TV REVIEW: The shows that passed and failed last semester
Now that we’ve hit – more or less – mid-season in the TV world, let’s stop and take a look at where the new shows are now, what’s been canceled and who’s had their seasons extended. But, I think the most important thing is finding out if my reviews somehow predicted the outcomes of certain shows. In other words, let’s find out if my reviews meant anything.
If you can recall, I loved “Studio 60” and “30 Rock.” I was split on whether or not I was going to follow “Heroes” to the bitter end. Then there were shows like “The Nine” and “Smith” that just never seemed to get off the ground.
So how’d they do?
As the weeks rolled by, the TV show fatalities began piling up. The CBS thief-thriller “Smith” was axed by the network just a few weeks into the season. The rest of the episodes were rolled off over the Internet for the 14 die-hard fans.
Other early exits came from NBC’s drama “Kidnapped,” FOX’s thriller “Vanished,” and ABC’s cheesy coincidence-riven drama “Six Degrees.”
“The Nine” is another show that barely got off the ground before ABC just recently pulled it from the lineup. The premise: A group of people are held hostage for 52 hours in a bank, crazy stuff happens, then the standoff is over. The question: What happened in there? The answer: Not enough to keep the viewers interested.
NBC is finally coming to its senses and getting back to the Must See Thursday of the “Seinfeld” era that made them famous. With the new comedy “30 Rock,” paired with the likes of “Scrubs,” “My Name Is Earl” and “The Office,” Thursday really will be “Must See” again.
Overall, NBC had a great year debuting new shows. One of the biggest new shows of the year is “Heroes,” which has created quite the rabid Internet fan base. At first I didn’t really enjoy the show after the pilot episode, but it’s become increasingly interesting and part of my TV-watching schedule. “Save the Cheerleader. Save the World,” (just a little nod to the fans out there).
“Studio 60,” which I fell in love with right after the pilot episode, is another NBC show that has received the almighty order to produce more episodes. Aaron Sorkin’s (“The West Wing”) new drama is another fast-paced, quick-witted program that has garnered critical praise and a fan base to match.
Overall, it’s been a pretty evolutionary season for TV in general. Traditional sitcoms are all but dead. Serial dramas have flooded the schedule, and the networks are just figuring out the possibilities with TV and the Internet.
It’ll be interesting to see what’s going to happen after the new year. Will shows like “Heroes” and “Studio 60” have enough muster to make it all the way to the end? And after the end, will they have anything left to get them another season?
Aaron Peck is a TV critic, know-it-all and guru all wrapped into one package. His reviews run weekly in The Utah Statesman. Comments can be sent to
him at aaronpeck@cc.usu.edu.