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[10/01/09 - 12:37 AM] The 10 Things You Need to Know About the New Season: #4 - Genre Doesn't Matter Either By Brian Ford Sullivan (TFC) |
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Please note: As a courtesy, please do not reproduce these comments to newsgroups, forums or other online places. Links only please.
Welcome once again to "The 10 Things You Need to Know About the New Season," our annual feature about, well... the 10 things you need to know about the new season. The goal of this venture is to address not only common questions people have about television but to also demystify (or potentially reaffirm) stigmas out there about certain networks, time periods, genres and so forth. So with that in mind let us put on our journalistic caps and give you the cold hard truth about what's potentially ahead for some of your favorite new and returning shows...
4. No major genre fares better than another.
Are audiences giving up on traditional multi-camera sitcoms in favor of single-camera ones? Do dramas fare better than their comedic brethren? Or do reality shows perform the best? The answer to all the above: no. The truth is scripted and unscripted shows more or less succeed and fail at the same rate. Sure there are some problematic genres (animation, improv and newsmagazine) but the most prolific categories (multi-camera comedies, single-camera comedies, dramas, reality competition shows and docusoaps) all stay fairly close to the average 31% survival rate of new shows. Take a look at each genre's success rate in the past 10 years:
genre | abc | cbs | fox | nbc | upn | wb | cw | total |
comedy (animated) | 0/1 (0%) | 0/1 (0%) | 1/2 (50%) | 0/3 (0%) | 0/2 (0%) | 1/3 (33%) | | 2/12 (17%) |
comedy (improv/sketch) | 2/4 (50%) | | 0/6 (0%) | 1/6 (17%) | | 2/5 (40%) | | 5/21 (24%) |
comedy (multi-camera) | 9/29 (31%) | 10/25 (40%) | 6/18 (33%) | 4/26 (15%) | 7/15 (47%) | 5/14 (36%) | 1/1 (100%) | 42/128 (33%) |
comedy (single-camera) | 5/15 (33%) | 0/4 (0%) | 6/16 (38%) | 6/13 (46%) | 1/3 (33%) | 0/7 (0%) | 0/1 (0%) | 18/59 (31%) |
drama | 17/58 (29%) | 24/52 (46%) | 12/46 (26%) | 16/52 (31%) | 3/16 (19%) | 10/24 (42%) | 3/9 (33%) | 85/257 (33%) |
game show | 2/11 (18%) | 2/5 (40%) | 3/8 (38%) | 4/9 (44%) | | | | 11/33 (33%) |
newsmagazine | 2/14 (14%) | | 1/2 (50%) | | | | 0/1 (0%) | 3/17 (18%) |
reality (competition) | 8/22 (36%) | 5/13 (38%) | 6/27 (22%) | 11/37 (30%) | 1/7 (14%) | 3/10 (30%) | 1/5 (20%) | 35/121 (29%) |
reality (documentary) | 4/18 (22%) | 0/4 (0%) | 5/16 (31%) | 3/6 (50%) | 0/5 (0%) | 3/4 (75%) | 0/3 (0%) | 15/56 (27%) |
sports | 1/1 (100%) | | | 1/2 (50%) | | | | 2/3 (67%) |
total | 50/173 (29%) | 41/104 (39%) | 40/141 (28%) | 46/154 (30%) | 12/48 (25%) | 24/67 (36%) | 5/20 (25%) | 218/707 (31%) |
Among the more interesting trends: CBS has kept 40% of its new multi-camera shows around for a second season but none of its single-camera shows; NBC conversely is batting 46% for its single-camera comedies while just 15% for multi-camera ones. By the same token CBS has had success with 38% of its reality competition shows but none at all with its docusoaps whereas FOX and NBC have seen more failures in the former genre. All in all, you definitely can get the sense of each network's brand from the above data.
TOMORROW: Are cable channels really more patient than the broadcast networks?
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[10/16/25 - 12:58 PM] Lifetime Announces Annual "It's a Wonderful Lifetime" Holiday Movie Slate Kicking Off November 29th Featured talent this year includes Brandy Norwood, Kane & Katelyn Brown, Loretta Devine, Debbi Morgan, Arielle Kebbel, Tyler Hilton, James Lafferty, Vivica A. Fox, Jackée Harry, Sy'Rai Smith, Nischelle Turner, Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, and others.
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[10/16/25 - 12:31 PM] Video: "The Witcher" Season 4 - Character Trailer - Netflix Scattered to fates unknown, Geralt, Yennefer and Ciri traverse the war-torn Continent and its countless enemies in the hope of finding each other again.
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[10/16/25 - 11:32 AM] A+E Global Media and Rachael Ray's Free Food Studios Cook Up Expanded Programming Partnership with Over 100 New Episodes Ordered The network has ordered 110 new episodes of Ray's programming, including new episodes of "Meals in Minutes," that will continue to focus on her approachable and comforting cooking style.
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[10/16/25 - 11:18 AM] Video: "Don't Date Brandon" - Official Trailer - Paramount+ Brandon seemed like the perfect boyfriend, but when Amber reaches out to his ex-wife Athena, the truth begins to unravel, revealing a disturbing history of lies, restraining orders, and a criminal past.
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[10/16/25 - 11:01 AM] "Pop Culture Jeopardy!," from Sony Pictures Television, Returns for a Second Season on Netflix "We couldn't be more thrilled to be partnering with the exemplary team at Netflix, to bring more episodes to our passionate and loyal viewers," said Suzanne Prete.
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[10/16/25 - 11:00 AM] CBS Unwraps a Festive Holiday Lineup! CBS celebrates the 2025 holiday season with an all-new lineup of joyful holiday programming!
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[10/16/25 - 10:31 AM] Video: "Marines" - Official Trailer - Netflix The coming of age docuseries follows the members of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), the US military's "force in readiness" in the Pacific.
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[10/16/25 - 10:02 AM] Video: Tubi Debuts Trailer for New Horror Film "Glamping" a Killer Weekend Getaway Just in Time for Halloween What begins as an influencer's dream cabin getaway with her friends soon unravels into a nightmare when a masked killer crashes the trip.
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[10/16/25 - 10:01 AM] HBO Original Three-Part Documentary Series "Alex vs ARod" Debuts November 6 From the pinnacle of athletic success to the depths of scandal, Alex Rodriguez saw his prolific baseball career marred by a high-profile suspension for performance-enhancing drug use.
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[10/16/25 - 09:22 AM] Video: "Honest Renovations: A Holiday Home Makeover" - Official Trailer - The Roku Channel The latest installment in the franchise premieres Monday, November 10.
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[10/16/25 - 09:02 AM] Apple and NBCUniversal Introduce the Apple TV and Peacock Bundle Customers in the U.S. can save over 30 percent by subscribing to the Apple TV and Peacock Premium bundle for $14.99 per month, or Apple TV and Peacock Premium Plus for $19.99 per month, through either app or website.
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[10/16/25 - 09:01 AM] Video: "Squid Game: The Challenge" - Season 2 Official Trailer - Netflix Featuring new, unpredictable challenges and high-stakes games from the hit series, this reality competition brings the "Squid Game" phenomenon to life.
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[10/16/25 - 09:01 AM] Video: "LEGO Disney Frozen: Operation Puffins" - Official Trailer - Available on Disney+ October 24 After the events of "Frozen," Anna and Elsa want to start fresh in Arendelle, and make the castle feel a bit more comfortable.
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[10/16/25 - 08:33 AM] "On Patrol: Live" on Reelz+ Streaming Service Now Available on Apple TV The expanded availability for Reelz+ comes on the heels of the network celebrating its 300th episode of "On Patrol: Live."
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[10/16/25 - 08:31 AM] Anderson Silva Faces Chris Weidman in the Ring for a Historic Trilogy Showdown on Most Valuable Promotions "Jake vs. Tank" on Friday, November 14 from Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, Live Globally Only on Netflix "Jake vs. Tank" is the culmination of four years of callouts and a brewing rivalry between Jake "El Gallo de Dorado" Paul and Gervonta "Tank" Davis.
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