If there’s one dominant theme this fall in television, it’s that everyone is taking bets on whether or not NBC’s decision to trump Jay Leno in the 10 p.m. weeknight timeslot is good or bad for the industry. While Leno's talk show format is cheaper to produce, there doesn’t seem to be much profit to be made after each episode airs, compared to a scripted show, which can then be packaged for DVD and BluRay sales.
But it also affects the writers of dramatic series, as ER creator John Wells told reporters at a conference for the sophomore season of his new series, Southland, last Friday on the WB lot.
“This is what I do for a living, and we lost five hours' worth of time periods that had been known throughout the history of the network for putting some really terrific shows on,” he said. “So I wish NBC and Jay Leno well, personally. He's a very nice guy. But I hope he falls flat on his face and we get five dramas back.”
In the wake of the past few years, with the writers strike and the poor economy, Wells is one of many actors, critics and network employees to wonder if NBC’s slashing of its 10 p.m. real estate is following a trend or setting the bar for dramas making a quick exit from mainstream networks and running for cable lineups instead.
“It's only one more thing that's going to force dramas into the basic cable and pay cable world,” Wells lamented. “They made the decision they felt was necessary to make for financial purposes and whatever other decisions they had, but I hate it.”
Wells then turned to the task at hand, promoting the second season of Southland, which NBC told critics earlier in the week was being retooled after packing too much into six short episodes, and would focus more on the two main actors, Ben McKenzie and Regina King.
“Well, I think we are all interested in reading what Angela [Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios] had to say to you the other day,” Wells responded when a reporter asked about the statement.
“The show will be a little less serialized as it became at the end of the season, but people who have been watching the show, they will recognize it as the same.”
Southland returns this fall on Fridays, 9 p.m. ET, CTV/NBC.
Amber is currently reporting live from the TV Critics Press Tour in L.A. Check out complete coverage here. amber@tvguide.ca
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