Hollywood After the Winter Hiatus

This has certainly been an extensive fall season. Usually most of the prime time shows enter their winter hiatuses the week after Thanksgiving. This year, however, many shows are finishing out a contract that began more than a year ago.

Many people are upset by the cancellations of Eli Stone, Pushing Daisies and Dirty Sexy Money on ABC. While these are certainly smart and entertaining shows (absolutely better than the reality shows that might replace them), it is important to remember that many shows that began last fall were picked up for a full season. A full season means that a show is guaranteed to have at least 20-30 weeks of on air time. When the writer's strike lasted as long as it did, many television show producers chose to not show their shows remaining episodes over the summer (when they would most likely not get watched, since television watching drops dramatically during the summer months) and, instead, air them in the fall of this year.

It is heartbreaking that so much smart television is being cancelled and so quickly. My Own Worst Enemy has gotten the axe on NBC as has Lipstick Jungle. Ironically, Knight Rider has not been cancelled and that show is so awful that you can't force people to watch it!

So what does the Hollywood landscape look like for us television viewers after the winter Hiatus?

Hollywood has promised that there will be quite a few reality show replacements of the shows that are finishing out their first season run and not being picked up. Winter is famous for mid season replacement testing and this year is no different. First, though, let's take a look at the Hollywood shows that will be returning: Lost starts up in January as does Scrubs (airing now on ABC). Obviously American Idol will back, as will 24.

There will also be many midseason replacements in Hollywood this year including: The Philanthropist, an Office Spin-off, Kings, and Merlin all on NBC. ABC is moving around its lineup to accommodate back to back episodes of According to Jim and moving Private Practice to the timeslot after Grey's Anatomy and putting Life on Mars after Lost.

Remember that it is not always a good idea to get attached to midseason replacement shows in Hollywood. Grey's Anatomy certainly managed to hit the big time as have a few others, but it is rare that a midseason replacement is ever able to find the audience it needs. The winter and spring television seasons are also the dream time for mini-series and special reports.
Television has become a fickle business (really, how is Knight Rider surviving the hiatus cut) and it is important to remember that the reality television of today could turn into tomorrow's high concept drama. Of course, the opposite could also happen. There has to be a reason that Deal or No Deal was aired so many nights a week in 2006!

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