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TV Executives Running out of new ideas

T

The Voice of Reason

We are witnessing the "return of retreads."

One example is V(istors), which made its debut on ABC this week.

For those of you who think this is a brand new program, V aired on NBC back in 1984 to 1985. Yet ABC canceled “Defying Gravity" after just three episodes because of the cost, but the network will spend money on a show with a similar plot that aired on a different network two decades ago.

CBS featured a return of "The Fugitive" in 2000, which didn't last one season, compared to the four-year run the original series had on ABC from 1963-1967.

Now we have "The Prisoner". The original "Prisoner" was on TV during 1967-1968. This series not only starred but was created by late actor Patrick McGoohan. The new "Prisoner" is the guy who played Jesus Christ in that Mel Gibson movie.

Let's get really creative here and bring back Kojak. Oh wait some network tried that already and it was canceled.

Okay what about Superman? Oops forgot about Smallville. (Apparently so did most of that show's audience since its debut 9 years ago, according to the ratings).

In my personal opinion the only good remade TV show was Battlestar Galactica.
 
A disturbing situation in both radio and TV is the copycat mentality of the suits. Seems a show comes along which is just enough different to gather an audience and immediately there are at least two similar programs. Radio has its 'consultants' to thank for turning variety into vanilla.

The suits make a ton o cash. They should have to come up with original ideas or be returned to the french fryer from whence they came.
 
NBC's America's Got Talent more or less is a rip-off of Star Search.

There's not much difference between ABC's Dancin' with the Stars and FOX's So You Think you can dance.

CMT has a Red-neck version of FOX's Don't Forget the Lyrics. CMT's red-neck version is hosted by Melissa Peterman who played BJ on The WB's REBA.

There's not much difference between The CW's America's Next Top Model and Lifetime's Project Runway.

What's the difference between NBC's MERCY and CBS's 3 Rivers? Both take place at hospitals.

And I realize it was a spin-off of the original FOX's Cleveland Show is an unfunny rip-off of Family Guy with different characters.
 
I'm holding out for a remake of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. But we will know that the end is near when they remake My Mother, the Car.
 
Even with all of the rip-offs, we have to keep something in perspective. There are infinitely more channels now than in the days of 3 broadcast networks and a handful of independents in each market.

The amount of original programming today would have baffled minds 40, 30, even 20 years ago. There is more diversity in programming now than almost ever before, too.
 
Yeah TV is always a rehash. Remember when "Friends" came out. Then you had "These Friends of Mine" (Later called "Ellen"), then you "Drew Carey," and a whole bunch of other copies of "Friends," which of course, everyone forgets is in itself a copy of "Seinfeld."

You had "Laverne And Shirley" which is about two ladies doing a lot of physical comedy, which was the same as "The Lucy Show," with two ladies doing a lot of physical comedy.

Which also had elements of Lucy Ricardo, which is a direct copy of Liz Cooper from radio's "My Favourite Husband," which also has elements of an even older radio show "Irma"

I do think it appears frustrating because today people get paid so much to be so uncreative. I go to YouTube and find lots of very interesting yet low budget junk that is a lot better than the stuff people get a lot of money to write.

But I guess one man's trash...
 
MarcB said:
NBC's America's Got Talent more or less is a rip-off of Star Search.
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...as well, in a way, as "The Gong Show" -- both feature panelists that can "vote" bad acts off the stage.

dustintv said:
How long before Search For Tomorrow gets remade as a prime time show
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As soon as "Peyton Place" returns to TV in a new series.
 
MarcB said:
CMT has a Red-neck version of FOX's Don't Forget the Lyrics. CMT's red-neck version is hosted by Melissa Peterman who played BJ on The WB's REBA.
Click to expand...

Actually Fox greenlighted DFTL just weeks after NBC announced The Singing Bee, which began in August 2007 as a general music show hosted by Joey Fatone. NBC didn't pick up the series further and then the program producers sold it to CMT, who reconfigured it into a country/southern music show hosted by Petermann. So in that case, DFTL is the copycat, though it lasted much longer than the original NBC version.
 
Someone brought up the cancellation of "Defiying Gravity."

That was an interesting show, but ABC pulled the plug citing cost. Yet the network brass will spend money on V, which I'm pretty certain that show's budget isn't limited to the hourly federal minimum wage.

I'm old enough to remember the original V TV series and my feeling is " been there..done that."

If network brass can't come up with something original, then just don't bother.
 
The Voice of Reason said:
We are witnessing the "return of retreads."
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Yes.
In my personal opinion the only good remade TV show was Battlestar Galactica.
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Don't forget Star Trek: The Next Generation, which was a mid-1980s spinoff of the original Star Trek series from the mid-1960s.

It spun off THREE other series in the trilogy (Each just a few years after one debuted & all but one are really good IMO) and THREE big screen movies involving the NG crew.

Cheers :D
 
MarcB said:
NBC's America's Got Talent more or less is a rip-off of Star Search.
Click to expand...
Make that American Idol
There's not much difference between ABC's Dancin' with the Stars and FOX's So You Think you can dance.
Click to expand...
No there isn't. In fact, SYTYCD is merely a clone of DWTS IMO.
There's not much difference between The CW's America's Next Top Model and Lifetime's Project Runway.
Click to expand...
Like we really need two fashion shows anyway?
What's the difference between NBC's MERCY and CBS's 3 Rivers? Both take place at hospitals.
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Better question - Why does NBC have TWO hospital dramas?? I seemingly recall ABC trying this last season & they axed the show that was killing the audience Grey's Anatomy had going for them.

Otherwise, it could easily be said that NBC & CBS are trying to somehow compete with ABC's Grey's Anatomy
And I realize it was a spin-off of the original FOX's Cleveland Show is an unfunny rip-off of Family Guy with different characters.
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FOX trying to compete AGAINST ITSELF?? Now THAT is a laugh ;D

Just my $.02 worth.....

Cheers :D
 
dhett said:
I'm holding out for a remake of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. But we will know that the end is near when they remake My Mother, the Car.
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We'll also know when we've reached the end when the networks try to remake I Love Lucy. too.

But seriously, a remake of Buck Rogers In The 25th Century would look GREAT if done right. Maybe the same team who remade Battlestar Galactica can repeat that same success with Buck Rogers.

Only one small problem though - Who would make a good Buck Rogers & Wilma Deering if they did decide to remake it today? Thoughts?

Cheers :D
 
dustintv said:
How long before Search For Tomorrow gets remade as a prime time show
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I think the duo of Edge Of Night & Dark Shadows would have a better chance of that.

Ohh wait.....Someone already tried remaking Dark Shadows. It turned out to be a miserable failure. Forget I mentioned that ;D

Cheers :D
 
1069_KIFR said:
The best idea of the century..... NBC clears the 10pm slot mon - fri for a tonight show lite!!!
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Better yet - LOCAL NEWS.

Contrary to what the networks would like to believe, most common ordinary folks simply CANNOT stay up till the wee hours of the morning watching late night television as THEY HAVE TO GET UP TO GO TO WORK THE NEXT MORNING.

As such, it's a little hard for most folks to umm (As Jimmy Kimmel likes to put it during his now-redundant teasers for JKL) "Stay Up"......

Just my opinion.....

Cheers :D
 
"Most" don't. "Most" never did. They don't cater to "most," they cater to the group that can and does, and it still makes them a good chunk of change.
 
mrschimpf said:
MarcB said:
CMT has a Red-neck version of FOX's Don't Forget the Lyrics. CMT's red-neck version is hosted by Melissa Peterman who played BJ on The WB's REBA.
Click to expand...

Actually Fox greenlighted DFTL just weeks after NBC announced The Singing Bee, which began in August 2007 as a general music show hosted by Joey Fatone. NBC didn't pick up the series further and then the program producers sold it to CMT, who reconfigured it into a country/southern music show hosted by Petermann. So in that case, DFTL is the copycat, though it lasted much longer than the original NBC version.
Click to expand...

The NBC version is much better. They should have tried to put it into syndication in my opinion.
 
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