The days of summer reruns are long dead, and thankfully so. What we have now is a delightful if not overwhelmingly awesome plethora of shows to watch, and I'm excited about many of them, both new and returning. So, let's talk about what I'm excited to watch, and what I think you should be excited about, too.
Returning:
Louie (FX)
Louis CK's dark comedy returns on FX on Tuesday, June 23 for its second season. Often emotional, this show's format resembles a modernized version of an early Seinfeld in structure - the fictional storylines of the show are inspired by -- or accompanied by -- the comic's stand up material. Having followed Louis CK since his days at Late Night with Conan O'Brien, I was a little biased about this show from the beginning, but it certainly holds up even for people who aren't entirely swayed by Conan writers.
The season premiere begins with a cold open - Louie brushing his daughter's teeth while she tells him that she loves her mother more. It sounds depressing, and it is, but so much so that it eventually gains hilarity.
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
I once had the privilege of meeting Larry David when I was 12 years old. I'm fairly sure I made him extremely uncomfortable, and thus is the premise of Curb. Everything makes this man uncomfortable, and it's hilarious. He's a terrible person, and what's funnier than that? A show about terrible people for, well, terrible people. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Curb will be back, no doubt with absurd storylines and endless profane situations on July 10.
Futurama (Comedy Central)
There is nothing about Futurama that I do not absolutely love. From my uncomfortable crush on Phillip J. Fry to my love of gluttonous robots, it's almost perfect. The only thing disappointing about Futurama is that the eventually run out of new episodes. Not only is this show hilarious, but extremely moving: Jurassic Bark is the most devastating episode I've ever seen of any television show ever. Don't know it? Go watch it. Then prepare to be wrecked for the rest of the day. Unless you're some kind of heartless monster. Futurama returns with back to back new episodes on June 23.
True Blood (HBO)
I debated about whether or not to put this in here because of my feelings on True Blood. I run hot and cold with the show, and just yesterday had a long facebook discussion on how stupid I think it is. I've never read any of the books, and have never cared for Anna Paquin (this was a blatant understatement), so I don't have the attachment to it that some people do. There are some good characters - Jason Stackhouse, for example. His character has had so many arcs, it's amazing that he's even recognizable anymore. It takes an actor with some depth to be able to pull that off. Hoyt and Jessica are probably my favorite thing about the show - they're just an awesome couple, and adorable at that. Although I didn't much care for his storyline last season. my favorite character on the show is Sam, the lovable shape shifter, who keeps me coming back for more. I think my feelings for True Blood can be summed up as this - For a summer show, it's all well and good, the way you crave a trashy novel to read on the beach. It grabs your attention, it's just smutty enough, and if the book falls in the ocean or gets beer dumped on it and it's ruined, well, no loss. True Blood starts Sunday, June 26.
New Shows:
Franklin and Bash (TNT)
I actually already have to shoot this down. I've seen two episodes of it now, and it is so disappointing. F&B tries - unsuccessfully - to be everything that Terriers was, but doesn't get there (or come close). I like both of the leading men, and they do a good job of engaging their audience, as does film legend Malcom McDowell. However, the show isn't written very well - the story lines are fairly terrible, and the court cases are completely contrived, as though the writers had only attempted to gain research for their courtroom comedy by watching Castle. I'll probably give it another go, but unless extreme improvement happens, I'm going to be out of there.
Wilfred (FX)
Having just watched this pilot, I can't tell you how delightful it was. It was wonderfully weird and entertaining and unlike anything else on television. Adapted from the Australian show of the same name, Jason Gann plays Wilfred (on both continents), a dog to everyone but Ryan (Back to the Future 2's Elijah Wood), his next door neighbor, who sees Wilfred as a large, horny, brutally honest man in a dog suit. The show calls to mind many strange entertainment outlets before it - Lars and the Real Girl comes to mind, as does Flight of the Conchords, but still this show remains unique in so many ways, and I definitely look forward to more. Wilfred airs on FX Thursdays at 10.
That's about it for now. But, as always,
There's more where that came from.
-Meljo
bunny tv
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Sunday, November 7, 2010
A triumphant return to television: Conan on TBS
In case you have been hiding under a rock lately, I'll let you in on a little secret. Conan O'Brien has a new show.
I'll let you in on another secret. I went to the last of four test screenings on Thursday, November 4 out in beautiful Burbank, CA and experienced "Conan" firsthand.
If you're expecting something different than you saw on Conan's NBC programs, you're going to be pretty disappointed. Conan is really more of the same, give or take a beard or two. Same lanky host, same Andy Richter, same band, same head writer, yet it lacks something - the stuffy, corporate element that NBC's Tonight provided is pleasantly absent from the TBS show, which will no doubt leave long time fans of the man not only pleased to see Conan's triumphant return to television, but also his triumphant return to himself.
Late Night with Conan O'Brien was wonderful for many reasons, the first and foremost being that it was fairly low-budget. Props were shamelessly assembled from foam rubber and duct tape, Popsicle sticks and fishing line. There are few things funnier than crappily made props - or whole characters and comedy pieces focused around an uncooked potato with stick-on google eyes. Truly, it was not just the nonsense, but the low-budget nonsense that made Late Night so lovable.
When Conan was awarded The Tonight Show, something changed. O'Brien felt the need to grow up and be true to the franchise he grew up loving and respecting, and honor the memory of the beloved Johnny Carson. "You can't have a masturbating bear at 11:30" sticks in my head. Additionally, the show's budget grew, and although the level of comedic brilliance never altered, the screwball element deadened, the nonsense dwindled, and so Conan's audience felt shafted - after all, if Conan grows up, that means we all have to.
But not on TBS. Here, O'Brien is free to be himself, and return to the low-budget, self deprecation that we've grown to love, then crave, then miss.
The three guests Thursday evening were Elijah Wood, Charlie Day and Lisa Loeb, and although their appearances were entertaining, it was the comedy pieces that stood out - there were three of them, plus a monologue (or Conologue, for you hardcore Conan fans out there). We also saw the triumphant return of the "middle bit," a brief comedy piece between the first and second guests, something that was sorely missed at Tonight. In the first comedy piece, O'Brien showed off his new studio, which looks almost exactly like the third and final Late Night set, an art deco bachelor pad that overlooks the Pacific ocean rather than the Manhattan skyline, complete with a remote controlled moon that he proceeded to use to "crush" Andy, who has happily returned to the chair next to Conan's desk for comedy pieces. The bit continued with a little bit of nonsense no doubt penned by writer Brian McCann, who appeared in the piece wearing a white, spandex body suit and performed a "Moondance" as he wore the moon like a head.
Conan comes to you from Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank, another pleasant departure from the stuffy NBC way. The Warner lot is a perfect fit for Conan, as it is easily the most easy-going and historical of all the studios in Los Angeles. Being at Warner Brothers instead of NBC means many things - you can sit down while you wait in line, unlike at 30 Rock, but you can also visit the bathroom, which is unheard of for any readers who had the privilege to see a taping of Late Night. Additionally, their check-in system for guests is much more reasonable and efficient - they allow you to check in, then leave and come back if you so wish.
There will be challenges for Conan - not only are they up against a ludicrously outdated Jay Leno and another of Conan's personal role models David Letterman, he's also competing with other basic cable giants Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, both of whom provide nearly the entire 18-49 demographic with their daily news. But this isn't about competition, and it's not about ratings, it's about the welcome return to television for a man who has always made us laugh, and it's nice to have him back. On Conan's final Tonight episode on January 22, 2010, he had these words to offer: "Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen." We all look forward to more amazing things from Conan O'Brien.
On Monday (and beyond) when you tune in to Conan, it'll be almost as if the Tonight debacle never happened. As Elijah Wood said to Conan on Thursday, "all is right with the world now that you're back." I couldn't agree more.
And there's more where that came from.
Meljo
Conan premieres on Monday, November 4 at 11pm on TBS.
I'll let you in on another secret. I went to the last of four test screenings on Thursday, November 4 out in beautiful Burbank, CA and experienced "Conan" firsthand.
If you're expecting something different than you saw on Conan's NBC programs, you're going to be pretty disappointed. Conan is really more of the same, give or take a beard or two. Same lanky host, same Andy Richter, same band, same head writer, yet it lacks something - the stuffy, corporate element that NBC's Tonight provided is pleasantly absent from the TBS show, which will no doubt leave long time fans of the man not only pleased to see Conan's triumphant return to television, but also his triumphant return to himself.
Late Night with Conan O'Brien was wonderful for many reasons, the first and foremost being that it was fairly low-budget. Props were shamelessly assembled from foam rubber and duct tape, Popsicle sticks and fishing line. There are few things funnier than crappily made props - or whole characters and comedy pieces focused around an uncooked potato with stick-on google eyes. Truly, it was not just the nonsense, but the low-budget nonsense that made Late Night so lovable.
When Conan was awarded The Tonight Show, something changed. O'Brien felt the need to grow up and be true to the franchise he grew up loving and respecting, and honor the memory of the beloved Johnny Carson. "You can't have a masturbating bear at 11:30" sticks in my head. Additionally, the show's budget grew, and although the level of comedic brilliance never altered, the screwball element deadened, the nonsense dwindled, and so Conan's audience felt shafted - after all, if Conan grows up, that means we all have to.
But not on TBS. Here, O'Brien is free to be himself, and return to the low-budget, self deprecation that we've grown to love, then crave, then miss.
The three guests Thursday evening were Elijah Wood, Charlie Day and Lisa Loeb, and although their appearances were entertaining, it was the comedy pieces that stood out - there were three of them, plus a monologue (or Conologue, for you hardcore Conan fans out there). We also saw the triumphant return of the "middle bit," a brief comedy piece between the first and second guests, something that was sorely missed at Tonight. In the first comedy piece, O'Brien showed off his new studio, which looks almost exactly like the third and final Late Night set, an art deco bachelor pad that overlooks the Pacific ocean rather than the Manhattan skyline, complete with a remote controlled moon that he proceeded to use to "crush" Andy, who has happily returned to the chair next to Conan's desk for comedy pieces. The bit continued with a little bit of nonsense no doubt penned by writer Brian McCann, who appeared in the piece wearing a white, spandex body suit and performed a "Moondance" as he wore the moon like a head.
Conan comes to you from Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank, another pleasant departure from the stuffy NBC way. The Warner lot is a perfect fit for Conan, as it is easily the most easy-going and historical of all the studios in Los Angeles. Being at Warner Brothers instead of NBC means many things - you can sit down while you wait in line, unlike at 30 Rock, but you can also visit the bathroom, which is unheard of for any readers who had the privilege to see a taping of Late Night. Additionally, their check-in system for guests is much more reasonable and efficient - they allow you to check in, then leave and come back if you so wish.
There will be challenges for Conan - not only are they up against a ludicrously outdated Jay Leno and another of Conan's personal role models David Letterman, he's also competing with other basic cable giants Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, both of whom provide nearly the entire 18-49 demographic with their daily news. But this isn't about competition, and it's not about ratings, it's about the welcome return to television for a man who has always made us laugh, and it's nice to have him back. On Conan's final Tonight episode on January 22, 2010, he had these words to offer: "Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen." We all look forward to more amazing things from Conan O'Brien.
On Monday (and beyond) when you tune in to Conan, it'll be almost as if the Tonight debacle never happened. As Elijah Wood said to Conan on Thursday, "all is right with the world now that you're back." I couldn't agree more.
And there's more where that came from.
Meljo
Conan premieres on Monday, November 4 at 11pm on TBS.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Wait, this isn't Mad Men: The Walking Dead on AMC
After months of waiting, the day we've all been waiting for has finally arrived: Halloween.
With Halloween this year comes a very appropriate premiere: The Walking Dead on AMC. The show, based on the Robert Kirkman comic of the same title, is not an unfamiliar concept. The pilot shows shades of, among other things, Night of the Living Dead and 28 Days Later, yet something about this show appears fresh, even if it's not the premise.
The special effects of The Walking Dead are nothing to scoff at - and in case you have any doubts, here are two words for you to consider: bicycle girl.
The pilot, penned by none other than Frank Darabont, possibly one of the finest screenwriters of our time, is gracefully written, and translates to the screen just as vividly as it reads. Darabont brings life to these characters, their struggles and desires, much like in his other familiar works (it would be shameful not to mention that he also penned the screenplay to The Shawshank Redemption).
Much of the pilot focuses on the struggle of Deputy Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), who wakes in a suburban Atlanta hospital after recovering from a gunshot wound to discover that he is alone. He escapes from the hospital and makes his way home, only to find that his somewhat emotionally estranged wife Lori (Saray Wayne Callies) and their son Carl have packed up and left abruptly. In a neighbors house, he meets refugee father and son team Morgan (Lennie James) and Duane. It's through these two characters that Darabont shows off his ability to tug at the viewers heartstrings. Morgan describes to Rick how he lost his wife recently to the Walker outbreak, but he didn't have it in him to put her down - she is, after all, the mother of his children. Perhaps the most moving scene of the pilot is one where Morgan tries to bring himself to do it, to shoot what remains of the woman he loves to end her suffering, but again, he fails.
Morgan's wife provides the emotional storyline of the pilot, but also raises one of the most unsettling questions. Walkers are roused by noises like gunshots and car alarms. These noises also bring Morgan's wife along, but unlike the other Walkers, she tries to get in the house, and continually returns to the location of her family. The question at hand is, do the Walkers still have the ability to feel the emotions of their human vessel? Because if they do, that is the most terrifying trait of all.
The pilot continues with Rick's trek on horseback into Atlanta, where he hopes to find his family. Unfortunately for him, Lori and Carl are safely camped out with a group of survivors outside the city, one of whom is Rick's partner Shane (Jon Bernthal), who, believing Rick to be dead is involved in a romantic relationship with Lori.
Upon reaching Atlanta, Rick is greeted by droves of Walkers, and takes refuge from them inside of a military tank. The episode ends with a sense of uncertainty and a radio transmission, all of which paving the road for an exciting first season.
Although any zombie fan has seen this all before, The Walking Dead leaves its audience rooting for it - after all, it's an AMC show, and everyone knows that AMC makes damn good television.
And there's more where that came from.
-Meljo
With Halloween this year comes a very appropriate premiere: The Walking Dead on AMC. The show, based on the Robert Kirkman comic of the same title, is not an unfamiliar concept. The pilot shows shades of, among other things, Night of the Living Dead and 28 Days Later, yet something about this show appears fresh, even if it's not the premise.
The special effects of The Walking Dead are nothing to scoff at - and in case you have any doubts, here are two words for you to consider: bicycle girl.
The pilot, penned by none other than Frank Darabont, possibly one of the finest screenwriters of our time, is gracefully written, and translates to the screen just as vividly as it reads. Darabont brings life to these characters, their struggles and desires, much like in his other familiar works (it would be shameful not to mention that he also penned the screenplay to The Shawshank Redemption).
Much of the pilot focuses on the struggle of Deputy Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), who wakes in a suburban Atlanta hospital after recovering from a gunshot wound to discover that he is alone. He escapes from the hospital and makes his way home, only to find that his somewhat emotionally estranged wife Lori (Saray Wayne Callies) and their son Carl have packed up and left abruptly. In a neighbors house, he meets refugee father and son team Morgan (Lennie James) and Duane. It's through these two characters that Darabont shows off his ability to tug at the viewers heartstrings. Morgan describes to Rick how he lost his wife recently to the Walker outbreak, but he didn't have it in him to put her down - she is, after all, the mother of his children. Perhaps the most moving scene of the pilot is one where Morgan tries to bring himself to do it, to shoot what remains of the woman he loves to end her suffering, but again, he fails.
Morgan's wife provides the emotional storyline of the pilot, but also raises one of the most unsettling questions. Walkers are roused by noises like gunshots and car alarms. These noises also bring Morgan's wife along, but unlike the other Walkers, she tries to get in the house, and continually returns to the location of her family. The question at hand is, do the Walkers still have the ability to feel the emotions of their human vessel? Because if they do, that is the most terrifying trait of all.
The pilot continues with Rick's trek on horseback into Atlanta, where he hopes to find his family. Unfortunately for him, Lori and Carl are safely camped out with a group of survivors outside the city, one of whom is Rick's partner Shane (Jon Bernthal), who, believing Rick to be dead is involved in a romantic relationship with Lori.
Upon reaching Atlanta, Rick is greeted by droves of Walkers, and takes refuge from them inside of a military tank. The episode ends with a sense of uncertainty and a radio transmission, all of which paving the road for an exciting first season.
Although any zombie fan has seen this all before, The Walking Dead leaves its audience rooting for it - after all, it's an AMC show, and everyone knows that AMC makes damn good television.
And there's more where that came from.
-Meljo
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Best New Series? I think so.
I rarely watch the first season of a show when it airs.
This is because of two things. One, I normally don't have time to watch them, since I have my schedule pretty much full. Two, they have a tendency to get cancelled before they can get to a stopping point in the series, and that breaks my little TV loving heart. I have broken this promise to myself several times, and this year is no different.This brings me to today's topic - what is the best new fall series?
My vote goes to Terriers, on FX.
A brief synopsis for you - an ex-cop and an ex-con make a meager living by being private investigators in the San Diego area.
My first thought was, "oh great, another crime drama." That's not surprising. It seems that every other show on TV today is a crime drama. When one goes off the air (Law and Order), they just make another one with the same name and put it in the same time slot (Law and Order: Los Angeles). This is different, though. It's well written, well acted, and, dare I say it, refreshing.
The show's two main characters, Hank (Donal Logue) and Britt (Michael Raymond-James) are extremely complex, which is rare to see these days. Hank is a former cop who earned a dishonorable discharge from the force because of his alcoholism. Additionally, he also lost his wife and his dignity, which all drove him to get clean and sober. Despite all this, you root for him - he's a lovable character with the very human quality of regret, and almost every choice he makes as a character is the result of this. He's trying to make things right. Midway through Hank's season one arc, we meet his autistic sister (played by Logue's real-life sister Karina), whom he lovingly cares for. Not all drunks are bad guys, it just takes sobriety to show it. He is a completely selfless character at the beginning of his character arc, which is almost unheard of. Almost everything he does is for someone else. It seems that his want is to help people, but his need is to help himself. That's backwards! But like I said - refreshing.
Britt is completely different. He's a former thief who met his live-in girlfriend in the strangest manner possible - he broke into her house to steal her stereo and saw her picture on the refrigerator and decided to visit her place of business in order to pick her up. He met Hank when Hank caught Britt trying to commit yet another robbery, and, instead of dragging him into the police, offered to make him a business partner. Unconventional! See? Refreshing.
As if these characters weren't complex and interesting enough on their own, these two actors have tremendous chemistry. I've only heard of Michael Raymond-James because of True Blood, but I've followed Donal Logue through the depths of his career (from Little Women to The Tao of Steve to Grounded for Life to The Patriot) and back again, and all because I saw Conan interview him in 1999 and decided I liked him. He hasn't had the most notable career, but he deserves to. He's a nice Irishman. Anyway, these two have never worked together, but you'd never know it - their banter (which is hilarious and often worth rewinding and listening to again) is flawless.
But that's not all that's good about this show.
My other favorite crime drama in recent history is Castle, but even I will acknowledge that the best thing about that show is Nathan Fillion, and to some extent, the relationship his character has with his daughter Alexis (played by the lovely Molly C. Quinn). The biggest weakness of crime drama shows, Castle included, are the crimes themselves, and the storylines that follow. Terriers beats these odds with unpredictable, original storylines that leave the audience not only guessing, but wanting more.
And there's more where that came from.
Meljo
This is because of two things. One, I normally don't have time to watch them, since I have my schedule pretty much full. Two, they have a tendency to get cancelled before they can get to a stopping point in the series, and that breaks my little TV loving heart. I have broken this promise to myself several times, and this year is no different.This brings me to today's topic - what is the best new fall series?
My vote goes to Terriers, on FX.
A brief synopsis for you - an ex-cop and an ex-con make a meager living by being private investigators in the San Diego area.
My first thought was, "oh great, another crime drama." That's not surprising. It seems that every other show on TV today is a crime drama. When one goes off the air (Law and Order), they just make another one with the same name and put it in the same time slot (Law and Order: Los Angeles). This is different, though. It's well written, well acted, and, dare I say it, refreshing.
The show's two main characters, Hank (Donal Logue) and Britt (Michael Raymond-James) are extremely complex, which is rare to see these days. Hank is a former cop who earned a dishonorable discharge from the force because of his alcoholism. Additionally, he also lost his wife and his dignity, which all drove him to get clean and sober. Despite all this, you root for him - he's a lovable character with the very human quality of regret, and almost every choice he makes as a character is the result of this. He's trying to make things right. Midway through Hank's season one arc, we meet his autistic sister (played by Logue's real-life sister Karina), whom he lovingly cares for. Not all drunks are bad guys, it just takes sobriety to show it. He is a completely selfless character at the beginning of his character arc, which is almost unheard of. Almost everything he does is for someone else. It seems that his want is to help people, but his need is to help himself. That's backwards! But like I said - refreshing.
Britt is completely different. He's a former thief who met his live-in girlfriend in the strangest manner possible - he broke into her house to steal her stereo and saw her picture on the refrigerator and decided to visit her place of business in order to pick her up. He met Hank when Hank caught Britt trying to commit yet another robbery, and, instead of dragging him into the police, offered to make him a business partner. Unconventional! See? Refreshing.
As if these characters weren't complex and interesting enough on their own, these two actors have tremendous chemistry. I've only heard of Michael Raymond-James because of True Blood, but I've followed Donal Logue through the depths of his career (from Little Women to The Tao of Steve to Grounded for Life to The Patriot) and back again, and all because I saw Conan interview him in 1999 and decided I liked him. He hasn't had the most notable career, but he deserves to. He's a nice Irishman. Anyway, these two have never worked together, but you'd never know it - their banter (which is hilarious and often worth rewinding and listening to again) is flawless.
But that's not all that's good about this show.
My other favorite crime drama in recent history is Castle, but even I will acknowledge that the best thing about that show is Nathan Fillion, and to some extent, the relationship his character has with his daughter Alexis (played by the lovely Molly C. Quinn). The biggest weakness of crime drama shows, Castle included, are the crimes themselves, and the storylines that follow. Terriers beats these odds with unpredictable, original storylines that leave the audience not only guessing, but wanting more.
And there's more where that came from.
Meljo
Friday, October 1, 2010
Five Things Steve Burke Can Do to Save NBC
Dear Comcast,
Congratulations on your merger with NBCU. I'm a longtime fan of the network and its programming, but was forced to boycott as a result of Jeff Zucker. I happily await the arrival at the network of Steve Burke, and am excited to see the changes that will happen at NBC.
I watch a lot of television, and have been watching a lot of television for, well, forever. In that time, I've made a lot of useful observations that I think might help you in your new endeavors, and might bring you back to the top of the Big Four Food Chain. Here are some of them.
1. Fix your advertising campaigns.
NBC has, for many years, poorly advertised their shows. Often times the advertising won't accurately describe the program at all. The example I always use to make this point is the show American Dreams (2002-2005). If I were to give a logline to an ad agency in order to market this show, it would be "A middle-class family in Philadelphia deals with the events of the tumultuous 1960s while drawing comparisons between that time and present day." Instead, the ad campaign revolved around the idea that "pop-stars of today portray pop-stars of the 1960s on American Bandstand."
No.
American Dreams could have been a gold mine for NBC. It was sort of the pre-Glee in that it appealed to all different demographics. High school students could watch this show with their parents and be entertained, but unlike with Glee, hey could be educated. Every episode was a history lesson - and if any of you have been paying attention, that is the intended purpose of television. To educate, as well as entertain.
2. Stop greenlighting reality television.
Reality TV killed the dinosaurs. I read that in a history book, honest.
There is nothing more useless than reality television. Is it a guilty pleasure? Sure, but it's trash, and it's not worthy of the network that is responsible for the invention of television. There are arguments that it's cheap to produce, and therefore it brings in more revenue, but that has also proven to be harmful in the long run. For example, viewership of NBC declined drastically when they switched the majority of their programming to reality shows. My favorite argument is that reality television can, in no way, be considered reality. One, the participants are always aware of the cameras, and two, real people wouldn't eat bugs and live in close quarters with people they disliked or swap spouses. Why? Because it's humiliating. Also, bugs are not so tasty.
Scripted television is a glorious thing. Yes, I'm a screenwriter, and I am biased. But shows that make you think are really something. Look at the popularity of Lost. Heck, look at the success of the whole crime drama genre - if there's a mystery to be solved, or a puzzle to figure out, people will come, Ray. People will most definitely come. No matter how much money you're saving, you're not going to keep your audiences from year to year with reality shows.
3. For the love of God, get rid of Jay Leno.
Soon, his demographic will all be dead. Additionally, the conventional talk show is dead. I was less than pleased when I heard that Jimmy Fallon would be taking over the Late Night program, but since then, I have eaten my words. Jimmy has not only done wonders for his own career, he has brought the internet generation back to television. He's doing a great job.
Am I saying to offer the Tonight Show back to Conan O'Brien with your peacock feathers between your legs? No, because he's got a pretty good thing going. Cable TV is a booming metropolis now. I'm telling you to find a fresh face, take a risk, and revamp the franchise before it takes its last breath.
4. Give shows a chance.
Neilsen ratings are not accurate, and they're outdated. Because of this, we can't really be 100% sure of who watches what. In the olden days and, to some extent, during the 1990s, NBC gave shows more than their fair share of chances to scrape up a bigger audience.
Let's talk about a little show called Seinfeld.
Seinfeld had a pretty good following, but not great, until an episode called "The Contest." We're all familiar with that particular episode, so no need for a recap (John. F. Kennedy. Junior.). What you may not know, is that "The Contest" appeared in SEASON THREE. That's right. The network gave Seinfeld three seasons to get on their feet. Most programs these days get maybe one season. But hardly.
5. Watch television.
I think the biggest failure about Jeff Zucker was that he doesn't watch TV. He is, admittedly, very into business, sports, and politics. Never anywhere did he mention how he feels about entertainment. Entertainment is the key to having a successful foothold on the entertainment business. Look at the success of past NBC president Warren Littlefield. That man loves television. He has produced numerous things during his career, even post NBC. He cares about television, and he cares about its progress. I can only hope that Steve Burke will do the same.
I want to get back together, NBC. But you're going to have to really consider these things, as well as my feelings.
There's more where that came from.
Meljo
Congratulations on your merger with NBCU. I'm a longtime fan of the network and its programming, but was forced to boycott as a result of Jeff Zucker. I happily await the arrival at the network of Steve Burke, and am excited to see the changes that will happen at NBC.
I watch a lot of television, and have been watching a lot of television for, well, forever. In that time, I've made a lot of useful observations that I think might help you in your new endeavors, and might bring you back to the top of the Big Four Food Chain. Here are some of them.
1. Fix your advertising campaigns.
NBC has, for many years, poorly advertised their shows. Often times the advertising won't accurately describe the program at all. The example I always use to make this point is the show American Dreams (2002-2005). If I were to give a logline to an ad agency in order to market this show, it would be "A middle-class family in Philadelphia deals with the events of the tumultuous 1960s while drawing comparisons between that time and present day." Instead, the ad campaign revolved around the idea that "pop-stars of today portray pop-stars of the 1960s on American Bandstand."
No.
American Dreams could have been a gold mine for NBC. It was sort of the pre-Glee in that it appealed to all different demographics. High school students could watch this show with their parents and be entertained, but unlike with Glee, hey could be educated. Every episode was a history lesson - and if any of you have been paying attention, that is the intended purpose of television. To educate, as well as entertain.
2. Stop greenlighting reality television.
Reality TV killed the dinosaurs. I read that in a history book, honest.
There is nothing more useless than reality television. Is it a guilty pleasure? Sure, but it's trash, and it's not worthy of the network that is responsible for the invention of television. There are arguments that it's cheap to produce, and therefore it brings in more revenue, but that has also proven to be harmful in the long run. For example, viewership of NBC declined drastically when they switched the majority of their programming to reality shows. My favorite argument is that reality television can, in no way, be considered reality. One, the participants are always aware of the cameras, and two, real people wouldn't eat bugs and live in close quarters with people they disliked or swap spouses. Why? Because it's humiliating. Also, bugs are not so tasty.
Scripted television is a glorious thing. Yes, I'm a screenwriter, and I am biased. But shows that make you think are really something. Look at the popularity of Lost. Heck, look at the success of the whole crime drama genre - if there's a mystery to be solved, or a puzzle to figure out, people will come, Ray. People will most definitely come. No matter how much money you're saving, you're not going to keep your audiences from year to year with reality shows.
3. For the love of God, get rid of Jay Leno.
Soon, his demographic will all be dead. Additionally, the conventional talk show is dead. I was less than pleased when I heard that Jimmy Fallon would be taking over the Late Night program, but since then, I have eaten my words. Jimmy has not only done wonders for his own career, he has brought the internet generation back to television. He's doing a great job.
Am I saying to offer the Tonight Show back to Conan O'Brien with your peacock feathers between your legs? No, because he's got a pretty good thing going. Cable TV is a booming metropolis now. I'm telling you to find a fresh face, take a risk, and revamp the franchise before it takes its last breath.
4. Give shows a chance.
Neilsen ratings are not accurate, and they're outdated. Because of this, we can't really be 100% sure of who watches what. In the olden days and, to some extent, during the 1990s, NBC gave shows more than their fair share of chances to scrape up a bigger audience.
Let's talk about a little show called Seinfeld.
Seinfeld had a pretty good following, but not great, until an episode called "The Contest." We're all familiar with that particular episode, so no need for a recap (John. F. Kennedy. Junior.). What you may not know, is that "The Contest" appeared in SEASON THREE. That's right. The network gave Seinfeld three seasons to get on their feet. Most programs these days get maybe one season. But hardly.
5. Watch television.
I think the biggest failure about Jeff Zucker was that he doesn't watch TV. He is, admittedly, very into business, sports, and politics. Never anywhere did he mention how he feels about entertainment. Entertainment is the key to having a successful foothold on the entertainment business. Look at the success of past NBC president Warren Littlefield. That man loves television. He has produced numerous things during his career, even post NBC. He cares about television, and he cares about its progress. I can only hope that Steve Burke will do the same.
I want to get back together, NBC. But you're going to have to really consider these things, as well as my feelings.
There's more where that came from.
Meljo
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