VCR Alert: I
t may be the begin- cus on "more mature" char-
ning of 1996 to you, acters. You don't turn the Ti-
but in the TV busi- tanic around quickly.
So beginning this month,
ness, it's already mid-
many of the shows that were
season.
Every September, billed as the best the net-
the television net- works had to offer are being
works unleash an dumped in favor of newer se-
avalanche of new series, tout- ries that they promise will be
ing each one as the greatest even better. Go figure.
You may already have seen
boon to American life since
turkey pastrami, the next na- some of the arrivals. "Matt
tional viewing craze a la "ER" Waters," daytime talk-show
host Montel Williams' expan-
or "Friends."
However, the sad reality is sion into prime-time drama
that even in the greatest of as an inner-city high-school
TV seasons, over 70 percent teacher, bowed the first
of all new shows fail miser- Wednesday of the New Year
ably. And by almost any mea- on CBS (9 p.m., Channel 62
suring stick, the 1995-96 in Detroit). "I think people will
season has not been one for enjoy it," Williams says. "It'll
be kind of another side of
the books.
CBS, for example, seeking Montel that you didn't get to
a dramatic turnaround in its see."
Also, several series that
woeful prime-time fortunes,
flooded the airwaves last fall had their shot on network
with 11 rookie series, all de- schedules previously are be-
signed to replace its Geritol- ing trotted out again for
gulping primary audience another look. CBS is retriev-
with infinitely more desirable ing "Diagnosis: Murder,"
18-to-49 year-old video "Due South" and "American
Gothic," while Fox (Channel
junkies.
Essentially, the strategy 2 in Detroit) is reviving its
bombed: the comedies "If Not sci-fi adventure/comedy
for You" and "Dweebs" and "Sliders."
Here's a roster of mid-sea-
dramas "Courthouse" and
"New York News" were can- son TV highlights, coming
celed in a New York minute, soon to a glowing screen near
while "Central Park West," you. Are they more wonder-
the nighttime soap created by ful than the programs they re-
the producers of "Melrose placed? You watch. You
Place," is being retooled to to- decide.
STAY
TUNED
FOR
pl
PH OTO BY DOU G HYU N/FOX
JIM MCFARLIN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
CAMPUS COPS, 9:30 p.m. g lkshp d fOrmertite0v* cOte-
Saturdays, premiered Jan. 6, sponcient, returns to TV as
USA Network: Imagine taking anchor of this cockeyed news-
the boneheads from Animal magazine developed by ex-
House and giving them badges NBC programming genius
and authority over student bod- Brandon Tartikoff. The show
ies. John Landis, who directed is based on that oily super-
that testament to "guy-film" market tabloid that nobody ad-
grossness, could see the possi- mits to buying but everybody
bilities: He's an executive pro- knows, promising "the most
ducer for this goofball half-hour bizarre, outrageous and in-
parade of incredible girls and credible stories from around
infantile humor. Newcomers the globe." Typical segment: An
Ben Bode and Ryan Hurst are • obscure South Sea Island tribe
the keyst4,..ie cops; the face you that worships boxing promot-
may recognize among the cast er Don King as their god.
belongs to veteran actor Monte
3rd ROCK FROM THE
Markham, as the college dean.
SUN, 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays, pre-
WEEKLY WORLD miered Jan. 9, NBC (Channel
NEWS,-10:30 p.m. Saturdays, 4 in Detroit): An incredibly im-
premiered Jan. 6, USA Net- pressive cast for a half-hour TV
work: Are retirement benefits sitcom, led by John Lithgow
at NBC News that poor? Ed- and Jane Curtin (was she Kate
win Newman, the distin- or Allie?), and an incredibly
high concept — an alien space-
ship crew trying to understand
Jim McFarlin can be heard on
Earth life while visiting our
WJR- 760 AM- on "Albom in
planet in human-form disguis-
the Aftemoons," 4-6 p.m.
es. Even if it's not perceived as
Monday through Friday, and
a Coneheads rip-off, "3rd Rock"
12-3 p.m. Saturdays on
probably won't just sit there on
WCHB (1200 AM).