Our TV pal “Viacom Girl” reports from backstage at the marathon Television Critics Association tour, and seems plenty mad about some of the positive chatter among the press corps.
For the record, Fox’s strange, strange “24” has gotten two very positive reviews here at Coax while “Alias” has gotten two negatives. Girl is right about “24” anticipating a tough journey: its regular nesting place will be opposite “Frasier,” “Roswell,” “Smallville,” and the new Jason Alexander sitcom.
The good news for “24”? Fox seems to think it’s got something, and is planning to run the first few episodes like crazy, offering multiple runs of the first few episodes in primetime, offering affiliates the opportunity to rerun them even more, and letting a cable outlet (likely FX) rerun them more still. If “24” is as good as we hear, all this exposure could transform the Kiefer Sutherland-led hourlong into a surprise hit.
“Alias”? The promos look nifty, the cast is cool, and “Felicity” mastermind J.J. Abrams, who created the actioner, is a talented guy. So maybe it gets better post-pilot.
Girl sensibly loves the “Tick” pilot, so take heed:
The good news for “24”? Fox seems to think it’s got something, and is planning to run the first few episodes like crazy, offering multiple runs of the first few episodes in primetime, offering affiliates the opportunity to rerun them even more, and letting a cable outlet (likely FX) rerun them more still. If “24” is as good as we hear, all this exposure could transform the Kiefer Sutherland-led hourlong into a surprise hit.
“Alias”? The promos look nifty, the cast is cool, and “Felicity” mastermind J.J. Abrams, who created the actioner, is a talented guy. So maybe it gets better post-pilot.
Girl sensibly loves the “Tick” pilot, so take heed:
Girl sensibly loves the “Tick” pilot, so take heed:
We're dealing with television critics touring around town and enjoying bad coffee and stale Danish while looking at the upcoming fall shows at the moment, so hype is in the air as thick as the laugh track on "Titus."
How else can you explain the fact that the network where I work is claiming to have the best series of anybody else (then again, they bought two of them from another network). The only way that's true is if they're comparing themselves to a public access station -- which they very well may be.
The two shows generating the best "buzz" out here are Fox's dangerously over-hyped "24" followed by ABC's "La Femme Nikita" teenage rip-off entitled "Alias." Based on all the praise being thrown around freely regarding these shows, you'd swear we're dealing with the second coming. Well, let's try a little "reality" check.
"24" will be the most written about and discussed series of the fall season, but let's keep in mind that a few years back another Fox show called "Action" had that same distinction. Immediately after that failed Hollywood satire aired to meager ratings, all the newspapers that had been fawning all over the pilot immediately started dissecting why the show didn't work.
That same fate may befall "24." Despite all the hype you're hearing, there are many people who remain skeptical to the viability of this show, told in real time, following the exploits of a government agent trying to prevent the assassination of a presidential candidate. Split screens, ticking clocks and other "gimmicks" are used throughout and despite all the hyperbole, they are NOT innovative ... just look at any Brian DePalma movie. In fact, I felt like I was watching the small screen version of "Nick Of Time" in many ways.
I loved the movie "In The Line Of Fire," but I wouldn't desire to watch Clint Eastwood track John Malcovich for twenty-four episodes without feeling drained and frustrated. In fact "24" might turn out like our own "Star Trek" series where viewers watch the debut, gradually bail, only to return for the finale.
That is, IF there is a finale. It's important to note that "24" has not been given a full season order, so if it doesn't make it ... the title could be changed to either "13" or even "6."
The season before this one, the show to beat was "The Fugitive." We saw how well that worked out, as CSI came out of nowhere and showed that network executives can never predict what the American public will ultimately embrace. However, they sure are pretty good at coming up with a lot of stuff that truly sucks (pardon my French).
As far as ABC's "Alias," this show from the creator of "Felicity" is a hyperkenetic compendium of spy cliches with the ludicrous premise of a girl being a graduate student by day, international espionage agent by night. I suppose you could nickname it "The Girl From HARVARD" except unimaginative network wags are already dubbing it "La Femme Felicity." (I suppose they had to change that slightly from "La Felicity Nikita" which is the term that an aborted WB series called "Dangerous Age" used for its description in last year's advertising preview book. I read the script to that one when it was sent to our network many months ago and it's incredibly similar to "Alias." Somewhat wisely, it employed more humor to offset the lack of believability.)
"Alias" has an attractive star, Jennifer Garner, as well as a lot of running and jumping and kicking. What it lacks are cohesion and a clear direction for the series. It's far too convoluted for it's own good and what's even more curious is that the pilot runs an odd running time: Seventy-four minutes. This leaves me wondering whether ABC will have to cut the thing or air it in some special ninety minute format, followed no doubt by yet another half hour segment of that damned "Millionaire" show.
"Alias" might have a caught a lucky break since "The X-Files" has given up its mission of searching for aliens -- instead choosing to alienate viewers. Also, the next season of "The Sopranos" has been delayed meaning this Sunday night time slot is a wide open playing field currently up for grabs. Still, as the creator of "Felicity" has already shown in that previous work ... he could barely hold your attention with a standard series, and this is trickier going.
I suppose the writing staff is reviewing every "Nikita" episode for inspiration, since it's clear they wore out their video tape of "Run Lola Run" from watching this. (The girl in "Alias" even employs a "Lola" style wig during one of her missions in the pilot.)
I liked Peta Wilson and Lucy Lawless, but the rest of these high kicking females are boring the hell out of me. Oh, I know what you're thinking ... but no, I'm straight. Not that there's anything wrong with that. While you boys may like her, Jessica Alba is in serious need of acting lessons.
My advice, pray for "The Tick" to make it.
VIACOM GIRL
