|
|
|
Written by Knight Ridder
|
|
Wednesday, 17 May 2006 |
|
|
|
|
The arranged marriage between UPN and The WB, which will result in one strangely named network — The CW — next fall, throws together a pair of oddly disparate mates who otherwise never would have been caught dead together.
For more than a decade, the two so-called “netlets” not only were vicious rivals, but they also ran in totally different social circles. The WB was the knockout babe — or hot hunk — everyone wanted to be seen with at parties. Meanwhile, UPN was the bumbling little geek who kept finding ways to embarrass himself in public.
Yes, that’s a broad generalization (there were times when UPN outshone its rival), but reputations have a way of sticking. The WB, after all, spawned “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Dawson’s Creek,” and was a major force in shaping America’s youth culture. And while UPN did earn kudos for catering to African-American audiences, it largely will be remembered as a wildly spastic entity that gave the world cheesy “Star Trek” makeovers, bogus wrestling and a freak show called “Chains of Love.”
In the end, though, both part-time networks shared a fatal flaw: Try as they might, they couldn’t consistently generate profits, much less big-league ratings. And so, it seems, they really do need each other.
By combining forces, their backers hope to form a major network that will stand tall in a crowded TV universe. The first step in that quest comes on Thursday when CW bigwigs present their new fall schedule to advertisers in New York. The lineup is expected to feature a blend of the most popular holdouts from The WB and UPN (think “Gilmore Girls” paired with “Veronica Mars”), as well as a few fresh offerings that will be targeted at teens and young adults.
But there’s also a downside to the consolidation: A number of established shows won’t make the cut, and consequently, certain viewers — mainly African Americans — will lose out. Currently, UPN airs eight sitcoms largely made up of black actors, more than any other network. Speculation has it that seven of those shows — “One on One,” “All of Us,” “Cuts,” “Eve,” Half & Half,” “Love, Inc.” and “Girlfriends” — are considered to be on the “bubble.” The lone exception is Chris Rock’s comedy, “Everybody Hates Chris.”
A trip back in time reveals that both The WB and UPN initially embraced minorities in an attempt to find their niche. Following the early playbook of Fox, The WB offered shows such as “The Parent `Hood” and “Sister, Sister” and introduced America to Jamie Foxx and Steve Harvey. Among UPN’s early crops were “Moesha” and the infamous “Homeboys in Outer Space.”
But just as Fox did, The WB eventually moved toward shows with broader appeal among young audiences. By the 1998-99 season, the achingly overwrought melodrama “Dawson’s Creek” was a sensation among the teen viewers coveted by advertisers, as was the offbeat “Buffy” and the piercing freshman drama “Felicity.”
In addition, The WB was proving, with the robust hit “7th Heaven,” that there still was a market for wholesome family programming. Suddenly The WB was being perceived as the hip destination, despite a dubious decision to deploy a frog from a 1956 cartoon as its mascot.
Meanwhile, despite early success with “Star Trek: Voyager,” UPN didn’t seem to know what it wanted to be. At one point, it dropped its full-family ambitions in favor of a narrower young-male audience, while simultaneously trying to court minority viewers.
The WB could not boast of a great track record when it came to diversity. In its relentless quest for youth cred, the network stocked its shows — especially the dramas — to the brim with young and gorgeous people, turning them into instant heartthrobs. Trouble was, The WB’s idea of beauty seldom extended to minorities. The slight, in effect, closed the doors to a large chunk of America.
In recent years, fewer people have bothered to knock on The WB’s doors anyway. America’s youth, it turns out, are a fickle bunch, and the network’s formula for drama success (brooding self-absorbed hotties + coming-of-age angst = Nielsen success) apparently has worn thin. Not since “Gilmore Girls” (2000) and “Smallville” (2001) has The WB produced a truly buzz-laden drama. As for WB sitcoms, well, don’t make us laugh.
Surprisingly, it’s UPN _ with no amphibious mascot to speak of — that has developed more traction in recent years. Shows such as “Everyone Hates Chris” and “Veronica Mars” have been embraced by critics, and the reality franchise “America’s Next Top Model” is a legitimate phenomenon. Still, it’s not enough to bolster an entire network. And it’s not enough to dislodge a long-entrenched inferiority complex. That’s why UPN and The WB are tying the knot.
`Til death — and/or really bad programming — do them part. | Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register. |
|
|  | "Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is Alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only truth." | |
|  | We're not that bright, even though in our own little world, we're geniuses. We like 80s hair bands and one-hit wonders, but among us we have respectable tastes, too. Metallica, Iron Maiden, U2. Pursuit of all things trivial is a lifestyle, not just a game. We like some sports, love other sports, and can find something to say about anything. We watch TV and movies and we've read a book or two, even a few classics (Yes, Classic Comics count!)
We call it insight, you call it what you will. | |
|  | Felix Wong is an outdoor enthusiast living in Fort Collins. A mechanical engineer by day, he is especially passionate about bicycling, running, and backpacking. | |
|  | Hola Amigos! I'm Sandra. I like to believe that people are 70 percent good and 30 percent dumb. I'm stickin to that story. Reading this blog might make you want to be good, but probably just dumb. | |
|  | Donovan Henderson is editor of NEXTnc. | |
|  | Here at Nextnc we have some characters. Get a sneak peak behind the curtain and find out what amusing antics our staffers get themselves into on a weekly basis. | |
|  | What is up FoCo?
I am a recent college graduate of Minnesota State University Moorhead. After recieving my B.A. in English and Mass Communications this past August I moved down to Colorado.
I enjoy long walks on the beach, candlelight dinners, and heavy metal. My hobbies include reading and writing, music, movies, and getting drunk. Some of my favorite contemporary authors include Bret Easton Ellis, Chuck Palahniuk, and Kurt Vonnegut. My top movies are anything directed by Kubrick. I enjoy listening to anything that rocks.
Right now I am just trying to get to know Colorado and FoCo better. Mostly in order to find the best drink specials on each day that ends in Y. So if you know where I can get a cheap drunk on, let me know!
--Drew | |
|  | Life's little morsels of inspiration, observation and encouragement seen through the eyes of the Nextnc reporter.
| |
|  | Ms. Giles currently lives in Colorado where she stars in her own private reality show. She writes aphoristic accounts of her life, taken completely out of context, and embellished with characters and situations disguised to resemble something close to interesting. | |
|  | over and out | |
| | My name is Michelle Turley and I'm 28 years old. I live in Severance with my hubbie, Brandon. We have 2 dogs and a cat. We enjoy camping, four-wheeling, and just being in the mountains. I like to cook, clean (go figure), flea market, and play poker. I have so much to say about poker... | |
|
|
