NETWORK DRAMAS CAN'T HOLD A CANDLE TO CABLE - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 08-26-2007, 11:00 AM

August 26, 2007 -- The networks are fighting a losing battle with cable.

The arena in which they're losing is TV drama, and this summer, the cable networks have been presenting quality dramas that blow away the hour-long shows (most of which I've seen) the broadcast nets - ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox - have on tap for this fall.

Cable's lineup of dramas made for one of the most provocative summer seasons in years.

The drama champs were AMC with "Mad Men" and HBO with "Big Love" (which wraps its second season this week - Sunday night at 9) and "John from Cincinnati."

Yes - "John from Cincinnati." This series about southern California surfers from "Deadwood" producer David Milch was one of the most literate TV series ever produced.

Its themes, which centered around a mysterious figure named John who arrived from an unknown, other world to change the lives of a troubled family, were so challenging that many viewers stayed away (too bad for them) and it was not renewed for a second season.

This column isn't about ratings, anyway. None of this summer's cable dramas came anywhere near the numbers broadcast dramas such as "CSI" or "House" draw during the regular season. Networks such as CBS and Fox have always drawn bigger audiences than cable - a situation overdue for a change. In addition, TV viewing is at its lowest in the summer, so it's not that surprising that cable's dramas didn't score broadcast network-sized ratings.

This piece is about great shows whose creators and networks took big risks. And if they lost in the ratings, they won the hearts of viewers who crave intelligence on TV - a yearning that is certainly not being served by any of the juvenile movies playing at your local theaters this summer.

Only a cable channel with something to prove such as AMC would take such a big chance on a series such as the beautifully rendered "Mad Men," which is set in the chauvinistic world of Madison Avenue advertising agencies in 1960.

The broadcast networks wouldn't touch a series this brainy, despite the extreme high quality of its production.

Instead, a number of the dramas coming your way this fall on the broadcast nets traffic in the simplistic and the implausible, such as an NBC series about a guy who time-travels ("Journeyman") and a musical CBS series in which characters lip-synch to familiar pop tunes ("Viva Laughlin").

A year from now, you probably won't remember either of them because, hopefully, you'll be too busy watching season two of "Mad Men" and season three of "Big Love."

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08262007...hold_a_can.htm

dawsongirl · 09-02-2007, 03:06 AM

Bah. Most network dramas are still damn good.

Plus, I don't like the tone of the article.

Zebra 3 · 11-30-2007, 03:39 PM

The only current drama I'm watching is FX's The Shield which will end this coming season and I will probably continue to avoid current network dramas.

08-26-2007, 11:00 AM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	NETWORK DRAMAS CAN'T HOLD A CANDLE TO CABLE August 26, 2007 -- The networks are fighting a losing battle with cable. The arena in which they're losing is TV drama, and this summer, the cable networks have been presenting quality dramas that blow away the hour-long shows (most of which I've seen) the broadcast nets - ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox - have on tap for this fall. Cable's lineup of dramas made for one of the most provocative summer seasons in years. The drama champs were AMC with "Mad Men" and HBO with "Big Love" (which wraps its second season this week - Sunday night at 9) and "John from Cincinnati." Yes - "John from Cincinnati." This series about southern California surfers from "Deadwood" producer David Milch was one of the most literate TV series ever produced. Its themes, which centered around a mysterious figure named John who arrived from an unknown, other world to change the lives of a troubled family, were so challenging that many viewers stayed away (too bad for them) and it was not renewed for a second season. This column isn't about ratings, anyway. None of this summer's cable dramas came anywhere near the numbers broadcast dramas such as "CSI" or "House" draw during the regular season. Networks such as CBS and Fox have always drawn bigger audiences than cable - a situation overdue for a change. In addition, TV viewing is at its lowest in the summer, so it's not that surprising that cable's dramas didn't score broadcast network-sized ratings. This piece is about great shows whose creators and networks took big risks. And if they lost in the ratings, they won the hearts of viewers who crave intelligence on TV - a yearning that is certainly not being served by any of the juvenile movies playing at your local theaters this summer. Only a cable channel with something to prove such as AMC would take such a big chance on a series such as the beautifully rendered "Mad Men," which is set in the chauvinistic world of Madison Avenue advertising agencies in 1960. The broadcast networks wouldn't touch a series this brainy, despite the extreme high quality of its production. Instead, a number of the dramas coming your way this fall on the broadcast nets traffic in the simplistic and the implausible, such as an NBC series about a guy who time-travels ("Journeyman") and a musical CBS series in which characters lip-synch to familiar pop tunes ("Viva Laughlin"). A year from now, you probably won't remember either of them because, hopefully, you'll be too busy watching season two of "Mad Men" and season three of "Big Love." http://www.nypost.com/seven/08262007...hold_a_can.htm
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11-30-2007, 03:39 PM	#3
Zebra 3 Striped Tomato Forum Veteran Join Date: Jun 26, 2002 Location: Bay City Posts: 5,810	The only current drama I'm watching is FX's The Shield which will end this coming season and I will probably continue to avoid current network dramas.
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09-02-2007, 03:06 AM	#2
dawsongirl Member Forum Icon Join Date: Jan 04, 2001 Posts: 53,128	Bah. Most network dramas are still damn good. Plus, I don't like the tone of the article.