This week as the major television networks announced their schedules for next fall, it was all too apparent that the heavy curtain of banality known as 'reality' television had descended over an increasingly large portion of the primetime network schedule. The success of Survivor is clearly an important factor in this trend, which was also abetted by the networks' fear of a writers' strike. Nevertheless, several of the new shows planned for the fall do have the potential to stir up some interest in specialty stores. Chief among them is Smallville, an hour long drama on the WB depicting the youth of Clark Kent, who of course grows up to become Superman. With a youthful, attractive cast and excellent special effects, this series, if it is a hit, could add some small screen luster to the most venerable superhero franchise of them all.
The Tick, a delicious parody of the superhero genre, created by Ben Edlund and published by New England Comics, had a wonderful run as an animated, Saturday morning cartoon. Now The Tick returns as a live action drama starring Patrick Warburton (who played 'David Putty' on Seinfeld). The Tick was supposed to debut this spring on Fox (see 'The Tick Is First Victim of Writer's Strike'), but network execs held it back so that Fox would have at least one new non-reality show in the event of a writers' strike. The bad news for The Tick is that Fox is treating it as a sacrificial lamb by scheduling it on Thursday night, where it will face competition from Survivor and whatever is left of NBC's 'must see' TV. Even worse The Tick, which will air at 8:30pm (Eastern and Pacific) will have the Family Guy, easily the worst animated show ever broadcast in primetime, as a lead-in.
The third new show of interest is Enterprise, the new Star Trek series, which stars Scott Bakula (Quantum Leap) as captain of the eponymous starship in a series that of adventures that take place before the original series. Will this 'back to the future' approach revive the sagging Star Trek franchise (see 'New Star Trek Series Set')?
Wolf Lake, one of the few new dramas on CBS (which dropped the superbly crafted Fugitive series), is described by some as 'X-Files like,' but seems too confined in scope with a plot set in a Seattle suburb where a pack of werewolves are gradually devouring the town.
Returning Shows
Even though there aren't that many new shows of interest to the specialty market, most of the key shows from the current season will be returning. According to Inside.com, the X-Files will be back on Fox along with the rest of the network's powerhouse Sunday night lineup which includes Futurama, King of the Hill, The Simpsons, and Malcolm in the Middle. Dark Angel, the series produced by James (The Titanic, Terminator) Cameron, moves to Friday night. Unfortunately Fox is canceling The Lone Gunmen--the often hilarious X-Files spin-off.