CBS: Not Standard Operating Procedural

Hey James, this really has nothing to do with your post. Is it just me or are their other people out there who think the same as me. Do the shows on a network have a certian look or feel to them that you can tie to the network? Even though the shows are made by different production companies, the advertising/packaging of those shows are put together by the network. That isn't really what I'm talking about. Can you watch a show and identify it as an ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, etc. style show? For instance, Drew Carey felt like an ABC comedy just like George Lopez or According to Jim. Could you imagine Seinfeld on NBC? Could you imagine House on CBS?

Why is that? Is it because of the tastes of the suits who select shows at each network? Is it kind of like walking into a house where 3 or 4 guys live and being able to pick which bedroom belongs to which person based on the different style of clothing hanging in the closet?

Even the look and sound seems different on different networks. Maybe that has something to do with the quality of the film, video or broadcast capabilities, but again, shows are produced by different production companies. ABC shows have always seemed to have a more stark and generic look to them. CBS has always had a richer pallatte of color and sound.

Am I crazy?

I meant to say, "could you imagine Seinfeld on ABC" and not NBC. Doh!!!

Part of it is stylistic. For a while, ABC was the home of the blue-collar, multi-camera comedy, which is why Geroge Lopez or Drew Cary or Home Improvement "looked" like an ABC show; likewise for a while with NBC and comedies about young urban singles.

Well, after taking a look at CBS's schedule, I foresee bad news for the Eye. I admire the audacity to go for it with Viva Laughlin, but I'm not buying a huge audience getting behind it since it's a musical (I think everyone is gunshy still after Cop Rock).

And while I may be wrong in regards to Viva (and part of me would like to be, since I enjoy diverse forms of scripted entertainment on TV, even if I'm not huge on watching a weekly musical), I see nothing else on their lineup that screams "breakout hit." I would maybe tune in to Kid Nation, but as a lead in for the dark Criminal Minds and CSI:NY? Really? I don't watch TV Friday nights (well, maybe I'll start TiVoing Friday Night Lights), so Moonlight won't work with me. Cane is going to suffer against Boston Legal and L&O:SVU (although again, bravo to CBS for going for ethnic and entertainment diversity there, too).

Overall, I don't see the same level of potential for breakout hits as I did from NBC (where Bionic Woman and Life looked appealing, the latter largely because I loved Damian Lewis in Band of Brothers) and ABC (where everyone is raving about Pushing Daisies and Private Practice will surely have a steady following). And a lot of these shows are getting old/showing cracks....CBS may be in for a hard, NBC-esque after Seinfeld/Friends level fall from grace.

Sorry about the triplicate posts....

Oh, and James - you REALLY should have posted "WARNING: Lost Spoilers" at the top of this article...

I don't know about the Lost spoiler Chad. Lets keep in mind that even though Nestor Carbonell had an surprising part in the previous episode of Lost, his part in Lost has been pretty much a bit part up to the present. If it remains the same, I'm sure he can fit both shows in. That wouldn't be a first in TV. Besides, I have a feeling that Locke is going to live and is going to unleash Jacob and who knows what will become of the likes of Ben and Richard when that happens. Nestor may continue in a bit part or he might die. Some of us would die for the opportunity to make frequent visits to Hawaii and be paid nicely for it.

Yes, I meant the "spoiler" thing a little tongue-in-cheek. I mean it *may* be indicative of something, but I really have no idea. Actors do multiple roles in different shows all the time. In fact, I think Nestor Carbonell may have been in The Tick at the same time he was in Resurrection Blvd. I remember at one point Ian Gomez was on Felicity, Drew Carey[?] and one other show at the same time. Considering Richard's small part, it's really more Possible Clue than Spoiler.