Monday's Random Thoughts (TV edition)

Merry Monday to everyone. A little bit of a one-track mind today, but it was a long weekend full of breaking news, so I didn't get a lot of time to get rolling on any other topics... (Edit to add at 9:24 a.m.)

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE ...: If you're a TV fan, then today starts a time of year that's a bit like Christmas morning.
You know, you unwrap your new toys for the world to see, and within five minutes, that sparkling new toy you had to have has been pushed aside. Or you've gotten jealous over the gift your sibling got. Or you got a "Go-Bot" instead of a "Transformer." Or someone gave you socks.
The TV networks up-front week is also a bit of an archaic exercise by an industry that is still grasping on to it's old business models, and hasn't adapted to a changing world.
Every May, the networks get together and show off the new shows they're going to put on your TV in the fall, mainly so advertisers can figure out which show will be safe for them to put their ad dollars behind.
And every one of those network suits will talk about how they're going to change television or bring a cutting-edge cable mentality to the shows you'll see on your free TV channels.
Uh-huh. Sure you are.
We've heard it all before. Wait until you see this new boundary pushing show ... it'll be great! Six weeks later, and it's off the air.
I think it's safe to say, that in most cases, America does not like "cutting edge." Or, more correctly, the America with Nielsen boxes does not like "cutting edge."
The America with Nielsen boxes likes safe. They like familiar. That's why there's three "CSI's" and three "Law and Order's." It's why Jim Belushi's sitcom is still on the air.
And, it's why NBC turned to Jay Leno to take up five hours a week in prime time. Those socks that you tossed aside when you opened the box on Christmas morning ... turns out they're nice, warm and comfortable.

THAT'S THE THING ABOUT SOCKS: Looking at the synopsis of some of the shows that will be coming to a screen near you, and it's easy to see Hollywood is trying to give you a warm and fuzzy feeling.
By not relying on things that are "new." Let's take a look at some of the "new" shows:

ABC has apparently picked up six episodes of "V." Yes, "V." That '80's miniseries that was turned into a one season series on NBC is back. Alan Tudyk (the pirate from the movie "Dodgeball," and Wash from "Firefly") is set to be one of the stars. I'm sure somewhere down the pike, the phrase "Well, it worked for Battlestar Galactica" was uttered.

Staying on ABC, they're adapting "The Witches of Eastwick" as a series. Rebecca Romijn will be the headliner star. Doubtful they'll be able to pull Jack away from the Lakers long enough for him to make an appearance.

Over at Fox, when they're not showing "American Idol," they'll be digging into the DC Comics archives for "Human Target," about a guy who keeps his clients safe by pretending to be the client. Oh, and ABC already tried it once with Rick Springfield in the title role.

NBC, not wanting to be left out, is rebooting the 1989 Steve Martin-starring, Ron Howard-directed movie "Parenthood." They've got some decent names coming in, though Peter Krause (from "Sports Night," "Six Feet Under" and "Dirty Sexy Money") has some big shoes to fill in the Steve Martin role. They're going the full-on drama route, as far as I can tell. Oh, and ABC (I think), also already tried it as a series.

The CW has a two-fer going this fall. The network that brought us a new version of "90210," is digging into the '90s Fox archive again, by rebooting "Melrose Place," which will include renowned lip-syncher Ashlee Simpson-Wentz. And since they were bringing one old classic up-to-date, they thought, why not go back to the '80s with a "Gossip Girl" spinoff that will look at one of the characters when she was a teen.

Speaking of spinoffs, CBS — the network that brought you three CSI's — is going to well from its other crime scene show, "NCIS." Chris O'Donnell (the former Robin) is set to star in a spinoff of the Mark Harmon-led show.

Oh, and it's not just the ideas that are getting new air time. So are the stars of shows you loved before. Besides Romijn, coming back to new shows, among others, are Courtney Cox-Arquette, Patricia Heaton, and Kelsey Grammer.

ABOUT THAT EDGE: ABC seems to be the network that likes to test its limits on that edge. They've tried and tried and tried over the years, it seems. But for every "Lost" that's worked, there are shows such as "Pushing Daisies" and "Life on Mars" that don't.
And it seems to leave them always in this mode of scrambling to fill.
Which is why it surprises me that they are continuing to push a little with shows that just raise red flags in my head.
One is a mockumentary sitcom that will star Ed O'Neill, among others, that is called either "Modern Family" or "Modern Life." The show follows three families. There's the typical American family, with mom and dad and three kids. There's the older guy (O'Neill) who's married to a younger woman with their kid. And then, there's the gay couple.
Oh, that's going to play in middle America. Sure, "Will and Grace" was a ratings success. But that was a simpler time, when America was just starting to accept that there were gay people in their midst, and that it was OK. Now, we're living in a world where we're fighting over their rights to get married, and, the Christians will love this, even raise children.
I actually have high hopes for the show, and hope it gets a real chance, but the cynic in me is worried that it will get tuned out and treated like "Arrested Development," a great show that was too smart for its own good.

REPRIEVED: Also happy to see that two shows I've been following are officially coming back for a bit.
Both "Chuck" and "Dollhouse" got 13 more episodes, but both will have to cut their budgets. So, expect a few deaths, or people leaving for new assignments next fall.
Also getting picked up was "Better Off Ted" and "Scrubs" on ABC. "Better" is one I just haven't gotten to, but I've heard good things about. And "Scrubs," well, ABC already produces it, and it's probably cheaper to keep it going than developing something new.

MUTE BUTTON: OK, so all I've done is talk about TV. But I'll shut up now. I'm off to LAX today to pick up my dad, and am writing this really early Monday morning. So, I'll try and get some rest and come up with something marginally more interesting (or at least more varied) for next time.
Have a good day.