TV Musings

This coming week is not only the week before the wife and I head off to Disneyland (six days, and not even that much when you consider the fact that, within six days' time, we'll already be in Anaheim), but it's the upfront week for network television, when we all find out if our favorite shows are saved for another year, cancelled, or left off into summer limbo.

Thanks (and I do mean that more seriously now than I would a week or two before) to the decision made by Ben Silverman and the flywheels at NBC to reveal most of its new shows two weeks ago, there have been far more announcements of shows that will return for a new season and, unlike most years, the four networks--ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC--have decided to all take a heaping does of crazy juice and renew shows that--Shocker!--actually deserve it based on quality.

Dollhouse, the latest Joss Whedon drama that would presumably die a painful death after a short first season, has been renewed, though the official placement won't be known until this time tomorrow. But, this show got renewed. The fact that it is, by and large, one of the lowest-rated network shows no longer matters, thanks to TiVo, Hulu, and various other options people have to watch this and other TV shows. I've been too lazy as of late, so I wasn't able to write up a post about this show--an odd drama starring Eliza Dushku as both a completely blank slate and anyone in the world--as being the best drama worth saving. That it lives for at least 13 more episodes surprises and pleases me greatly.

Better Off Ted, the most recent show from Victo Fresco, the man who created Andy Richter Controls the Universe, the best comedy you didn't watch in the last few years, was renewed by ABC. Its ratings weren't that great (the key rating, adults aged 18-49, was averaging around 1.8 on its normal timeslot, which isn't anything to brag about), and yet it lives. This was the best comedy worth saving, and it's saved. Only a month ago, I would watch this show, laugh my ass off, and then grumble about the seemingly obvious fact that the show wouldn't make it past its inaugural year. I'm thrilled that ABC is taking the chance on this show for another year.

And part of that chance is being taken presumably because, for better or worse, ABC has renewed Scrubs for a ninth season. Granted, the show's lead, Zach Braff, will only appear in six episodes, and Sarah Chalke would--if at all--appear in six episodes, and Judy Reyes has yet to be approached, and Neil Flynn is on another show, but...well, OK, it may not have been the wisest move for ABC, but if it means another few episodes that may be good, I'm thrilled.

Finally, though I may have mentioned CBS, the last network I'll touch on is NBC (I don't watch a single CBS show, and could care less if the network vanished), which has just renewed Chuck. This is a show loved by many--liked by me, loved by the wife--that got saved, and rightfully so. If basing it solely on ratings, if a show like Southland, which has been tanking as of late, gets a second season, Chuck oughta get a third. The budget may be lower, but I doubt the quality will be the same.

But...seriously, why didn't the execs take crazy juice when Arrested Development was on? I mean, come on!