The End of Primetime tv...or a new beginning?

[kguillou]

You know its hit me recently, what with the slew of cancellations last week, the end of Smallville, the end of Oprah (yes I admit I occasionally watch it) that there seems to be a sort of cleansing going on with network tv (ABC, NBC, FOX etc.). Lost is gone, 24 is gone, Heroes died a painful death, Chuck is ending, ABC is losing Oprah and all of its Soap operas (seriously what in the HELL is ABC gonna do now?). And then there were ALL of those cancellations that happened in the last two weeks...what I'm trying to say is it seems like network television is steadily losing all of its reliable 'hit' programming.

Now, i know, reality television and contest shows like Idol and Dancing with the Stars are still very much prevalent but i mean in terms of breakout hit scripted television like 24 or Lost or Smallville, reliable programming that's been on for long periods of time. It feels like now we're entering an era where there will be more new shows on the networks than ever, which would be exciting if it weren't for the fact that it seems like these new shows dont last past a season these days.

I just feel like recently a TON of great, classic shows have been coming to an end and none of these new shows look like they're filling the void. I mean we still have lots of great stuff on Cable tv still running (Dexter, Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire, Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Walking Dead) but on the main basic network channels....there doesn't seem to be much left.

Anyway, sorry for the rant but what are your guys' thoughts on this?

 

[Matt]

Only two of the shows that you mention in your first paragraph could be considered "reliable primetime classics." Smallville was never a mass cultural phenom or a classic show. Same with Chuck and Heroes. Oprah and soap operas are not aired in primetime.

While the argument can be made that the basic network model is going obsolete, your evidence revolves strictly around the loss of fanboy favorites. If anything, the era of the nerd (and I say that in the nicest way) is winding down and networks, after trying new things such as serialized dramas and sci-fi programming over the past decade are moving back to the more tested primetime schedule of sitcoms, procedurals and game shows (which is all that reality TV shows are, as much as people would like to act like they are a new genre that equates to the dumbing down of America, they are essentially just game shows, no different than past primetime game shows like Millionaire, Pyramid, etc).

Neither primetime nor basic networks are dying. They are simply responding to the drop in ratings by moving back to safe programming. Within ten years or so, it will pay off (just ask CBS who this strategy has already paid off for) and networks will be willing to take risks again. Its all a cycle.

 

[kguillou]

Oh i know they're not dying, reality television and contest shows are going to keep them alive for a long time. I probably didnt articulate it well, but i was just trying to say that it feels like these days there are more scripted shows ending/ getting canceled than there are new ones that actually stick and become a smash hit. There are still some left that are still chugging along like House, Bones and Supernatural. But overall it feels like they're becoming less and less.