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The big story so far: a resurgence of
grown-up dramas for grown-up viewers
St. Jose Mercury News - October 20, 1999
BY MIKE DUFFY
Knight Ridder Newspapers
It's almost the end of the century for channel surfers, too.
But even as we cruise through the final fall season before the big 2000, some television things never change. First
come the September hype and hullabaloo surrounding new shows, then there's a cold splash of October reality.
And from the blur of nearly three dozen new series that made their debuts over the past month, two undeniable bits
of truth emerge:
"Action" can't get no satisfaction.
And real adults do matter. Especially if they're smart, middle-aged characters and they're played by Sela Ward,
Martin Sheen, Amy Brenneman and Dennis Haysbert, among others.
OK, former "NYPD Blue" cast member Brenneman, star of CBS's surprise sensation "Judging Amy,"
remains on the sunny side of age 40. But she's playing a mature grown-up with real responsibilities -- a no-nonsense
judge and single mother.
This is good news for anyone who isn't still stuck in detention or studying algebra and using Clearasil.
For in a fall television season noisily awash in raging high school hormones and teen-age angst, the new shows that
have most quickly captured viewers' fancy aren't at the high school hop. They're such adult dramas as "The West
Wing," "Once and Again," "Family Law," "Third Watch," "Judging Amy" and
"Now and Again."
It's nice to see the buzz merchants so baffled.
Before the fall season started, industry experts and TV critics babbled incessantly about those teens shows and
about the rude attitude "Action." Fox's wild, raunchy and controversial Hollywood satire about an abrasive
movie producer played by Jay Mohr ("Jerry McGuire") was widely anointed the best new comedy of the year.
But despite all the media attention, "Action" collapsed on arrival.
The fall's most notable flop has already fallen as low as No. 100 in the ratings. That makes "Action" a
certified viewer repellent. Much like "Buffalo Bill," NBC's short-lived cult comedy of the 1980s,
"Action" is built around a surly, unsympathetic antihero most people just don't want to watch.
Even as Fox proclaims a continuing commitment to the ultra-edgy series, the network will pre-empt "Action"
for the entire November sweeps while trying out a new game show called "Greed." Now there's a snappy
title.
But enough about the "Action" debacle.
The real story of the 1999 fall season has been the arrival of those new drama series for adults. It's television's
most promising class of non-comedy rookies in years.
The best part? Many of these good-to-excellent shows have already connected with viewers in a big way.
"Judging Amy," the fall's biggest surprise, ranks No. 14 in the Nielsen ratings for the season and is
winning the 10 p.m. Tuesday time slot for CBS. Though reviews were mixed for the well-crafted mainstream drama,
female viewers, perhaps seeking an alternative to the dithering "Ally McBeal" and the dizzy women of
sitcoms like "Friends," embraced "Amy" with enthusiasm.
The same goes for "Family Law," the stories of a law firm run by smart, strong-willed women, which has
given CBS another winner. Starring Kathleen Quinlan and Dixie Carter, "Family Law" (No. 16 for the season)
has quickly become a popular fixture at 10 p.m. Mondays. That's the same spot that such male-driven CBS dramas as
"L.A. Doctors" and "Brooklyn South" failed to keep the last two years.
Lesson learned? NBC's "Providence" was no fluke.
"Judging Amy" and "Family Law" echo the female bonding allure of the Peacock Network's feel-good
sleeper hit from last season.
"Once and Again" (No. 19), ABC's critically acclaimed romantic drama about two fortysomething single
parents, Lily Manning and Rick Sammler, played with witty, sexed-up suburban charm by Sela Ward and Billy Campbell,
sits opposite "Judging Amy."
But the affecting portrait of modern love tangled up in the everyday realities of divorce, children and ex-spouses
has been a winner in the demographics derby for ABC.
While "Judging Amy" takes the time period in total viewers, "Once and Again" draws more of the
18-to-49-year-old eyes that advertisers desire. So everybody wins.
NBC is also wearing a happy face. There's no trauma about drama there.
Not with "The West Wing" (No. 15) and "Third Watch" (No. 22) demonstrating unexpected strength
in the early weeks of the fall season.
The conventional wisdom was that a talky political drama set in the White House would be a tough sell in a
scandal-weary, post-Monica America. Guess again. With a standout ensemble cast, great writing from series creator
Aaron Sorkin ("Sports Night") and a scene-stealing performance by Martin Sheen as gruff, no-nonsense
President Bartlet, "The West Wing" has hooked viewers who are looking for something different and smart.
It's already beating former time slot heavyweight"The Drew Carey Show" (ABC) at 9 p.m. Wednesdays.
"Third Watch," the gritty, high-velocity stories of New York City cops and paramedics from "ER"
producer John Wells, has been nearly as impressive. And it has carved out an audience in spite of the rugged 8 p.m.
Sunday competition from CBS' popular "Touched by an Angel."
Another potential drama winner for NBC is "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (No. 27). The spin-off
series has done well even though it's in the middle of the 9 p.m. Monday demolition derby that includes "Monday
Night Football"(ABC), "Everybody Loves Raymond" (CBS) and "Ally McBeal" (Fox).
The most pleasant fall surprise so far?
CBS's refreshingly offbeat "Now and Again" (No. 42), which has been hanging in, even narrowly defeating
"Dateline NBC" and "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" (ABC), at 9 p.m. Fridays.
That's a remarkable accomplishment for the year's most original new drama series, a risky, free-spirited mix of
romance, comedy, suspense and "Six Million Dollar Man" adventure from the witty mind of
"Moonlighting" creator Glenn Gordon Caron.
The coolest thing about the most pleasant surprise?
Dennis Haysbert ("Major League"), who is weaving a rich, enchanting performance as mysterious, bemused Dr.
Theodore Morris.
Haysbert, who plays a brainy, music-loving government scientist, sparkles in one of the most interesting,
non-stereotypical TV series roles for an African-American performer in years. It's a role that Caron created and
cast with Haysbert long before the NAACP raised a ruckus about a lack of minority characters on the airwaves.
So take a hike, overexposed teenyboppers. Step aside, edgily confrontational comedy. The real deal this TV season
has been a resurgence of grown-up dramas for grown-up viewers.
From Judge Amy Gray to President Bartlet to vivacious Lily Manning to Dr. Theo Morris, prime time is becoming a
middle-aged crazy oasis for actual adults. Holy Oil of Olay, maturity rules!
X X X
THE HITS:
--"Judging Amy" (CBS). Shake your surprise estrogen moneymaker.
--"The West Wing" (NBC). Welcome to the real Spin City. Finally, a gangbusters president we can admire.
--"Once and Again" (ABC). Sela Ward, Sela Ward, Sela Ward. Who says fortysomething isn't sexy?
THE MISSES:
--"Action" (Fox). Edgy, rude, hilarious and totally ignored.
--"Wasteland" (ABC). Smugly self-absorbed twentysomethings with beautiful skin sit around and whine. Which
network rocket scientist decided we wanted to watch that?
--"The Mike O'Malley Show" (NBC). What? Who? The fall's first cancellation. Gone after two episodes.
THE MEDIOCRE MIDDLE:
--"Oh Grow Up" (ABC). Three thirtysomething sitcom guys living together. Oh, shut up.
--"Harsh Realm" (Fox). A glum pudding of violence, nihilism and self-important philosophizing. Oh, get
lost.
--"Ladies Man" (CBS). Harried husband surrounded by gabby wife, chatty ex-wife and wisecracking daughters.
And you wonder why the sitcom format is on life support.
X X X
And now for some other Fall '99 assessments:
BIGGEST LOSER: The comatose "Action" isn't the only disaster staring at Fox. The network's irritating
"Get Real" (No. 96), a self-consciously hip take on family drama, was heavily promoted. It, too, has been
a viewer repellent. And "Ally" (No. 87), David E. Kelley's attempt to shake more moola out of the
"Ally McBeal" money tree with recycled half-hour sitcom versions of the show, hasn't worked either.
Runner-up: ABC, where heavily promoted "Wasteland" (No. 92) has wiped out.
TEEN BEAT: Even though baby networks WB and UPN draw dinky numbers compared with their larger competitors, they can
win demographic roulette by drawing young viewers. So WB is happy with the female teen appeal generated by
"Angel" (No. 82) and "Roswell" (No. 90). Meanwhile, UPN has a demo winner with "WWF
Smackdown!" (No. 93), which has been a magnet for young males and put some additional hurt on Fox's
"Action." The losers? WB's "Popular" (No. 107) proves that there is indeed a glut of high school
dramas. And UPN's "Shasta McNasty" (No. 117) has very McNasty numbers.
BOGUS HIT: NBC's "Stark Raving Mad" (No. 6) may be the highest rated new show of the fall season. But the
Thursday night sitcome is the lucky sucker resident of the time slot between "Frasier" and "ER."
Julia Child in go-go boots would be a hit in that spot. The show is losing 22 percent of the audience it inherits
from "Frasier," however. Not a good sign.
GUILTY PLEASURE: Ripped by the critics, ABC's "Snoops" (No. 40) is doing better than expected at 9 p.m. ET
Sundays. That may end when "The X-Files" finally returns for a new season Nov. 7. But for now, David E.
Kelley's sleek, escapist trifle about female private eyes is obviously drawing fans of raven-haired sex bomb Gina
("Showgirls") Gershon.
OLDER, STRONGER: How about the amazing "Law & Order?" Now in its 10th season, the classic NBC crime
drama is averaging 3 million more viewers than last year. That's at least partly because of "The West
Wing," a smart lead-in to "L&O" on Wednesday nights. And Fox's "That `70s Show" (No.
55), though often lost in the sitcom shuffle last season, has been a spunky, funky sophomore. The dizzy, retro teen
delight is giving Fox an unexpected boost on Tuesday nights.
SAVE THIS SHOW: The saddest fall season story? The failure of NBC's excellent "Freaks and Geeks" (No. 84)
to find a wider audience. Because of the baseball playoffs, the wittiest and wisest high school drama since
"The White Shadow" has aired only twice so far. And the show's 8 p.m. ET Saturday time slot is a virtual
death sentence. Listen up, NBC executives. You're the freaks and geeks if you don't stick with this funny and
insightful portrait of growing up absurd. Don't flunk your A-plus student.
Copyright © 1999 St. Jose Mercury News. All rights reserved.
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