Entry 24: "CW Run. Run, W, Run."

Yo!

Yeah, I really need to work on thinking up funnier titles. ....Anyway, hands-down, among the top chatter this week is the ever-increasing hype about both new syndicated network TV channels, replacing The WB and UPN: The CW, and MyNetworkTV. Apparently, The CW will be replacing both The WB and UPN simultaneously, serving as a near-perfect fusion of the two networks (Show of hands, who seriously thought this time two years ago that eventually Smallville and Veronica Mars would be on the same channel? Yup, I didn't think so.), while MyNetworkTV will be shown on the former WB/UPN channels that don't become The CW next week. Example: In Los Angeles, MyNetworkTV will be taking over former UPN channel 13, while the CW will be dominating what once was WB's KTLA, channel 5.

What surprises me the most about this merger isn't the selected programs between WB and UPN that will be renewed and carried over to the CW, despite certain programs' threat of cancellation constantly looming, yet never striking fully (C'mon, Brenda Hampton, just let 7th Heaven die already!!!!!!!!!!!!!), but rather what's happening with MyNetworkTV. As you can easily tell from their official site, HERE, the only thing these guys have going for them, I found out from another website because they don't have a full zip code-searchable schedule on the official site yet, is the 22 hours a day of syndicated programs. Which basically means the 48 contiguous United States at least (I'm not sure about Alaska and Hawaii) will be given a complete grab bag of programs practically at random, with almost every MNTV outlet getting a different set of programs in near-constant rotation. All day. Every day. Not an ounce of decent originality in sight.

Speaking of, the only original programming these guys have happens to be a pair of ripped-from-Univision primetime soap operas, "Desire" and "Fashion House." Go on, I triple-dog-dare you to tell the discernable differences apart. If this is the kind of pompous drivel we'll have no choice but to expect from the sister company of MySpace, of all things (yes, THIS MySpace.), I can't help but believe that this'll be one more nail in the coffin of network television in general as we know it.

Bottom Line: If this is supposed to be a decently competing alternative to cable TV, frankly, I'm not impressed. The CW is renewing crap that doesn't need renewing (Except Smallville, Everybody Hates Chris and Supernatural. I'm happy about that. Also, I'm hearing good things about this year's Veronica Mars...), and MyNetworkTV doesn't even have an animation block! Just syndicated sitcoms and dramas all the time! Personally, I'm betting on most of the major broadcast networks dying out when everything goes exclusively Hi-Def. Even then, it'll only be a matter of time before the only burning question won't be "CSI" or "Law & Order" anymore. 'Cause their native networks will be dead as the dodo. Besides, Spike and TNT handles those two syndicated shows, respectively, just fine. ....But that's just me. Any thoughts/comments on this, readers...?

See ya next Monday!

-D.