According to today’s Variety, CBS is thinking about importing serial-killer thriller Dexter from corporate sibling Showtime—editing the hell out of it, given Dexter’s cable-extreme nature—and putting it on their schedule in the near future to fill the strike-mandated programming vacuum. Which is a phenomenal idea.
Because, honestly, who needs more hastily conceived reality programming? Would I rather NBC air the first season of Battlestar Galactica in Heroes‘ timeslot than give me Clash of the Choirs (real) or America’s Next Great Sewing Circle or The Nation’s Most Awesome Mechanic (both fake..for now)?
All of the broadcast networks have cable arms that have been doing quality programming—why not put Damages or The Shield on Fox, or The Closer or Eureka on NBC or Kyle XY on ABC? Not only is the programming already in the can and, to a large degree, unseen by broadcast-only viewers, but you can also build an audience for those shows when they air new episodes back on their cable homes. (Yes, you’d have to pay the striking writers their residuals, but it’s gotta be cheaper than building a new show from the ground up.)
So what cable series deserves a chance at the big show? Nominate now!
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Air the first season of The Riches!
I never understood why Kyle XY wasn’t on the regular network channel anyway. I have to admit…it’s one of my guilty pleasures. Love that show. I think it’d gain a bigger following if it moved from ABC Family.
NBC should definitely put ‘Battlestar Galactica’ on. It’s time to build some major buzz for a great show entering its final season.
As much as I would love to see “Rescue Me” get a wider audience, I don’t want to see it all hacked up and ready for “prime time” How about “I Love New York”???
Okay, not quite what you’re looking for, but, bring back Arrested Development! And maybe some Lost repeats!
I’d like to see The Wire so I know what everyone is talking about.
Project Runway seems like a no brainer even though it is a reality competition. It’s still one of the best. Also, why not resurrect some that are dead and gone like Freaks and Geeks.
A freaking ton of people watch “Project Runway” on Bravo already–it would be an easy, smart import. Yes, it’s reality TV, which is not exactly a step forward in the conditions of the strike, but I would be happy to watch old seasons of quality reality TV rather than, er…”Clash of the Choirs”.
Other than that: “Battlestar Galactica”, “The Riches”, “The Wire”.
BSG, Rescue Me, The Shield, Damages, Eureka, Ghost Hunters, Thief
Has anyone watched the re-cut Sex and the City on network television? It’s horrible. Jagged stories, dropped punchlines, odd pacing. Poor “Weeds.”
What do you suppose are the chances that the unaired episodes of dropped series will make the schedule. Yeah, I know they already failed, but they’d be an improvement over the all-reruns-and-reality schedule we’re about to get real tired of, real soon.
Love The Wire, Rescue Me and The Shield. Unfortunately they would be ruined on network TV… Keep ‘em where they are, screw the closed minded networks. As far as I can tell, Life and Friday Night Lights are the only good dramas on Network TV anyways
Monk, Eureka and Psych would be quality pinch-hitters for NBC.
Its always sunny on fx is better than any comedy fox has in their line up right now
BSG would be great. NBC could show it in HD just as it should be (and as it’s shown on Universal HD, but not SciFi).
It’s Always Sunny in Phila would be my bet. But really, I would tune in in a heartbeat if they’d show Veronica Mars in CBS like the first season did during the summer.
OMG Weeds!! That is the greatest show! But they’d probably never put it on network television because it’s ‘controversial’
I would love to have project runway on network TV. My parents don’t get Bravo any more and I have to keep copies of it on my DVR box for when my mom comes to visit. I would LOVE it if they would so that I could stop doing that.
Also Burn Notice and Pysic whould be awesome to try and get some bigger audiences.
Networks keep buying and launching cable networks but while they repeat their stuff on cable they never go the other way. I would love them to try.
I vote for Psych, Burn Notice, and Veronica Mars repeats.
I vote for The Wire. Although I don’t know how they could edit the language without butchering the feel of the show.
BATTLESTAR BATTLESTAR BATTLESTAR.
BSG. Without a doubt. I know people that own the first two seasons on DVD and would still tune in!
Wait, how about a run of the Sci-Fi miniseries “Tin Man”? I wanted so badly to watch it, but I can’t afford the cable!
Well, I’ve been saying for some time (mostly to myself) that there are many shows on cable that would certainly find a larger audience if aired (or re-aired) on broadcast television. My list: 1)Battlestar Galactica, 2) Burn Notice, 3) Psych, 4) Kyle XY, and 5) Eureka. Several years back I realized I liked cable shows better than most broadcast shows – now’s the time for the two universes to collide!
Torchwood, the Tudors, Doctor Who, Degrassi the Next Generation, oh and maybe they could bring back Arrested Developement, Dead Like Me, and Veronica Mars reruns
I agree with Project Runway- Even though it’s on cable, out cable provider doesn’t run Bravo. I really want to see this one…
Firefly. Nuff said.
I second Dead Like Me reruns and Doctor Who being on network.
I agree that it’s a good idea to take some cable shows and air them on networks, but I have no interest in a hacked up, I mean edited for content “Shield” or “Dexter”. None at all.
However, putting on shows like Psych, Kyle XY, Burn Notice, bringing back L&O Criminal Intent, even rerunning Damages on Fox is a swell idea.
ok, i realize it’s a reality show, but i would LOVE for NBC to show Project Runway. I don’t get Bravo while I’m at school, so I’m in Tim Gunn withdrawal. I make my roommate tell me to make it work when i’m jonsin’ for some Tim. (is that sad?)