The 2010 Fall network season is off to a brutal start. There are no new big hits, several shows have been cancelled, and reliable audience favorites continue to dominate the charts. There are several reasons for this. On one hand, network shows blend together easily as there are way too many cop, detective, and doctor shows that make it hard for anything to stand out. None of the originality and risk taking that exists on cable shows such as Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Boardwalk Empire, and Sons of Anarchy can be found on the networks and it is even worse now with the departure of Lost. Networks simply continue to go back to the well and create spinoffs on stuff that is working (i.e. ABC’s Private Practice and NBC’s new office comedy Outsourced) without trying anything new or inspiring. It is no wonder then that people continue to watch their favorites as sticking with characters and stories you know beats new characters in a similar settings doing similar things.
Fox, however, even having television’s number 1 show in American Idol took a huge risk last year when it launched Glee right after the Idol finale in May 2009 and created the hybrid musical/comedy-drama genre. The network hyped the heck out of the show through the internet, music on itunes, television, billboards, radio, etc. to make sure everyone heard about. With Nip/Tuck’s Ryan Murphy at the helm and an outstanding ensemble with acting, theater, and tremendous musical talent, Glee was the breakout hit of the fall blending serial elements and Broadway in ways people had never seen. In this show, cops, detectives, and doctors do not exist and what is left is one of the only original shows on network television right now that captivates millions of people every week. The albums and songs released each time a new episode airs have landed on the Billboard charts more time than the Beatles, breaking their group record for number of appearances on the charts.
The show picked up more steam in the Spring when Fox paired it with Idol to the point that it anchors Tuesdays this fall on Fox and delivers the highest 18-49 demographic rating, the most coveted by advertisers. A sold-out concert tour through the U.S. over the summer as a thank-you to the fans who made the show what it is was a classy move by Fox and the show to keep up the exposure while new episodes weren’t airing. Having attended one of the shows, each cast member truly appears to be having the time of his or her lives with Chris Colfer and Lea Michele being the standouts and a top-notch band supplying the music.
Due to the popularity of the Glee brand, stars all over the globe want their music and talents on it. The show has already paid homage to Britney Spears and Madonna with tribute episodes. Gwyneth Paltrow guest stars this fall in a mini arc as an ex-friend of Mr Schuester (the tremendous Matthew Morrison). John Stamos has earned a spot in the show as a dentist and is expected to sing and dance soon enough. Several other Broadway and television stars such as Neil Patrick Harris, Kristin Chenowith, and Idina Menzel have been great in guest spots and are returning. Fox has so much faith in the show, as seen by it already being renewed for a third season and will occupy the coveted post-Super Bowl slot.
The show covers a plethora of topics including theology, sexuality, personal identity, relationships, and family that make it so appealing to people of all ages. There are so many different personalities in the cast, which gives fans around the world different favorites and characters to root for. You would think the other networks would have looked at Glee’s success and tried to deliver the next original hit this fall, but all four (FOX, ABC, NBC, and CBS) have failed to develop the next cultural phenomenon and instead created stale retreads, leaving everyone with no new big hits. It is time that network executives open up their eyes because as cable television continues to take away more eyeballs from networks and people continue to have more entertainment options, the window closes just a little more for networks to create huge hits and remain the biggest players in the television wars.
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