You may not believe this, but TV executives often forget to think about making positive changes for the new year. With so many reality series to conceptualize, they find it difficult to clear time for resolutions.
So, in the name of seasonal altruism, I’ve come up with some things the suits might want to consider for 2004:
– I, a TV executive, hereby resolve to practice restraint in covering the Michael Jackson case.
Certainly Jackson’s appearance recalls otherworldly circus acts of yore. But that’s no excuse for turning his case into a media circus, with oh-so-probing Diane Sawyer interviews of Neverland housekeepers who took out Jackson’s garbage one day 10 years ago.
– I, a TV executive, hereby resolve to curb my enthusiasm for sneaky, unclearly marked, TiVo-defying product placements.
TV honchos have been slipping more and more paid plugs into the substance of TV shows. Reality series, especially the makeover shows, are particularly smitten with integrated promotion, which is why the likes of “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” sometimes play like entertaining infomercials.
– I, a TV executive, hereby resolve to give “Arrested Development” and “Karen Sisco” a fighting chance to survive.
As network TV loses viewers to cable, executives are becoming less patient when it comes to cultivating audiences for promising new series. But “Arrested Development” is a family series brimming with freshness and originality. And the stylish “Karen Sisco” (which ABC says it will bring back this spring) is a non-franchise crime show with a kicking lead character.
– I, a TV executive, hereby resolve to cut back on the cloning of crime series such as “Law & Order.”
“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” is fun and original, and “CSI: Miami” is a heat-drenched hit. But “CSI: Allston” would not hold much charm. And “Without a Trace: Brighton” wouldn’t be much better. In their search for sure things, the networks are beginning to rely too heavily on franchising. Sequel series represent the antithesis of ambitious TV programming.
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Edited by Cara DiPasquale (cdipasquale@tribune.com) and Kris Karnopp (kkarnopp@tribune.com)
