highly. For those of you old enough to remember Truman Capote from his many television talk-show appearances in the 1960s and 70s, you might be surprised at the portrait of the well-known author and raconteur painted by Capote: vulnerable and manipulative, Truman Capote was a man who exploited people without even a second thought or a moment's remorse.

As the title character, actor Philip Seymour Hoffman embodies the man known as Truman Capote. He seamlessly, convincingly, and at times eerily transforms himself completely into the colorful yet controversial writer. The moment that you lay your eyes upon Hoffman's first scene, you know that you’re in the presence of an award-winning performance.


Truman Tale number two: last Tuesday was the planned date of the long-postponed (and long overdue) dinner in honor of the retirement of ABC6’s Truman Taylor. I say “planned” because the date was once again cancelled (the second such postponement in as many weeks), this time due to illness of one of the attendees (Judy) and the schedule conflict of another (Steve). The way things are going, we’re not going to get Truman into the Capital Grille until my retirement.


One week; two “Truman” stories. It’s a good life.

Ratings Report 1/23/06 - 1/29/06

For the week ending January 29, 2006...

Top 20 Prime Time Programs

1. American Idol (Tuesday) (Fox)
2. NFC Championship (Fox)
3. American Idol (Wednesday) (Fox)
4. CSI (CBS)
5. Desperate Housewives (ABC)
6. Without a Trace (CBS)
7. Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
8. Lost (ABC)
9. Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
10. Golden Globe Awards (NBC)
11. Skating with Celebrities (Fox)
12. NCIS (CBS)
13. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC)
14. Law & Order: SVU (NBC)
15. 24 (Fox)
16. CSI: NY (CBS)
17. Dancing with the Stars – Results Show (ABC)
18. CSI (special) (CBS)
19. CSI: Miami (special) (CBS)
20. Criminal Minds (CBS)


The Bottom 5

108. Cuts (UPN)
109. South Beach (UPN)
110. Related (WB)
111. Veronica Mars (UPN)
112. South Beach (encore) (UPN)


Exactly what the hell is going on in this country? First, we return George W. Bush to the highest office in the land, and then both Dancing with the Stars and Skating with Celebrities make the top 20? America - you're reeeeally beginning to frighten me.