It’s mid-November, and most of the broadcast television networks’ new scripted shows have seen the light of day (though Fox is holding its last big new entry, I Hate My Teenage Daughter, for Nov. 30). With that in mind, let’s take a quick look back and see if we can spot any trends.
Trend No. 1: Reliability is in. By that I mean reliable episodic television. The two most successful new dramas are CBS’ Unforgettable—a cop procedural on a network that seems to specialize in them—and Person of Interest (also on CBS). The latter sports a an intriguing premise and interesting pedigree (it was created by J.J. Abrams of Lost fame), but winds up feeling pretty rote on a week-to-week basis. Critics have lobbed the “B” word, boring, at both series, but we all know that television critics can be a little cranky. To me, this trend simply suggests that people—perhaps especially in times like this—don’t want to be challenged by their television. They want to be soothed by it. And there’s nothing like a predictable murder case to comfort the TV-watching soul week in and week out.
Over in sitcom land, ABC’s Last Man Standing also slots in nicely to the theme of reliability. It’s built around Tim Allen, the comedian who powered Home Improvement to the top of the ratings in the 1990s. This time around, Allen’s raising three daughters instead of three sons. But the man’s sense of humor hasn’t changed much. And it’s been another ratings success for the network.
Trend No. 2: Nostalgia is out. If viewers are munching the equivalent of entertainment comfort food, you’d think they would’ve just loved watching stuff they watched 30 years ago, right? Or, taking it a step further, perhaps they’d like to go back in time and sample a slice of the revolutionary 1960s, right? Think again. ABC’s Charlie’s Angels, a revamp of the 1976-81 series, was officially shown the door on Oct. 14. NBC’s controversial series The Playboy Club, which glamorized the 1960s-era party saloon, didn’t even make it that long. In fact, it was the season’s first official cancellation. And while ABC’s Pan Am—another 1960s-themed offering—continues to hold on by its manicured nails, the ratings have not been good.
Trend No. 3: We still love our fairy tales. (Dinosaurs, not so much.) The 2011-12 season gives us two twists on familiar fairy tales and fables: Grimm, a dark, supernatural cop procedural on NBC, and ABC’s more whimsical Once Upon a Time. I would’ve bet that only one of these shows stood a chance. I mean, really: How many nursery rhyme-themed shows can survive on prime time, anyway? Turns out, I might’ve been wrong. Both have pulled in strong ratings, and most observers consider Once Upon a Time to be an honest-to-goodness hit.
But while people will tune in to see a new take on Goldilocks or Snow White, they’ve not been so entranced by the sci-fi epic Terra Nova on Fox. The program was the season’s most anticipated—and most expensive—new show by far. And while the ratings haven’t been horrid, many wonder whether it’s attracting enough viewers to justify its sky-high budget.
For our purposes, you could argue that the new television season has been at least marginally positive for families. Some of the success stories (Unforgettable, Once Upon a Time) dial down the content. And I think we can all breathe a sigh of relief that The Playboy Club didn’t find an audience.
I think the show I’ve enjoyed the most so far is Once Upon a Time. Though it’s not perfect (be sure to check out our review), it’s fun and engaging. And I think it’s looking to tell a broader story—not unlike the fairy tales of old.
So what about you? Do you have a favorite new show so far?
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