If I was emperor of network TV.....

Published on October 20, 2004 By historyishere In Movies & TV & Books

If I was the emperor of Network TV:

- I would put a moratorium on new reality show development for 18-24 months. Existing franchises could go on... so shows like Survivor and the Apprentice could continue... but at the same time, it would stop a lot of the crap that is coming down the pike, and it would mean that more scripted shows, and more writers would have work.

- I would mandate that only two shows can carry the same banner... which would mean that Wolf's Law and Order and Bruckheimer's CSI would have to make hard choices about which 4 of the 6 series currently airing on network tv would remain.

- Mandate that if you start a series, you have to show every episode you made... no cancelling things before they've had time to grow or before their last episode.

- When a show enters syndication, the stations who buy them cannot show more than 1 episode at a time unless that series has more than 200 episodes. This does not preclude showing two episodes in different time periods however(so a station could show an episode in the early evening and then later at night)

- News is not entertainment... make people remember that.

- I'd bring back the Wide World of Sports.

and finally!

- More miniseries

Comments (Page 1)

Texas Wahine

on Oct 20, 2004

he he he . . . great ideas. I would like to add that showing one new episode as a tease and then following it with reruns or old movies is wrong and should be criminally punishable.

chiprj

on Oct 20, 2004

I would like to add that showing one new episode as a tease and then following it with reruns or old movies is wrong and should be criminally punishable.

How about channels that show reruns and show part one of a multi parter on one day and an episode from a completely different season the next day?!?!?! I hate those guys!

Angloesque

on Oct 20, 2004

I'd crown you. Or could I be the court idiot? I'm not picky....

historyishere

on Oct 20, 2004

How about channels that show reruns and show part one of a multi parter on one day and an episode from a completely different season the next day?!?!?! I hate those guys!

I've seen worse... they've shown the first part of a to be continued and the next day they start an entirely new series.... now that... that is a crime!

he he he . . . great ideas. I would like to add that showing one new episode as a tease and then following it with reruns or old movies is wrong and should be criminally punishable.

You mean the following weeks.... oh yeah... I've so been there.... where they make wait and wait and WAIT for the new episodes... and Angloesque knows about that too, don't you my fellow Alias fan

I'd crown you. Or could I be the court idiot? I'm not picky....

I think I'd make Jerry Springer the court idiot and just have him pelted with eggs, mushy tomatoes, water balloons and the occasional stone in the centre of downtown Cincinnati.

trina_p

on Oct 20, 2004

would mandate that only two shows can carry the same banner... which would mean that Wolf's Law and Order and Bruckheimer's CSI would have to make hard choices about which 4 of the 6 series currently airing on network tv would remain.

I really don't know how I feel about this, CSI (original) Law and Order SVU and Criminal Intent are three of my favourite shows. I watch CSI Miami when Blue Heelers isn't on and I sometimes watch Law & Order and the other L&O and CSI New York haven't been screened in Aus yet - but having to choose between Goran & Eames and Bensen & Stadler would suck!!!
Crime shows make up 60% of primetime television in Australia. (20% reality/lifestyle, 10% American sitcom (including at least 2 if not 4 Simpsons episodes every night) 5% news/current affairs, 5% soap/drama Australian and American)

The CSI's, the Law & Orders, Without a Trace, Stingers, Blue Heelers, the one about pyschics, forensic investigators, murder trail, borderline security, LasVegas, Threat Matrix, Alias, 24, The Bill, RedCap, Inspector Morse/rex Cavenaugh QC, - I'm sure there's more.
Oh and my personal new favourite Cold Case.

Without crime shows Australians would be subjected to MORE reality (I hate Survivor) and lifestyle programs there are only so many times you can see Jamie Durie (or the channel 7 equivalents) build a deck and a water feature to surprise someone with their New Backyard!

historyishere

on Oct 20, 2004

Trina, I also called for a moratorium on new reality shows... so two new original scripted shows(which would probably have a police angle to it) would take their place.

Now don't get me wrong... I've enjoyed watching the CSI's and Law and Orders... its just 6 hours of them a week... just seems a bit much.

Hopefully you'll get NBC's Medical Investigation down there soon too...

Texas Wahine

on Oct 20, 2004

Hopefully you'll get NBC's Medical Investigation down there soon too...

My Mom's been trying to get me to watch that show . . . I really enjoy CSI (particulary LV, and I haven't seen NYC), but I just dunno if want to get a new show and have to learn to like the characters and all . . . too much work.

historyishere

on Oct 20, 2004

Let's just say... NBC was lucky I started watching it before they cancelled Last Comic Standing 3 four days before the finale. That still burns me UP!

trina_p

on Oct 20, 2004

Oh I don't - I'm sure we will though - I'm very fickle - I like the investigation/science of CSI etc (like how Sarah put a whole tire together from a whole bunch of pieces of brokwn tire and I like Wong on SVU) but I don't like blood or anything icky (which is why when they do the autopsy stuff I cover my eyes. I don't watch Cops, Extreme Makeover, Nip/Tuck, Fear factor, RPA (which is an Australian reality hospital drama)
I don't watch Forensic investigators or any of the "real" csi type shows I don't know why -- I guess I just like Jerry Bruchheimer or something (but I don't like the Amazing Race...) I think you can detach yourself when you know it's just TV not real even if it's "based on actual events" - but when it IS actual events or actual people that you may see walking down the street or something it's completely different.
And I really don't like this new show called You are what you eat - that's yucky.
And wife/swap (trading spouses) is rubbish. I have nothing good to say about it.

I'm very opinionated when it comes to television.

historyishere

on Oct 20, 2004

On Medical Investigation, there aren't really visible autopsies... its about a National Institute of Health team that get called all over the place to sleuth mysterious outbreaks of life-threatening illnesses and try to save the lives of those that are afflicted... so they do all the CSI type stuff using most of the same investigative techniques.

If they have to do an autopsy, they do it off-screen and just discuss the results.

Texas Wahine

on Oct 20, 2004

Well that takes a lot of the coolness out of it. Gore is an important factor. Investigation = 30% of coolness, George Eads = 10% of coolness, Gore and Autopsy = 60% of coolness.

trina_p

on Oct 20, 2004

Arh - okay (I really just smiled but I didn't want you to think I just walked away from the conversation)
I guess we'll see how it rates in America before it gets picked up here. Interestingly enough The OC was on channel 9 at the beginning of the year and it bombed was pulled after like 2 weeks but 6months later it was back on Channel 10 and it's their biggest rater (apart from Aus Idol)

If I was emperor of network tv I'd make the shows I liked keep going -- example Miss Match was axed in the USA after like 5 episodes but the whole series was screened and well received both here and the UK (but that's not going to get them to start making new episodes)

historyishere

on Oct 20, 2004

If I was emperor of network tv I'd make the shows I liked keep going -- example Miss Match was axed in the USA after like 5 episodes but the whole series was screened and well received both here and the UK (but that's not going to get them to start making new episodes)

Miss Match fell because of the curse of Paula Marshall... she guest starred on the show and took it down with her.

Well that takes a lot of the coolness out of it. Gore is an important factor. Investigation = 30% of coolness, George Eads = 10% of coolness, Gore and Autopsy = 60% of coolness

They still have that mental recreation factor... where the lead investigator sees how it all went down.

Texas Wahine

on Oct 20, 2004

Hmmm . . . that would help a bit, but still . . . I dunno . . .

historyishere

on Oct 20, 2004

I am willing to admit death is more interesting than disease...

Welcome Guest! Please take the time to register with us.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:

Richer content, access to many features that are disabled for guests like commenting on the forums.
Access to a great community, with a massive database of many, many areas of interest.
Access to contests & subscription offers like exclusive emails.
It's simple, and FREE!