Don’t count on any new US blockbusters

15May08

Source: Michael Bodey, The Australian

THE time may well be past when blockbuster American series could turn around the fortunes of an Australian television network.

This year’s muted round of screenings and up-front presentations by US networks has yet to approach any kind of fervour or produce the next Desperate Housewives or Grey’s Anatomy.

The risky process of confirming new series on the strength of an expensive pilot episode is no longer in vogue after several high-profile failures in the US 2006-07 season and the recent writers’ strike, which curtailed Hollywood production.

Traditionally, US networks ordered pilots early each year, presented them to advertisers and international buyers in May, and premiered them in the northern autumn.

That strategy has changed for most. NBC now spends more time on development but can decide to commission an entire series without producing a pilot.

The Fox Network in the US, on the other hand, pursues year-round
development.

Executives from Nine, Seven and Ten are in the US, sifting through
production deals and watching their competitors’ upcoming programs.
The ABC, NBC and CW networks have formally presented their shows, and
Seven seems likely to be the chief beneficiary through output deals
with Disney (owners of ABC) and NBC Universal.

As expected, Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy and Lost have been
renewed by ABC, as have Boston Legal, Dirty Sexy Money, Brothers and
Sisters, Ugly Betty and Samantha Who?.

ABC’s only new drama series is a
US remake of the remarkable British police drama Life on Mars, although
it is made by Fox and will be selected by Ten or Foxtel.

ABC’s new comedy The Goode Family is an animated series from Mike
Judge, creator of King of the Hill.

The network also picked up the
hospital comedy that will not die, Scrubs, from NBC and will launch two
new formats, a game show, Opportunity Knocks, and an untitled beauty
pageant show produced by Ashton Kutcher and Tyra Banks.

Nine’s upcoming fantasy drama Pushing Daisies has been renewed by ABC,
although Cashmere Mafia and Ten’s Women’s Murder Club have been knifed.

Another of Ten’s minor hits, the sitcom starring Kelsey Grammer, Back
to You, appears to have been axed while Rules of Engagement has been
renewed, along with Nine’s The New Adventures of Old Christine and
Seven’s How I Met Your Mother.

NBC’s schedule offers some interesting pickings for Seven, with My Own
Worst Enemy (starring Christian Slater), a remake of Knight Rider,
Robinson Crusoe and the US version of Kath & Kim, starring Molly
Shannon and Selma Blair.

But Nine will also benefit from NBC’s schedule, with the Warner Bros
program Chuck being given a push with a relaunch and ER heading into
its final blockbuster season.

Nine is also banking on Warner’s drama series Fringe, The Mentalist
(starring Simon Baker) and an adaptation of the British thriller
Eleventh Hour (from producer Jerry Bruckheimer) to deliver, although
its adaptation of the British comedy Spaced has been aborted.

The CBS schedule provides one of the most talked-about shows of the
season, the 20th Century Fox-produced The Ex List, based on an Israeli
series about a woman who is warned by a tarot card reader she must get
married soon.

Ten, meanwhile, is also in line to take new 20thCentury Fox programs
including Dollhouse, Courtroom, Cleveland, The Oaks, a remake of
Beverly Hills 90210 and Exit 19, starring Geena Davis.

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