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Can I Get Some Originality
With My Programming, Please?
October 30
I am getting pretty sick and
tired of the TV programming executives out there. Why? Because (for lack
of a better word), they wouldn't know an original idea if it bit them on
the behind.
Take for example, "The Next Great American Band." - Plot Pitch -
American Idol for Bands. The ratings are dreadful. Why? Because we have
seen it all before. There is nothing new here. Bands play, cranky
British judge, female judge in the middle, we vote, blah blah blah...you
know the drill. We saw this during this past summer...
Pirate Master - Survivor on
a boat.
On The Lot - "American Idol"
for films.
Many talent shows are like this....Rock Star, The One, America's Got
Talent, even Dancing with the Stars. It's all the same. And all the
romance shows are the same too...The Bachelor, Flavor of Love...Rock of
Love, I Love New York...group of people go after one person, fights,
crying, elimination...boring.
And Game Shows are not immune to the "Me, too" Phenomenon.... When
Millionaire became a white hot hit in 1999-2000, we saw all types of
Millionaire clones...Winning Lines, Greed, etc. (Although I believe
Greed as a show would still be on the air today, if the non-thinking
executives at Fox would actually have tried to let it grow a little
more.) With the success of Deal or No Deal in 2006, we have seen all
types of Deal or No Deal clones....the only with a modicum of success
has been Power of 10...and that really doesn't have that much of an
originality factor either. And when Temptation premiered in September
game show fans saw that not only did they NOT take the formula from
Australia...they stole from about 4 or 5 different shows to make their
show what it is.
So, how do we solve this situation? In my opinion this is what should
happen:
1. Mark Burnett, Simon Cowell and others like them should not have a
new show on the air for at least one calendar year. This will allow
newer producers with fresher ideas with a shot to get on the schedule.
2. Executives and programmers at all these networks, both on cable
and broadcast should be held to account for their lack of originality.
That is being shown through the ratings of all these shows that are
bombing. But they have to be forced (yes, I said forced) to put at least
one new show by one new producer on. Then they will have to look at the
recycling they have been doing.
3. The viewers are doing a good job not falling for the recycled
garbage. They have to do better. They have to demand more original
programming from the executives and the networks.
This should be the start of something big. If we as viewers demand more
original programming, maybe - just maybe - the quality of our shows will
go up.
And maybe the ratings will as well.
Jason
Block spreads the love to any and all who want it at
jb.regis@verizon.net. |
