Rookie shows lack sizzle

By Scott Collins

Los Angeles Times

Some programs this fall are delivering very strong ratings. Just not new programs. If TV executives want encouragement from the numbers, they have to turn to football and returning series.

Two weeks into the fall TV season, the broadcast networks have gotten off to one of their most sluggish starts ever. For the first time in at least five years, not a single new show has cracked the top 10 either among total viewers or the advertising-friendly demographic of adults age 18 to 49, according to the Nielsen Co. Even CBS’ remake of “Hawaii Five-0,” with its familiar brand name and 10 p.m. Monday time slot, has failed to sizzle and has tumbled compared with “CSI: Miami” last year.

Then there are the outright bombs. After two airings, Fox axed its critically acclaimed drama about a Texas con man, “Lone Star.” A pair of episodes was likewise all it took for ABC to yank the critically unheralded youth soap “My Generation.” Industry watchers predict that ABC’s legal drama “The Whole Truth” and NBC’s Jimmy Smits vehicle “Outlaw” will be next on the road to oblivion. As a result, Fox — the No. 1 network among young adults for several years running — and ABC both saw their premiere-week ratings slide by double digits compared with a year ago.

Yet while the new shows have clearly disappointed, there are still positive signs for the networks. Chief among them: The overall erosion in viewership for broadcast TV appears to be slowing at last. The five over-the-air, English-language networks (ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and CW) are still down in total viewers compared with year-ago figures, but it’s by the smallest amount — 2 percent — in at least four seasons. Viewers have turned out in droves for favorite returning shows, such as Fox’s high-school musical “Glee,” which is soaring to record ratings.