American TV executives on high are currently finishing up the annual round of smiting, resurrecting and birthing. Putting aside the modern horror genre of reality television (scary stuff), now is when scripted television programs 'on the bubble' are forced to face their mortality. What exactly is a bubble show, you ask?
Bubble shows are the Jan Bradys of the network family. Marcias are current rating superstars, like True Blood, or Bones. Cindys are often cult rather than cute, programs like Supernatural, or The Vampire Diaries. Not the biggest of hitters, but definitely beloved. A bubble program, well, viewers could take it or leave it. Sitting on the renewal fence for most of the season, it's up to the network to decide which bubble shows are Little Engines That Could.
Bubble programs inspire many a website post devoted to speculation, analysis, and Save Our Show petitions. It's easy to get sucked into the (off-screen) drama, especially as network calls can seem erratic. In 2009 the short-lived Dollhouse received a second season renewal, television equivalent of Moses parting the waves. While drama shows with much better ratings were thrown by the wayside that year, it turned out Dollhouse was, in fact, waving, not drowning.
This time around, Old Faithful programs like Numb3rs and Cold Case bit the dust. Newbies Flash Forward and Mercy were kicked to the curb. Old Yeller Law & Order was finally laid to rest. At the other end of the spectrum, Grey's Anatomy continues on, and Chuck got another gasp at life. In a spectacular leap, Castle went from bubble to early renewal. (Early renewal is a network's way of publicly pointing out their favourite children). Glee, the current darling, has been renewed not just for a second season, but a third season as well. (Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!).
Next up, resurrection after-talk. Times are tense for shows on the chopping block. Or, to be more accurate, the ones whose heads are already in the basket. Could Law & Order's cancellation possible be reneged? Will Ghost Whisperer merely move from one network to another? Fairy godmothers do exist in Television Land, especially if finances are re-negotiable. (Stargate SG-1, the afterlife for MacGyver's Richard Dean Anderson, was dropped by Showtime after five seasons, then picked up by Sci Fi,now Syfy, for five more seasons and a film franchise).
One odd lesson has come out of recent programming experimentation. Rebirthing is not fashionable in television circles. Melrose Place came and went with barely a whimper, 90210's just hanging in there, and V has basically bought a mortgage on the bubble. Turns out, the ready-built fan bases visualised by networks got quite cranky about new-fangled reincarnations. Gen Y, it seems, merely shook its head and said, 'meh'.
Wouldn't picking up a remake of Hawaii Five-0, then, be a lose-lose situation? Nevertheless, it's happened. The cast includes Australian Alex O'Loughlin, who looks set to remake Nathan Fillion, the early years. Poor Fillion appeared in cancelled program after cancelled program before dragging Castle across the lasting line. With the short-lived vampire series Moonlight already under Alex's belt, here's hoping he doesn't lose his latest job faster than he can say "on the bubble".
Finally we come to the rest of the newbies trying to muscle in on the action, fresh meat like cheerleading series Hellcats. Spy show Undercovers, from J.J. Abrams, the creator of Lost. The Cape, whose cast includes Summer Glau (yes, the pretty television Terminator). They've all been given the official breath of life. The question is, which one will end up on the bubble by episode three? You, there, in the audience. Care to make a guess?
No comments:
Post a Comment